united airlines In 2027, one path to achieving elite status will disappear, making it harder to reach the top level.
The Chicago-based airline is eliminating the ability for MileagePlus members to earn status based in part on flight segments flown in the 2027 calendar year. Instead, starting January 1, United will only consider the number of points a member earns based on Premier eligible points earned from eligible ticket purchases, award travel, and eligible United credit card purchases.
United Airlines announced the changes Tuesday in an email to MileagePlus members and on its website. The changes are aimed at simplifying how customers earn Premier status, according to an email United sent to members obtained by CNBC.
Previously, members could earn Premier Silver status, the lowest elite tier, with a combination of 15 flight segments and 5,000 points earned annually, or 6,000 points. From now on, customers will only be able to achieve status through points on the 6,000 point threshold.
The number of Premier Qualifying Points required for Members to reach Premier Gold and Platinum tiers through points is also the same as the previous points-only option. However, to reach United’s highest benefit tier, Premier 1K, members now need 32,000 qualifying points, up from 28,000 points in 2026.
Flyers earn 1 Premier Qualifying Point (PQP) for every $1 spent on United base fares and upgrades, and for every 100 miles redeemed for travel on United flights. United Chase cardholders also earn points when they spend money on their card.
To earn Premier status, MileagePlus members must take at least four flights per year on United Airlines or United Express jets.
In an interview with travel website The Points Guy, Jarrad Fisher, president of United’s MileagePlus, called the flight segment metric an “old relic” and said airlines “thought it made more sense to have one consistent metric that we could focus on across the board between flight activity and airline engagement.”
United Airlines also announced Tuesday that United cardholders with Premier status can get a head start when a new year begins by automatically receiving 5% of the points needed to reach the status level they earned in the previous year.
Earlier this year, United Airlines overhauled the way travelers earn reward miles for customers who own its credit cards. The airline also reduced revenue on basic economy flights, following a previous similar practice change. american airlines and delta airlines. United previously raised the bar required to achieve Premier status in 2024, with a qualification year of 2025.
