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The Value of United Elite Status: Prior to Departure & at the Airport

James Larounis

Senior Content Contributor

557 Published Articles 1 Edited Article

Countries Visited: 30 U.S. States Visited: 35

Keri Stooksbury

Editor-in-Chief

35 Published Articles 3273 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 47 U.S. States Visited: 28

Table of Contents

United mileageplus elite level tiers, increased award mile earning rates, priority check-in, priority screening, united priority boarding privileges, priority baggage handling, premier priority desk phone line, access to most sold-out flights, lounge access when traveling internationally, complimentary checked baggage allowance, discounted or waived same-day flight changes, discounted united club membership rates, discounted or waived phone service fees, priority waitlisting for award travel, standby for international awards, unrestricted access to united everyday awards on united and united express flights, better availability for united saver awards in economy, better availability for united saver awards in select premium cabins, reduced or waived close-in booking fee, reduced or waived redeposit fee, reduced or waived award change fee, star alliance benefits, final valuations, final thoughts.

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The United MileagePlus loyalty program has 4 public elite levels and 1 invitation-only level designed for super high-spending customers.

Each of these status levels comes with a variety of benefits to help the frequent traveler, though each perk carries a different value depending on how often you may use it, what status you hold, and how often you may fly.

With all the different benefits, here’s a deep-dive look into each one to help you understand:

• The benefit and how it works
• How to maximize each benefit so you get the most value
• The valuation we place on each benefit
• When it may be worth it to try for a higher elite status level

In this post, you’ll find all the information you need about each of the status levels, as well as all of the benefits prior to departure (ticketing, fee waivers, etc.) and at the airport. A second post will be dedicated to seating and upgrades (the 2 largest perks of United status).

To understand the value behind each tier, it’s important to understand the basics of the MileagePlus program and how to earn each status.

Each tier has progressively better benefits , although in some cases benefits are the same across several tiers (this is sometimes a good reason not to go for a higher level when you can achieve the same benefit for less spending and fewer miles flown!).

For the majority of this post, we’re not going to look at Global Services benefits (although we may mention the perks and how they compare in certain sections). Since Global Services is by invitation only, it’s hard to place a value on specific perks.

Let’s take a look at the benefits of the rest of the tiers.

As a United elite, you’ll earn more award miles for every ticket purchased , whether that’s through United or a partner.

As a point of reference:

• When a ticket is operated by United and issued by any airline, you’ll earn award miles based on the fare of the ticket.
• When a ticket is operated by a Star Alliance or other MileagePlus partner airline and issued by United, you’ll earn award miles based on the fare of the ticket.
• When a ticket is operated by a Star Alliance or other MileagePlus partner airline and issued by an airline other than United, you’ll earn award miles based on the flight distance and purchased fare class.

The Premier status you have will determine how many bonus miles you will receive . In all cases, the multiplier is based on the actual fare of the ticket, excluding any taxes and carrier-imposed fees.

• Member: Earns 5x the fare
• Premier Silver: Earns 5x the fare and receives 2x the fare as Premier bonus award miles, for a total of 7x the fare
• Premier Gold: Earns 5x the fare and receives 3x the fare as Premier bonus award miles, for a total of 8x the fare
• Premier Platinum: Earns 5x the fare and receives 4x the fare as Premier bonus award miles, for a total of 9x the fare
• Premier 1K: Earns 5x the fare and receives 6x the fare as Premier bonus award miles, for a total of 11x the fare

At a minimum, we’ve calculated how many award miles each status would earn you started from scratch to earn it. These numbers use the higher PQP-only qualifications. We’ve also included an estimated dollar value of the miles based on our current valuations .

Based on these numbers and how many miles are required to book a trip, you can roughly see the redemption value at each status level. Since United has moved to a more dynamic award pricing system, it’s difficult to peg each status level on a particular award earning level, so we’ve estimated.

All elite levels have access to priority check-in areas , though this benefit can vary depending on the airport you’re at.

• Premier Silver: May check in at priority lanes (except for Star Alliance Gold queues)
• Premier Gold: May check in at Star Alliance Gold queues or first class lines
• Premier Platinum: May check in at Star Alliance Gold queues or first class lines
• Premier 1K: May check in at dedicated 1K queues, first class queues, or Star Alliance Gold areas

In all cases, having access to a dedicated priority check-in area helps when you need ticketing assistance, or when checking a bag. Not having to wait in a general queue can really save some time, especially when there may be issues with your reservation or in case of irregular operations.

The value of priority check-in really depends on how much you’d use it. Some travelers never need to speak with an agent, so for them, the value is much lower. But for a business traveler who checks a bag on every trip, the value is much higher.

In general, queues are shorter at non-hub cities. So if you tend to fly out of cities other than Denver (DEN), Washington, D.C. (DCA), or Newark (EWR), for example, you’ll find the lines shorter to begin with and may not place as much value on a priority check-in queue.

United also provides priority queues for speaking with customer service agents at airports , which is a really nice touch. Throughout the terminal at major hub city airports, you’ll find these customer service podiums where you can inquire about seat assignments, get rebooked on alternate flights, and ask any other relevant questions.

These locations all have a regular line for non-elites and then a queue for all elite-level customers to receive faster service. This can be very helpful in cases of major weather delays with tons of folks scrambling to rebook flights. While the regular lines will be very long, you’ll have somewhat of an advantage standing in line at the elite counter.

We value this based upon increased usage of each elite tier, which means you’re more likely to check more bags as you fly more, and you’re more likely to encounter irregular operations where you may need to see an agent:

• Premier Silver: $50
• Premier Gold: $150
• Premier Platinum: $250
• Premier 1K: $350

At major airports worldwide, United elites will get priority screening privileges , meaning they’ll be able to access security checkpoints faster. Usually, there will be 2 lines at most airports: 1 for regular customers and 1 for those with elite status in a major frequent flyer program.

At U.S. airports, you’ll also find TSA PreCheck  or CLEAR lanes that can provide expedited processing where you don’t have to take off light jackets or remove liquids from bags.

It’s important to note that priority screening queues obtained through elite status don’t include TSA PreCheck automatically. At some airports, these lines don’t have an option to funnel into the actual PreCheck checkpoint — so you’ll need to make a decision on where to line up. In most cases, PreCheck lines will be faster thanks to expedited screening, so you may not always want to use an elite line, even if it is a benefit.

We value this benefit based upon increased usage at each tier and the time saved with the additional expedited queue. We also take into consideration that as a higher elite flyer you will more than likely have PreCheck, though it isn’t specifically included as an elite benefit.

• Premier Gold: $100
• Premier Platinum: $150
• Premier 1K: $200

Unlike other airlines that tend to segment elite levels and boarding (like American, which practically has a separate group for every elite tier), United has decided to lump several elite tiers into few boarding groups , making for an interesting boarding process .

Pre-Boarding

• Unaccompanied minors
• Customers with disabilities
• Active-duty members of the military
• United Global Services members
• Families traveling with children under the age of 2
• Premier 1K members

As you can see, both United’s invitation-only Global Services level and highest public tier Premier 1K members board at nearly the same time, before all other passengers. In a busy hub like Denver (DEN) or San Francisco (SFO), it can seem like half the plane is pre-boarding (which is a very real thing).

• Premier Platinum members
• Premier Gold members
• Star Alliance Gold members
• Customers seated in premium cabins (such as United Polaris, first, and business)

This is a HUGE boarding group. Group 1 will include a majority of elites (it includes both mid-tiers, which have a majority of the MileagePlus elite membership), as well as partner elites (Star Alliance Gold), and anyone seated in a premium cabin. If you think of a wide-body flight with 40+ premium seats out of a major hub with tons of elites, this will be nothing less than a stampede to the plane.

• Premier Silver members
• Star Alliance Silver members
• Customers who have purchased Premier Access or Priority Boarding
• Cardmembers who have a United℠ Explorer Card , United Club℠ Card , United℠ Presidential Plus℠ Card, or United MileagePlus ® Awards Card

This is another huge group since it lumps in the lowest frequent flyer tier (where there’s a huge membership) and partner elites. Also, when you think of “priority” boarding, you don’t necessarily think of Group 2 — yet those who purchase this service will board here.

What makes this group even more chaotic is the fact that it includes pretty much all United credit cardholders — and as you can imagine, there are an absolute ton of those folks. We mention this because you’ll likely value priority boarding less when you have to board with more people and compete to stow your bags.

Groups 3 through 5 include premium economy and economy. Group 5 will consists of all Basic Economy , with the exception of elites and those who hold a qualifying credit card, who will still board in their normal earlier boarding group.

As a recap, here’s where each of the elite levels board:

• United Global Services: Pre-boarding
• Premier 1K: Pre-boarding
• Premier Platinum: Group 1
• Premier Gold: Group 1
• Premier Silver: Group 2

Here’s how we value priority boarding:

• Premier Silver: $100, based upon occasional usage and a large boarding group
• Premier Gold: $250, based upon increased usage, but combined with Platinum boarding
• Premier Platinum: $300, based on even more usage, but combined with Gold boarding
• Premier 1K: $500, based upon highest usage and boarding prior to other groups

As an elite, your bag should be among the first to come off the plane. When checking in with an agent, your bags will be tagged with a priority paper that lets baggage handlers know those bags should come out first.

In reality, it doesn’t always work this way, and it’s routine for bags to come out later in the delivery process. Especially on flights where you’re lumped in with many other elites, there will be a lot of priority bags coming out at any one time. At that point, there’s no differentiation between a Premier 1K’s bags and those belonging to a Premier Silver.

Since this benefit is hit or miss, here’s how we value priority baggage handling (mostly based on increased usage as you fly more):

• Premier Silver: $25, based on occasionally checked bags
• Premier Gold: $50, based on more checked bags
• Premier Platinum: $75, based on even more checked bags
• Premier 1K: $100, based on highest likelihood of having checked bags

Having access to a human agent is one of the most important elite benefits   you can receive   — they can make or break the booking experience and help you get on better flights, deal with weather cancellations, and take care of other important last-minute issues.

Premier Silver, Premier Gold, and Premier Platinum share an elite Premier Priority Desk line , so agents who answer the phones help all 3 types of customers.

But Premier 1Ks — the highest public tier — have a dedicated 1K 1Call center that is better equipped to handle requests regarding their elite benefits, upgrades, and other issues. This type of agent is empowered to help more than a traditional reservations agent.

We value the access to the dedicated phone line based on usage:

• Premier Silver: $50, based on a few calls per year
• Premier Gold: $100, based on more calls per year
• Premier Platinum: $150, based on even more calls per year
• Premier 1K: $300, based the most calls per year, including potential waivers or special assistance

It’s worth noting that United’s Twitter customer service team ( @United ) is not as good as either American or Delta, and response times are usually longer than with other airlines (even Alaska does better). If you’re a United elite, you should value the elite phone line access more than other airlines, since customer service on social media is worse.

Premier 1Ks also have access to the United 1K Voice email address where they can email about non-urgent matters to receive assistance. This would include things such as compensation from flights that have issues, problems with crediting flights toward the MileagePlus program, etc.

While response times can be hit or miss, it certainly saves having to call in. We didn’t account for 1K Voice in our valuation since it doesn’t fall directly into this category, but it’s worth mentioning nonetheless.

Last-minute flights happen — whether for work or emergencies, you sometimes need to get somewhere in a matter of hours. The problem is that many flights in that scenario are often sold out, sometimes far in advance.

One of the benefits of being a MileagePlus elite is access to most sold-out flights . With this benefit, you’re able to purchase an unrestricted Y or B (full-fare) economy ticket . Even if the flight is sold out you’ll still have a seat.

• Premier Silver: Can purchase a Y ticket at least 24 hours prior to departure
• Premier Gold: Can purchase a Y ticket at least 24 hours prior to departure
• Premier Platinum: Can purchase a Y ticket at least 120 minutes prior to departure
• Premier 1K: Can purchase a Y or B ticket at least 90 minutes prior to departure

Premier 1Ks have the best benefit of being allowed to purchase the next lowest (and cheapest) fare B, and being allowed to buy a ticket at least 90 minutes prior to departure.

The airline takes into account how many of these types of tickets to sell, and they understand scenarios where doing so might oversell a flight and cause them to pay compensation to another passenger. This is a very well-calculated risk, and they only offer this benefit knowing that they end up losing more money providing any compensation.

As with any flight, there’s always the potential for misconnecting passengers, folks who miss the check-in cutoff time, etc., which can free up a seat to account for an elite passenger buying a ticket on an otherwise sold-out flight.

That said, this benefit is really only useful for last-minute emergency business or corporate workers who might need to travel at the drop of a hat.

• Premier Silver: ~$50, for a potential use once per year (based on how long it would take to find another airline ticket)
• Premier Gold: ~$50
• Premier Platinum: ~$60
• Premier 1K: ~$75

Remember, when you book into a Y or B fare, you can receive an instant upgrade if there’s still space in the premium cabin. More than likely when booking so close to departure there won’t be any premium space left — but it’s worth noting that the benefit still exists if you find seats.

Lounge access is one of the top perks of being a MileagePlus Premier member , and when you’re on a long-haul international flight, it can really make the difference.

• Premier Silver: No lounge access
• Premier Gold: Lounge access when flying internationally
• Premier Platinum: Lounge access when flying internationally
• Premier 1K: Lounge access when flying internationally

To enter any Star Alliance lounge , just show your same-day boarding pass listing your Star Alliance Gold status (which you have as a Premier Gold, Premier Platinum, and Premier 1K). Each elite member may bring 1 guest who is also traveling on the same flight as the elite member.

What’s really interesting about this benefit is that you can enter some lounges domestically, too . Star Alliance lounge access rules prevent access to United Clubs on domestic-only itineraries, but they don’t prevent access to other Star Alliance lounges .

So if you’re flying from Washington, D.C. (IAD) to Houston (IAH) on United in any class of service, for example, your Star Alliance Gold status lets you access the Turkish Airlines Lounge in Terminal B of Dulles Airport. It’s not in the same terminal where United mainline flights operate — Terminals C and D — but if you’ve got time to spare, you can take the AeroTrain to Terminal B and enjoy upgraded food and amenities at no additional expense.

Here’s a full list of lounges you can access domestically:

• Boston (BOS) — Lufthansa Business Lounge at gate B11
• Chicago (ORD) — SAS Business Lounge at gate M15 and SWISS Business Lounge at gate M8
• Detroit (DTW) — Lufthansa Business Lounge and Lufthansa Senator Lounge at gate D8
• Honolulu (HNL) — ANA Lounge and ANA Suite Lounge (directly next to the boarding gates)
• Los Angeles (LAX) — Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge at gate 64A and Star Alliance Lounge at gate 148
• Miami (MIA) — Avianca VIP Lounge at gate J8, Turkish Airlines Lounges at Concourse E and Concourse H
• New York (JFK)  — Air India Maharaja Lounge at gate 5, Lufthansa Business Lounge and Lufthansa Senator Lounge (immediately after security), SWISS Lounge (immediately after security)
• New York (LGA) — Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge at gate B47
• Newark (EWR) — Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge at A10, Lufthansa Business Lounge and Lufthansa Senator Lounge at gate B60, and SAS Business Lounge at gate B60
• Washington, D.C. (IAD) — Lufthansa Business Lounge and Lufthansa Senator Lounge at gate B51 and Turkish Airlines Lounge at gate B42

Partner lounges tend to include bars, a buffet food spread, computer terminals, agent assistance, showers, and complimentary internet access, among other benefits.

We value lounge access highly , especially depending on the airport you are leaving from where there might be better lounge offerings.

• Premier Silver: $0 (no access)
• Premier Gold: $250 based on accessing a lounge a few times a year
• Premier Platinum: $400 based on accessing a lounge multiple times a year
• Premier 1K: $600 based on consistent usage

No matter where you sit on the plane, all elite levels are given complimentary baggage to check , which can be a huge money saver depending on how much you fly.

• Premier Silver: 1 bag at 70 pounds (32 kg)
• Premier Gold: 2 bags at 70 pounds (32 kg) each
• Premier Platinum: 3 bags at 70 pounds (32 kg) each
• Premier 1K: 3 bags at 70 pounds (32 kg) each

These benefits are good for up to 9 companions on the same reservation . If you’re traveling with family or friends, they will all be extended the same complimentary checked baggage privileges per person, which can really add up.

Imagine that you’re a Premier 1K who can check 3 bags per person and have 9 people on a single reservation — that’s over 27 checked bags! Checked bags for a domestic flight are $30 for the first bag and $40 for the second, so you can see that the savings add up to be quite a considerable amount.

Hot Tip: If you clear an upgrade into business, first, or United Polaris , your complimentary checked bag limitations increase across the board to 3 bags at 70 pounds (32 kg) each, no matter your elite status.

Here’s how we value this complimentary checked bag benefit:

• Premier Silver: $60 (checking 2 bags a year at $30 a bag)
• Premier Gold: $150 (checking 5 bags a year at $30 a bag)
• Premier Platinum: $300 (checking 10 bags a year at $30 a bag)
• Premier 1K: $450 (checking 15 bags a year at $30 a bag)

A Note on Baggage and Hidden-City Ticketing

Since we’re talking about checked bags , it’s a good time to bring up hidden-city ticketing — something that’s becoming more and more prevalent as travelers try to find cheaper fares. Hidden-city ticketing is when you book a ticket with no intention of actually reaching the final destination — instead, you’ll get off at one of the intermediate stops to save money.

In general, we recommend not to do this if you have elite status with an airline since it can jeopardize your participation in their frequent flyer program — and it also comes at a huge risk if you need to check bags.

If you check your bags as an elite for free, they’ll go to your final destination and won’t be available at the intermediary point where you’re ending your trip during a layover. Because of this, it’s never advisable to check bags when participating in a hidden-city ticket — and again, we don’t recommend actually participating in this scheme if you want to be loyal to United for years to come.

As a MileagePlus elite member, you may be able to confirm onto another flight for free, which can provide significant savings. United is one of the most generous domestic carriers for allowing elites to same-day change.

• Non-Premier Members: $75 for a same-day change
• Premier Silver: $0 for a same-day change
• Premier Gold: $0 for a same-day change
• Premier Platinum: $0 for a same-day change
• Premier 1K: $0 for a same-day change

First off, there are a few rules so you can better interpret the value of this.

• Your ticket number must begin with 016 (United), which is especially important when flying on a codeshare — if your ticket is issued by a partner airline rather than United, you won’t be able to take advantage of this benefit.
• If your flight is at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, you’ll begin to see same-day change options at 6 p.m. on Monday.
• Using the same example, you could depart on a flight beginning at 6 p.m. on Monday, or going so far as 6 p.m. on Wednesday (almost a 48-hour spread across the original flight schedule, which is an absolutely fantastic benefit).

Hot Tip: If you play this right, you can save a ton of money! For example, flights are traditionally very expensive on Sundays. To avoid paying an arm and a leg, you could book a ticket for Saturday and then same-day change to a Sunday flight if there’s availability.

• If you purchase a V class ticket, you’re looking for other flights that are still selling the V fare bucket. If that fare bucket isn’t offered, you can still same-day change, but you must pay any applicable charges, including fare differences.
• You can standby for free if your fare class is not available on the flight you want to move to.
• However, you can book onto a new flight with different connection points, making this a very liberal allowance. Passengers have been able to same-day change for flights solely transiting the East Coast when their previous flight routed through San Francisco — the options are quite varied.

Here’s how we value same-day changes:

• Premier Silver: $75, based on an estimate of 1 same-day change
• Premier Gold: $300, based on an estimate of 4 same-day changes
• Premier Platinum: $600, based on an estimate of 8 same-day changes
• Premier 1K: $750, based on an estimate of 10 same-day changes

United has probably the most generous same-day change policy of any of the “big 3” carriers. On Delta, you can only same-day change to the same fare code that you were originally booked in, and only change to flights on the same day as your original flight. On American, you’re restricted to same-day changing to flights that have “E” inventory, and not your original fare code.

On United, however, you can see you’re free to make changes to flights within 24 hours in either direction of your original flight, which is extraordinarily generous. When valuing United elite status, you should take this into account.

Bottom Line: If you’re a person who frequently makes same-day flight changes, United will be the best elite program to stick with.

As a Premier Platinum or Premier 1K, you get discounted United Club access. United Clubs are airline clubs located in major hub cities and key markets that offer comfortable seating, complimentary food and beverages, internet access, and ticketing assistance.

For single-member memberships, here’s what you’ll pay:

• General Member: $550 or 70,000 miles
• Premier Silver: $550 or 70,000 miles
• Premier Gold: $550 or 70,000 miles
• Premier Platinum: $500 or 65,000 miles
• Premier 1K: $450 or 60,000 miles

As you can see, Premier Platinum members get a $50 discount off of the general member price, while Premier 1Ks get a $100 discount.

Club memberships are very important , especially for the ultra-frequent flyer. Not only will you have a quiet place to relax and work prior to your flight, but in the case of irregular operations where flights get delayed and canceled, you’ll have access to agents who are empowered to help (and there won’t be a huge line to speak with them).

It is not uncommon to see an extremely long line in the terminal to speak with a customer service representative after a bad night of storms — but in the United Club, there will just be a few people in line. As a Premier Platinum or Premier 1K, you should value United Club access highly; if you can’t access it through select United-branded credit cards, you should definitely consider purchasing it at a discount.

We highly recommend NOT using your miles to purchase lounge membership , as you can get a better value redeeming for premium cabin tickets to destinations around the world.

We won’t place a value on discounted lounge access since there are several ways to obtain lounge membership including through credit cards, and not everyone will take advantage of these savings.

Hot Tip: To learn more about the best credit cards for lounge access , explore our dedicated article!

Normally, when you call into United’s reservations center or buy a ticket at an airport, there is a service fee for the interaction with an agent (this is separate from award ticketing fees):

• By phone: $25
• At a city ticketing office: $10
• In-person at the airport: $50

This fee is waived for 2 of United’s elite levels — Premier 1K members and invitation-only Global Services members:

We value this fee waiver at $100 for Premier 1Ks (4 tickets per year booked by phone).

Hot Tip: Want to fast track to elite status? Having the right credit card in your wallet can help you earn complimentary airline elite status !

When you are unable to confirm an upgrade at the time of ticketing, you will be placed on a waitlist. As upgrade inventory opens, the waitlist processes in order of elite status:

• Global Services
• Premier Platinum
• Premier Gold
• Premier Silver

For most flights, you need to request your waitlist 24 hours prior to departure , so there is sufficient time to process any upgrades. If the upgrades aren’t processed prior to that time, they are added to the airport standby list for processing at the gate.

If you need to waitlist for an upgrade, having higher elite status will help you get the upgrade sooner than others. Here’s how we value this benefit:

• Premier Silver: $25 value (most Silvers won’t clear an upgrade like this)
• Premier Gold: $50 (even as a Gold, it is difficult to clear an upgrade like this)
• Premier Platinum: $100 (this benefit puts you ahead of Golds and Silvers and you’re allowed to use PlusPoints )
• Premier 1K: $200 (you’ll be ahead of Platinums and all lower elites and you have access to PlusPoints)

In some cases, you may find yourself with an award travel ticket that has several segments in business class but 1 or 2 segments in economy, simply due to lack of award availability.

Premier members who use miles to book an award trip in the premium cabin and have some segments in economy can standby for the higher class of service within 2 hours of departure. They can do this by notifying the airport agent of their request — they’ll be placed on the waitlist higher than revenue upgrades.

This is hard to value since it is really a unique circumstance — we’ll call it $50 for all elite levels.

Part of United’s mileage redemption scheme includes being able to redeem miles for any flight, even if there are no award seats. If there’s 1 seat left, you can use your miles, albeit at a much higher price (traditionally known as “anytime” pricing).

As a MileagePlus Premier, you have unrestricted access to these United Everyday Awards, no matter the flight, so long as it is operated by United or United Express.

This is another benefit that’s difficult to value since it will be used in very specific cases. We’ll set the value at a generic $50 for all elite levels.

All United elite levels have access to expanded award availability in economy. This can prove very useful when trying to complete a complex itinerary, especially if you need to depart from your home airport and fly to a larger gateway airport to embark on an international segment.

While there’s not a hard and fast rule about where this additional availability exists, you’ll usually find it on less-sold flights (and likely not on flights nearing capacity). Still, United may restrict the availability of flights to non-elites so they’re forced to buy a cash ticket — in these cases, you may find some additional award seats available that are specifically reserved for elite members.

Hot Tip: To see this expanded availability, you need to log in to your MileagePlus account and search online so the system recognizes who you are and can present results accordingly.

We’ll value this as $50 for all elite levels since it is tough to place a specific dollar value on simply being able to see/book more award seats.

While all elite members get better award availability in economy, Premier Platinum and Premier 1K members also get expanded availability in premium cabins such as business, first, and Polaris.

As with economy awards, to see the better availability you need to log in to your online MileagePlus account so it recognizes your elite level.

In theory, better premium cabin availability is a good thing — but in reality, don’t get your hopes up about what’s truly there. If you’re looking for Houston (IAH) to Sydney (SYD), for example, there’s not going to be a ton of dates ready for the taking.

Many people overestimate the value of this benefit. While it sounds great on paper, actually finding better award seats on premium international routes can be difficult. That said, they certainly do exist, though it might require a bit of flexibility as to when you leave or return home.

We’ll value this at $50 for applicable elite levels since not everyone will redeem for premium awards.

United no longer charges fees for booking MileagePlus tickets within 21 days of departure.

When you book an award reservation, there may be a reason to cancel your flight — perhaps due to an unexpected business trip, illness, or another conflict. Getting your miles back is super important so you can book for future trips.

As is common on many airlines, there is a redeposit fee charged to get those miles returned to your account.

There are no fees to make a change or cancel a ticket with redeposit 31 or more days before departure.

If you’re within 30 days of departure and want to cancel a ticket completely and get the miles back, these fees increase substantially. Here are the fees for making a change or canceling with redeposit 30 or fewer days before departure :

• General Member: $125
• Premier Silver: $100
• Premier Gold: $75
• Premier Platinum: $50
• Premier 1K: No fee

For full redeposit prior to departure, really the only great value here is being a Premier 1K , where you have full redeposit rights without restrictions as long as you cancel beforehand.

To redeposit miles after no-showing for a flight, you’ll pay $125 in all elite tiers , as well as non-elite general members. Obviously, to avoid this fee you definitely want to cancel your award flight before departure — don’t wait!

There are several important notes regarding award redeposits:

• If you want to change an intra-Japan award ticket on ANA, you must do so at least 4 days prior to departure.
• When determining fees based on the number of days before a flight, the number is calculated based upon the exact time of departure.
• In a case where you cancel with no redeposit, a fee is assessed based on the date you change or then request redeposit, not the date you cancel the ticket.

We place a value of $150 on this benefit for Premier 1K only since you can cancel freely with no penalty. All other levels incur a fee for redeposit 30 days or less from departure.

United lists this as a separate benefit from the reduced/waived redeposit fee above — they’re very similar but slightly different. A redeposit is getting your miles back into your account, but a change is simply changing the award you already have booked (not returning the miles back into your account). With the COVID-19 pandemic, all fees for changing awards have been waived .

Hot Tip: Even with the ability to cancel and redeposit awards, you can’t abuse this privilege. Don’t make bookings for the same day of travel and try to decide between them — one of the itineraries will cancel. And don’t hold seats with an award to try and cancel at the last minute in hopes of an upgrade. Some elites have tried this before only to be removed from the program.

Each tier in the MileagePlus program is equivalent to a tier within the Star Alliance program, allowing benefits across the entire network of Star Alliance carriers .

Here are the equivalent status levels for MileagePlus members:

• Premier Silver: Star Alliance Silver
• Premier Gold: Star Alliance Gold
• Premier Platinum: Star Alliance Gold
• Premier 1K: Star Alliance Gold

Let’s take a look at each of the benefits of Star Alliance status. First, there are a couple of benefits that both Star Alliance Silver and Gold members will receive:

• Priority Reservations Waitlisting — If for some reason you can’t be confirmed on a specific flight, you will have priority on the waitlist before other passengers should a seat open.
• Priority Airport Standby — If you’re standing by for a flight at the airport, you will receive preference for any seats that may open up on a standby flight.

And there are many more benefits for Star Alliance Gold only:

• Priority Airport Check-In — When you travel on any Star Alliance carrier, you can check in at the designated Star Alliance Gold lane, usually along with business class.
• Extra Baggage Allowance — You’re allowed to take an additional 44 pounds or 1 additional bag on all eligible flights.
• Gold Track — This includes priority security and immigration in select airports. You can usually find this at major Star Alliance hub airports, such as Cairo, Frankfurt, Singapore, and Chicago.
• Airport Lounge Access — You can access any Star Alliance lounge worldwide when traveling on an eligible flight. You can find lounges in most major airports — some locations include specific airline lounges, while others include alliance-wide lounges, such as in Los Angeles.
• Priority Boarding — You’ll be able to board in the designated priority lane as part of the airline you are flying. Usually, this is with or near business class or another premium cabin.
• Priority Baggage Handling — When traveling with any Star Alliance carrier, your bags will be tagged with a special priority tag and be offloaded from the plane first to arrive at the carousel before other bags.

Like most of the other benefits, we value this based on increasing usage with higher tiers. The general rule of thumb is that the more you’re flying, the more likely you’ll use a Star Alliance carrier, and the more you will use the associated benefits.

• Premier Silver: $100, since you only receive Star Alliance Silver status
• Premier Gold: $300, since you have Star Alliance Gold status and can receive domestic Star Alliance lounge access
• Premier Platinum: $400, since you have Star Alliance Gold status and can receive domestic Star Alliance lounge access (and will use more often)
• Premier 1K: $500, since you have Star Alliance Gold status and can receive domestic Star Alliance lounge access (and will use even more often)

Star Alliance elite status is definitely one of the most valuable alliance programs there is — many believe Oneworld is too small and that SkyTeam doesn’t have many high-profile carriers. Because Star Alliance is so big, you’ll find some sort of alliance representation (and a lounge to relax in) in almost any major international city, which certainly is an important thing for frequent travelers.

To help you compare every benefit with every United MileagePlus tier, here is a concise summary of how we value all of the United tier benefits:

As you can see, United elite status is a diverse mix of benefits, each with different benefits and values. By utilizing these benefits to the fullest potential, you’ll get the most value from your respective elite status tier.

• Premier 1K is really only for those folks that feel they’re going to fly enough to be able to use the top perks such as PlusPoints. If you’re forcing yourself to fly just to earn status, but won’t be able to use these upgrade points, it simply isn’t worth it.
• Premier Platinum is meant for heavier than usual business-type travelers and does come with many of the same perks as Premier 1K. It is far more attainable than Premier 1K, so for even some leisure travelers this level could be realistically achieved, but like anything, shouldn’t unless the benefits will be utilized to their fullest potential.
• Premier Gold is the entry level of United’s status levels where there are actual substantive benefits. If you’re going to go for status, make sure you at least make it to Premier Gold as this is where you’ll see many popular benefits start to kick in.
• Premier Silver is United’s lowest level, and for most people, probably isn’t worth earning. If you get it through a hotel program or credit card, then it is a no-brainer, but otherwise probably isn’t worth striving for outright.

United’s elite program is one of the largest in the world and comes with some of the most popular benefits. Make sure to choose the status level that best fits your lifestyle and travel goals!

The information regarding the United℠ Presidential Plus℠ Card and United MileagePlus ® Awards Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

The information regarding the United Club℠ Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the highest status on united airlines.

The highest status on United Airlines is Global Services, but this is an invitation-only tier that most people will not be able to achieve. The highest public tier is Premier 1K.

Does United Premier Platinum get lounge access?

United Premier Platinum members get access to Star Alliance lounges when traveling on an international itinerary.

Can I use United lounges if flying another airline?

You can only use the United lounge if you’re flying United or a Star Alliance partner.

Who can access a United lounge?

Generally, there are 3 types of groups that can access United lounges:

• Those on international premium cabin tickets
• United elites on eligible itineraries or partner Star Alliance members
• Those with a United Club membership

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About James Larounis

James (Jamie) started The Forward Cabin blog to educate readers about points, miles, and loyalty programs. He’s spoken at Princeton University and The New York Times Travel Show and has been quoted in dozens of travel publications.

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What to Know About United MileagePlus— Including How to Earn Status and Redeem Miles

Discover everything you need to know about United's frequent flier program.

How to Sign Up

How to earn miles, united airlines elite tiers, redeeming miles, how to get the most out of your mileageplus miles.

Courtesy of United

The United Airlines MileagePlus frequent flier program gives more than 100 million members travel perks in exchange for loyalty to the world’s third-largest airline. By flying on United and partner airlines, spending on co-branded credit cards, and other earning methods, members can acquire elite status and redeemable miles.

United Airlines recently revamped the MileagePlus program, emphasizing the accrual of Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs) through activities like flying, using co-branded credit cards, and online shopping. This lets loyalists earn United elite status — Premier Silver, Premier Gold, Premier Platinum, and Premier 1K — and the associated perks without flying frequently. 

The airline’s miles can subsequently be redeemed for domestic and international flights on United and partner carriers across the Star Alliance and beyond.

“United has the largest network of quality international partners among U.S. airlines, giving members strong opportunities for mileage earning and redemption across the globe,” Gary Leff, travel expert from View from the Wing, tells Travel + Leisure . “With so many overlapping partners in Europe and Asia, there's a reasonable chance that one will have the award space you're looking for when planning travel abroad.”

To create a MileagePlus account, visit the enrollment page on the United Airlines website. You'll be prompted to complete a form with personal information, including your name, contact details, and date of birth, and then create a password for your account. You’ll then receive a confirmation email containing your MileagePlus account number — make sure you add this number to your flight reservations to earn miles.

When you fly with United Airlines, you can earn miles on the base fare of your ticket, excluding taxes and fees. The number of miles earned varies depending on your MileagePlus elite status:

• No status: 5 miles per dollar spent
• Premier Silver: 7 miles per dollar spent
• Premier Gold: 8 miles per dollar spent
• Premier Platinum: 9 miles per dollar spent
• Premier 1K: 11 miles per dollar spent

Like many other loyalty programs, you can also earn miles on flights operated by Star Alliance partners, typically based on distance flown and fare class. Star Alliance is the largest airline alliance in the world with more than 25 carriers, making it easy to rack up substantial MileagePlus miles through airlines other than United.

Credit Cards

United Airlines offers a few different co-branded credit cards with various sign-up bonuses and incentives: the United Gateway℠ Card; the United℠ Explorer Card; the United Quest℠ Card; and the United℠ Business Card, each with sign-up bonuses ranging from 30,000 to 90,000 miles. These cards earn anywhere from two to four miles per dollar on United Airlines purchases, with some cards earning miles on everything from gas to dining to local transit.

Other Ways to Earn

• Transferring Points: You can transfer points from partner programs, like Chase Ultimate Rewards or Marriott Bonvoy, to your MileagePlus account at varying exchange rates.
• Shopping Portal: Utilize the MileagePlus shopping portal to earn additional miles when making purchases online.
• MileagePlus X: Connect your credit or debit cards to participate in the MileagePlus X program, which lets you earn miles while shopping online or in-person at certain stores.
• Dining Program: Participating restaurants offer opportunities to earn up to five miles per dollar through the MileagePlus Dining program.
• Travel Partners: Book car rentals and accommodations through MileagePlus travel partners to accrue extra miles.
• Mileage Purchases: Occasionally, United Airlines provides opportunities to purchase MileagePlus miles, often with bonus incentives.

Related: Everything You Need to Know About Earning and Redeeming Airline Miles

United Airlines presents four elite status tiers with different benefits, ranging from bonus miles and complimentary seat selection to baggage allowances. Premier 1K members enjoy the most extensive privileges, including complimentary upgrades on award flights and access to United Club lounges when traveling internationally.

Premier Silver Status

Requirements:

• 5,000 Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs) or 12 Premier Qualifying Flights (PQFs) and 4,000 Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs)
• 7x miles earned on every flight
• Complimentary access to Economy Plus seating at check-in (when available)
• Complimentary upgrades on select flights
• One free checked bag, up to 70 pounds

Premier Gold Status

• 10,000 PQPS or 24 PQFs and 8,000 PQPs
• 8x miles earned on every flight
• Complimentary access to Economy Plus seating at booking (when available)
• Two free checked bags, up to 70 pounds
• Star Alliance Gold status

Premier Platinum Status

• 15,000 PQPs or 36 PQFs and 12,000 PQPs
• 40 PlusPoints, to be used for upgrades
• 9x miles earned on every flight
• Complimentary access to Economy Plus seating
• Three free checked bags, up to 70 pounds

Premier 1K Status

• 24,000 PQPs or 54 PQFs and 18,000 PQPs
• 280 PlusPoints, to be used for upgrades
• Pre-boarding
• One free drink and snack in economy 
• 11x miles earned on every flight

Related: How to Use Airline Elite Status for Seat Upgrades, Free Checked Bags, Priority Check-in, and So Much More

United Airlines employs dynamic pricing for award flights. This means that the mileage cost can vary depending on demand, route, and travel date. While traditional award categories like "saver" and "standard" are no longer offered, United Airlines does maintain award charts with starting values, which can be helpful for travelers seeking seats at lower redemption levels.

“United also makes more seats available using points to members of their program who hold a United credit card,” Gilbert Ott, director of partnerships at Point.me , tells T+L. “This has been really successful at engendering loyalty and ensuring people who participate can usually get what they want, or close, with the program.”

All members can use their MileagePlus miles to request upgrades from economy to premium cabins on eligible flights. MileagePlus elite members, including Premier Silver, Premier Gold, Premier Platinum, and Premier 1K, can access complimentary flight upgrades within specific regions. Premier 1K members, in particular, enjoy the most extensive upgrade privileges, including complimentary upgrades on award flights. But, Leff warns, “Upgrades can be tough to come by, even for top-level elite fliers.” 

Other Ways to Redeem Miles

• United Hotels: You can book hotel stays through United Hotels using MileagePlus miles.
• Marriott Bonvoy: MileagePlus miles are transferable to the Marriott Bonvoy program at a 1:1 ratio.
• In-flight Wi-Fi: Want Wi-Fi during your flight? You can use your miles to pay for it.
• TSA PreCheck: One of the more unique MileagePlus redemptions is for the TSA PreCheck application fee — it costs 11,000 miles. (Note that some United Airlines co-branded credit cards offer credit for TSA PreCheck and/or Global Entry, too.)
• Go Shopping: United Airlines has an online store that allows you to pay in miles for various items like Bose headphones, Dyson hair styling tools, and Briggs & Riley suitcases.
• Charity Donations: You can donate your miles to various charities. The minimum donation is 1,000 miles.

Partner Airline Redemptions

Members can also redeem MileagePlus miles for flights with Star Alliance partners, including Lufthansa, Air Canada, Thai Airways, and Singapore Airlines.  United Airlines also has partnerships with various non-Star Alliance carriers like Aer Lingus, Hawaiian Airlines, and Copa Airlines. The availability of these redemptions depends on partner airlines' award inventory, so it's essential to check and plan your travel accordingly.

Earn elite status.

Focus on accumulating Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs) through flying with United Airlines, using co-branded credit cards, and engaging with MileagePlus partners. Higher elite status tiers, such as Premier Gold, Premier Platinum, and Premier 1K, have significant benefits like bonus miles, seat selection, and free checked bags.

Explore partner airlines and alliances.

Consider redeeming miles for flights with Star Alliance partners to access a vast network of airlines worldwide. Additionally, explore redemption options with non-Star Alliance partners to broaden your travel horizons.

Take advantage of unique perks.

United Airlines offers unique perks like the Excursionist Perk and TravelBank, which can help you save on travel expenses and stretch your miles further.

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International travel documents for children

See what documents a child needs to travel to or from the U.S. alone or with a parent or relative.

Children traveling to the U.S.

All children, including infants, must have their own travel documents such as a passport or document from a Trusted Traveler Program to enter the U.S. If you travel or are going to travel with a child, consider taking the following documents:

• If the child is traveling with only one of their custodial parents, they must have a letter of consent, preferably in English and notarized, from the other parent or signed by both parents. The letter should say "I acknowledge that my son/daughter is traveling outside the country with [the name of the adult] with my permission."
• If one parent has sole custody of the child, a copy of the custody document can take the place of the other parent's letter.
• Parents who frequently cross the border by land with a minor must always carry a letter of permission from the other parent.

U.S. citizen children traveling abroad

Ports of entry in many countries have security measures to prevent international child abduction . If you are traveling alone with your child, you may be required to present documentation proving you are the parent or legal guardian. You may also need a letter of permission from the other parent for your child to travel. 

If your child travels alone, depending on the country, they may be required to present a notarized letter from both parents or their legal guardian. If a minor is traveling abroad and is not accompanied by both parents or a legal guardian, contact the embassy or consulate of the country you will be visiting and ask about entry and exit requirements for that country.

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Your guide to United Airlines lifetime elite status

Editor's Note

Whether you're a dedicated business traveler or a passionate jet-setter, reaching Million Miler status is a testament to your continued patronage of United Airlines .

Although it requires a lot of flying on paid tickets, Million Milers enjoy United Airlines elite status for life and can share their status with a companion. And unlike American Airlines lifetime elite status and Delta Air Lines' Million Miler program , United offers Million Milers a path to its ultraexclusive unpublished Global Services tier.

In fairness, only a small percentage of United's 100-plus million MileagePlus members will ever qualify for lifetime status. But United's most frequent flyer, Tom Stuker , has earned over 23 million lifetime flight miles with United. And even if you don't fly nearly as much as Tom, you may still aspire to earn Million Miler status and lock in United Premier elite status for life.

Here's what you need to know about lifetime elite status with United Airlines.

United lifetime flight miles

Nowadays, the major U.S. airline loyalty programs award status to high spenders rather than frequent travelers. That's why United flyers must earn Premier qualifying points — or a combination of PQPs and Premier qualifying flights — each year to earn United Premier status .

However, United awards Million Miler status based on the total distance you've flown on paid United- and United Express-operated flights credited to MileagePlus. Lifetime flight miles do not expire or reset.

As mentioned, you can only earn lifetime flight miles on paid United- and United Express-operated flights. Most cash fares, including United basic economy , earn lifetime flight miles. Regardless of your cabin class, you earn a lifetime flight mile for each physical mile you fly (based on the miles scheduled for your flights, not the actual flight distance).

But although you can now earn PQPs and PQFs on some award bookings , you won't earn lifetime flight miles on award flights. Additionally, flights operated by partner airlines don't earn lifetime flight miles.

When you log in to your MileagePlus account, you'll see your lifetime flight miles under the "Premier progress" section.

Related: Is it worth pursuing lifetime elite status?

Million Miler status with United

Here's what it takes to earn Million Miler status with United:

Unlike American and Delta, which offer the lowest status tier to flyers who reach 1 million lifetime flight miles with the program, United offers members mid-tier Premier Gold for life when they reach 1 million lifetime flight miles.

Premier Gold includes many of the same perks as top-tier United status, like access to Economy Plus seating at the time of booking, Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status and Star Alliance Gold status.

Then, for each additional million miles you fly, you'll boost your status. You'll be a Global Services member for life if you earn 4 million lifetime flight miles. Generally, this is an invitation-only status tier for United's highest spenders.

Some TPG readers have reported that United is no longer crediting PlusPoints to Premier Platinum and 1K lifetime elite members who are no longer meeting the annual requirements for their status tiers. In a statement, a United spokesperson confirmed this was due to a technical error , but many Million Milers have gone without their PlusPoints despite their best efforts. So, as a Million Miler, don't expect PlusPoints if you're not meeting the PQP (or PQP and PQF) requirements for your respective status.

Arguably, however, the best part of United's Million Miler program is sharing your current status with a companion. For example, if you're a 2 Million Miler with lifetime Premier Platinum status but currently hold Premier 1K status, you can designate your spouse to also enjoy Premier 1K. However, note that you can only share your current status with a spouse, significant other or individual who resides at your home address.

If you're a Million Miler, you can select your companion on United's website .

Related: How I use my United PlusPoints to maximize the chance of an upgrade

How long does it take to earn Million Miler status?

Since United only credits lifetime flight miles on paid United-operated flights, earning 1 million lifetime flight miles (let alone 4 million) is not easy. If you earn 100,000 lifetime flight miles per year, it'll take you a decade to earn 1 million lifetime flight miles.

If you qualify for lifetime flight status entirely on one-way flights from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), here's what it would take to secure status for life:

• Lifetime Premier Gold : 390 flights (around 2,150 inflight hours).
• Lifetime Premier Platinum : 780 flights (around 4,300 inflight hours).
• Lifetime Premier 1K : 1,170 flights (around 6,450 inflight hours).
• Lifetime Global Services : 1,560 flights (around 8,600 inflight hours).

Of course, if you travel frequently on long-haul United flights, you'll earn Million Miler status with fewer flights.

Related: The best credit cards for United Airlines flyers

Bottom line

If you're a dedicated United flyer, consider checking your Million Miler balance to see how close you are to reaching one of the lifetime tiers.

Although I've seen passengers take mileage runs on United flights to earn more lifetime flight miles, we don't recommend flying solely to rack up lifetime flight miles. That said, Million Miler status is the only published route to locking in United elite status for life and not having to worry about requalifying year after year.

Additional reporting by Ethan Steinberg.

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United Silver benefits

How to get united silver status, other ways to earn united silver status, how much is premier silver elite status worth, final thoughts: is united silver status worth it.

Premier Silver is the first tier in the United Airlines MileagePlus program. There are several paths to get there, including matching hotel elite status or leveraging certain credit card perks.

For those who fly frequently with United and Star Alliance partners, the benefits of Silver status can improve your flight experience. Let’s take a look at United Premier Silver elite status, its benefits and how to earn this level of status.

As an entry-level tier, achieving this level of status is like dipping your toes into the magical world of elite status perks . Upgrades, bonus miles, savings and travel conveniences start to appear on the horizon.

So, what do you get with Premier Silver status on United?

7x MileagePlus miles: For every eligible dollar spent on airfare, Premier Silver members earn 7 miles. This offers a boost over general MileagePlus members who only earn 5 miles per eligible dollar spent.

Free checked bag: This tier includes one free checked bag weighing up to 70 pounds.

Unlimited complimentary upgrades: Space-available upgrades to first class are a notable perk on non-basic economy domestic and select international flights. This includes award tickets for those who have a United co-branded credit card . These upgrades are free and processed only on the day of departure.

Premier Access: United Premier Silver members get access to premium check-in, preferred screening airport security lanes where available and an earlier boarding group (Group 2) than general, nonelite MileagePlus members.

Preferred seats, including Economy Plus: When checking in, Premier Silver members may get complimentary Economy Plus and preferred seating access for you and one companion on award flights (for Premier Gold tier and higher, these freebies are available earlier, at the time of booking). This perk is applicable for up to eight others traveling with you at check-in but not available if you've purchased a basic economy ticket.

Discounted Clear membership: Premier Silver members receive preferred pricing for an annual Clear membership .

Star Alliance Silver status: Silver is the entry-level status for Star Alliance and includes priority perks when flying other member carriers. However, it is not as robust as Star Alliance Gold, and it lacks popular perks like access to member lounges when flying internationally. Its only real benefits are priority waitlisting for reservations and airport standby. It does not even include priority check-in or boarding, which is disappointing.

Higher priority for customer service: When calling United, Premier Silver members have a dedicated phone line for higher priority than general members.

Reduced fee for canceling award tickets: United charges a fee for canceling or changing an award ticket within 30 days of travel. Premier Silver members pay $100, which is $25 less than general members have to pay.

Same-day flight change benefit: All Premier members can change to a different flight within 24 hours of departure, provided the same fare class is available. Otherwise, a difference in fare may apply or the member can stand by for the new flight for free.

Earning Premier Silver status with United for all members requires clearing certain goal posts within a calendar year.

These qualifying benchmarks are:

Flying 12 PQFs and earning 4,000 PQPs — OR earning 5,000 PQPs.

Flying four flights during the calendar year on United or United Express in addition to the above.

Elite status qualification is solely based on the number of flights you take and the amount of money that you spend.

United does not factor in the mileage distance flown into its status earning.

Note that United basic economy tickets will earn PQPs, but not PQF credits.

» Learn more: The best airline credit cards right now

There are a few other paths to Premier Silver that can prove fruitful, even though there is no longer a PQP waiver for United Chase credit card holders or international members.

Other ways to earn PQPs

It’s not just the actual United flight cost that earns PQPs. You can also earn PQPs when flying Star Alliance member carriers or paying for seat selection (including Economy Plus) and upgrade fees.

However, checked bag fees; United Club membership; flight taxes; and in-flight food, drink or Wi-Fi purchases are not eligible for PQP earnings.

» Learn more: The pros and cons of Star Alliance

Credit card PQP spending bonus

By spending $12,000 during the calendar year on a co-branded United credit card , you can earn between 500 and 10,000 PQPs, depending on the credit card you have.

on Chase's website

$0 intro for the first year, then $95 .

$0 intro for the first year, then $99 .

Earn 25 PQP for every $500 in card spend up to 1,000 PQP in a calendar year ( $20,000 spent ).

Earn 25 PQP for every $500 in card spend up to 6,000 PQP in a calendar year ( $120,000 spent ).

Earn 25 PQP for every $500 in card spend up to 10,000 PQP in a calendar year ( $200,000 spent ).

For example, if you hold the United℠ Explorer Card , you would earn 25 PQPs for every $500 you spend for a maximum of 1,000 PQP per year, which amounts to $20,000 spent. This could get you over a quarter of the way to Premier Silver status without even flying.

If you have the United Club℠ Infinite Card , the United Presidential Plus Card or the United Presidential Plus Business Card, you earn 25 PQPs for every $500 in spend (up to a total of 10,000 PQPs per year). That means you could surpass the PQP requirement easily, although you would still have to take four eligible United or United Express flights per calendar year. There is no waiver for that requirement.

» Learn more: Current United credit card sign up offers

Using this spending bonus opportunity, you could climb all the way to Premier Platinum — two levels above Premier Silver — with only four United flights per year.

Marriott Bonvoy partnership

If you hold high levels of elite status with Marriott , at either the Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite or Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite tier, you can link your United and Marriott accounts to instantly receive United Premier Silver.

» Learn more: How the United-Marriott partnership works

In NerdWallet’s annual analysis of the best airline elite status programs , we sought to determine how much value the major U.S. airline loyalty programs deliver to flyers. Here's how United MileagePlus did.

» Learn more: Best airline and hotel loyalty programs this year

The ability to earn 7 miles (instead of 5 for general members) per eligible dollar spent as a Premier Silver status holder means that you’re earning almost 40% more miles. NerdWallet values MileagePlus at 1.2 cents each . Premier flyers earn 8.4 cents in potential value per eligible dollar spent rather than 6 cents.

Unlimited complimentary upgrades are a valuable perk, especially if you travel on flights that are not super-frequented by lots of elite status members. After all, what good is this perk if you don’t ever get upgraded? But, if you do, then this is highly valuable.

Getting access to preferred seats for yourself and others in your reservation can be valuable, too. If you travel with many people, it’s a great way to assure you can sit together.

Plus, Economy Plus seats can make the journey more comfortable with extra stretching room. And of course, those who travel with bags will find not having to pay $35 for their first checked bag on United (a $70 savings for a round-trip ticket) can quickly add up.

Changing to a different flight within 24 hours without paying a fee (based on availability) and getting priority boarding are nice perks for flexibility. For Clear membership, Premier Silver members only pay $149; a typical membership is $189, representing an $40 value savings.

» Learn more: Is Clear worth the cost?

While not the best entry-level elite status tier, it can still provide value for the frequent United flyer. It's worth having for the upgrades, free checked bag, bonus miles and Star Alliance Silver status.

If you have the right credit card or top-level elite status with Marriott, there are multiple paths toward status in the United Premier program.

Once you see the benefits of United elite status, you may find yourself striving for the next status tier — or higher — to get access to even more perks.

The information related to the United Club℠ Business Card , the United Presidential Plus Card and the United Presidential Plus Business Card has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

1x-2x Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases, dining, at gas stations, office supply stores and on local transit and commuting. Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases.

75000 Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

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In Europe's Schengen area , your passport must be valid for at least six months at the time of your entry. At present, the Schengen area includes most European Union (EU) countries, except for Cyprus and Ireland.

If you are transiting through Canada or the United Kingdom (UK) enroute to the Schengen area : your passport must be valid for at least six months, even though Canada and the UK do not themselves have the six-month rule. If your passport will expire within six months, airlines may not let you board your onward flight to Europe.

Traveling in Europe

If you plan to travel in Europe, you need to know about the Schengen Borders Agreement, which allows you to move freely within a number of countries without border checks. Tourists, exchange students, and people visiting for business from certain countries, like the United States, can travel in the Schengen area for up to 90 days. The Schengen area includes most EU countries, except for Cyprus and Ireland. It also includes four non-EU countries: Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.

Before you travel to the Schengen area, we recommend you do the following:

• Check the expiration date on your passport book carefully before traveling to Europe. Ensure your passport book is valid for at least six months when you enter the Schengen area. This is especially important for minors under age 16 as their passports are only valid for five years. In contrast, U.S. citizen adults aged 16 and older receive passports that are valid for 10 years.
• Always carry your passport book with you when traveling to another country in the Schengen area. Even if there is no border check at that time, officials may reinstate border controls without notice.
• Be prepared to explain your purpose of travel.
• Be prepared to provide proof of sufficient financial resources for the visit.
• Comply with other entry requirements for each country you will visit or transit.

On our Country Information pages , you can find passport validity requirements and other important information for your destination country. If your passport does not meet the Schengen requirements, you may be:

• Refused boarding by the airline at your point of origin or while transferring planes.
• Denied entry when you arrive in the Schengen area, regardless of how long you will stay.

An immigration official will determine if you qualify for visa-free entry to the Schengen area when you first cross any external Schengen border. You will have to present your passport at that time. The officer may deny your entry if you do not qualify.

You should also check passport validity requirements if traveling onward from the Schengen area to a country outside the Schengen area. You can find this information in our Country Information pages.

HOW LONG CAN I REMAIN?

• With a valid U.S. passport book, you can stay up to 90 days in the Schengen area for tourism or business during any 180-day period. You must wait an additional 90 days before applying to re-enter the Schengen area.
• If you plan to stay in the Schengen area longer than three months, contact the embassy of the country where you plan to spend the majority of your time and apply for a visa.

Countries in the Schengen area may reinstate temporary internal or external border control without notice. U.S. citizens should carry their U.S. passport book at all times when entering or leaving the Schengen area. They should also bring it when traveling between Schengen countries.

How can the U.S. government help me if border officials do not let me enter?

• We can give you the contact information of foreign embassies of the countries you wish to visit.
• We can provide information about hiring an English-speaking foreign attorney overseas if you choose to do so.
• Note: We cannot influence a foreign government’s decision about allowing you to enter. We cannot intervene in another country’s criminal or administrative procedures.

What countries are members of the Schengen Borders Agreement?

Click on the country name for more information.

Bulgaria (entering in March 2024)

Czech Republic

Liechtenstein

Netherlands

Romania (entering in March 2024)

Switzerland

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• Electrostal History and Art Museum

You can spend time exploring the galleries in Electrostal History and Art Museum in Elektrostal. Take in the museums while you're in the area.

• Cities near Elektrostal

• Places of interest
• Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center
• Central Museum of the Air Forces at Monino
• Peter the Great Military Academy
• History of Russian Scarfs and Shawls Museum
• Ramenskii History and Art Museum
• Bykovo Manor
• Pekhorka Park
• Balashikha Arena
• Malenky Puppet Theater
• Drama Theatre BOOM
• Balashikha Museum of History and Local Lore
• Pavlovsky Posad Museum of Art and History
• Saturn Stadium
• Church of Vladimir
• Likino Dulevo Museum of Local Lore
• Orekhovo Zuevsky City Exhibition Hall
• Noginsk Museum and Exhibition Center
• Fairy Tale Children's Model Puppet Theater
• Fifth House Gallery
• Malakhovka Museum of History and Culture

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Unruly Passenger Cases Continue to Rise as Summer Travel Begins

As summer travel heats up, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is cracking down on unruly passengers to make sure the skies are safe for everyone.    There have been 915 cases of unruly passengers, from Jan. 1, 2024 to June 9, 2024, including 106 cases of passenger disturbances due to intoxication.    Travelers will pay for misbehaving.  The FAA implemented a Zero-Tolerance Policy on Jan. 13, 2021 after seeing a disturbing increase in cases, issuing fines instead of warning letters or counseling.    The FAA pursues legal enforcement action against any passenger who assaults, threatens, intimidates, or interferes with airline crewmembers, and can propose civil penalties up to $37,000 per violation.  Detailed current data on these incidents is available on our  unruly passenger website .     See our latest post on X .