United ditches flight segments, raises bar for 1K in Premier status shakeup
The Points Guy • • business
Key Points:
- Starting in 2027, United Airlines will stop counting the number of flights (Premier Qualifying Flights or PQFs) for MileagePlus elite status, focusing solely on Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs), which are earned through spending on flights and United credit cards.
- The requirement for reaching top-tier 1K status will increase from 28,000 to 32,000 PQPs, making it about 14% harder to achieve, especially impacting members who previously relied on flight segments combined with spending.
- MileagePlus members will still need to take at least four United flights annually to qualify for Premier status, but partner flights do not count toward this minimum.
- United will offer a 5% PQP head start in 2027 for members with eligible United credit cards, providing bonus PQPs based on their current status level.
- These changes simplify the loyalty program and align United with competitors like American and Delta, who have long based elite status on spending rather than flight segments, while discouraging segment-running strategies.
