United to Bring Back 'Standard Requirements' to Earn Status — What Travelers Need to Know

The airline will increase its current minimum levels to earn status in its MileagePlus Premier program next year.

United Airlines is making it more difficult to earn status in 2023, increasing the flight and mileage requirements to qualify.

The airline will increase its current minimum levels to earn status in its MileagePlus Premier program next year, United shared with Travel + Leisure. To make up for it, United will automatically deposit premier qualifying points (PQP’s) into customer’s accounts based on the 2023 status they reached at the end of this year.

“For the past two years, we adjusted our MileagePlus Premier program requirements to reflect the frequency of travel during uncertain times,” United wrote in a customer email shared with T+L. “With travel now in full swing, our standard qualification requirements are returning. But we are giving you a boost and adding new qualifying activities to our 2023 MileagePlus Premier program to make achieving your status goals even easier.”

Starting next year, according to United, travelers will need to fly 12 premier qualifying flights (PQF’s) and earn 4,000 PQP’s or earn 5,000 PQP’s to qualify for Premier Silver. That is more than the current requirements of 8 PQF’s and 3,000 PQP’s or 3,500 PQP’s.

“Just like MileagePlus Premier members earn status, we’re earning their loyalty by creating a more flexible Premier program,” Luc Bondar, vice president of loyalty and marketing and president of MileagePlus at United said.  “Whether you’re a frequent flyer or traveling long distances a few times per year, the updated 2023 Premier program is designed to maximize earning potential.”

And to earn Premier Gold, for example, travelers will now need to fly 24 PQF’s and earn 8,000 PQP’s or earn 10,000 PQP’s, an increase from the current requirements of 16 PQF’s and 6,000 PQP’s or 7,000 PQP’s.

To give travelers a leg up, United will automatically deposit 500 PQP’s into the accounts of customers with Premier Silver status, deposit 1,000 PQP’s into the accounts of customers with Premier Gold status, deposit 1,500 PQP’s into the accounts of customers with Premier Platinum status, and deposit 2,500 PQP’s into the accounts of customers with Premier 1K status.

United isn’t alone in making it harder to earn status next year. Delta Air Lines also increased its minimums to earn status and added benefits for its higher-tiered customers.

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