What are the little known perks for United Global Services? I'm a first timer for 2023 and suspect I will not have the same status in 2024 so want to take advantage.

Is there lounge access on domestic flights? What are the other cool things that might not be well published?

For GS there is minimal real difference from 1K. No special lounge access. Slightly higher on upgrade status as I'm usually first on the upgrade list but rarely get upgraded except on short flights on small planes. Only real benefit I found useful is the ability to use Plus Points for business class upgrades on economy flights bought with FF miles. This helps about half the time to fly my wife and I on business class internationally without using actual $.

Bummer, I was hoping for special treatment

For special treatment half the time they say thanks for being a Global Services member...FWIW. Also, on international flights they usually ask you first for your meal preference before everyone else to make sure you get your choice.

How many PQFs and PQPs did you ballers have last year to qualify?

I've been GS for several years. The biggest perks I have seen are: (1) better upgrade opportunities and can request them either 4 or 5 days in advance if you are not yet upgraded, (2) dedicated line and they will move all kinds of things around for you including pushing through upgrades for you and travel companions, (3) they will hold a plane for you if you are connecting and have a car drive you across the tarmac from one gate to another if a tight connection, (4) if your flight is canceled due to weather, you will get rescheduled and prioritized on the next flight and they will pay for a hotel for you with food, etc. (yes, for weather), (5) a travel companion with your same perks. There are others but these I have found valuable. Not sure what overlaps with 1K.

Enjoy your GS status!

ETA - in hub airports you get a special check in location that moves to the front of the line at TSA

I always wondered why there was a Cayenne in Frankfurt picking up someone on the tarmac.

Now I know!

04aggiegirl said:

---

I always wondered why there was a Cayenne in Frankfurt picking up someone on the tarmac.

Now I know!

---

Used to be Mercedes, not sure what they're driving now.

My best GS Story: I was with two friends flying from JAX to ORD, and one of my friends was GS. Departure is delayed so we go to the bar. Next thing we know, the flight is about to leave and they have given our seats away. Three people walking down the jet-way as we we walk up to the boarding area.

Those three get called back and we board the flight. That seems like a pretty good Global Service perk to me.

A few years ago when United introduced the 787 after the initial failed attempt, I was a 1-K in "Polaris Class" sitting next to a nice looking woman about my age who was some sort of Oil Company Exec based in Houston.

At SFO, I was connecting to Sydney and she was connecting to Hong Kong. Our flight was delayed out of Houston, so we both missed our flights.

They called the names of the 3 Global Services Members who were on the flight and had somebody meet them at the gate to help them rebook their flights, take them to a hotel and generally kiss their asses.

They were nice enough to tell me about the United App so I was able to rebook my flight to Sydney on my phone. I didn't need a dedicated Customer Service Agent but, enjoy the ass kissing while it lasts. When your status is gone, they'll treat you like a stripper does after you've spent your last dollar and maxxed out your credit cards.

I just got my Email last week welcoming me to Silver.
I haven't been Silver since probably 2009. So depressing.

I have been GS for the last 3 or 4 years and I don't mean to bag on GS perks as it is nicer than 1K. I have heard many of the GS stories like those mentioned above, but personally none of that happened to me and there where several times when a Beamer/Mercedes/Ferrari showing up to take me off the ramp to my next flight would have been helpful...although once or twice a golf cart showed up to transfer me intra-terminal to my next flight. So just have moderate expectations, and if United goes over to top because your are GS then great, but it certainly is the rare exception at least in my experience.

Hope it was a nice golf cart at least

Ah well, I'm just really looking forward to using plus points to upgrade my personal int'l trips. But that doesn't have much to do with a GS perk.

Actually it does if you book your personal ticket with FF miles. Only GS members can use PP for an upgrade on a ticket purchased with FF miles. For all other members PP are only good if you purchase the ticket with $.

GS also have upgrade inventory only available to them. 1Ks pull from the same pool as everyone else.