A traveler speaks to an agent at the United Airlines office at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois, November 25, 2025, ahead of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.
Kamil Krzaczynski | Afp | Getty Images
United Airlines joined Delta Airlines maintaining its requirements for elite frequent flyer status next year after raising the bar in 2025.
Airlines have spent years making it more expensive to obtain higher-tier status, which comes with perks like early boarding, free upgrades to first class (when available), waived baggage fees or even access to airport lounges.
But the hordes of elite travelers in the wake of the pandemic — when airlines let many customers keep their status — led to more crowded early boarding groups. And the increase in customers with premium credit cards has led to longer waits at some airport lounges than at TSA checkpoints.
Airline executives also said more customers are willing to pay cash to sit in first class, reducing the number of seats available for free upgrades, prompting many consumers to seek status.
For United, its program is now more balanced, said Luc Bondar, president of United’s MileagePlus loyalty program.
“When you have benefits like upgrades, if everyone has status, then…fewer and fewer customers will have access to the upgrades,” he said in an interview. “We are happy that they are at the right level.”
United will make some changes next year, when the status travelers earn applies to travel in 2027. The airline is changing how its so-called Plus points — a currency beyond regular miles that can be earned by elites in the top-tier Platinum and 1K loyalty programs — can be used.
The carrier currently has a mileage chart in which customers must earn set amounts for certain cabins, like its premium Polaris long-haul business class. In 2027, we will instead move to dynamic pricing based on demand. Next year, United will also allow elites with high-level 1K status to earn Plus points through co-branded credit card spending.
The carrier also said that United Chase status and credit card holders will also have “increased access” to Polaris Saver Award fares, which the airline says will make it easier to book in the premium cabin.
Lucrative airline loyalty programs generate billions in profits, in part when carriers sell miles to banks when customers earn them through their credit cards.
Last year, United increased the amount customers had to spend to reach frequent flyer status in 2026. The thresholds for reaching elite status in the airline’s MileagePlus program increased by about 25% and include either spending on a co-branded card or a combination of spending and flights.
Last week, Delta said it would keep its income requirements the same next year for 2027 status.
American airlines has not announced any changes to the elite thresholds of its loyalty program this year. The carrier trails Delta and United in profits and is trying to win over more big spenders with refreshed cabins and lounges, although rivals’ decision to hold elite income requirements steady could push American to do the same.