Here’s your miles, points, travel, and deals news for November 10, 2023:
United Adjusts How to Earn Elite Status
United Airlines announced some changes to its Premier elite status for 2024.
The requirements to earn elite status are staying the same, but United added a status headstart for existing elite members and PQPs earned via credit cards.
Unchanged: Existing Requirements
United MileagePlus requires elite members to earn a combination of Premier Qualifying Flights (“PQFs”) and Premier Qualifying Points (“PQPs”). Here are the elite status requirements for 2024:
- Premier Silver requires either (1) 12 PQFs and 4,000 PQPs OR (2) 5,000 PQPs.
- Premier Gold requires either (1) 24 PQFs and 8,000 PQPs OR (2) 10,000 PQPs.
- Premier Platinum requires either (1) 36 PQFs and 12,000 PQPs OR (2) 15,000 PQPs.
- Premier 1K requires either (1) 54 PQFs and 18,000 PQPs OR (2) 24,000 PQPs.
Added: Status Headstart
Existing MileagePlus elite members will receive a head start in 2024 of about 5% of their PQPs, except for members who obtained their premier status from a status challenge.
Specfically, United will provide:
- Premier Silver members will get a head start of 250 PQPs.
- Premier Gold members will get a head start of 500 PQPs.
- Premier Platinum members will get a head start of 750 PQPs.
- Premier 1K members will get a head start of 1,250 PQPs.
Adjusted: Elite Status via Credit Cards
United Airlines allows members to earn PQPs via credit card spending on their Chase United credit cards, which counts towards each United Premier elite tier, including Premier 1K. Specifically, you can earn for 2024:
- 25 PQPs for every $500 in qualifying spending, which counts towards each elite status level, including Premier 1K.
- Up to 10,000 PQPs each year via the United Club℠ Infinite Card.
- Up to 6,000 PQPs each year via the United Quest℠ Card.
- Up to 1,000 PQPs each year via the United℠ Business Card.
- Up to 1,000 PQPs each year via the United℠ Explorer Card.
The previous limits were:
- 500 PQPs per $12,000 spent.
- PQPs via credit cards did not count towards Premier 1K.
- The United Club℠ Infinite Card PQP limit was previously 8,000.
- Annual cap of 15,000 PQPs from multiple United co-branded cards, but there is still a limit per card.
New United Airlines Credit Card Offers
Chase and United increased the offers on several of their credit cards:
- United Club℠ Infinite Card: bonus_miles_full
- United Quest℠ Card: bonus_miles_full
- United℠ Explorer Card: bonus_miles_full
- United Gateway℠ Card: bonus_miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
Alaska Airlines Increases Lounge Fees
Beginning February 1, 2024, Alaska Airlines will increase its lounge fees:
- Alaska Lounge membership will go up from $500 to $550
- Alaska Lounge+ membership which gets you access to partner lounges, will go up from $650 to $750.
Additionally, members can now only enter the Alaska Lounge with a boarding pass on Alaska, a Oneworld partner, or one of Alaska’s other partners.
Deals and Points News
- United Airlines has a new MilePlay promotion, which you can register for. I receive an offer for 4,200 extra bonus miles when I book and take a trip of at least $175 by December 15, 2023.
New Chase Offers until 11/18/2023:
- Chevron and Texaco for 20% back on up to $55 in purchases
- Ace Hardware for 20% back for up to $80 in spending.
- Jimmy Johns for 20% back on up to $30 in spending.
- Chewy for 20% back on up to $135 in spending.
New Amex Offer:
- Allen Edmonds for $50 back when you spend $250 or more until 1/1/2024.
- The Home Depot for $15 back on $150+ until 12/31/2023.
- Wine Country Gift Baskets for $30 back on $100+ until 2/6/2024.
Travel News
- United added new routes to Key West (EYW) from Chicago (ORD), Houston (IAH), Newark (EWR), and Washington Dulles (IAD) beginning on November 28, 2023.
