United Removed Premier Bonus Miles on SWISS Flights — Here’s What That Means
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United MileagePlus has removed Premier bonus miles on flights operated and ticketed by SWISS. The change surfaced in mid-September and was first flagged by LoyaltyLobby’s, which linked to an article noting the update. While you’ll still earn base miles and PQPs when crediting SWISS to MileagePlus, the extra 25%–100% redeemable-mile boost tied to Premier status no longer applies on SWISS-issued tickets.
This tweak matters because many MileagePlus elites rely on European partners for transatlantic flying. When you remove the status bonus overlay, the total redeemable miles you take home from the same itinerary can drop sharply.
What Changed — and What Didn’t
On partner tickets not issued by United (i.e., tickets whose number doesn’t start with 016), MileagePlus credits redeemable miles by distance and fare class, and it credits PQP using a formula based on award miles earned with caps per segment. That framework remains intact; what’s gone on SWISS is the Premier bonus layer that used to sit on top of those base earnings.
On United-issued tickets (016) — even when the flight is operated by a partner — MileagePlus generally calculates redeemable miles from the fare paid and applies a Premier bonus on United and “select partners” (Air Canada, ANA, Austrian Airlines, Azul Brazilian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Discover Airlines, Edelweiss, Lufthansa and Lufthansa City Airlines).
United’s site still describes bonus earning for United/United Express and certain partners, but it doesn’t publish a definitive list, which is why the SWISS removal was caught via community monitoring rather than a prominent program bulletin.
In short: if your SWISS trip is ticketed by SWISS, expect no Premier bonus; if it’s ticketed by United, bonus earning may still follow the “United and select partners” rules. Always check the earning details shown at booking.
PQP Earnings Are Unchanged
You still earn PQPs on SWISS when crediting to MileagePlus, subject to partner rules and caps (typically 500/1,000 PQP per segment in economy vs. premium cabins for standard partners, higher for “preferred” partners). This is separate from redeemable-mile bonuses and is unaffected by the SWISS change.
The Bottom Line
United’s tweak is narrow but meaningful. On SWISS-issued (724) tickets, MileagePlus elites no longer get the Premier bonus—so you’ll take home fewer redeemable miles than before. Base accrual and PQP earning are unchanged.
If redeemable miles matter most, try to book the same itinerary on United ticket stock (016) or consider crediting to another Star Alliance program that prices better for SWISS flights. If you’re chasing United status, keep crediting to MileagePlus—your PQPs still post the same. The simple habit to add now: check the ticket number prefix before you buy.
