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United Airlines Flight Status

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United Airlines Flight Status Updates

When it comes to air travel, knowing the status of your flight is incredibly important. Whether it's for business or leisure, any delay or change in your flight's schedule can significantly impact your plans. That's why United Airlines continuously strives to provide its passengers with up-to-date and accurate flight status updates.

Staying updated with your flight status offers a multitude of benefits. It allows you to plan your day effectively, avoid unnecessary waiting times at the airport, and make necessary adjustments to your travel arrangements. For example, if your flight is delayed, you could use that extra time to finish some work, explore the airport, or simply relax. On the other hand, if your flight is ahead of schedule, you can rush to the airport to avoid missing your flight.

United Airlines offers several convenient ways to stay updated with your flight status. One of the easiest methods is through their official website. Simply enter your flight number or your departure and arrival cities to get the latest status of your flight. The website is mobile-friendly, so you can check your flight status on the go.

Another effective way to track your United Airlines flight status is through their mobile app. The app not only provides real-time flight status updates but also sends push notifications about any changes in your flight's schedule. The app is available for both iOS and Android devices, making it accessible for all passengers.

Lastly, you can check your flight status at the airport through Flight Information Display Systems (FIDs). These are large screens located throughout the airport that display the status of all flights. While this method is less personalized and might require some time to find your specific flight, it is a reliable source of information, especially if you're already at the airport.

So, whether you prefer to use a website, an app, or the traditional airport displays, United Airlines has got you covered. Stay informed, stay prepared, and make the most of your travel experience with United Airlines.

Learn how to get the status of any United Airlines flight using iFly.com's Flight Status widget below.

How to Check United Airlines Flight Status:

If you have the flight number:.

• Locate the "Flight Status" section on the website.
• Enter your flight number into the "Flight #" box. For example, if your flight number is 236, type "236" in the box.
• Ensure that "United Airlines" is selected in the Airline field.
• Click the "Track" button to view your flight's current status.

If you don't know the flight number but know the departure and arrival airports:

• Go to the "Flight Status" section.
• Choose "By Route".
• Enter the departure and arrival airports of the United Airlines flight you wish to check.
• Note: If you select an airport United Airlines does not serve, you will see an error message.
• Check that the date aligns with your flight's date considering your current time zone. Be aware that flights from Europe or Asia might be a day ahead or behind.
• Press "Track" to display the current status of the selected flight.

If you only know the airport:

• In the "Flight Status" section, select "By Airport".
• Pick the appropriate timeframe at the chosen airport.
• Select either "Arrivals" or "Departures".
• Click "Track".
• A list of all United Airlines flights arriving or departing at the selected airport will appear, each with its current status.

Get Status of Popular United Airlines Flights

United Airlines is one of the largest airlines in the world, operating numerous flights to various destinations. Here are five of the most popular flight routes flown by United Airlines:

• San Francisco (SFO) to New York (JFK) : This route is known for its scenic views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Statue of Liberty. The flight duration is approximately 5 hours and there are multiple flights per day.
• Los Angeles (LAX) to Chicago (ORD) : This route connects the entertainment capital of the world to the windy city. The flight duration is around 4 hours and there are frequent daily flights.
• Houston (IAH) to Newark (EWR) : This route serves as a major connection between Texas and the New York metropolitan area. The flight duration is approximately 3 hours and there are multiple flights per day.
• Denver (DEN) to San Francisco (SFO) : This route offers stunning views of the Rocky Mountains and the San Francisco Bay. The flight duration is around 2 hours and there are frequent daily flights.
• Chicago (ORD) to New York (LGA) : This route connects two major cities in the United States. The flight duration is approximately 2 hours and there are multiple flights per day.

Updated on: November 15, 2023

Helpful Airline Tips & Airport Resources

• Be sure to know how long lines are at the security checkpoint closest to your gate.
• Tap your way over to our guide on United flights , where you'll find info on UA's destinations and bookings pages, as well as info on checking-in.

Find more help here for your journey through the airport

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The Guide to United Airlines Premier Elite Status

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Table of Contents

What is United Premier status?

United status tiers and benefits, how to get united status, how much is united status worth, how to status match with united premier, when does united status expire, united elite status recapped.

United Airlines’ elite status program is called MileagePlus Premier, and it can be very rewarding not just for United flyers but also for those who travel on Star Alliance partner airlines.

We'll discuss the perks that come with each of the four United status levels, which vary by tier but can include free upgrades, extra baggage allowance and lounge access. We’ll show you how to attain elite status and help you decide if it's right for you — whether you’re a United Airlines loyalist or just a travel credit card novice.

Plus, find out if you can take advantage of the changes United made to help passengers earn status through 2025.

United Premier status is the elite status program tied to United Airlines. With status, you can get into certain United Club Lounges . You get benefits that can save you money, like free checked bags and waived fees. And perhaps most ambitiously to all those who hold it: You’re eligible to get upgrades.

Upgrade priority is determined based on a number of factors including the initial fare class you purchased, how much spending you’ve done on United credit cards and the date and time of your request. But a major factor in determining whether or not you get an upgrade depends on the Premier status you hold.

» Learn more: The best airline credit cards right now

United offers four elite status levels, from lowest to highest: Silver, Gold, Platinum and 1K.

United Premier Silver

How to earn: 12 PQF and 4,000 PQP, or 5,000 PQP.

Bonus miles earned per flight: 7.

Complimentary bags? 1 complimentary checked bag (70 pounds/32 kilograms per bag).

Upgrade eligibility? Eligible for complimentary Premier upgrades and complimentary access to Economy Plus at check-in.

United Premier Gold

How to earn: 24 PQF and 8,000 PQP, or 10,000 PQP.

Bonus miles earned per flight: 8.

Complimentary bags? 2 complimentary checked bags (70 pounds/32 kilograms per bag).

Upgrade eligibility? Eligible for complimentary Premier upgrades and complimentary access to Economy Plus at booking.

Other benefits: Star Alliance Gold status.

United Premier Platinum

How to earn: 36 PQF and 12,000 PQP, or 15,000 PQP.

Bonus miles earned per flight: 9.

Complimentary bags? 3 complimentary checked bags (70 pounds/32 kilograms per bag).

Upgrade eligibility? Eligible for complimentary Premier upgrades and complimentary access to Economy Plus for you and up to eight companions.

Other benefits: 40 PlusPoints.

United Premier 1K

How to earn: 54 PQF and 18,000 PQP, or 24,000 PQP.

Bonus miles earned per flight: 11.

Other benefits: 280 PlusPoints, preboarding and one free drink and snack in Economy.

United Global Services (invitation only)

United also has an invitation-only elite level called Global Services, which is offered to customers who spend a significant amount of money with the airline.

Qualification requirements are not published but those who have this coveted status level receive perks that go above and beyond those offered to Premier 1Ks.

Elite status with United Airlines can be earned through a combination of flying and credit card spending.

Regardless of which option you go with, you need to complete a minimum of four flights on United or United Express and earn:

Premier Qualifying Flights (PQF) and Premier Qualifying Points (PQP), or

Only PQP — but a higher amount.

One PQF is a fancy way of saying one flight (meaning takeoff and touchdown). That means a paid, one-way ticket from New York to Paris with a connection in London will earn 2 PQF because there are two flights.

PQP generally correlates with the money spent on plane tickets and certain other categories, excluding taxes. The more you spend, the more PQPs you earn.

» Learn more: How you'll earn United PQPs on flights

You earn 1 PQP for every $1 spent on the following purchases:

Base fare and surcharge.

Economy Plus seats or subscriptions.

Preferred seat purchases.

MileagePlus upgrade award copays.

Upgrades on United and United Express flights.

Star Alliance partner flights based on a specific earn rate.

» Learn more: United Basic Economy vs. Economy vs. Economy Plus

Here’s the breakdown of how to get United status:

How can I see how many PQP and PQF a flight will earn?

When you’re looking at the search results for a specific route, you will see the number of PQP and PQF that will be earned on each flight.

For example, here is a one-way nonstop flight from Newark to San Francisco:

In the above example, the basic economy ticket (which is the most restrictive) earns no PQF and 128 PQP. Although the ticket costs $139, you earn only 128 PQP due to about $11 in taxes (which earn no PQP). In contrast, a business/first ticket earns 698 PQP and 1 PQF.

How can I achieve elite status with United Airlines quicker?

Spend more on United: The fastest way to earn elite status is to buy more expensive tickets. As seen in the example above, the business/first class flight earns 698 PQP compared to only 128 PQP for the basic economy fare.

Spend more on everything else, using United credit cards: Another way to expedite your path to status is to meet spending thresholds on some United credit cards.

Cards that earn 25 PQP for every $500 spent, up to 1,000 PQP in a calendar year:

United℠ Explorer Card .

United Club℠ Business Card .

United℠ Business Card .

Cards that earn 25 PQP for every $500 spent, up to 6,000 PQP in a calendar year

United Quest℠ Card .

Cards that earn 25 PQP for every $500 spent, up to 10,000 PQP in a calendar year

United Club℠ Infinite Card .

Holding United’s credit cards certainly eases the PQP requirements, but because of the requirement to complete four United/United Express flights, you cannot get status with United without stepping foot on a plane.

on Chase's website

$0 intro for the first year, then $95 .

• 2 miles per $1 on United purchases.

• 2 miles per $1 at restaurants and hotels (when booked directly with hotel).

• 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases.

• 3 miles per $1 on United purchases.

• 2 miles per $1 at restaurants, select streaming services and all other travel.

• 4 miles per $1 on United purchases.

• 2 miles per $1 at restaurants and all other travel purchases.

• 2 miles per $1 on United purchases, gas stations and local transit and commuting.

• First checked bag free for you and one companion on your reservation.

• 2 United Club one-time passes each year.

• Credit of up to $100 every four years for TSA PreCheck, Global Entry or NEXUS.

• Priority boarding.

• No foreign transaction fees.

• First and second checked bag free for you and one companion on your reservation.

• $125 United purchase credit per year (good on airfare).

• Two 5,000-mile award flight credits per anniversary year.

• Access to United Club airport lounges.

Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

Earn 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Earn 20,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Plus, 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases. Learn more.

» Learn more: Benefits of United airlines credit cards

In NerdWallet’s annual analysis of the best airline elite status programs , we sought to determine how much value the major U.S. airline loyalty programs deliver to flyers. Here's how United MileagePlus did.

Exact value varies by how often you travel and what benefits you actually care about and take advantage of. Someone who always checks bags will always extract more dollar value than the carry-on only traveler. And even some benefits, like seat upgrades, come down to how lucky you are.

» Learn more: How to get free upgrades on flights

Naturally, the higher up you go in status, the most value you can extract from it. However, higher status does come with increased spending and loyalty to United.

While the benefits are plentiful, here are among the most important perks you’ll find with United Premier status:

Economy Plus seats at check-in

Economy Plus seats feature up to 6 inches of extra legroom, are located in front of the economy cabin and offer free food and alcohol. Complimentary access to these seats (for the member and one companion) really comes in handy when you’re traveling internationally, especially since upgrades to these seats have been reported to cost as much as $200. One caveat is that they are not available on Basic Economy tickets, which is United’s most restrictive fare.

Preferred seats at booking

Preferred seats are standard economy seats but are right behind Economy Plus, and ahead of all the other economy seats. As a Silver elite, you can select these seats for free at booking, for yourself and up to eight companions.

Free 70-pound checked bag

You can check one 70-pound bag no matter what ticket you’re flying on. While checked bag fees vary, you can expect to pay $25-$35 for your first bag for a one-way flight, so this perk of Silver status can add up fast.

» Learn more: What do United's increased baggage fees mean for you?

Complimentary premier upgrades day of departure

Although complimentary premier upgrades are possible, the likelihood of getting one is pretty slim, especially since Silver elites are prioritized below customers paying for upgrades and all other elites. If you have a United co-branded credit card, your award tickets will also qualify for complimentary upgrades to business or first class.

Reduced fees

No change or cancellation fees on award tickets.

Complimentary Hertz Gold Five Star status

Hertz’s Five Star status level is normally attained after 12 rentals or spending $2,400 (excluding taxes and fees) within a 12-month period. The main benefit here is the ability to earn 25% extra Gold Plus Rewards points on rentals and one-class car upgrades. If you rent cars often, this benefit could be useful.

Earn 7x United miles and 25% bonus award miles

Silver elites earn 7x United miles when buying airfare and a 25% mileage bonus. These miles count toward the MileagePlus account balance as redeemable miles but do not count toward elite status. Non-elites earn only 5x miles and no bonus.

» Learn more: The complete guide to redeeming United MileagePlus miles

United’s next status level offers some benefits beyond Silver, including one very important perk: Star Alliance Gold status.

Star Alliance Gold status

United Gold status corresponds to Star Alliance Gold, which is a really neat perk because it means you will have some aspects of your United elite status recognized when flying on Star Alliance partner airlines. With the exception of the extra baggage allowance, which has some airline restrictions, Star Alliance Gold provides the following key benefits no matter which Star Alliance carrier you fly with:

Complimentary access to over 1,000 Star Alliance lounges.

Priority check-in.

Priority boarding.

Extra 44-pound baggage allowance (when the weight limit applies) or an extra checked bag (when the quantity applies) on most partner airlines.

Lounge access is generally viewed as the most important perk of Star Alliance Gold. With Star Alliance being the largest global alliance (26 member airlines), you can find a Star Alliance lounge in many airports. Because these lounges have more restrictive entry requirements than Priority Pass lounges, you may have a much quieter experience when visiting a Star Alliance lounge.

Note: Although United Silver correlates to Star Alliance Silver status, the benefits — which include priority waitlist and priority airport standby — are barely worth mentioning.

Economy Plus seats at booking

Gold elites can select Economy Plus seats for themselves and one companion at booking. The main advantage over Silver is that these seats can be selected at booking versus at check-in, providing more opportunities to snag the seat you want, especially if you’re traveling with a companion and want to sit together.

As a Gold elite, you can select these seats at booking for free for yourself and up to eight companions.

Two free 70-pound checked bags

You can check two 70-pound bags, which is double the amount permitted for Silver members.

Complimentary premier upgrades 48 hours before departure

Gold elites are eligible for complimentary premier upgrades from full-fare economy tickets to business/first class, 48 hours before departure on select domestic and a few short-distance international routes. As a Gold elite, the upgrade probability is better than for Silver members, who can only upgrade the day of departure. If you have a United co-branded credit card, your award tickets will also qualify for complimentary upgrades to business or first class.

Waived / reduced fees

Same-day flight change fees are waived (general members and Silver elites pay $75).

Hertz Five Star status is also provided to Gold elites.

Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status

United Gold elites receive Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status , which comes with a host of useful perks like late checkout, extra points earned on stays and room upgrades.

Earn 8x United miles and 50% bonus award miles

Gold elites earn 8x United miles when buying airfare and a 50% mileage bonus. These miles count toward the MileagePlus account balance as redeemable miles but do not count toward elite status.

Premier Platinum is United’s second-highest elite status, and it offers a key benefit that the previous status levels do not have: access to 40 PlusPoints.

40 PlusPoints

When you reach Platinum status, you receive 40 PlusPoints , which can be used to upgrade your seat. The number of points required varies by destination and what cabin you’re upgrading from and to. PlusPoints expire when your status expires; however, all PlusPoints that were set to expire before July 31, 2022, have been extended through that date. This represents all PlusPoints earned in 2019 and 2020.

These 40 PlusPoints are sufficient for one upgrade from economy to business class on a long-haul flight, or two upgrades from economy to first or business class on short-haul flights.

» Learn more: United adds Premium Plus seating

Platinum elites can select Economy Plus seats at booking for themselves and up to eight companions (versus only one companion for Gold and Silver members). This is an important perk, especially if you’re traveling with family or friends who are also on your reservation and you want to try to have the entire group sit together in Economy Plus.

As a Platinum elite, you can select these seats for free at booking for yourself and up to eight companions.

Three free 70-pound checked bags

Platinum elites get an additional 70-pound checked bag for free (as compared to two at Silver and one at Gold).

Complimentary premier upgrades 72 hours before departure

Platinum elites are eligible for complimentary premier upgrades from full-fare economy tickets to business/first class 72 hours prior to departure on select domestic and a few short-distance international routes. Since the upgrade window at this level opens three days before departure, your chance of an upgrade is significantly better than for Gold and Silver elites.

Platinum members do not have to pay the $25 phone booking fee, which is assessed on all reservations made over the phone in the U.S. and Canada.

Complimentary Hertz Gold President's Circle status

Hertz President’s Circle status level is normally attained after 20 rentals or spending $4,000 (excluding taxes and fees) within a 12-month period. The main benefit here is earning 50% extra Gold Plus Rewards points on rentals, a dedicated President’s Circle phone number and Hertz Valet airport drive-back service up to four times per year.

Platinum elites receive Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status , which comes with a host of useful perks like late checkout, extra points earned on stays and room upgrades.

Earn 9x United miles and 75% bonus award miles

Platinum elites earn 9x United miles when buying airfare and a 75% mileage bonus. These miles count toward the MileagePlus account balance as redeemable miles and do not count toward elite status.

Premier 1K — United’s top-level status — offers the most benefits, including 280 PlusPoints and the Skip Waitlist feature. This level is worth considerably more than the preceding tiers due to PlusPoints, which provide upgrades on pricey long-haul business class routes.

280 extra PlusPoints

When you reach a 1K elite status, you receive an additional 280 PlusPoints. Combined with the 40 PlusPoints earned at Platinum, you could have a total of 320 PlusPoints. This is a significant benefit over Platinum status, and it provides numerous opportunities for upgrading your seats.

Your 320 PlusPoints can go a long way, including these examples:

4 long-haul upgrades from discounted economy to business class.

8 long-haul upgrades from economy to business class.

10 long-haul upgrades from premium plus to business class.

16 long-haul upgrades from economy to premium plus.

16 short-haul upgrades from economy to first class.

Premier 1K elites will receive an additional 20 PlusPoints for every 3,000 PQP earned.

» Learn more: Your guide to United business class

Skip Waitlist

Exclusive to 1Ks, this feature allows elites to skip the waitlist on select international routes for an additional number of PlusPoints. The upgrade must be requested at least 30 days ahead of departure. For flights that offer Skip Waitlist, 1Ks will be able to request an upgrade using a reduced number of PlusPoints or use additional PlusPoints to confirm an upgrade, even if there is no upgrade space available.

Like Platinum elites, 1Ks can select Economy Plus seats at booking for themselves and up to eight companions.

Like all other elites, 1Ks can select these seats for free at booking for themselves and up to eight companions.

Complimentary premier upgrades 96 hours before departure

Premier 1K members are eligible for complimentary premier upgrades to business and first class 96 hours before departure on full-fare economy tickets on some domestic and a few short-distance international routes. 1Ks have priority over all other elites, and given that upgrade eligibility opens four days ahead of departure for 1Ks, the likelihood of an upgrade increases considerably.

» Learn more: Guide to United first class

As a 1K member, you can check up to three 70-pound bags, which is the same allowance afforded to Platinum elites.

Waived fees

1K elites do not have to pay the $25 phone booking fee for making a flight reservation over the phone in the U.S. and Canada.

Award change fees are waived.

Complimentary Clear membership

Premier 1Ks can get a free membership to the Clear program , which uses biometric technology (i.e., fingerprint and eye scan) to verify your identity. Upon verification, a Clear agent escorts you to the front of the TSA PreCheck or main security line, which is the main benefit of Clear.

Note: Although Clear is priced at $199 per year, Silver, Gold and Platinum elites can currently purchase the membership for $159.

» Learn more: United MileagePlus members can get discounted Clear membership

Same as Platinum elites, 1Ks also receive a complimentary President’s Circle status level with Hertz.

Same as Gold and Platinum elites, 1Ks receive Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status , which comes with a host of useful perks like late checkout, room upgrades and extra points earned on stays.

Earn 11x United miles and 100% bonus award miles

United 1Ks earn 11x miles when buying airfare and a 100% mileage bonus. These miles count toward the MileagePlus account balance as redeemable miles but do not count toward elite status.

If you have elite status with another airline and are thinking of switching to United, you could apply for a United status match challenge and get matched to United Silver, Gold or Platinum. Currently, United does not offer a status match to 1K. The offer is not valid for those who have received a status match or status exception within the last five years.

The status that you are matched to depends on what status you have with another airline.

Once you are approved for a status match, you will need to earn a certain number of PQP and PQF (on flights operated by United or United Express) within a specified time frame to keep your status.

What do you get when status matching with United Airlines?

As soon as your status match has been approved, you will receive most of the perks that are designated to elites at that status level.

For example, if you’re a Delta Platinum , you will be matched to United Platinum. Although you will receive most of the perks that come with Platinum, you will only receive 20 PlusPoints once you meet the PQP and PQF thresholds.

To receive the total 40 PlusPoints that are usually awarded to Platinum elites, you will need to satisfy the normal PQF/PQP requirement for Platinum status (18 PQF and 6,000 PQP, or 7,500 PQP).

» Learn more: Delta Air Lines vs. United Airlines

What is the process for applying for status matching with United Airlines?

To request a status match, complete United’s status match form or email United. You will need to provide:

An updated mileage summary or the most recent membership card from the airline frequent flyer program you are matching. The expiration date will need to be visible along with your current elite status. You will need to attach this documentation when you submit your claim.

Your preferred start date, which must be within 30 days before or after the current date (you can begin your match retroactively).

» Learn more: NerdWallet's guide on United status matches

The expiration date for elite status is Jan. 31 each year. To ensure that you maintain your status from year to year, you will need to complete the PQF and PQP requirements for your status level.

» Learn more: Plan your next redemption with our airline points tool

No matter which United status you aim for, the perks provided can significantly upgrade your flying experience. Although elite status can seem out of reach, the positive changes United initiated to help loyalists impacted by coronavirus-related travel bans should make it easier to achieve status.

With these reduced requirements for elite status, if United services your home airport, aiming for elite status (or applying for a United status match) could make a lot of sense.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

1x-2x Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on dining, hotel stays and United® purchases. 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases

50,000 Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

1x-2x Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases, dining, at gas stations, office supply stores and on local transit and commuting. Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases.

75,000 Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

1x-3x 3 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases. 2 miles per $1 spent on dining, select streaming services & all other travel. 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. Plus, each year, receive up to a $125 United® purchase credit and up to 10,000 miles in award flight credits (terms apply) and earn up to 6,000 Premier qualifying points.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

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Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market.  See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. You can also review our  credit card rating methodology .

How To Get United Airlines Elite Status (And Is It Worth It?)

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Table of Contents

United airlines elite status, how to earn united airlines elite status, united elite status benefits, is united elite status worth it, final thoughts.

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Key Takeaways

• United Airlines offers four elite status levels: Premier Silver, Premier Gold, Premier Platinum, and Premier 1K. Benefits increase at each tier.
• Earning elite status requires accumulating a combination of Premier Qualifying Flights (PQF) and Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) within a calendar year.
• Benefits include complimentary upgrades, priority boarding, access to United Club lounges, and increased baggage allowances.

Having elite status with an airline can make flying so much more pleasant. This is especially true with United Airlines. As a United MileagePlus Premier member, you enjoy perks like preferred seating, upgrades, points bonuses, and more.

But understanding how to earn elite status with United can appear complicated at first. Do you know what a PQP is or what counts as a flight segment? Don’t worry, we’ll spell it all out for you.

This post will show you everything you need to know to get elite status with United Airlines. We’ll also review each status level’s benefits and discuss whether or not it’s even worth pursuing.

First, United’s loyalty program is called United MileagePlus.

Before we can talk about how to earn United Airlines elite status, there are a few terms you need to understand.

PQF and PQP

For United elite status, progress is measured by 2 types of qualifying activity earned during the calendar year:

Premier Qualifying Flights (PQFs): This represents the number of flight segments flown. To earn status, you need to fly at least 4 flight segments on United or United Express, in addition to other requirements.

A flight segment is simply a takeoff and a landing. Basic Economy tickets do not earn PQFs.

Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs): This is determined by the base fare of the flight, including carrier-imposed surcharges but excluding taxes and other fees. Seating purchases and paid upgrades are included in this number. All tickets, including Basic Economy, earn PQPs.

Your status is valid from the day you qualify through the end of the program year on January 31, 2025.

You have 2 methods to qualify for United Premier status. You can qualify for Premier status through a combination of PQFs and PQPs, or you can meet a higher PQP goal.

You earn PQFs and PQPs when you fly United or United Express or these partner airlines:

Preferred partners:

MileagePlus partners:

Every flight you take on an eligible partner airline earns you 1 PQF, as long as the fare class of your ticket is eligible for award mile accrual. There are restrictions, which you can read about here .

United caps the number of PQPs you can earn per flight on partner airlines . The maximum PQPs that you can earn per flight on tickets issued and operated by Star Alliance partners and select MileagePlus partner airlines are as follows:

PQFs and PQPs are credited to the MileagePlus member who flies, not the member who purchases the ticket. This includes MileagePlus Upgrade Awards and Economy Plus subscriptions gifted to other members.

In 2023, United also changed how you earn PQPs on award flights. Now, when you use MileagePlus miles for award flights operated by United or United Express, you’re eligible to earn Premier qualifying credits.

Eligible award flights help you achieve status, with 1 PQP earned per 100 miles redeemed, as well as 1 PQF earned per United or United Express flight. PQPs from award flights also count toward earning incremental PlusPoints for eligible members. More on that later.

Earn PQPs on Credit Cards

You can earn PQPs toward Premier status based on your annual spending on select United MileagePlus credit cards. United co-branded cards have PQP maximums, which vary depending on which United MileagePlus credit cards you have. Some cards are no longer open to new applicants (see below).

The following credit cards earn 25 PQPs per $500 you spend. There’s a maximum of 1,000 PQPs earned per card unless otherwise noted:

• First Hawaiian Bank United ® Card
• United Club℠ Business Card
• United Club℠ Infinite Card (10,000 PQPs)
• United℠ Business Card
• United℠ Explorer Card
• United Quest℠ Card (6,000 PQPs maximum)

The following cards are no longer open to new applicants, but existing cardholders can still earn 25 PQPs per $500, with a maximum of 1,000 PQPs (unless otherwise noted):

• United MileagePlus ® Awards Card
• United MileagePlus ® Business Card
• United MileagePlus ® Card (with annual fee)
• United MileagePlus ® Select Card (3,000 PQPs maximum)
• United℠ Presidential Plus℠ Business Card (10,000 PQPs maximum)
• United℠ Presidential Plus℠ Card (10,000 PQPs maximum)

The United Gateway℠ Card , United℠ TravelBank Card, and United MileagePlus card with no annual fee (no longer available to new applicants) do not earn PQPs.

United has made significant changes in 2024 in regards to earning PQPs on United MileagePlus credit cards. New changes include:

• Cardmembers will earn 25 PQPs for every $500  in qualifying spending on eligible MileagePlus credit cards. At this new rate, cardmembers will earn PQPs faster through qualifying purchases on their cards
• All card-earned PQPs will count toward each status level,  including the PQP-only requirement for Premier 1K status
• The total number of PQPs you can earn annually with the United Club Infinite card is increasing (noted above).  Starting in 2024, you will earn up to  10,000 PQPs  from qualifying purchases on your card (up from 8,000 PQPs in 2023)
• United is removing the annual cap of 15,000 PQPs  that you can earn from qualifying spend across multiple eligible Chase co-branded United MileagePlus credit cards

United PlusPoints

PlusPoints are a flexible upgrade benefit for Premier Platinum and Premier 1K members. They can be used to upgrade flights anywhere United flies.

Some partner airlines also let you request PlusPoints upgrades, including:

• All Nippon Airways (ANA)
• Copa Airlines

With PlusPoints, you can request upgrades to any seat, including those available in premium cabins, like United Polaris business class or United Premium Plus. PlusPoints can be used to upgrade multiple segments on the same itinerary and won’t be deducted from your account until your upgrade is confirmed.

Premier Platinum members receive 40 PlusPoints once they qualify. Premier 1K members receive 280 PlusPoints once they qualify and can earn an additional 20 PlusPoints for every 3,000 PQPs earned after 18,000 PQPs (not including PQPs earned from credit card spend).

The number of PlusPoints required for an upgrade depends on where you’re flying to, your original ticket, and what seat you want to upgrade to.

For short-haul flights , here’s how many PlusPoints you need to upgrade:

Short-haul flights are those without United Polaris business class and include flights within the U.S. and flights between the U.S. and Canada, Bogota, Central America, the Caribbean, Mexico, Quito, and intra-Asia flights.

For long-haul flights, here’s how many PlusPoints you need to upgrade.

Long-haul flights are those that include United Polaris business class between the U.S. and Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, New Zealand, South America, and Tahiti.

United does deduct PlusPoints from your account before your upgrade is confirmed, unless your upgrade request is with a partner airline. These requests are always 40 points and are deducted from your account immediately .

When you request multiple upgrades for your trip, United only charges you for the highest-priced upgrade you receive. For example, if you were to request a 20-point upgrade for your first flight and a 40-point upgrade for the second, you’d only be charged 40 PlusPoints.

Jumpstart Your PQP Earnings for 2024

United is offering Premier elite members a head start in 2024 with automatic PQP deposits . All members with full Premier status on February 1, 2024, will get extra PQPs added to their accounts. The number of PQPs is based on status level.

The starting PQP deposit will be based on the Premier status level you have as of February 1, 2024. Members with trial status are not eligible to receive the PQP deposit. 

United Elite Status Qualifications

There are 2 ways to qualify for United elite status. You can qualify for Premier status through a combination of PQFs and PQPs, or you can meet a higher PQP goal.

To qualify for United elite status, you need to earn a minimum number of PQPs and PQFs or a higher number of PQPs. For either, you must fly a minimum of 4 segments on United Airlines or United Express.

How To Check Your Progress Toward Elite Status

It’s easy to track your progress toward United elite status.

You can log in to your United MileagePlus account and scroll down to Premier progress for a quick glance at what you’ve earned (or you can use this link ). To see a detailed look at your progress, including your PQPs, PQFs, and a comparison of benefits offered at each status level, click on View Premier status tracker .

United Airlines Status Match

United offers a MileagePlus Premier Status Match Challenge promotion that offers top-tier flyers of many other airlines comparable status in the MileagePlus program.

If you have elite status with another airline, you can request a status match to United Premier status . The status match offer is valid for requests received through December 20, 2023.

After you request a status match challenge , United may offer Premier status, based on the status you hold in the frequent flyer program you’re matching from, for 120 days. You can request the status match by going to this link and filling out the challenge form.

Here’s a look at the status match levels for some of the most popular airlines:

You can extend your matched status by completing a required number of PQFs and PQPs on United and United Express flights. Here are the requirements for maintaining matched status after the initial 120-day period:

• Premier Silver : Fly 4 PQFs and earn 1,300 PQPs
• Premier Gold : Fly 8 PQFs and earn 2,600 PQPs
• Premier Platinum : Fly 12 PQFs and earn 4,000 PQPs

Bottom Line: If you have elite status with another airline, you can request a status match challenge from United Airlines. If your challenge is successful, they’ll offer you United Premier status for 120 days and the opportunity to extend it by completing a required number of PQFs and PQPs.

Having United MileagePlus Premier status comes with lots of great benefits. Each level has its own unique perks, but there are basic benefits that you can enjoy at any level of United elite status:

• Priority check-in and security screening
• 3 free checked bags in any premium cabin
• Free confirmed flight changes within 24 hours of departure for the same fare class
• Preferred seating for up to 8 travel companions
• No blackout dates for award travel on United and United Express
• Better award availability in economy
• Priority award waitlisting
• Standby for international award flights
• Premier Priority Desk phone line
• No fees for changing or canceling any award ticket with redeposit
• Extra benefits when booking a VIP access property with United Hotels
• TPC Network golf course benefits
• United Cruises onboard amenities

United Premier Silver Status Benefits

Though United Premier Silver is the base level of elite status, it still offers some great benefits:

• Group 2 priority boarding
• 1 free checked bag in economy
• 3 complimentary checked bags in a premium cabin
• Access to Y-class tickets on most sold-out flights at least 24 hours before departure
• Discounted annual membership fee of $149 for CLEAR expedited airport security
• Complimentary Premier upgrades on the day of departure
• Complimentary access to preferred seating at booking and Economy Plus at check-in
• Complimentary Economy Plus for 1 travel companion
• Instant upgrades to the premium cabin on Y or B class economy fares
• 7x miles per dollar on United, United Express, and select partner airlines
• $25 phone booking service fees
• Complimentary Avis Preferred Plus status
• Extra miles on Avis and Budget car rentals (up to 1,000 base miles per rental)

United Premier Gold Status Benefits

In addition to the benefits offered at Premier Silver status, you get these additional benefits when you achieve United Premier Gold status:

• Group 1 priority boarding
• 2 free checked bags in economy
• Complimentary Premier upgrades as early as 48 hours before departure
• Complimentary access to preferred and Economy Plus seating at booking
• 8x miles per dollar on United, United Express, and select partner airlines
• Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status

United Premier Platinum Status Benefits

United Premier Platinum members receive the same benefits as Premier Gold status, plus these additional benefits:

• 3 free checked bags in economy
• Access to Y-class tickets on most sold-out flights at least 2 hours before departure
• $50 annual membership discount for United Club lounges
• Complimentary Premier upgrades as early as 72 hours before departure
• Complimentary Economy Plus for up to 8 travel companions
• 40 PlusPoints, once you meet the requirements
• 9x miles per dollar on United, United Express, and select partner airlines
• Better award availability in select premium cabins
• Waived phone booking service fees
• Complimentary Avis President’s Club status
• Extra miles on Avis and Budget car rentals (up to 1,250 base miles per rental)

United Premier 1K Status Benefits

United Premier 1K Status is the highest level of elite status you can get. It comes with all of the benefits of the lower levels, plus these premium perks:

• Preboarding
• $100 annual membership discount for United Club lounges
• Access to Y-class or B-class tickets on most sold-out flights at least 90 minutes before departure
• Waived CLEAR membership fee
• Complimentary Premier upgrades as early as 96 hours before departure
• Instant upgrades to the premium cabin on Y, B, or M class economy fares
• 280 PlusPoints
• 1 free drink and snack in economy
• 11x miles per dollar on United, United Express, and select partner airlines
• Complimentary annual subscription to Timeshifter, The Jet Lag App

United Global Services

United Global Services is an invitation-only status reserved for only the most loyal and high-spending United customers. United doesn’t publish what it requires for you to be invited, so it’s unknown exactly how you score this cream-of-the-crop status.

United Million Miler Program

You earn lifetime Premier status when you qualify for the Million Miler Program. This is based on the actual distance flown on United and United Express flights. The level of lifetime status you receive is based on the number of miles you’ve flown.

Bottom Line: There are 4 main levels of elite status within the United MileagePlus program: Premier Silver, Premier Gold, Premier Platinum, and Premier 1K. In addition, there’s an invitation-only level of elite status called United Global Services. Plus, when you fly at least 1 million miles on United and United Express, you earn lifetime Premier status through the Million Miler Program.

We’ve gone over the value of United elite status at the airport and on the plane (seating and upgrades) in other posts in detail, so we’ll just take a quick, high-level look here.

Free Checked Baggage

United Premier members get 3 free checked bags in premium cabins, plus 1 to 3 free checked bags in economy. United baggage fees can add up quickly, so this perk has the potential to be quite valuable.

Let’s say you were to fly United 6 times a year in economy round-trip, checking a bag each time (normally $35) — you’d save $420 at a minimum , and your savings could be much higher , depending on how often you fly.

If you want to save on checked bags but don’t have United elite status quite yet, check out one of the many United MileagePlus credit cards that come with free checked bags.

Complimentary Preferred Seating

Getting complimentary preferred seating can be a huge savings. With this perk, you don’t have to pay the $24-or-more cost per flight segment for a preferred seat. If you flew 6 direct round-trips a year and paid an average of $30 each way, this perk could save you $360. That number could dramatically increase if you factored in flights with connections, since you pay for preferred seating per flight segment.

Complimentary Economy Plus Seating

Economy Plus offers a few extra inches of legroom and is in the front of the economy cabin. The price for these seats varies by route but can be as much as $199! Assuming an average of $100 per flight, you’d save $1,200 if you flew 6 times a year and got an upgrade to Economy Plus seating each time.

United offers a subscription to Economy Plus that starts at $599 for 1 person flying domestically and goes up to $1,299 for up to 8 people flying globally, so you may want to use these numbers when you’re determining the value of United status.

Earn Bonus Miles

As a United Premier member, you earn anywhere from 2x to 6x miles more per dollar on United, United Express, and select partner airlines. A Premier Silver member who spends the minimum of $5,000 on flights per year earns an additional 10,000 United miles (versus a member without Premier status). A Premier 1K member who spends the minimum of $24,000 would earn an extra 144,000 miles — worth $1,728, based on our valuations .

Bottom Line: The value of United Airlines elite status adds up quickly. Even taking into account just a few elite status perks, you could near $1,000 in value pretty easily. This number only increases the more you fly and the more you take advantage of your other Premier status benefits.

Having United Airlines elite status comes with lots of benefits and perks. The 4 levels of United Premier status all offer different benefits, but some things, like priority check-in, free checked bags, and free preferred seating, are offered to all Premier members regardless of elite level.

Premier perks can make the travel experience more enjoyable, and it’s worth considering how much how much it takes to achieve United elite status.

The information regarding the First Hawaiian Bank United ® Card, United MileagePlus ® Awards Card, United MileagePlus ® Business Card, United MileagePlus ® Card, United MileagePlus ® Platinum Class Visa Card, United MileagePlus ® Select Card, United℠ Presidential Plus℠ Business Card and United℠ Presidential Plus℠ Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

The information regarding the United Club℠ Business Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

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The ultimate guide to getting upgraded on United Airlines

With increased ticket prices and the same reduced pandemic-era status requirements in 2022, many United Airlines MileagePlus members have recently qualified for Premier status .

As a result, it's becoming harder to score flight upgrades. We often recommend booking the seat or hotel room you want with points to avoid being disappointed if an upgrade isn't available.

That said, despite upgrades becoming less common, they are not impossible, and there are several ways for United Airlines passengers to land a better seat.

We'll walk through everything you need to know about upgrade eligibility, priority and more for United Airlines.

Searching for upgrade inventory

Before you can score a better seat on your next United-operated flight, you must find seats the carrier has designated for upgrades.

This is based on United's fare classes, which you can review in this comprehensive guide . United uses three different fare classes to denote upgrade inventory, as follows:

• RN : Upgrades to Premium Plus for all passengers.
• PZ : Upgrades to domestic first class or Polaris business class for PlusPoints (issued to Premier Platinum and 1K members), upgrades using miles and instant upgrades for Premier Platinum members and lower.
• PN : Upgrades for Global Services members using PlusPoints, and instant upgrades for GS and Premier 1K members.

Armed with this information, turn to United's "expert mode." While expert mode didn't work properly on united.com for several months, it seems to be back in our tests.

After enabling this hidden feature, you'll see how many seats are available in each fare bucket when searching for revenue flights on United.

Generally speaking, you'll have the most luck finding upgrade inventory far in advance or just before departure.

For example, look at the following flight from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Tahiti's Faaa International Airport (PPT). This flight has wide-open seats in every fare class.

Note that "PN9" means that there are nine or more Polaris seats available as upgrades for Global Services travelers using PlusPoints or miles, while "PZ9" indicates that there are also nine or more seats available for mileage and PlusPoint upgrades for all non-Global Service travelers. Finally, the "RN9" indicates nine or more seats are available for mileage and PlusPoint upgrades.

It's worth noting that upgrade inventory is different than regular award inventory. However, since upgrade space generally correlates with award space, it's no surprise that on this flight, you can also use miles to fly in Polaris business class with "I9."

As you might expect, that means there are nine or more seats for a business-class saver mileage redemption.

Let's look at another example with less availability — from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Orlando International Airport (MCO).

This plane doesn't have a Premium Plus cabin, but there are two seats left in first class — indicated by "J2."

One of those seats can be confirmed using PlusPoints or miles, as shown by "PZ1." One TPG staffer has routinely confirmed last-minute upgrades , with United releasing first-class seats to the "PZ" fare class shortly before departure.

Alternatively, full-fare economy Premier 1K and Global Services members can confirm this seat — thanks to "PN1." We'll discuss instant upgrades in the next section.

There are no saver first-class seats for general members ("I0"). Additionally, there are no first-class saver seats for mid- and upper-tier Premier members/premium United Chase credit card holders ("IN0").

Related: How to unlock additional award availability with United

Upgrade priority

Just finding upgrade inventory is only half of the puzzle. You also need to understand the order in which your upgrade will be processed in case it doesn't clear when you book. United's upgrades are split into two categories:

Instant upgrades at the time of ticketing

United Premier members traveling on the two highest-priced economy-fare classes — Y and B — are eligible for an instant upgrade when ticketing on select flights (assuming PZ inventory is available). For Premier 1K and Global Services members, full-fare economy tickets clear into the PN fare and are applicable to M fares as well.

In addition, customers applying miles or a certificate to move up to the next cabin will also be able to confirm the upgrade instantly when the necessary fare buckets (above) are available.

In my experience, M-, B- and Y-fare economy-class tickets are often more expensive than first-class tickets.

Waitlist upgrades

Overwhelmingly, your upgrade won't clear at the time of booking, so you'll end up on the waitlist for an upgrade. This may not be confirmed until a few days before the flight or may even happen at the gate just before departure. Unfortunately, there are plenty of upgrades that never clear.

For requests on the waitlist, United will clear them in the following order of priority:

• Global Services passengers: Regardless of the fare class, United will clear upgrades for Global Services members before any other Premier members.
• Premium Plus passengers: Passengers booked in the O, A and R fare classes (which represent United Premium Plus) have higher upgrade priority than those in economy class.
• Upgrade type : Those redeeming PlusPoints or miles for an upgrade are prioritized ahead of elite members relying on a complimentary Premier upgrade.
• Premier elite status of the traveler: After Premium Plus passengers and upgrade type, elite status is the next tie-breaker. United Global Services members take the lead, followed by Premier 1K, Premier Platinum, Premier Gold and Premier Silver members.
• Fare class: For regular economy tickets, the priority order for different fare classes is as follows: Y, B, M, E, U, H, Q, V, W, S, T, L, K, G. Complimentary Premier upgrades on award tickets will be prioritized after the lowest paid fare class.
• Chase United MileagePlus Club cardholders and Presidential Plus cardholders.
• United Corporate Preferred participants.
• Chase United MileagePlus cardholders with $25,000 in annual spending.
• Date and time of the request.

Not all of these factors will come into play on every flight. However, if multiple passengers with the same elite status tier request an upgrade, United will move down the list and use fare class as a tie-breaker.

If that doesn't work, the system will continue to the credit card type the passenger holds (if any), spending threshold and, finally, the time the request was submitted.

In September 2019, United got rid of its old system using Global Premier Upgrades and Regional Premier Upgrades . United replaced those with the current upgrade certificate currency: PlusPoints.

Here's how you earn PlusPoints:

• 40 PlusPoints when you reach Platinum.
• 280 PlusPoints when you reach Premier 1K or Global Services.
• 20 PlusPoints for every 2,000 Premier qualifying points earned beyond 15,000 (2022) and 18,000 (2023) Premier qualifying points needed for Premier 1K status.

United MileagePlus members who meet the requirements for Platinum status and subsequently qualify for 1K will earn a total of 320 PlusPoints.

PlusPoints can be used for another traveler's reservations. If you want to upgrade your friend with PlusPoints, you'll need to log in to your MileagePlus account and have their six-digit confirmation number handy.

Within PlusPoints, there are two categories and varying cost factors to understand.

You can use PlusPoints to upgrade in various ways, and we'll cover pricing below. What's important to understand here is that you can use PlusPoints to put yourself on the waitlist, similar to what we described above.

Notice that United informs you of the policy during the request process. Choose the seats you want to request with your PlusPoints and see the relevant prices. You'll only pay with your PlusPoints if the upgrade clears. You can also set different preferences for each leg of your trip.

You'll need the following amounts of PlusPoints for upgrades on international flights with a Polaris cabin (i.e., international flights outside of Canada and Central America):

• Economy to Premium Plus : 20 PlusPoints.
• Premium Plus to Polaris : 30 PlusPoints.
• Economy to Polaris (Y, B, M, E, U, H, Q, V and W fares) : 40 PlusPoints.
• Economy to Polaris (S, T, L, K and G fares) : 80 PlusPoints.
• ANA, Copa and Lufthansa eligible economy class to business: 40 PlusPoints.

Skip the waitlist upgrades

While United advertises skip-the-waitlist upgrades exclusively for Premier 1K members, they're few and far between.

If you find one, you can skip the waitlist and upgrade immediately to Polaris business class on long-haul international flights, subject to availability. If your itinerary also includes domestic legs, you'll be waitlisted for those — unless immediate upgrade space is available.

While you'll typically pay 20 PlusPoints to move from economy to premium economy or 40 PlusPoints to get into business, prices to "skip the waitlist" are much higher — they vary by flight, departure date and availability.

Still, they can get as high as 100 PlusPoints (and even higher during peak times) to move from economy to Polaris.

This represents a 250%-275% increase in cost. In addition to the higher costs, you should note that these points are nonrefundable. This means that once the upgrade is confirmed, there's no way to get your PlusPoints back if you need to cancel the flight. They also can't be used to confirm upgrades on other flights if you change your flights.

Thus, upgrading immediately using PlusPoints on certain long-haul flights is possible. As long you're ticketed in the W or higher fare class, this feature will be available to Premium Plus and Polaris, subject to availability. Lastly, this feature isn't available within 30 days of departure.

Related: United makes it harder to earn Premier status, adds new ways to unlock perks

MileagePlus upgrade awards

United also allows you to redeem miles for an upgrade. You can even check the number of miles (and possibly co-pay) required on the airline's upgrade award chart .

For example, TPG points and miles reporter Kyle Olsen has booked a trip with United from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Honolulu's Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL).

He booked the cheapest, non-basic-economy ticket in the L fare class. According to United, an upgrade costs 27,500 miles plus $125 one-way. Since he's a Premier 1K member, the $125 upgrade co-pay is waived.

On his flight, though, there is no PZ fare class availability, so he'd be left on the waitlist.

He could have also opted to redeem 20 PlusPoints to be added to the upgrade waitlist or pay $567 for this one-way upgrade.

Since 27,500 United miles are worth $332.75 based on TPG's most recent valuations , it might be worth using miles instead of paying cash, but in all honesty, it's unlikely an upgrade would clear on this flight unless you pay cash to confirm it.

You can request these upgrades when purchasing your ticket or after purchase by clicking on "Manage your reservation" and clicking the "Upgrade cabin" button at the top of the screen.

MileagePlus upgrades are valid on most paid tickets on United-operated flights, excluding basic economy tickets, if seats are available.

Kyle reserved a Premium Plus seat at no additional cost on this particular flight using this hack .

Related: Still needs work: A review of United Premium Plus on the Boeing 787-10

Complimentary Premier upgrades

United is rather generous in making complimentary Premier upgrades available to members with every tier of Premier elite status. This includes one companion traveling on the same reservation — even for lowly Silver elite members like myself.

CPUs will be automatically requested for you on all eligible flights, which are paid tickets on United- and United Express-operated flights (excluding basic economy tickets) in the following regions:

• Continental U.S. (excluding premium, transcontinental services).
• Hawaii (West Coast departures only).
• Central America.
• The Caribbean.
• Oceania (excluding Tahiti).

If you're traveling to Hawaii, complimentary upgrades are only available on flights from California — specifically Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), John Wayne Airport (SNA) or San Francisco International Airport (SFO).

Suppose you're traveling on United's 11-hour flight from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Honolulu or departing from any of the carrier's other hubs. In that case, you'd need to redeem miles or use PlusPoints (discussed below).

The same applies to the carrier's nonstop, premium transcontinental flights — from Newark or Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to Los Angeles or San Francisco.

As noted above, select elite members are eligible for instant upgrades when booked into the highest fare classes, as long as there's upgrade inventory available. If you aren't upgraded instantly — or are booked into a lower fare class — complimentary upgrades, in theory, begin to clear based on your elite status at the following windows:

• Premier 1K : 96 hours/four days before departure.
• Premier Platinum : 72 hours/three days before departure.
• Premier Gold : 48 hours/two days before departure.
• Premier Silver : Day of departure.

Award tickets are normally not eligible for CPUs, but you can circumvent this rule if you hold a United cobranded credit card .

Related: What is United Airlines' elite status worth?

Bottom line

United offers several options for upgrading your flights to a more comfortable seat. Most of these options are benefits for Premier elite members — as you would expect.

Even if you don't fly United frequently enough to earn elite status, you should still be able to upgrade your trip with cash or miles.

Always check upgrade inventory first, as the carrier is notoriously stingy at opening up inventory — especially in advance.

Additional reporting by Kyle Olsen.