It’s common for airlines to offer some sort of status challenge or status match program, in order to lure frequent flyers who are loyal to competing airlines, but are considering a switch. In the United States, most major airlines offer some sort of a status match challenge opportunity, including Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, and Southwest.
In this post, I’d like to take a look at the program offered by United, to reflect the details of the program for 2026.
In this post:
United MileagePlus status match challenge basics
United MileagePlus has a published status challenge program, which is currently valid for requests received through June 30, 2026.
With this program, you can have your status matched for a period of 120 days, and then your status can be extended based on qualifying activity within that period. One new restriction with this status challenge is that you only receive the status after taking an “activating flight,” which is a flight on United or United Express that’s completed within 90 days of getting your status challenge approved. Alternatively, having taken an eligible flight within the past 30 days would qualify as well.
As it stands, United is offering this program in order to earn Premier Silver, Premier Gold, Premier Platinum, and Premier 1K status. Matches aren’t available to invitation-only Global Services status, as you’d expect.
What status will United match?
Currently United Airlines is offering to match those who have status with any of the following programs:
- Alaska Atmos Rewards
- American AAdvantage
- Delta SkyMiles
- JetBlue TrueBlue
- Southwest Rapid Rewards
- British Airways Executive Club
- Qantas Frequent Flyer
Elite tiers roughly map over as you’d expect, and below you can see a chart with all the details. As you can see, a match to Premier 1K status is only available for those who have American or Delta status.
How do you maintain United status?
In order to maintain your United status beyond the initial 120 day match period, you’ll have to complete a certain amount of qualifying activity within that timeframe (beyond the “activating flight”). The ability to maintain elite status is based on earning PQF and PQP:
- PQF stands for “Premier Qualifying Flights,” with each flight you take earning you one PQF
- PQP stands for “Premier Qualifying Points,” with one point being earned for each dollar spent, before taxes and fees
For 2026, standard United MileagePlus status requirements are as follows:
- Premier Silver requires 15 PQF and 5,000 PQP, OR just 6,000 PQP
- Premier Gold requires 30 PQF and 10,000 PQP, OR just 12,000 PQP
- Premier Platinum requires 45 PQF and 15,000 PQP, OR just 18,000 PQP
- Premier 1K requires 60 PQF and 22,000 PQP, OR just 28,000 PQP
With the challenge, you need to earn the following number of PQF and PQP in a 120 day period:
- Premier Silver requires five PQF and 1,700 PQP
- Premier Gold requires 10 PQF and 3,400 PQP
- Premier Platinum requires 15 PQF and 5,000 PQP
- Premier 1K requires 20 PQF and 7,500 PQP
As you can see, this status match challenge gives you the opportunity to earn status with roughly one-third of the usual requirements, which makes sense, since you have around one-third of the year to complete this. However, there has to be a segment element to it, as you can’t qualify for the match exclusively with spending.
For the purposes of the challenge, you can earn PQP either through United or United Express flights, or through eligible spending on United co-branded credit cards.
How long is matched United status valid for?
Assuming you satisfy the PQF and PQP requirements, the validity of your status is dependent on when you complete your challenge:
- If you complete the challenge before July 1, then the status is only valid for the remainder of the program year (which would be through January 31 of the following year, in this case 2027)
- If you complete the challenge after July 1, then the status is valid for the remainder of the program year, and the entire following program year (which would be through January 31 two years later, in this case 2028)
So currently if you completed a challenge, it would be valid through January 31, 2027. Meanwhile if you completed a challenge after July 1, then it would be valid through January 31, 2028. So if you want the challenge to be valid for as long as possible (roughly 18 months), wait until July to complete it. To be clear, you could start the challenge at some point in March, and as long as it’s completed in July, you’d be fine.
How do you request a United status challenge?
To take part in a United MileagePlus status match challenge, complete this form. A few things to note:
- It can take 7-14 business days to get a response and for your account to be upgraded (however, many report being approved for this instantly, which is pretty cool)
- This program is not available to those who have participated in a status match challenge with United in the past three years, or those who have received a status exception in the past five years
- Those who hold trial or temporary status with a competitor aren’t eligible to participate
- Those who earn Premier Platinum through the match will be awarded 20 PlusPoints, while those who earn Premier 1K through the match will be awarded 100 PlusPoints
- There’s no cost to participate in a United status match
What are the benefits of United elite status?
What are United Airlines MileagePlus status perks like?
Some of the most popular benefits of Premier Silver status include:
- Complimentary upgrades in most domestic markets
- Complimentary Economy Plus seating at time of check-in
- One complimentary checked bag
- A 40% mileage bonus (7x miles per dollar spent)
Some of the most popular benefits of Premier Gold status include:
- Complimentary upgrades in most domestic markets
- Complimentary Economy Plus seating at time of booking
- Two complimentary checked bags
- A 60% mileage bonus (8x miles per dollar spent)
- Star Alliance Gold status
Some of the most popular benefits of Premier Platinum status include:
- Complimentary upgrades in most domestic markets
- Complimentary Economy Plus seating at time of booking
- Three complimentary checked bags
- An 80% mileage bonus (9x miles per dollar spent)
- Star Alliance Gold status
Upgrades are obviously the most valuable benefit, and those are prioritized by status. The higher your status, the better the odds of those clearing. Don’t expect that you’ll be seeing too many upgrades as a Premier Silver member, for example.
Is a United MileagePlus status challenge worth it?
If you’re genuinely thinking of switching your loyalty to United (whether it’s because you’re fed up with your current airline, you’re moving, your travel patterns are changing, or whatever else), then it’s absolutely worth completing a status challenge. This gives you some status upfront (well, upon completing the “activating flight”), with the potential to maintain it in the long run.
I know some people also like to status match just for the heck of it, or because they have one trip where it could come in handy. In this case I probably wouldn’t recommend taking advantage of that, since you can only request one challenge every three years.
So while United’s status challenge program isn’t the most exciting in the industry, it is your best option if switching business to United.
Bottom line
United Airlines’ MileagePlus program offers a status match promotion, open to frequent flyers with other major US airlines. You can receive status for 120 days upon taking an “activating flight,” and then you need to complete certain flying and spending requirements in order to maintain that status through January 2027.
If you want your status challenge to be valid for as long as possible, wait until July to complete it, because then it will be valid through January 2028. You can take part in a status challenge once every three years.
Have any OMAAT readers taken part in a United status challenge? If so, what was your experience like?
The problem with all of these status matches is that it relates to mostly US airlines. If you earned status in an airline group through most foreign airlines it would not qualify.
I don't think this is correct:
"If you complete the challenge before July 1, then the status is only valid for the remainder of the program year (which would be through January 31 of the following year, in this case 2027)
If you complete the challenge after July 1, then the status is valid for the remainder of the program year, and the entire following program year (which would be through January 31 two...
I don't think this is correct:
"If you complete the challenge before July 1, then the status is only valid for the remainder of the program year (which would be through January 31 of the following year, in this case 2027)
If you complete the challenge after July 1, then the status is valid for the remainder of the program year, and the entire following program year (which would be through January 31 two years later, in this case 2028)"
See the terms and conditions of the match:
19. "Earned 2026 Premier status is valid through January 2028."
My short-haul UA flights cost more in cash or points than Delta. (Think about it.) If I absolutely have to fly UA, I'll pay cash and credit it to a partner. Admittedly, others likely have a different experience.
Fwiw my biggest hangup with MileagePlus elite status is that it really devalues partners (even JVs & codeshares). Million miler is based on UA metal only, for example. Note the 'challenge' is 5 PQFs on UA metal, even though PQFs normally can be accrued on partners.
Is there a "soft landing"? I would qualify for 1K match but don't expect to fly that much in 120 days. Probably Gold maybe Platinum. Is it all or nothing? If I get matched to 1K but meet the requirements only for Gold will I get Gold status or zilch?
Yes, there is soft landing. Same as e.g. AA status match.
My match request was accepted instantly but the status has not yet matched; it says you have to take your 'activating flight' (unless you've flown on United within last 30 days?) for them to match the status. Is that how it works? I thought the status would match instantly as well - I do have 4 short United flights coming up in the next weeks so hopefully it'll match after first flight?
Yes it should update your account within 24 hours of the activating flight posting to your account.