Baggage Allowance

United Airlines Frequent Flyer

USA · IATA UA

Last updated: 31 October 2026.

MileagePlus is United's loyalty programme. Premier status is earned with Premier qualifying points (PQP) and Premier qualifying flights (PQF), counted over a calendar year.

4Premier levels: Silver, Gold, Platinum, 1K
5,000 + 15PQP and flights for Premier Silver (or 6,000 PQP)
28,000PQP for Premier 1K without flights
2027PQF requirement removed from 1 January 2027

Premier status for 2026

Premier Silver

PQP and flights
5,000 PQP and 15 PQF
Or PQP alone
6,000 PQP
Lifetime status
-

Premier Gold

PQP and flights
10,000 PQP and 30 PQF
Or PQP alone
12,000 PQP
Lifetime status
Once you reach 1 million miles flown

Premier Platinum

PQP and flights
15,000 PQP and 45 PQF
Or PQP alone
18,000 PQP
Lifetime status
Once you reach 2 million miles flown

Premier 1K

PQP and flights
22,000 PQP and 60 PQF
Or PQP alone
28,000 PQP
Lifetime status
Once you reach 3 million miles flown
  • You also need four or more flights on United or United Express itself. Status earned in 2026 lasts until 31 January 2028.
  • From 1 January 2027, flights (PQF) no longer count and PQP become the main route to status.
  • PQP: one point per dollar of base fare and carrier surcharges on United and its Express partners; 1 per 5 award miles on preferred partners and 1 per 6 miles on MileagePlus partners, with caps; one per dollar spent on Economy Plus or preferred seats; 1 per 100 miles redeemed on awards. Taxes and fees do not count.
  • Members who held status on 1 February 2026 received a starter deposit: Silver 300, Gold 600, Platinum 900, 1K 1,400 PQP.

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Benefits

Bonus miles per dollar (United and Express)

Silver
5
Gold
6
Platinum
7
1K
9

Free checked bags in Economy (up to 70 lb / 32 kg)

Silver
1
Gold
2
Platinum
3
1K
3

Boarding

Silver
Group 2
Gold
Group 1
Platinum
Group 1
1K
Pre-board

Premier upgrades as early as

Silver
Day of departure
Gold
48 hours
Platinum
72 hours
1K
96 hours

Economy Plus and preferred seating

Silver
Economy Plus when checking in; preferred seats when booking
Gold
At booking
Platinum
At booking
1K
At booking
  • Premier Gold, Platinum and 1K members also get Star Alliance Gold treatment on partner flights; Silver gets Star Silver.
  • Gold members and above also get a free standard checked bag on Air Canada in every economy fare.

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Questions travellers ask us

How do I reach Premier Silver?

5,000 PQP with 15 flights, or 6,000 PQP, in a calendar year.

Do Premier members get free bags?

Yes: 1 in Economy at Silver, 2 at Gold and 3 at Platinum and 1K.

What changes in 2027?

Flight counts drop out; PQP alone decide status.

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Baggage Allowance is an independent information site and is not part of United Airlines. Check the airline's own pages before you travel.

Ask a question

Our team reads every question before it appears. Please do not share booking numbers or personal details.

2 questions and answers

  1. Gordon Gray25 January 2023
    How many points in my account?
    AW465099
    1. Answer

      Kindly check the details of your account by visiting https://united.com/en/us/myunited 

  2. Linda & Neil Turner24 December 2019
    Neil & I have the last 3 digits of our mileage plus accounts. Linda xxxxx979 /4605 miles & Neil xxxxx951 /4605 miles. Can you give both of us our full membership numbers as we cannot find our cards. Also we have done flights with South African Airways & Aegean, can I have an email address from you to claim these miles on my United Mileage Plus accounts.
    1. Answer

      You will have to find this directly with the airline. We are not the airline and not connected to it in any way.