Time’s ticking: United Airlines demands $18k spend to keep secretive global services perks

Big airlines have special programs for high revenue customers far beyond top elite status of their mileage programs. At Delta there’s the 360 program.

At American it’s Concierge Key. At United Airlines it is Global Services. The criteria for obtaining this type of status is generally unpublished, however there are workarounds.

At American pre-paying for enough travel with an AAirpass used to get you ConciergeKey.

That option was pulled, as American de-emphasized programs for business travelers. While they’re trying to appeal to managed travel programs again, AAirpass hasn’t returned.

United, though, has their version of the program called PassPlus. A year ago they went from requiring $50,000 prepaid for an individual contract to $75,000 if you want Global Services from it.

Reports from United Airlines customers with secretive Global Services status are that it isn’t as helpful as it once was. Still, it’s a step above Premier 1K and if you’re going to fly United it helps a lot!

It’s never clear what level of general spending on airfare is going to get an invite to this elite level, and it can vary based on where you travel out of.

Several Global Services customers who didn’t get renewed for 2025 are being offered a Global Services Challenge to spend $18,000 flying on United Airlines tickets within 90 days to earn back the status. That’s a $73,000 annual run rate.

So, apparently United ‘could not invite’ me back to GS for 2025 (email received today) but, if I spend $18k in a 90 day period before 6/1 I can get back in. Anyone else seen this before?

I got the same offer. Laughed and moved on accepting my fate as a 1k this year.

When Global Services started it was separate from Mileage Plus. You could have Global Services members who were merely Premiers (Silver), and you could even have Global Services members who weren’t enrolled in United’s loyalty program at all. Now it’s integrated.

• Your calls to the airline are usually answered on the first ring. Your emails are responded to with more than a form answer and in a matter of hours. You can check in at special centers in certain hubs.
• You get better availability for upgrades when using a global or regional certificate. Global services members can also upgrade award tickets using global certificates.
• Complimentary upgrades clear starting 120 hours prior to flight, a full day before 1K members. Waitlists are also ahead of other customers.
• When buying a business class ticket on United they can redeem a saver award in the same class of service as long as 2 business class seats will be left for sale (Update: this used to be unrestricted, but now requires PZ inventory.)
• On tight connections you may get met on the jetway and taken across the tarmac by Mercedes. If you misconnect you’re guaranteed the next flight even if it is oversold.

In general United offers better award and upgrade benefits to their revenue-based top tier elites than American does (American lets ConciergeKey members upgrade with miles without a co-pay).

However American’s ConciergeKey members get to access the airline’s Flagship Lounges when traveling domestically while United does not invited Global Services members to use Polaris lounges when not flying eligible business class itineraries.

Four million milers are granted lifetime Global Services status. Important travel spend influencers at companies with big corporate deals with United receive Global Services status, and may be able to assign a certain number of these to company employees.

There may still be one other path into Global Services – a soft landing from Chairman’s Circle? That’s a program that comes from pre-merger Continental Airlines.

Last I knew there were mere hundreds of people in this program, most nominated by the Senior Vice President of Sales.

At the time the criteria for heads of companies to be a Chairman’s Circle member was $5 million spend per year with United.

The spouse of a Chairman’s Circle member gets Global Services. And if you fall out of the program you got a soft landing to 1K or Global Services.