According to CNBC, United Airlines is eliminating one way for MileagePlus members to qualify for elite status in 2027 and raising the bar for its top tier. Starting Jan. 1, the Chicago-based carrier will base Premier status only on Premier qualifying points earned from eligible flight spending, award travel and eligible United credit card spending, ending the option to qualify partly through flight segments flown in a calendar year. United said the change is intended to simplify how customers earn Premier status.

Under the new rules, Premier Silver will require 6,000 points, while the thresholds for Premier Gold and Platinum will remain unchanged from the prior points-only option. To reach Premier 1K, United's highest rewards tier, members will need 32,000 qualifying points, up from 28,000 in 2026. MileagePlus members must still take at least four flights on United or United Express jets in a year to be eligible for Premier status. United also said cardholders with Premier status will automatically receive 5% of the points needed to reach the status level they earned the previous year when a new year begins.