In response to COVID-19, United Airlines has made a number of changes to its MileagePlus program. In addition to reducing qualification requirements and extending status for current Premier members through January 2022, the airline is making it even easier for MileagePlus members to earn Premier status.
Unlike other loyalty programs, MileagePlus has no distance requirements to reach status. Members can qualify with Premier qualifying points (PQP) alone or a combination of Premier qualifying flights (PQF) and PQP. Plus, a United co-branded credit card can make obtaining Premier status even quicker.
How United Airlines is making it easier to reach Premier status:
- Lowering the amount of PQP and PQF you need to earn Premier status across all levels—even lower than their original requirements for 2020.
- Automatically adding PQP to your MileagePlus account based on the 2021 Premier status you hold at the end of 2020. The airline says you’ll receive the PQP no later than February 1, 2021, so it’s easier to maintain your status in 2021 or jump-start your journey toward reaching a higher status level.
- Premier members now earn double the PQP on each of your first three PQP-eligible trips completed from January 1 through March 31, 2021. Members without Premier status can earn a +50% PQP bonus, helping you qualify for Premier status through 2022 even sooner.
- PQP earned from your eligible United MileagePlus credit card—including the United Explorer Card—count toward Premier 1K® status.
- Extending PlusPoints expiring on or after January 1, 2021, by an additional six months and made it even easier to earn extra PlusPoints after reaching Premier 1K status in 2021. United is still the only U.S. global airline to offer members the ability to earn unlimited extra upgrades after reaching their highest published tier of Premier status.
- Visit United’s Qualification page to learn more about all of the changes they’ve made to the Premier program in the last year.
One of the most exciting aspects of United’s announcement is the free PQP its gifting to members with Premier status. The number of points you receive will be based on your status at the end of 2020. Below you can find out how many PQP you will receive if you haven’t already:
In addition to practically giving away PQP, United Airlines is making it much easier for members to reach various levels of Premier status. This is just one of the ways the airline is attempting to curb the effects of COVID-19 on its loyal customers.
Source: United Airlines