United Airlines is making a big change to the way its frequent flyers earn Elite status. Starting in 2027, the airline will stop counting the number of flights its MileagePlus members take when granting status. Instead, United travelers who want to become “Premier” will have to focus solely on accumulating Premier Qualification Points, or “PQPs.” That means the path to status on United involves spending as much money as possible, both on flights and the airline’s suite of co-branded credits. Cards. That’s not the only change United announced. In addition to changing the way MileagePlus members earn status, the Chicago-based airline announced that it is increasing the requirements to reach 1K. Starting in 2027, members will need an additional 4,000 PQPs (for a total of 32,000) to achieve top-tier status compared to current requirements. United Airlines Premier Access Lane at Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU). SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUYUnited revealed those changes in a memo to loyalists on Tuesday. In total, it is the second significant restructuring of the airline’s loyalty program in 2026, and the biggest structural change to the way it grants elite status in years. Reward your inbox with TPG’s daily newsletter Join over 700,000 readers to receive breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive offers from TPG experts By subscribing, you’ll receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time. Here’s what you need to know and what it means to fly with United in 2027. Doubling PQPs and phasing out PQFs Going into 2027, United will abandon Premier Qualified Flights, or “PQFs,” as a metric for granting elite status. Where Premier Qualification Stands Today MileagePlus members currently have two ways to earn status: PQP Only: Earn enough PQP through spending on flights and United credit cardsPQF+PQF: Log enough flights, combined with a smaller amount of PQP. What it will look like in 2027. That second option will disappear in 2027. Going forward, PQPs will be the only metric United will use to award Premier status. That means it’s your spending on flights and on your United card, if you have one, that will make the difference between you qualifying or not in the New Year.United Airlines Boeing 737-800 at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY In an interview with TPG, United’s newly appointed chief loyalty officer said the changes were intended to simplify the program. “We thought it made more sense for them to have a consistent metric that was actually something that … they could focus on across the board between their flying activity and their engagement with the airline,” said Jarad Fisher, president of United’s MileagePlus. “And really making it so we can invest more in the people who are investing in us.” How many PQPs will you need to reach Premier status? If you earn status solely from PQPs, then the number of points you’ll need for Silver, Gold, and Platinum status won’t change in 2027. However, reaching 1K will be harder no matter how you look at it. This is how status requirements are defined. (If you’re reading this on a mobile device, scroll to the right to see how the new requirements compare to the old ones.) Premier Status Level 2027 Qualification Requirement Previous Thresholds 6,000 PQP 6,000 PQP or 15 PQF + 5,000 PQP 12,000 PQP 12,000 PQP or 30 PQF + 10,000 PQP 18,000 PQP 18,000 PQP or 45 PQF + 15,000 PQP 32,000 PQP 28,000 PQP or 60 PQF + 22,000 PQP These changes will apply to MileagePlus members in the new year as they aim for 2028 status. 4 United flights are still required. United is eliminating PQFs as a status metric, MileagePlus members will still need to take at least four United flights in a year to be eligible for Premier. That is a basic requirement that is not changing. Flights on United Express regional aircraft count toward that four-flight requirement, but flights on United partner aircraft do not. BE CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY5% head start in 2027Certain MileagePlus members will get a head start on status in 2027. If you have an eligible United credit card, the airline will deposit the equivalent of 5% of the PQP required for your current status level into your account when the new status year begins. Members entering 2027 with Premier Silver status will earn 300 PQP. Gold members will get 600 PQP. Platinum members will get 900 PQP. 1,000 members will get 1600 PQP. MileagePlus members who open an eligible United credit card by December 31 will also receive the deposit for next year. increase PQPs, there won’t be much change for you in 2027 (unless you’re aiming for top-tier 1K, which is increasingly difficult to achieve). According to Fisher, PQPs are how most United members gain status today. “It’s basically doubling down on how most people got status,” he said. SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY The travelers most affected by this change are United travelers who typically log a ton of segments each year. Historically, those members have been able to achieve status by combining all of those PQFs with a smaller number of PQPs. If you fall into that category, you’ll likely have to spend more to reach the same status in 2027. “For those people, obviously, getting a United card will be a way to close that gap,” Fisher said. “segment execution” to achieve sufficient PQF. Recording flight segments will no longer be a key metric for Premier status. “When we thought about making these changes, we didn’t feel very good about it anymore; that was an old relic,” Fisher said. “And so we thought it was time to retire that metric.” 1K becomes harder to achieve. As for 1K status, that will require more spending across the board to reach the highest elite level released by United in the new year. 1K requirements jump from 28,000 PQP to 32,000. That’s an increase of about 14%. If you previously reached 1K through a combination of flight segments and expenses, you will need about 45% more PQP than before. SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUYHow to Earn PQP United MileagePlus members earn 1 PQP for every $1 spent with the airline on flights. Meanwhile, a handful of United credit cards can also earn PQP on everyday purchases: United travelers can also earn PQP on certain upgrades and other “extras” purchased after booking. And certain partner flights are eligible to earn PQP, although they must be booked through United (look for a ticket that begins with 016). Partner flights not booked through United will receive a reduced fare. In a nutshell, United’s changes to Premier status come months after the airline implemented a major change to its MileagePlus program, overhauling how cardholders and non-cardholders earn and redeem miles. United is far from the only airline changing how it grants status to its loyal members. Major rivals American Airlines and Delta Air Lines have focused exclusively on money spent (on air travel and on credit cards) for years. Related reading:
