United Airlines is increasing the necessities to realize frequent flyer status

United Airlines Customers can have to spend more next yr to realize frequent flyer status. It's the airline's latest move to spice up profits and add an exclusive feel to the increasingly crowded top tiers of airline loyalty programs.

The thresholds for achieving elite status within the airline's MileagePlus program will increase by about 25% and involve either spending on a co-branded card or a mixture of spending and flying. The status acquisition requirements and the associated advantages that will probably be acquired next yr may also apply in 2026.

United, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and other airlines have spent years changing their loyalty programs to reward travelers more based on how much they spend fairly than how far they fly. Co-branded bank cards are a critical business to airlines' profits because banks pay airlines when consumers swipe these cards.

Elite status offers advantages equivalent to free upgrades (where available), earlier boarding, higher seat selection and access to extra legroom options. Airlines have struggled to address rising numbers of high-spending customers, which has led to crowded lounges and swarms of travelers in early boarding groups.

For the bottom Silver Premier status in 2025, customers must earn 5,000 Premier Qualification Points (PQP) and fly 15 qualifying flights, as an alternative of 4,000 Premier Qualification Points and 12 qualifying flights.

Travelers earn one PQP for each $1 spent on United and other qualifying flights.

If you achieve Silver status through spending alone, i.e. without qualifying flights, you’ll receive 6,000 points (as an alternative of 5,000). That would mean that as an alternative of $5,000, customers could spend $6,000 on United flights, whatever the variety of flights they take. Customers also receive 1 PQP for each $20 spent on co-branded cards. However, among the options within the bank card portfolio offer 1 PQP for each $15 spent.

Here are the changes:

• Silver Status: 5,000 PQPs and 15 Premier Qualifying Flights or simply 6,000 Premiere Qualifying Points. (Increase from 4,000 PQPs and 12 PQFs, or 5,000 PQPs alone.)
• Gold status: 10,000 PQPs and 30 PQFs or 12,000 PQPs. (Increase from 8,000 PQPs and 24 PQFs, or 10,000 PQPs alone.)
• Platinum Status: 15,000 PQPs and 45 PQFs or 18,000 PQPs. (Increase of 12,000 PQPs and 36 PQFs, 15,000 PQPs alone.)
• 1K: 22,000 PQPs and 60 PQFs or 28,000 PQPs. (Increase from 18,000 PQPs and 54 PQFs or 24,000 PQPs.)