United suspending upgrade requests ahead of PlusPoints launch
Come Wednesday, United's long-standing Global Premier Upgrades (GPUs) and Regional Premier Upgrades (RPUs) will be no more, with the airline rolling out a new system called PlusPoints, instead.
As a result of the upcoming change, United will be suspending the ability to make a new upgrade request from 11 p.m. ET tonight (Dec. 3) until 7 a.m. ET on Wednesday, Dec. 4. It may also take longer to change or redeposit upgrades during this period, though there shouldn't be any impact to upgrade requests made before the 11 p.m. cutoff.
Overnight, any GPUs in your account will be converted into 40 PlusPoints, while RPUs will become 20 PlusPoints Then, as of Wednesday, United Premier Platinum, 1K and Global Services (GS) members will all earn PlusPoints as follows:
- 40 upon reaching Platinum
- 280 upon reaching 1K or GS
- 20 for each subsequent 3,000 PQPs (1K and GS only)
You'll then redeem PlusPoints as follows:
- Economy to domestic first/regional business: 20 PlusPoints
- Economy to Premium Plus: 20 PlusPoints
- Premium Plus to Polaris: 30 PlusPoints
- Economy to Polaris (Y, B, M, E, U, H, Q, V, W): 40 PlusPoints
- Economy to ANA business (G, E, Y, B): 40 PlusPoints
- Business to ANA first (J, C, D): 40 PlusPoints
- Economy to Copa business: 40 PlusPoints
- Economy to Lufthansa business (G, E, Y, B, M, U, H, Q): 40 PlusPoints
- Business to Lufthansa first (J, C, D): 40 PlusPoints
- Economy to Polaris (S, T, L, K, G): 80 PlusPoints
- Economy to Polaris ("skip waitlist"): TBD PlusPoints
While we won't have some answers until the new program is live — how many PlusPoints you'll need for United's new "skip waitlist" option, for example — you can get a better feel for how the new system will work right here.
TPG featured card
at Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Unlimited up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Housing payments may include transaction fees, depending on the payment method
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 3 months + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.