There are many factors you must consider when choosing which airline loyalty program you want to be a part of. Some of these include upgrades, lounge access, fee waivers and many other benefits that make going to the airport less stressful. However, do you know the actual value of the perks you are receiving?
See our best credit card bonuses here.
Be sure to keep reading to learn about the United Premier Elite Status program to find out what its rewards and benefits are worth.
Editor’s Credit Card Pick
 The United Explorer Card offers 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. You'll earn: • 2x miles on United® purchases, dining, and hotel stays. • 1x mile on all other purchases Perks of this card include: • Enjoy priority boarding privileges and visit the United Club with 2 one-time passes each year for your anniversary • Free first checked bag - a savings of up to $160 per roundtrip. Terms Apply. • Up to $120 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS fee credit • 25% back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights and on Club premium drinks when you pay with your Explorer Card There is a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95. Member FDIC |
United Premier Elite Status Overview
There are four Premier status tiers with the United MileagePlus program: Premier Silver, Premier Gold, Premier Platinum and Premier 1K. In order to qualify, you must earn: a certain amount of Premier Qualifying Flights (PQF) and a certain amount of Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) within a calendar year.
PQF are earned based on the number of flight segments flown with United or its partners.
PQP are earned based on the base fare and carrier-imposed surcharge of flight purchases, along with seating purchases and upgrades. Note: You can earn PQP with eligible MileagePlus credit cards.
For more information on earning PQF and PQP, click here.
2020 Qualification Requirements: Because of COVID-19, these requirements are 50% of normal years.
| SILVER | GOLD | PLATINUM | 1K |
| 6 PQF + 2,000 PQP or 2,500 PQP* |
12 PQF + 4,000 PQP or 5,000 PQP* |
18 PQF + 6,000 PQP or 7.500 PQP* |
27 PQF + 9,000 PQP or 12,000 PQP* |
Normal Year Qualification Requirements
| SILVER | GOLD | PLATINUM | 1K |
| 12 PQF + 4,000 PQP or 5,000 PQP* |
24 PQF + 8,000 PQP or 10,000 PQP* |
36 PQF + 12,000 PQP or 15,000 PQP* |
54 PQF + 18,000 PQP or 24,000 PQP* |
You will be able to enjoy more benefits as you move up in Premier status:
| SILVER | GOLD | PLATINUM | 1K | |
| Mileage bonus | 7x | 8x | 9x | 11x |
| Economy Plus/preferred seats | x | x | x | x |
| Premier Upgrades | x | x | x | x |
| PlusPoints | 40 | 280 | ||
| Checked bags | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Priority airport services | x | x | x | x |
| CLEAR membership | x | |||
| Snack & drink in Economy | x | |||
| Same-day flight changes | x | x | x | |
| Fee discounts/waivers | x | x | x | x |
| Phone service charge waiver | x | x | ||
| Award travel benefits | x | x | x | x |
| Priority phone line | x | x | x | x |
| Star Alliance status | Silver | Gold | Gold | Gold |
| Marriott status | Gold | Gold | Gold | |
| Hertz benefits | x | x | x | x |
*Click here for up-to-date information from our source.
United Premier Elite Status Value
Silver status is the lowest tier in the United Premier program, which in a normal year, requires at least 12 PQF and 4,000 PQP, or just 5,000 PQP. We will assume you earned 4,800 PQP ($4,800 total spend) and 12 PQF for this analysis.
Mileage bonus ($125). You can earn 7 miles for every dollar spent on flights, which is 2 more miles per $1 than members without status. Based on a $4,800 total spend, you’ll earn an additional 9,600 miles (worth $124.80, we rounded this figure up to $125).
Complimentary access to Economy Plus/preferred seats ($125). You are able to select Economy Plus seats for yourself and one companion at check-in. Or, you can select preferred seats for up to eight companions when you book your tickets. Economy Plus seats are near the front of the coach cabin and offer additional legroom, but they don’t have any other benefits.
Complimentary Premier Upgrades ($225). You can upgrade to First Class on domestic flights and flights to Hawaii (from the West Coast only), Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America. However, Premier Silver travelers won’t clear until the day of departure, behind all other elite members. Note: Complimentary Premier Upgrades don’t apply to award tickets unless you have a cobranded card.
Free checked bags ($125). You can check 1 bag for free, up to 70 pounds, when you travel in Economy Class, saving you up to $60 per roundtrip flight. Note: The United℠ Explorer Card also offers 1 free checked bag, but you must purchase your ticket with the card for the benefit to apply.
Priority airport services ($125). Receive priority security and baggage handling, as well as preferred check-in and boarding.
Fee discounts/waivers ($50). Earn discounts when you change or cancel an award ticket. Tickets with more than 60 days prior to departure cost $50 instead of $75. Additionally, award tickets 60 days or less before departure will be $100 instead of $125.
Award travel benefits ($100). Receive priority waitlisting for award flights, the ability to standby if your ticketed class of service isn’t available on one or more legs, and have better United Saver award availability in Economy.
Priority phone line ($50). Although there are more valuable perks out there, it’s nice to have should a major weather event or other problems come up.
Star Alliance Silver status ($25). Earn Star Alliance Silver status benefits when you fly on a Star Alliance airline, which includes priority waitlisting and priority standby.
Hertz benefits ($10). Earn automatic Five Star status in the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards program, plus an additional 500 United miles per rental compared to non-status members.
Gold status is the second tier in the United Premier program, which requires at least 24 PQF and 8,000 PQP, or just 10,000 PQP in a normal year. For this analysis, we’ll assume you earned 9,600 PQP ($9,600 total spend) and 24 PQF.
Mileage bonus ($375). You can earn 8 miles for every dollar spent on flights, which is 3 more miles per $1 than members without status. Based on a $9,600 total spend, you’ll earn an additional 28,800 miles (worth $374.40, we rounded this figure up to $375).
Complimentary access to Economy Plus/preferred seats ($325). Select Economy Plus seats for yourself and up to eight companions when you book your tickets. This perk is more valuable than Premier Silver because of the earlier availability and additional flying.
Complimentary Premier Upgrades ($625). You are able to upgrade to First Class on domestic flights as well as short-haul international flights. You’ll start clearing 48 hours prior to departure, ahead of Premier Silver travelers. This value is higher because you get higher priority and you’ll be flying more. Note: Complimentary Premier Upgrades don’t apply to award tickets unless you have a cobranded card.
Free checked bags ($250). Check 2 bags for free, up to 70 pounds each, when you travel in Economy Class.
Priority airport services ($250). Same benefit as Premier Silver, but we calculated more frequent utilization.
Same-day flight changes ($150). Avoid the $75 service charge when you make a same-day flight change. We assume you’ll make use of this perk twice a year.
Fee discounts/waivers ($125). Get even bigger discounts, compared to Premier Silver, when you change or cancel an award ticket. On tickets more than 60 days prior to departure, you’ll pay $25 instead of $75. And on award tickets 60 days or less before departure, you’ll pay $75 instead of $125.
Award travel benefits ($125). The same benefits as Premier Silver, but we calculated more frequent utilization.
Priority phone line ($100). The same benefit as Premier Silver, but we calculated more frequent utilization and factored in more knowledgeable agents.
Star Alliance Gold status ($200). Enjoy Star Alliance Gold status benefits when you fly on a Star Alliance airline. That includes Star Alliance Silver perks, along with lounge access, priority check-in, extra baggage allowance, priority security or immigration (where available) and priority boarding.
Marriott Gold status ($100). Get Marriott Bonvoy Gold status benefits, including bonus points and room upgrades. The true value of this perk depends on how frequently you stay at Marriott hotels, so feel free to adjust this value accordingly. Note: You must link your United and Marriott accounts via the RewardsPlus program.
Hertz benefits ($20). Same benefit as Premier Silver, but we calculated more frequent utilization.
Platinum status is the third tier in the United Premier program, which requires at least 36 PQF and 12,000 PQP, or just 15,000 PQP in a normal year. For this analysis, we’ll assume you earned 14,400 PQP ($14,400 total spend) and 36 PQF.
Mileage bonus ($750). Receive 9 miles for every dollar spent on flights, which is 4 more miles per $1 than members without status. Based on a $14,400 total spend, you’ll earn an additional 57,600 miles (worth $748.80, we rounded this figure up to $750).
Complimentary access to Economy Plus/preferred seats ($500). Same benefit as Premier Gold, but we calculated more frequent utilization.
Complimentary Premier Upgrades ($1,100). Upgrade to First Class and start clearing 3 days prior to departure, ahead of Premier Silver and Gold travelers.
40 PlusPoints ($400). Upgrade to a higher class on long-haul international flights with PlusPoints. The 40 PlusPoints you earn when you reach Premier Platinum are enough for a one-way upgrade from most economy fares to United Polaris. You can also use PlusPoints to upgrade a friend or family member, even if you’re not traveling together.
Free checked bags ($325). Check 3 bags for free, up to 70 pounds each, when you travel in Economy Class.
Priority airport services ($375). Same benefit as Premier Gold, but we calculated more frequent utilization.
Same-day flight changes ($225). Same benefit as Premier Gold, but we calculated more frequent utilization.
Fee discounts/waivers ($200). Get even bigger discounts, compared to Premier Gold, when you change or cancel an award ticket. On tickets more than 60 days prior to departure, you’ll pay $0 instead of $75. And on award tickets 60 days or less before departure, you’ll pay $50 instead of $125.
Phone service charge waiver ($25). There are no fees for Platinum members when you make a reservation over the phone.
Award travel benefits ($200). The same benefits as Premier Gold, but you’ll also get greater availability for United Saver awards in premium cabins.
Priority phone line ($150). The same benefit as Premier Gold, but we calculated more frequent utilization and factored in more knowledgeable agents.
Star Alliance Gold status ($300). Same benefit as Premier Gold, but we calculated more frequent utilization.
Marriott Gold status ($150). Same benefit as Premier Gold, but we calculated more frequent utilization.
Hertz benefits ($40). Enjoy automatic President’s Circle status in the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards program. It comes with 750 additional miles compared to what non-status members earn.
1K status is the top tier in the United Premier program, which in a normal year requires at least 54 PQF and 18,000 PQP, or just 24,000 PQP. For this analysis, we’ll assume you earned 21,600 PQP ($21,600 total spend) and 54 PQF.
Mileage bonus ($1,685). Earn 11 miles for every dollar spent on flights. That’s 6 more miles per $1 than members without status. Based on a $21,600 total spend, you’ll earn an additional 129,600 miles (worth $1,684.80, we rounded this figure up to $1,685).
Complimentary access to Economy Plus/preferred seats ($600). Same benefit as Premier Platinum, but we calculated more frequent utilization.
Complimentary Premier Upgrades ($1,500). Upgrade to First Class and start clearing as early as 4 days prior to departure, ahead of Premier Silver, Gold and Platinum travelers.
PlusPoints ($3,500). Earn 280 PlusPoints when you qualify for Premier 1K. You’ll also earn 40 PlusPoints for reaching Premier Platinum, and for every additional 3,000 PQP, you’ll get another 20 PlusPoints. So with 21,600 PQP, you’ll get a total of 340 PlusPoints.
Free checked bags ($375). Same benefit as Premier Platinum, but we calculated more frequent utilization.
Priority airport services ($500). Same benefit as Premier Platinum, but we calculated more frequent utilization.
Complimentary CLEAR membership ($100). Enjoy expedited security with CLEAR membership at over 30 airports and 20 event venues. For reference, non-status United members pay a discounted CLEAR fee of $119.
Snack & drink in economy ($50). If you didn’t score the upgrade to First Class, enjoy a free snack and drink item in Economy. Since you’re prioritized over all other elites, we don’t think you’ll be using this perk too frequently.
Same-day flight changes ($300). Same benefit as Premier Platinum, but we calculated more frequent utilization.
Fee discounts/waivers ($300). Get even bigger discounts, compared to Premier Platinum, when you change or cancel an award ticket. On tickets more than 60 days prior to departure, you’ll pay $0 instead of $75. And on award tickets 60 days or less before departure, you’ll pay $0 instead of $125.
Phone service charge waiver ($25). Same benefit as Premier Platinum.
Award travel benefits ($200). Same benefit as Premier Platinum.
Priority phone line ($250). Same benefit as Premier Platinum, but we calculated more frequent utilization and factored in more knowledgeable agents.
Star Alliance Gold status ($350). Same benefit as Premier Platinum, but we calculated more frequent utilization.
Marriott Gold status ($200). Same benefit as Premier Platinum, but we calculated more frequent utilization.
Hertz benefits ($50). Same benefit as Premier Platinum, but we calculated more frequent utilization.
Is United Premier Elite Status Worth It?
Taking into consideration our analysis above, you might be wondering if United Premier Elite Status is worth it. All in all, it really depends on your personal travel style and needs. That being said, here are some questions you should ask yourself before you decide:
How often do you plan on traveling? If you don’t fly frequently, then this status might not be worth it since premier benefits only apply when you travel. If you don’t use your perks, the value of your status decreases.
Does United fly to where you want to go? If you don’t fly regularly with United or its partners, Premier status is not going to worth it. Be sure to check United’s service from your home airport to see if United flies to your choice destinations.
Do Premier benefits matter to you? See if the perks interest you enough to work towards Premier status.
Do you prioritize price and convenience? If United is not the cheapest or most convenient option, would you still choose to fly with them? United Premier is probably not the best option if you prioritize price and conveniecne over status perks.
Could you get the same perks with a credit card? Many airline cobranded cards offer similar benefits you’d enjoy as an elite member. The United℠ Explorer Card provides one free checked bag, priority boarding and two, one-time United Club passes. And the United Club℠ Infinite Card includes a complimentary United Club membership, along with two free checked bags and more. If it’s within your budget, you might consider getting a cobranded card instead of working hard to earn Premier status.
For more information on The Best United Airlines Credit Cards, click here.
Our Methodology
The value of each perk depends on the person, so you might have a different opinion than us. If you travel lightly, free checked bags might not be that valuable to you. Because of this, feel free to adjust our numbers as they make sense for you.
Our value estimates are based on the benefits you would enjoy after having already achieved status and qualifying every year thereafter. If you’re new to the United MileagePlus program, you won’t get any benefits from the first 4,000 PQP it takes for you to unlock Premier Silver.
Some assumptions were made in order to tie-in values to United Premier benefits:
- You reached Premier status through a combination of PQP and PQF.
- You earned 20% more PQP than the minimum required at that level.
- At least four of your PQF were on United-operated flights (required for all levels of United Premier).
- You completed the minimum required PQF at that level.
Finally, for this analysis, we valued MileagePlus miles based on our most recent valuations, which is $0.14 each.
Conclusion
Being of elite status can be very beneficial in making travelling less stressful. However, it is up to you to decide if the benefits of a specific program are worth pursuing elite status. Hopefully, after reading this post, you are informed about United Premier Elite Status and if its rewards and benefits are worth it for you.
Furthermore, be sure to check out our best credit card bonuses here.
