{"id":239632,"date":"2025-12-22T15:00:54","date_gmt":"2025-12-22T15:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/?p=239632\/"},"modified":"2026-04-08T14:30:37","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T14:30:37","slug":"year-end-tips-united-premier-elite-status","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/airlines\/united-mileageplus\/year-end-tips-united-premier-elite-status\/","title":{"rendered":"Last-Minute Ways to Lock in United Premier Elite Status \u2014 With and Without Flying"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>With 2025 quickly coming to a close, frequent flyers are checking their loyalty accounts and devising last-minute plans to qualify (or re-qualify) for elite status with their favorite airline. If you're running short of earning your desired <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/airlines\/united-mileageplus\/premier-elite-status\/\" rel=\"noopener\">United Airlines Premier elite status<\/a> tier, you have just over a week left to cross the finish line.<\/p>\n<p>If you're a United elite looking to keep your status, you have a couple of options for earning the Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) and Premier Qualifying Flights (PQF) you need before the end of the year. Some of these require hopping on a plane, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/airlines\/how-to-get-elite-status-without-flying\/\" rel=\"noopener\">and some don't<\/a>, so you can find something that works for your budget and schedule.<\/p>\n<div id=\"toc_container\" class=\"toc_light_blue no_bullets\"><p class=\"toc_title\">Page Contents<\/p><ul class=\"toc_list\"><li><a href=\"#How_to_Qualify_For_United_Premier_Elite_Status\">How to Qualify For United Premier Elite Status<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Last-Minute_Ways_to_Lock_in_United_Premier_Status\">Last-Minute Ways to Lock in United Premier Status<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#Book_a_last-minute_partner_mileage_run\">Book a last-minute partner mileage run<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Book_cheap_United_flights_for_PQF\">Book cheap United flights for PQF<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Spend_on_your_United_co-branded_credit_card\">Spend on your United co-branded credit card<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Pay_for_an_upgrade\">Pay for an upgrade<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Purchase_a_status_buy-up_offer\">Purchase a status buy-up offer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#Final_Thoughts\">Final Thoughts<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n<h2><span id=\"How_to_Qualify_For_United_Premier_Elite_Status\">How to Qualify For United Premier Elite Status<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There are two ways to earn United Premier elite status. The first is to earn a set number of Premier Qualifying Flights (PQF) and Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) within a single calendar year. You can also qualify based on PQP alone, but you'll have to earn more than if you earned in combination with PQF.<\/p>\n<p>Here's a look at this year's requirements:<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_239637\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"750\/183\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-239637 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/United-Premier-Elite-status-requirements-750x183.png\" alt=\"United Premier Elite status requirements\" width=\"750\" height=\"183\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/United-Premier-Elite-status-requirements-750x183.png 750w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/United-Premier-Elite-status-requirements-900x219.png 900w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/United-Premier-Elite-status-requirements-768x187.png 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/United-Premier-Elite-status-requirements-1536x374.png 1536w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/United-Premier-Elite-status-requirements-2048x499.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><center><em>Credit: United Airlines<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>For reference, a PQF correlates to one takeoff and landing \u2014 so if you fly from Newark (EWR) to Mexico City (MEX) via Chicago O'Hare (ORD) in an eligible fare class, you'd earn two PQF. Meanwhile, PQP is <em>usually<\/em> based on how much you spend on a flight. However, you can earn these based on your flight length if you book through a partner.<\/p>\n<p>As mentioned, you must meet these requirements within a single calendar year, from January 1 through December 31. Once you earn elite status, you have it for the remainder of the current year, the entire following year, and through January 31 of the year after.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related:\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/airlines\/united-mileageplus\/\" rel=\"noopener\">The Ultimate Guide to\u00a0United MileagePlus<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Last-Minute_Ways_to_Lock_in_United_Premier_Status\">Last-Minute Ways to Lock in United Premier Status<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There are a handful of <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/airlines\/united-mileageplus\/how-to-earn-premier-qualifying-points-pqp\/\" rel=\"noopener\">ways to earn PQP on your flights<\/a>, including flying on United. But there are other lesser-known methods, such as spending on a United credit card and upgrading to a higher class of service.<\/p>\n<p>Here are your best options for earning PQP at the last minute.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Book_a_last-minute_partner_mileage_run\">Book a last-minute partner mileage run<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If you can find a good fare on a partner airline, this could be your best bet. Partner flights earn PQP based on distance flown \u2014 not how much you spend \u2014 so long as you're not flying on United ticket stock (which starts with 016). This generally means booking through a partner airline's website instead of United.com.<\/p>\n<p>In some cases, this can help you quickly earn PQP by finding low-cost long-haul tickets, ideally in a premium cabin.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_224417\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"600\/480\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-224417 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Lufthansa-A350-Featured.png\" alt=\"Lufthansa A350 at Munich Airport.\" width=\"600\" height=\"480\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Lufthansa-A350-Featured.png 1000w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Lufthansa-A350-Featured-300x240.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Lufthansa-A350-Featured-768x614.png 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Lufthansa-A350-Featured-325x260.png 325w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><center><em>Credit: Tyler Glatt\/AwardWallet<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>How many PQP on partner flights you earn depends on the partner you fly with and whether or not they're preferred partners. Preferred partners earn 1 PQP per 5 redeemable miles earned, while other partners earn 1 PQP per 6 redeemable miles earned.<\/p>\n<p>Here's a list of airlines classified as preferred partners.<\/p>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-1179\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-1179 tablepress-responsive\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1 odd\">\n\t<th class=\"column-1\">Preferred Partner<\/th><th class=\"column-2\">Other Partners<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Air Canada<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Aegean Airlines<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Air China<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Air India<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Air Dolomiti<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Asiana Airlines<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Air New Zealand<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Croatia Airlines<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">ANA<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">EgyptAir<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-7 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Austrian Airlines<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Ethiopian Airlines<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-8 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Avianca<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">EVA Air<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-9 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Azul Brazillian Airlines<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Juneyao Air<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-10 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Brussels Airlines<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">LOT Polish Airlines<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-11 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Copa Airlines<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Olympic Air<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-12 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Discover Airlines<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Shenzhen Airlines<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-13 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Edelweiss<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Singapore Airlines<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-14 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Eurowings<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">South African Airways<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-15 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">ITA Airways<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">TAP Air Portugal<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-16 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Lufthansa<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Thai Airways International<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-17 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Lufthansa City Airlines<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Turkish Airlinesw<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-18 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">SWISS International Air Lines<\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-19 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Virgin Australia<\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n<p>Likewise, United has limits on how many PQP you can earn on partner flights, with its Preferred Partners getting higher limits. These limits are per segment, so connecting tickets can earn more PQP than direct flights.<\/p>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-477\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-477 tablepress-responsive\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1 odd\">\n\t<th class=\"column-1\">Class of service<\/th><th class=\"column-2\">Preferred partner PQP maximum<\/th><th class=\"column-3\">Non-preferred partner PQP maximum<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">First\/business class<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">1,500<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Economy\/premium economy<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">750<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">500<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n<p>Of course, this requires significant flexibility on your end, and finding a fare that makes sense. If you're already planning a holiday trip but haven't booked yet, you can make this work in your favor.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_240137\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"750\/212\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-240137 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Air-Canada-example-itinerary-750x212.png\" alt=\"Air Canada example itinerary\" width=\"750\" height=\"212\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Air-Canada-example-itinerary-750x212.png 750w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Air-Canada-example-itinerary-900x254.png 900w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Air-Canada-example-itinerary-768x217.png 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Air-Canada-example-itinerary-1536x434.png 1536w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Air-Canada-example-itinerary-2048x579.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><center><em>Credit: Air Canada<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<h4>Example: Earning PQP on a partner airline flight<\/h4>\n<p>For example, this one-way flight from New York (JFK) to Hong Kong (HKG) via Toronto (YYZ) and Vancouver (YVR) costs $1,111.50. The first two legs are in B-fare economy, and the third leg from YVR to HKG is in A-fare premium economy. You'd earn a total of 1,363 PQP on this ticket \u2014 more than you would if you spent the same amount on a United flight.<\/p>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-1180\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-1180 tablepress-responsive\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1 odd\">\n\t<th class=\"column-1\">Segment<\/th><th class=\"column-2\">Fare Class<\/th><th class=\"column-3\">Earn Rate<\/th><th class=\"column-4\">Redeemable Miles Earned<\/th><th class=\"column-5\">PQP Earned<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">JFK-YYZ<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">A, full-fare economy<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">125%<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">458<\/td><td class=\"column-5\">92<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">YYZ-YVR<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">A, full-fare economy<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">125%<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2,606<\/td><td class=\"column-5\">521<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">YVR-HKG<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">B, discount premium economy<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">100%<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">6,392<\/td><td class=\"column-5\">750 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n<p>While this isn't practical for everyone at the end of the year, it's worth noting that you can still earn PQPs on partner flights in the new year as you plan your travel and status strategy. Depending on your fare, you may earn PQP at a cheaper rate than you would by flying United on the same route.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related:\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/airlines\/united-mileageplus\/how-to-earn-premier-qualifying-points-pqp\/\" rel=\"noopener\">The Best Strategies for Earning United Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) by Flying<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Book_cheap_United_flights_for_PQF\">Book cheap United flights for PQF<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If you're qualifying on a mixture of PQP and PQF but are running low on PQFs, consider booking cheap short-haul United flights to fill the gap. There are still low-cost United flights available as we approach the end of the year.<\/p>\n<p>For example, you can book a one-way flight from Chicago (ORD) to Minneapolis (MSP) for as low as $101.48 in economy if you don't mind flying on Christmas Day or New Year's Eve. Remember, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/airlines\/united-mileageplus\/basic-economy\/\" rel=\"noopener\">United basic economy<\/a> flights <em>do not\u00a0<\/em>earn PQF.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_240138\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"400\/545\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-240138 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/United-ORD-MSP.png\" alt=\"United ORD MSP\" width=\"400\" height=\"545\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/United-ORD-MSP.png 802w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/United-ORD-MSP-750x1021.png 750w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/United-ORD-MSP-768x1046.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><center><em>Credit: United<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>Likewise, San Francisco (SFO) to Los Angeles (LAX) is available for well under $150 one-way.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_240139\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"400\/521\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-240139 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/United-SFO-LAX.png\" alt=\"United SFO LAX\" width=\"400\" height=\"521\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/United-SFO-LAX.png 796w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/United-SFO-LAX-750x976.png 750w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/United-SFO-LAX-768x1000.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><center><em>Credit: United<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>If you live near a United hub and are only a PQF or two short of your desired status tier, consider buying a cheap flight to a nearby city, staying for lunch, and flying back the same day. This could be a quick, easy, and cost-effective way to reach the next status tier without spending much time away from home.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Spend_on_your_United_co-branded_credit_card\">Spend on your United co-branded credit card<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Many <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/united-mileageplus\/united-credit-cards\/\" rel=\"noopener\">United co-branded credit cards<\/a> also earn PQP, but the rates vary by card. Likewise, there are limits on how many PQP you can earn with each card every year. Generally, the higher your United card's annual fee, the more PQP you can earn and at higher rates.<\/p>\n<p>Here's the breakdown of how many you can earn with popular United cards:<\/p>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-1049\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-1049 tablepress-responsive\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1 odd\">\n\t<th class=\"column-1\">Card Name<\/th><th class=\"column-2\">PQP Earning Rate<\/th><th class=\"column-3\">PQPs Earning Cap<br \/>\n(per calendar year)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><a data-ccid=\"4048117\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/UnitedExplorerCard\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">United\u2120 Explorer Card<\/a> (<a data-ccid=\"4048117\" href=\"https:\/\/click.linksynergy.com\/fs-bin\/click?id=g3lR0xvjyAU&offerid=1753725.10005119&type=3&u1=f8aa8f059f7eb3ed25365e5569ea2f6d&subid=639396\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rates & Fees<\/a>)<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">1 PQP per $20 spent<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><a data-ccid=\"4048193\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/UnitedBusinessCard\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">United\u2120 Business Card<\/a> (<a data-ccid=\"4048193\" href=\"https:\/\/click.linksynergy.com\/fs-bin\/click?id=g3lR0xvjyAU&offerid=1753725.10005111&type=3&u1=ce6519f9320581f69650b9ecfabaeb74&subid=639396\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rates & Fees<\/a>)<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">1 PQP per $20 spent<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">4,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><a data-ccid=\"4048245\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/UnitedQuestCard\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">United Quest\u2120 Card<\/a> (<a data-ccid=\"4048245\" href=\"https:\/\/click.linksynergy.com\/fs-bin\/click?id=g3lR0xvjyAU&offerid=1753725.10005127&type=3&u1=fc8bf82fed2f5133315fcfdd0bc75ee5&subid=639396\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rates & Fees<\/a>)<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">1 PQP per $20 spent<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">18,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><a data-ccid=\"4\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/UnitedMileagePlusClubBusinessCard\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">United Club\u2120 Business Card<\/a><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">1 PQP per $15 spent<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">28,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><a data-ccid=\"4048196\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/UnitedClubInfinite\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">United Club\u2120 Card<\/a> (<a data-ccid=\"4048196\" href=\"https:\/\/click.linksynergy.com\/fs-bin\/click?id=g3lR0xvjyAU&offerid=1753725.10005115&type=3&u1=0b05f4b7d7be5016a2672b1683093b44&subid=639396\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rates & Fees<\/a>)<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">1 PQP per $15 spent<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">28,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-7 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>United\u2120 Explorer Business Card<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">25 PQPs per $500 spent<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-8 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>United MileagePlus<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Awards Card<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">25 PQPs per $500 spent<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-9 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>United MileagePlus<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Select Card<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">25 PQPs per $500 spent<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">3,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-10 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>United\u2120 Presidential Plus\u2120 Card<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">25 PQPs per $500 spent<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">10,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-11 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong><b>United\u2120 Presidential Plus\u2120 Business Card<\/b><\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">25 PQPs per $500 spent<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">10,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n<p>PQPs earned with a United cobranded credit card are generally added to your account every Monday. However, PQPs you earn in 2025 will be credited for this status year regardless of when they post to your account. As a result, you can put Christmas gifts, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/pay-taxes-with-credit-card\/\" rel=\"noopener\">estimated tax payments<\/a>, rent, and other expenses on your card.<\/p>\n<p>Just make sure that the transaction posts to your account <strong>before December 31, 2025<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"compare-cards-wrap compare-count-cards-3 compare-p-chase\"><div class=\"compare-card\"><div class=\"compare-pre\"><div class=\"compare-image\"><div><img src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.nextinsure.com\/imaging\/opt\/ff6d0beb-04a7-4cc5-9bf4-50bc3f5e5883.png\" alt=\"United\u2120 Explorer Card\" width=\"150\" \/ class=\"lazyload\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-name\">United\u2120 Explorer Card<\/div><div class=\"compare-offer\"><strong>Limited Time Offer<\/strong> Earn up to 80,000 bonus miles after qualifying activities<\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-apply\"><a class=\"btn-use qs-apply-now\" title='United\u2120 Explorer Card' data-ccid=\"4048117\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/UnitedExplorerCard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">Apply Now<\/a><\/div><div class=\"compare-fee-score\"><div class=\"compare-fee\"><strong>Annual Fee<\/strong><p>$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $150<span class=\"compare-terms\"><a data-ccid=\"4048117\" href=\"https:\/\/click.linksynergy.com\/fs-bin\/click?id=g3lR0xvjyAU&offerid=1753725.10005119&type=3&u1=f8aa8f059f7eb3ed25365e5569ea2f6d&subid=639396\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rates & Fees<\/a><\/span><\/p><\/div><div class=\"compare-rating compare-rating--5\"><strong>Credit Score<\/strong><p>Excellent, Good<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-earning\"><ul>\r\n<li>3X miles per $1 spent on purchases from United<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>*<\/li>\r\n<li>2X miles per $1 spent on dining and hotel stays when booked with the hotel<\/li>\r\n<li>1X mile per $1 spent on all other purchases<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n*9X total miles per $1 spent on eligible United<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> flights<\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-card\"><div class=\"compare-pre\"><div class=\"compare-image\"><div><img src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.nextinsure.com\/imaging\/opt\/4a0f5eb9-f9b0-42ec-86be-4f4cf1af0205.png\" width=\"150\" alt=\"United Quest\u2120 Card\" \/ class=\"lazyload\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-name\">United Quest\u2120 Card<\/div><div class=\"compare-offer\"><strong>Limited Time Offer<\/strong> Earn up to 100,000 bonus miles and 3,000 Premier qualifying points after qualifying activities<\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-apply\"><a class=\"btn-use qs-apply-now\" title='United Quest\u2120 Card' data-ccid=\"4048245\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/UnitedQuestCard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">Apply Now<\/a><\/div><div class=\"compare-fee-score\"><div class=\"compare-fee\"><strong>Annual Fee<\/strong><p>$350<span class=\"compare-terms\"><a data-ccid=\"4048245\" href=\"https:\/\/click.linksynergy.com\/fs-bin\/click?id=g3lR0xvjyAU&offerid=1753725.10005127&type=3&u1=fc8bf82fed2f5133315fcfdd0bc75ee5&subid=639396\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rates & Fees<\/a><\/span><\/p><\/div><div class=\"compare-rating compare-rating--5\"><strong>Credit Score<\/strong><p>Good, Excellent<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-earning\"><ul>\r\n<li>4X miled per $1 spent on United<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> purchases*<\/li>\r\n<li>5X miles per $1 spent at Renowned Hotels and Resorts<\/li>\r\n<li>2X miles per $1 spent on all other travel<\/li>\r\n<li>2X miles per $1 spent at restaurants<\/li>\r\n<li>2X miles per $1 spent on select streaming services<\/li>\r\n<li>1X mile per $1 spent on all other purchases<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n*10X total miles per $1 spent on eligible United<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> flights<\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-card\"><div class=\"compare-pre\"><div class=\"compare-image\"><div><img src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.nextinsure.com\/imaging\/opt\/2f4559e9-ec54-463f-a2a2-40c399feb8de.png\" width=\"150\" alt=\"United\u2120 Business Card\" \/ class=\"lazyload\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-name\">United\u2120 Business Card<\/div><div class=\"compare-offer\"><strong>Limited Time Offer<\/strong> Earn up to 110,000 bonus miles and 2,000 PQP after qualifying activities<\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-apply\"><a class=\"btn-use qs-apply-now\" title='United\u2120 Business Card' data-ccid=\"4048193\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/UnitedBusinessCard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">Apply Now<\/a><\/div><div class=\"compare-fee-score\"><div class=\"compare-fee\"><strong>Annual Fee<\/strong><p>$150<span class=\"compare-terms\"><a data-ccid=\"4048193\" href=\"https:\/\/click.linksynergy.com\/fs-bin\/click?id=g3lR0xvjyAU&offerid=1753725.10005111&type=3&u1=ce6519f9320581f69650b9ecfabaeb74&subid=639396\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rates & Fees<\/a><\/span><\/p><\/div><div class=\"compare-rating compare-rating--5\"><strong>Credit Score<\/strong><p>Good, Excellent<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-earning\"><ul>\r\n<li>2x on United<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> purchases*<\/li> \r\n<li>2x on local transit and commuting \u2014 including train tickets, taxicabs, mass transit, tolls and ride share services<\/li>\r\n<li>2x at gas stations, restaurants and office supply stores<\/li>\r\n<li>1x on all other purchases<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n*8x total miles on eligible United flights<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<p><strong>Related: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/united-mileageplus\/united-credit-card-pqp\/\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Earn United Premier Qualifying Points Through Credit Cards<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Pay_for_an_upgrade\">Pay for an upgrade<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Got a United flight coming up before the end of the year? Paying for an upgrade is an easy way to earn PQP. You'll earn 1 PQP per $1 spent on upgrades to premium cabins or on Economy Plus or preferred seat purchases. Likewise, you'll earn PQP on the cash portion of a <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/airlines\/united-mileageplus\/united-upgrade-with-miles\/\" rel=\"noopener\">United MileagePlus\u00a0Upgrade Awards<\/a> and 1 PQP for every 100 miles redeemed toward that upgrade.<\/p>\n<p>If there's a reasonable upgrade price on your next United flight, consider paying the upgrade fee if it'll get you over the hump for the next status tier. You'll also earn PQP if you purchase an Economy Plus subscription.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related:\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/airlines\/united-mileageplus\/united-upgrade-with-miles\/\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Upgrade United Flights With Miles \u2014 And When It's Actually Worth It<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Purchase_a_status_buy-up_offer\">Purchase a status buy-up offer<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Another option if you\u2019re falling short of the Premier elite status tier you want is to wait for a targeted upgrade offer. Each year \u2014 typically early in the year around January \u2014 United sends targeted offers that let you <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/airlines\/united-mileageplus\/buy-united-status\/\" rel=\"noopener\">pay cash or redeem miles to upgrade your status tier<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>More often than not, these offers are expensive and not a great use of cash or miles. However, it\u2019s an option worth being aware of if you\u2019re just short of qualifying.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_136477\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"600\/480\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-136477 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/United-Polaris-cabin.jpeg\" alt=\"United Polaris cabin\" width=\"600\" height=\"480\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/United-Polaris-cabin.jpeg 1000w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/United-Polaris-cabin-300x240.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/United-Polaris-cabin-768x614.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/United-Polaris-cabin-325x260.jpeg 325w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><center><em>Credit: United Airlines<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<h2><span id=\"Final_Thoughts\">Final Thoughts<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Time is running out to qualify for or keep your United Premier elite status, but you still have options if you're running short on PQP or PQF. The most convenient option is spending on a United co-branded credit card, but if you're going to be on the road anyway, you might consider paying for an upgrade.<\/p>\n<p>Likewise, if you're willing to travel, booking a partner flight in a premium cabin could help you earn PQP quickly if you find an inexpensive fare.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This year is quickly coming to a close. If you&#8217;re running short of earning your desired United Premier elite tier, here are a handful of ways that you can earn the Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) and Premier Qualifying Flights (PQF) you need before the end of the year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":240623,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":null,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"default","_twitter_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type":"default","_pinterest_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"default","_medium_share_type":"default","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[12068],"tags":[],"coauthors":[36407],"class_list":["post-239632","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-award-programs"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/239632","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=239632"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/239632\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":242140,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/239632\/revisions\/242140"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/240623"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=239632"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=239632"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=239632"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=239632"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}