For years, United has been very secretive about how one becomes a Global Services member. My blog entry on Global Services is still the most popular page here, 2 years after it has been written -- accounting for more than 25% of my page hits. It's even the number one search result for "United Global Services" on Google (yeah, I'm proud :-) ).
When I logged into my united account today, I found the following published on the web site:
Ensure your Global Services status for 2009 Fly 50,000 miles on United® or United Express® in First (F, A, P), Business (C, D, Z), or full-fare United Economy® (Y or B) during 2008, and your Global ServicesSM membership will be renewed for the 2009 program year.
Track your progress by visiting united.com/gstracking.
Of course, it's kind of late for the 2009 program year at this point. But still it's now out in the open as to what you need to do to qualify. They even have a web page that you can go to to check your earnings status. Mine is still showing my 2008 earnings (since I know I have absolutely zero earnings in 2009).
Of course, I'm not convinced that this is the only way to get Global Services status. I think that their marketing and business relationship department will use GS stats as a reward for important business partners who bring them substantial corporate business, even if they, themselves, don't fly a lot. That's business as I would expect it to be.
Tags : ual / United Airlines / Global Services / travel / Mileage Plus
10 comments:
No you may think this is qualification but it is what YOU need to travel to be renewed only YOU other people must travel more to qualify for the first time but good luck this year
Cheers
P.S. You should google a site called Flyertalk and then go Forums>Search>Global Services you will learn a lot more about the program
I guess that might be the case if I was a GS member in 2007 or 2008. However, I wasn't. So I can't see how the word "renew" would apply to me unless you're saying that it applies to anyone who has ever been a member in the past.
But I guess it is possible that this one message on the web site was directed at me only since I was logged in. I would be interested in knowing from others who had not ever qualified for GS status if this showed up when they logged into the MP account. Also if the link for checking their GS qualifying mileage count worked for them.
Sorry then I had not idea you were not a GS member anymore but I do not have that on my login so must be only previous GS members
I didn't think United would extend my Global Services membership for 2009 because I only flew 135,000 miles last year, and only about 16,000 of those miles were GS-qualifying full fare miles - but today (Jan. 12) I received a form email from "Graham Atkinson, President, Mileage Plus" informing me that my GS membership had been renewed for next year. I am very surprised, because the Mileage Plus web page had been saying toward the end of last year that 50,000 full fare miles were required to guarantee renewed GS membership.
Interestingly, I too received the same email today and clearly did not qualify according to the above #s (though I did have more than 16K miles in high fare seats).
I was pretty sure that I would not be getting it this year since I've already received my 1K credentials. Oh well, guess there's no way to predict things and I'm happy to be back to being a GS member, though I'm sure it will only be for this year given the current economic climate and my company's cutbacks on travel.
I have never been GS before only 1K and I received the same email and status on my United page
Thanks for the GS low-down! Unfortunately, to access the "gstracking" web page, you already must be at Global Services level. The rest of us see this:
United Full-Fare Miles
Access to this page is currently limited to select Global Services members.
Some of you folks really need a lesson in logic. 50K miles of first, business or full fare economy will guarantee that you renew your GS status. However, United does NOT say that is the only way to maintain or earn GS status.
they give these away for free to many businesses.....and you don't really ever even have to fly them. Most poeple on this fly first anyhow- so this is really a benefit to good business customers.
Great page! I had no idea what it took to be Global before reading this. I won't make it, I consider myself lucky if I get an aisle seat in the back, but good luck to all of you who fly so much.
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