At American and Delta, the top services aren’t part of the mileage program, a separate elite tier.
At United, in contrast, their revenue-based status Global Services is actually a true top tier — Global Services members get their upgrades ahead of 100,000 mile flyers, and even trump the usual upgrade priority so that full fare elite passengers fall behind Global Services members (whereas a full fare Silver on a given trip will trump a mid-priced fare 1K in the upgrade queue).
They don’t publish a criteria for earning Global Services status. It’s not based on mileage flown, but revenue for the most part. They give it not just based on your own revenue but also to significant travel influencers who drive the revenue of others (such as through major corporate contracts for which they’re the decision-maker).
Years ago it was separate from Mileage Plus. You could have Global Services members who were merely Premiers (Silver), and you could even have Global Services members who weren’t enrolled in United’s loyalty program. Now it’s integrated.
But you don’t have a goal to shoot for. They used to publish explicitly that you could renew Global Services status by flying 50,000 miles worth of full fare coach or paid premium cabin tickets, although you wouldn’t be guaranteed to initially qualify that way.
I always think secret criteria is a bad idea, it’s better to give members a stretch goal to reach for and let them respond to incentives.
United also must think that their review process is flawed, or makes mistakes, because they actually have a process to let you ask for the status.
The 2015 Global Services Reconsideration process will review members that believe their travel activity should qualify for Global Services status. Upon completion of the review, members will be notified by email on January 15th or within 10 days of enrollment which ever is later.
You just enter your MileagePlus number, and and then hear back in 10 days (but not earlier than January 15).
(HT: Flyertalk)
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Mate – there is a published criteria for GS. 4mm BIS miles.
http://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/account/lifetime.aspx
@Billy yes, you will receive lifetime Global Services after 4 million miles. But that’s not the criteria to receive it on an annual basis.
Upgrade priority for CPUs is by Elite Status, then Fare Class, then Time of Check-in. So 1Ks are always upgraded before Silvers.
Did anyone have to re-read that first sentence and still have no idea what he was trying to say? Not a grammar nazi, but that just isn’t a complete thought.
@Eddy CPU’s are by the criteria you say, however Y & B fares (#1 and #2 economy fare buckets) upgrade for any elite (Silver or above) first.
The GS criteria is case by case. UA wants to keep GS secret to keep it super elite. They also vary the requirements by location. For instance, GS in SFO, EWR, IAH, and ORD is VERY difficult, but you may get GS from OMA quite easily (in comparison). They look at rev, miles, type of fares purchased, etc. to qualify you.
Huh. You know, right after I passed 1MM on UA, I asked for Global Services from United in a very nice letter. I’d been 1k for 8 years in a row at that point. They said no, so I went to American and never looked back. If only they had offered this back then.
“They don’t publish a criteria for earning Global Services status. It’s not based on mileage flown, but revenue for the most part.” There is a published criteria, and that criteria is solely based on miles flown. While it is also well understood that there are other ways to qualify (which are more revenue or influence based), the text of the post remains incorrect.
Would applying for the Chase/UA co-branded credit card using your link help my chances?
This is nothing new. They have offered it every year. And basically anyone not originally selected will get rejected. I am a former GS member. I know a little bit about these things.
@Eddy as Jon observes a Silver on a Y/B fare trumps a 1K on a mid-tier fare but not a GS on a mid-tier fare. This is a big deal at United’s IAD hub with plenty of Silvers on government YCA fares.
@Jon Thanks for the clarification. I didn’t think about those.
@Gary You’re right. It seems I’m still learning. The hierarchy per Milepoint: GS, Y/B/(M) fares that haven’t cleared, instrument-supported, CPUs. I didn’t realize it was such a battlefield! So GS W>Silver Y>1K W.
Does anyone know if flying LH on 016 tickets is counted towards GS qualification? been working hard to use LH as there is no United flight from FRA to where i’m going. Thoughts?