Overview
- United, which announced the changes Tuesday, will make Premier Qualifying Points the sole route to MileagePlus status in 2027 and raise its top published tier, Premier 1K, to 32,000 PQPs.
- United will still require a minimum of four United or United Express flight segments to be eligible for any status, will give eligible cardholders a 5% starter PQP deposit, and will move PlusPoints upgrades to dynamic pricing on February 1, 2027.
- Southwest is overhauling Rapid Rewards by replacing A‑List tiers with Silver, Gold and a new Platinum tier that bundles Companion Pass trips and expands Tier Qualifying Points earned from some co‑branded card spend.
- Frequent flyers and analysts say the moves cut flexibility and transparency by removing segment-based paths, raising top-tier spend thresholds, and converting fixed upgrade charts to variable pricing, which could prompt some members to change where and how they travel.
- The announcements build on a multi‑year industry trend toward spend-based qualification that increasingly ties elite perks to credit‑card activity and could push other carriers to match changes or prompt regulators and consumer groups to scrutinize program value.