Although 2023 has come to an end, there may still be an opportunity to snag the next level of United Premier status for 2024. United has targeted some members with an offer to purchase the status level above what they earned in 2023. This offer can be found by visiting a specific landing page and signing in to your United MileagePlus account to see if your account is eligible.
TPG’s senior cruise editor, Erica Silverstein, was one of the first to flag these buy-up offers after receiving an email titled “Exclusive offer: Experience Premier Gold status in 2024” from United. Erica had earned Premier Silver status and was about halfway to Premier Gold status in 2023. When she clicked through the email, she found an offer to upgrade from Premier Silver to Premier Gold for $3,415 or 341,460 miles until Feb. 1. If she waited until after Feb. 1 and then decided to upgrade her status by March 3, she would need to pay $3,794 or 379,400 miles. However, Erica noted that it was likely a bad idea, and TPG tends to agree.
Erica wasn’t the only TPG staffer to receive an offer. Senior aviation business reporter, David Slotnick, had previously held Premier Platinum status but only earned Premier Silver in 2023. He received an offer to upgrade to Premier Gold for $3,524 or 352,350 miles by Feb. 1 (or $3,915 or 391,500 miles by March 3). Director of content, Summer Hull, who had chosen not to re-qualify for top-tier airline status at the end of 2023, received an offer to upgrade from Premier Platinum to Premier 1K by Feb. 1 for $10,999 or 1,099,900 miles. TPG founder, Brian Kelly, also received an offer to upgrade from Premier Platinum to Premier 1K. His offer was for $6,283 or 628,300 miles by Feb. 1, or $6,783 or 678,300 miles by March 3.
However, not everyone was targeted for an offer. For example, the author of this article, who had Premier Silver status through Marriott and United’s RewardsPlus partnership, did not receive an upgrade offer. Instead, they were directed to a page indicating that no offer was available.
None of the TPG staffers who received these United Premier elite status targeted offers found the deals compelling. They all agreed that they would rather spend the money on trips this year than pay it to United to upgrade their status by one tier for 2024. Therefore, it is important to think carefully before deciding to pay money or points to upgrade your status with this offer.
If you do receive an upgrade offer and decide to take it, it is advisable to carefully consider other uses for your United miles before redeeming them at about 1 cent per point to upgrade your status. TPG’s valuations peg the value of United miles around 1.45 cents each, so it is not recommended to redeem them for just 1 cent each.
In conclusion, United’s buy-up offers are generally considered to be expensive. It is recommended to consider your upcoming travel plans and determine if the added benefits outweigh the cost. In most cases, it is better to apply the money that would have been spent on a status buy-up towards flight activity for the year. The United Premier status earned in the current year will be valid until Jan. 31, 2026, providing an extra year to enjoy the perks associated with the status.