United Global Services: All The Benefits & Everything You Need To Know

40K USD actually is enough, that’s how I did it the last two years.

$40K could be enough but the point is, as the author states, the invitation is “given to some of United’s most elite and *profitable* customers”. So you’re stating revenue ($40K), we can’t tell how profitable your tickets were to United. I’ve hdone over $40K for several years but all on low margin non-refundable tickets so I’ve not been invited. Buying more refundable tickets, or buying business class outright is definitely going to help your chances of getting a Global Services invitation.

I was confirmed yesterday for GS, YTD I’m ~$70K of spend with 7x Polaris round-trips to EU from NA and eighth R/T in another week plus a lot of mainline United flights (not only regional).

One of your members shoved an oversized bag into an overhead compartment. Flight 4149 Halifax to Newark today after staff told him not to. The “guy” gave the staff member a hard time. He shoves it in and busted the door. We sat in airport for 6 hours to finally be told flight canceled. Now spending night. That “AH” got on the next flight that was booked up. So to let you know you have an “AH” in your program. I’ll spread the word. Hope he wasn’t a united executive. And why can’t your 14 dollar voucher buy booze?

It is published that Global Services for Life is a perk after 4 million paid miles. I am at 3.9 million, so UA only has a little time left to close that loophole.
Note also that Global Services is the FOURTH boarding group, not the first, after handicapped, military, and families with children. Boarding Group 1 is FIFTH. UA skirts this by referring to the others as “preboarding”, but they rearely start preboarding until after the published boarding time.
BTW, while GP members may not have United Club automatically, I received United Club for life at 2 million and 1K for life at 3 million. Nice perks, but recently UA reduced the awards miles by roughly a factor of 3, giving 11 miles/dollar instead of 2.5 miles per mile flown. A huge reduction in benefit. THey are compensating slightly by giving free meals and drinks to 1K flyers.

I am not sure about the $40K. I do about $500k miles a year, mostly in business. Only crickets regarding GS so far.

GS for 2019: 68k PQD, 212 PQM

Thank you for this information.

I have been given GS status since the United-Continental merger every year but two, when I was Premium 1K.

While I cannot 100 % verify what I am presenting here, I feel that it makes sense and this is what I think.

There is no pre-set $ value for GS, rather they look at the normal distribution of money spent and give it to probably to the top 1%. There is a factor if someone is renewing the GS or has a long continuous history of being GS member.

So if the economy is bad, to be in the top 1% is easier as business people travel less so you would need less revenue to qualify. On the other hand, in a good economy, with more business and flying, the amount needed for qualification would be higher.

One important aspect though, you must fly on actual UA flights, not on a codeshare. You get points and miles on a codeshare, but they do not count toward GS.

GS used to be a better program before the United merged with Continental. A downgrade as far as the customer experience is concerned both at airports and flights. Having Newark and Houston as hubs after the merger certainly made it even worse.

My company gets GS if you’re at a certain tier (job level) or above. About 30 people get it. We have United as a preferred partner for all travel. (4k employees)

My husband got GS for 2019 with about 175,000 miles and $43,000 in premier qualifying dollars. He has received the status every year since 2012. We have liked the service although we have never experienced the top tier of other airlines.

The going spend has been $50k – in the major markets. If you are in a big hub city like SFO where the United loyalty runs deep, the spend requirement is higher than a smaller non-hub city.

On another web site, we did polls of spend and miles flow to hit GS. We found the mileage didn’t matter, I had a co-worker that didn’t even hit 1k, yet his spend was north of $50k and received GS.

$50k was the pretty solid number, everyone on my team that crossed it got GS the following January. Under $50k in our major market and no love.

I travel what I feel like is a boat load for work. But my flights are not long. I rack up segments.

I am at 105k miles for the year and 135 segments with multiple flights remaining from now until the end of the year.

I have 1k from last year and clearly achieved for this year.

I have paid $35k PQD.

I am RARELY upgraded and feel no love or perks.

Does this year seem to be easier for people to gain perks with United? It seems everyone is 1k.

I am thinking of switching to delta…. thoughts?

I am at 254k (PQM) & 160 (PQS) with over $60K spent, with several trips yet to finish this year. Would this get me to GS with United? Almost all flights were Business class.

Thanks

Lee

I’m lucky at almost 5M miles so I crossed the threshold at 4m a while ago. My sense is you need ~ 150-200k miles with 4-6 international business class trips to drive up your $. Another benefit across mileage plus program that is great is the spouse/significant other shared status. I think this works at all levels (e.g., 1K as well), but my wife has Global Services status. This is great when she travels, and in helping get upgrades for her family on combined trips. I think it is why she is still married to me …..

Is the Private Check-In benefit only useful if one has luggage or is there something else the GS flyer would use it for?

I just made GS myself with $77k spent in 2019. In order to qualify you have to use United Only, not flying let’s say Lufthansa and think that because they are partners, you get points too with United. So remember:

* Use only United (aka UA metal);
* If you can use business class versus economy, that’s a plus…
* you have to have spent minimum 100k for the past 3 years…
* it also helps if you are not flying out from a very busy airport… like SFO… where people/corporate people are traveling out of big cities and also have a larger portfolio…

I flew $40k in 2018 and didn’t manage to get GS. So now I am GS for 2020 and can’t be happier.
It’s achievable if work allows you to travel, otherwise, I guess you must have to win the lottery. 😉

Why does my comment state that it “is waiting moderation”? Helen

I am a global for life united member. Recently I booked a ticket for the least expensive and most restricted fares I read that premium seats for these tickets were not available but were for global members. However, when I tried to book the seat I was told that was not true. Has this changed and if so why? Helen

I (and my spouse) are GS for life. I used to believe that was our lives that was the metric–now I am thinking it’s UAL life. We usually have our “Welcome stuff” by this time of the year. I wonder if this delay is normal for the times.

As a global service member for years, during Covid I lost the status and then was given the status challenge option. I met the challenge status and it has been a month and I have not heard anything. I’ve called and emailed several times. First they said it would take 7 days from the point I completed the status challenge to have the status re-instated. It has now been a month. Calling the service center does no help, no one seems to know. Had I known that this was going to be this much delay and painful I would have never bothered. I’ve not lost a month of status flying. Some would say that I’m being extra difficult, but spending the challenge status amount is no small feat. That is still a lot of money. About to dispute the charge on my Amex now and fight to get my money back. Unfortunate that United can’t get its’ act together and continues to polarize its’ top customers.

To conclude, Yes, all Global Services members were extended till January 2023. Big relief!
That was the right move. United was the last one to extend Global services I believe 2 years ago but this time around, Global services were the first to be extended.

I was GS for 8 years between 2008 to 2016. At the time, word was it’s not about the absolute spent, but rather you got to be in the top 1% spenders, with some additional considerations regarding fare types. So during recessions, the threshold is lower and during the gogo years, it’s higher.

How do you know what your annual $ flight spend is? I’m Premier 1K and made that after 3.5 months this year (my first full year flying United). I was also 1K last year flying half a year with United. Ever since then, it doesn’t show me my qualifying spend anymore since I already met their top qualification requirements. I have no idea what my $ is so far this year. I am also Executive Platinum on American but recently moved to Denver (United Hub) so fly exclusively now on United. I buy business class on every flight with several International trips. I don’t know if not having a history with united might hurt me for GS invite (or if they look at it fresh every year). Any help or feedback would be appreciated.

I just got GS for 2023 after many years as 1K. It took just over 57K PQP in 2022, mostly flying international business class out of SFO. My last flight was mid-dec and the status suddenly showed up on my profile early Jan. No welcome email or package yet but I can access the benefits page.

I don’t see any mention of companion saver award ticket or Jaguar/Benz transfers so those may be discontinued. For upgrades on award trips you have to call in.

Was GS for 5 years and just got email not in 2023. Flew 51k PQP and did not get including several trips to Europe and Hawaii. I think I did not get as I complained twice this year about the terrible service I got on those 2 trips so payback is no GS this year! Guess United can’t take constructive criticism!