Midyear update: How 7 TPG staffers are earning United Premier status in 2025

1 day ago 3

United Airlines Premier status is popular with many TPG readers, so it's no surprise several TPG staffers are also striving for status in the United MileagePlus program this year.

Whether you're already working toward qualifying or requalifying for a United Premier status tier or considering whether doing so is right for you, this story is for you. I'll start by giving an overview of United elite status — including its perks and the requirements for each tier — before discussing what TPG staffers shared about their approach to United elite status this year.

United Premier status overview

I highly recommend checking out our guide to United Premier status for all the details about benefits and the best ways to earn United status. But, especially since many of the TPG staffers highlighted in this story discuss their progress toward earning United Premier status, here's an overview of the requirements you must reach within each calendar year. Note that for each tier, you can qualify either on a combination of Premier qualifying flights and Premier qualifying points, or solely via PQPs, as follows:

Premier Silver: 15 PQFs and 5,000 PQPs, or 6,000 PQPs
Premier Gold: 30 PQFs and 10,000 PQPs, or 12,000 PQPs
Premier Platinum: 45 PQFs and 15,000 PQPs, or 18,000 PQPs
Premier 1K: 60 PQFs and 22,000 PQPs, or 28,000 PQPs

Even if you qualify based solely on PQPs, you must still take at least four United or United Express flights to earn status. If you meet the above requirements within a calendar year, you'll keep your status through the end of the next program year, which usually ends Jan. 31. So if you earn United status based on activity in 2025, your status will expire Jan. 31, 2027.

Andrea Rotondo: Premier 1K status match and challenge

Director of Content Operations Andrea Rotondo has held American Airlines AAdvantage Executive Platinum status for several years, but she recently matched this status to United Premier 1K. Her match expires in September, but she's currently working on the challenge part of the status match. This requires her to fly 20 segments and earn 7,500 PQPs during the challenge period.

When I asked her about her progress, Andrea said: "Thus far, I've flown six United flights and booked 12 more through the beginning of August. That gets me to 18 of 20 flights. I'll likely visit TPG's New York office soon, and that will take care of the flight segment requirement."

However, there's also the PQP part of the challenge. "PQPs are a bit trickier. The flights I booked were very affordable, so I won't make the 7,500-PQP threshold for the match with just what I earn from paid economy flights," Andrea said. "I'll need to pay for a few upgrades to first class to seal the deal."

Daily Newsletter

Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter

Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts

By signing up, you will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.

"Once I complete the status match, I will carefully track my experiences flying United," she said. "I'll consider how often I receive complimentary upgrades, the comfort of the aircraft I typically fly, the service (on the ground and in flight), and if I'm able to make use of the PlusPoints I earn as part of the match. That data will help me compare my experience against my history as an American Executive Platinum. I'll then decide if I will devote my spending and travel to one airline to get top status or seek midlevel status on both airlines. I should have a better feel for my decision in two or three months."

Andrea noted that on a recent United round-trip journey to Montreal, she was upgraded on three out of the four flights; her husband, on the same reservation, was upgraded for two of those flights. In her book, that's not a bad record so far.

Ayana Morali: Hopeful for Premier Gold

Director of Video Ayana Morali told me she will earn Premier Silver status but hopes to earn Premier Gold status for the first time.

Ayana is trying to reach her United status goals solely by choosing United or its Star Alliance partners on work trips. Even so, she's only booking with United and its partners "when it makes sense" and has flown with other airlines this year.

Based on her work trips, she's already at 13 PQFs and around 2,500 PQPs. Since Premier Silver status requires 15 PQFs and 5,000 PQPs (or 6,000 PQPs), I agree she's likely to qualify for it as long as she can secure the required PQPs.

Premier Gold requires 30 PQFs and 10,000 PQPs (or 12,000 PQPs), which is a stretch based on her activity so far this year. However, Ayana told me she has seven more work-related video shoots she'll need to travel for this year. So, she may be able to pick up enough PQPs and PQFs for Premier Gold status on these trips.

Carly Helfand: Requalifying for Premier Gold

Director of Points, Miles and Credit Card Content Carly Helfand wants to requalify for United Premier Gold status this year. "United has always been my airline of choice," she said. "I grew up in Chicago, and I've been a MileagePlus member since I was 2 years old."

For various reasons, Carly has opted to requalify for elite status with United year after year instead of switching to Alaska Airlines, which she says has a much bigger presence in her local market. But United Premier Gold status seems to be working very well for Carly. "Because I'm almost always flying long itineraries (either with stops or nonstop to United's East Coast hubs), my Premier Gold status is incredibly important to me," she said. "I value the ability to book myself and a companion directly into Economy Plus for free very highly, as well as the option to check up to two bags for no extra charge."

Carly also noted: "Both of these benefits have become even more crucial since my daughter was born last October. That extra legroom is clutch whether she's flying as a lap infant or taking a break from her car seat, and my carry-on days are decidedly over thanks to all the stuff required to transport a baby."

Senior editor Carly Helfand and her family on a United

However, in part because of said baby, Carly is a little behind on requalifying for United Gold status this year. "While I've taken 15 Premier qualifying flights through the first six months of the year — exactly half of the 30 required to requalify for Gold — I'm behind on Premier qualifying points, which you earn based on spending. I currently have 4,039, or roughly 40% of the 10,000 I'll need," she said.

Despite being a little behind pace, Carly plans to close the gap and requalify for her Premier Gold status. She has a few upcoming trips that should help, but she's also seriously considering signing up for the United Quest℠ Card (see rates and fees). It currently has a best-ever welcome offer of 100,000 miles and 3,000 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on qualifying purchases in the first three months from account opening. Not only would this welcome offer give her some needed PQPs, she would also earn 1 PQP per $20 spent on purchases with her card (up to 18,000 PQPs per year).

Chris Nelson: Getting Silver via Marriott Titanium

Credit Cards Writer Chris Nelson said he's "not really going for United status anymore." However, he is looking to requalify for Marriott Titanium Elite status this year, which lets you enroll in complimentary Premier Silver status with United.

I, too, don't strive for United status, but I sometimes benefit from the United Premier Silver status that I get as a benefit of my Marriott Titanium Elite status. Just a few days ago, I used my United Silver status when booking a United basic economy ticket for later this year because I knew it would let me select Preferred seats at booking.

Gene Sloan: Will requalify for Premier 1K

Principal Cruise Writer Gene Sloan, a Million Miler with United, is one of the only TPG staffers who will earn United Premier 1K this year via the standard requirements. "Covering the cruise world requires a lot of long-haul international flights, and I travel a lot internationally for personal trips, too," he said. He told me he usually books premium economy fares on United long-haul flights, noting these fares have "the dual value of kicking my spending into 1K territory and also being a pretty sure bet for a PlusPoint upgrade to business class."

TPG's Gene Sloan ice-fishing on Saguenay Fjord

Gene has maintained United Premier 1K status "for years" and will earn it again this year. He's already earned over 16,000 PQPs and 44 segments this year, and he told me he already had enough flights booked throughout the rest of 2025 to meet the 60-segment and 22,000-PQP requirements for United Premier 1K. Gene has the United Quest Card and estimates he'll earn around 6,000 PQPs through his card this year.

Maintaining United 1K status is important to Gene, who believes the PlusPoints that come with the status, in particular, are extremely valuable. For example, he said he often booked premium economy from his home in North Carolina to such long-haul destinations as Australia for around $2,000 each way. Then, he can use 30 PlusPoints to secure business class, which he notes is usually possible since premium economy fares are prioritized ahead of economy fares for PlusPoints upgrades.

Gene said that getting into business class on long-haul flights has become more important to him as he has gotten older, as he no longer bounces back like he used to from extended trips across the globe. "When I turned 40 — I'm now 56 — I decided I'd never fly overnight if I couldn't lie flat. Whatever the cost. It's just a cost of doing business," he said. "So I allocate part of my salary to buy what I need to buy to always be in business on overnight flights. I aim to always spend what it takes to reach 1K status and get the PlusPoints, which let me secure business-class seats on the longest flights."

Finally, being a 1 Million Miler and continuing to earn United Premier 1K status allows Gene to share his status with his partner. (They live together, so the requirement of having the same address isn't an issue.) This benefit is being devalued for 1 Million Milers in 2027, though Gene may have reached 2 Million Miler status by the time the changes occur.

Summer Hull: Easily requalifying for Premier Gold

Senior Director of Content Summer Hull held top-tier United Premier 1K for several years before only qualifying for Premier Platinum in 2023 and Premier Gold in 2024.

Summer Hull at Evermore Resort in Orlando

This year, she's estimating she'll qualify for Premier Gold, saying it is "worth trying for as a frequent United flyer who lives at a United hub." She notes that Premier Gold "gets me Group 1 boarding and Economy Plus seats for myself and up to one guest. It was better when I got Economy Plus seats at booking for up to eight companions when I was Premier 1K, but it's gotten too hard to realistically reach those levels even with work travel and credit card spending."

Summer is earning PQPs through a mixture of work and personal flights, but she's also earning PQPs via having and using United credit cards like the United Club℠ Card (see rates and fees) and the United℠ Business Card (see rates and fees).

"I'm currently sitting at 7,324 PQPs (of 10,000) and 23 flown segments (of 30) needed to retain Gold status. I'm booked to 8,518 PQPs and 31 segments, so I feel confident in making it to Gold status without any incremental effort with additional travel and card spending that is likely. That said, it is still probably going to be too large a gap between where I'd naturally end up and what is required to earn Platinum (15,000 PQPs and 45 segments)," Summer said.

Zach Griff: Maintaining Premier 1K

Senior Reporter Zach Griff has been a United Premier 1K member for seven years. "I'd love to continue staying on the hamster wheel for as long as possible. That said, United seems to keep making it harder to requalify for status, and this year might be my first where I don't hit it organically," he said.

TPG's Zach Griff enjoying views of United planes.

Zach has earned just over 12,000 PQPs on 20 flights this year, so he's more than halfway to requalifying for Premier 1K. "That might sound good in theory, but I don't have much United travel — especially long-haul flying — booked for later this year," he said. "I could open a new United card to earn some promotional PQPs as part of the sign-up bonus, but I do have one more 'trick' up my sleeve to close the gap if I don't hit it naturally."

What's the trick? Zach explained, "Late last year, I became a father, and United lets new parents enjoy a free one-year status extension with qualifying life events. I could use this flexibility this year, but I might try saving it until next year if I end up qualifying again naturally this year. Stay tuned!"

Bottom line

Now you've heard how some TPG staffers are approaching United Premier status. Throughout this story, you read about the experiences of various staffers, including one certain to requalify for Premier 1K status, one hoping to earn Premier Gold for the first time, and another using a status match to see whether they should switch their loyalty for good.

If you're striving for United Premier status this year, check how many PQPs and PQFs you've earned so far and how many you'll earn by the end of the year with travel you've already booked. Compare what you'll earn with this travel to the requirements for the various United status tiers. If you need more PQPs or PQFs, consider any work or personal travel you may want or need to take but haven't booked yet.

If you're still going to fall short of your desired goal, consider whether now is a good time for a status match, to sign up for a new United card or put more of your everyday spending on a United card you already have. After all, some United credit card welcome offers may include PQPs, and you can earn PQPs through spending on many United cards.

Read Entire Article