United Makes Elite Status All About Spending

United Airlines is making elite status much harder to earn in 2027 — especially for those who typically qualify based on a mix of flight segments and spending with the carrier.

The airline is saying goodbye to the Premier Qualifying Flights (PQF) metric starting in 2027, and it will use Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) as the sole measure for elite status qualification. PQP are primarily earned based on how much you spend on United tickets and with United credit cards.

It’s also raising the requirement to earn Premier 1K elite status from 28,000 PQP to 32,000 PQP.

Here’s what you need to know about United’s elite status changes.

Starting in 2027, the level of United elite status you earn will be solely based on PQP. You’ll still need to fly at least four flights with United or United Express to be eligible.

Here’s how the new requirements compare to what it currently takes to earn elite status:

These changes will hit hardest for those who relied on the PQP and PQF combination to earn elite status. That method offered the ability to earn status by flying more but spending less with the carrier.

If you were already earning status through the PQP-only option, then the changes aren’t that impactful. For the Premier Silver, Gold and Platinum tiers, the 2027 requirements are the same as the 2026 PQP-only thresholds.

However, the biggest jump comes for those chasing Premier 1K status. Those who relied on the PQP and PQF option will now need to earn 10,000 more PQP than before — a 45% increase. PQP-only qualifiers will need an additional 4,000 PQP, representing a 14% increase.

For 2027, United will continue to deposit starter PQP for those who achieved elite status the prior year. However, you will now need to hold an eligible United credit card by Dec. 31, 2026, to be eligible to receive the headstart deposit.

The starter PQP you receive will be equivalent to 5% of the amount needed to re-qualify for your earned status:

• Premier Platinum: 900 PQP.

This is in addition to any card bonus PQP that you might receive for holding certain United credit cards.

If you’ve been following United and the broader airline industry, these changes won’t come as a shock — even if they might hurt for United frequent flyers.

Both American Airlines and Delta Air Lines ditched the number of flights flown with the airline as an elite status metric years ago.

Plus, these changes are clearly meant to push United frequent flyers to open a United credit card. That’s evident by requiring status members to hold an eligible card to receive the starter PQP deposit.

Depending on the card you hold, you’ll earn PQP based on your spending, at a rate of up to 1 PQP per $15 spent. Each card comes with a cap on the number of PQP you can earn, although United said it would raise the cap on its most expensive card to the 32,000 PQP required for Premier 1K status.

Earlier this year, United also overhauled how you earn miles with the airline, making it more rewarding for people who hold one of its cards. It also started offering award discounts for eligible cardholders that even Premier members cannot access without the card.