My First United Status Run: Portugal on Repeat in December

Read about how Lisbon to Porto on TAP Portugal is a great way to build PQF on a United MileagePlus 1K status run

My motto is work to live, live to travel, travel for work and as a result, I typically earn premium status on United each year. I usually aim for MileagePlus Gold which confers Star Alliance Gold Status. 

Living in Europe, Star Alliance Gold means I get lounge access, premium check-in, and can fast track my way through security on airlines like TAP Portugal, Lufthansa, and Swiss Airlines. 

This year, I took a couple unexpected long haul flights plus a ton of short haul flights around Europe for work; enough to earn MileagePlus Platinum status. That said, United MileagePlus 1K has a lot more upside. The question was, could I manage to get there?

How to Earn United MileagePlus 1K Status?

There are two ways to earn MileagePlus 1K status: (a) earn 24,000 PQP (premier qualifying points) (b) earn 18,000 PQP and fly 54 segments (PQF; Premier Qualifying Flights). 

I realized when I got back from my last business trip to the U.S. in early December that I had met the lower spend threshold for 1K and was just 12 segments shy of MileagePlus 1K status on United for 2025!

Is It Worth the Effort?

I'm planning on making a run for 1 million mile status on United next year. To accrue miles for one million mile status, you need to fly *on United*. For MileagePlus Gold status each year, you only need to fly 4 United segments and the rest can be on Star Alliance partner airlines. 

Having 1K status in 2025 would make the U.S. domestic flights that I need to do for the million miles much more comfortable. I'd get pre-boarding, more upgrades, and a free snack box and drink even when flying economy.  

The question was: with just 3 weeks to go in the year, could I eke out those 12 segments in an affordable and time efficient manner? 

How I Structured My Status Run

I live in Lisbon, Portugal and TAP Portugal is a Star Alliance partner. It was unclear from the MileagePlus program fine print if discount fares on TAP earn PQF. I priced out 6 round trips between Lisbon and Porto. Each flight between Lisbon and Porto takes less than an hour.

Even though it was last minute, I discover that each round trip would cost just 115 EUR for the Classic Fare. That is, 6 round trips would cost less than 700 EUR. Moving from United MileagePlus Premium Platinum to Premier 1K status comes with 280 PlusPoints that can be used for upgrades. 

Each PlusPoint is worth about 10 USD so I could expect to get about 2500 EUR worth of value for the 700 EUR invested which was an added incentive.

I was able to schedule those 6 round trips into a period of 5 days. In addition, TAP Portugal offers Fast Track check-in and security with their Classic Fare to Porto which meant I would spend less time standing in line at Lisbon Airport. 

I hypothesize that TAP offers Fast Track on this route because they are trying to make flying to Porto more attractive than taking the train. The Lisbon to Porto route is considered an "air bridge". Attempting this status run would be much less palatable without Fast Track!

I also had lounge access thanks to my Star Alliance Gold Status which meant that I could spend the layovers comfortably even if I couldn't leave the airport. 

I decided to go for it!

TAP Portugal Flight Stats

TAP Portugal is often derided for a poor on-time record. Since I would be flying TAP 12 times in 5 days, I decided to keep track 2 things:

On-Time Performance

7 of the 12 flights arrived on time. 5 of the 12 flights were late. However, the delays weren't too problematic and ranged from 15-45 minutes late.

Gate vs. Bus to Terminal

One of the more annoying things about flights to and from Lisbon Airport is having to take a bus to or from the plane. I was worried that this would add a degree of annoyance to my status run. In the end, we got a gate more often than not. 

7 of 12 arrivals/departures in Lisbon had a gate and the remaining 5 required passengers to be bussed to the terminal.

Seating

• 4 times all three seats in my row were occupied.
• 1 middle seat (when I asked to standby on an earlier flight)
• 1 upgrade to business class (when I asked to standby on an earlier flight)
• 3 times the middle seat in my row was free
• 3 times I had the whole row to myself

Lounge Amenities

I spent a fair bit of time in the TAP Portugal lounge in Lisbon and the airport lounge in Porto during my status run. On three of my round trips, I didn't have time to leave the airport before the return flight. How did the lounge amenities stack up?

TAP Portugal Schengen Lounge in Lisbon

The TAP Lounge in Lisbon Airport's Schengen area features a full service bar and delicious food. My daily routine involved grabbing a little breakfast (hard boiled egg and a small sandwich) with a coffee and then indulging in a perfect pastel de nata warm from the oven covered in cinnamon and powdered sugar with a glass of Portuguese sparkling wine. 

On the day that I did a double run between Lisbon and Porto, I indulged in a gin and tonic made with Portuguese Sharish gin in the afternoon. I highly recommend it!

If I were to buy the food and drinks that I got with my lounge access each day, I would have conservatively spent at least 15 EUR a day. 15 EUR times 6 trips to the lounge = 90 EUR of value.

Porto Airport Lounge

Porto Airport Lounge has a great location with a terrace overlooking the main terminal. On one of my visits to the Porto's lounge, I had a front row seat to Christmas music being played on a piano below. 

The amenities here are not as good as in the TAP lounge in Lisbon. However, I enjoyed bar snacks with a glass of port and even a freshly made pancake on one occasion. 

I estimate that I got about 7.50 EUR worth of food and drink out of each visit to the lounge in Porto for another 45 EUR in value.

Portugal Status Run Pro-Tips

• Porto Airport is not well set up for connections. You have to re-clear security every time you arrive. I found that it's faster to leave the secure area at Porto Airport and re-enter rather than go through the security for connections. I had to pull out my computer and dump my water at the "connection" security while the main security lets you leave computers and liquids (in their 1 quart plastic bag) in your carry-on when they pass through the security machine. I still had to dump my water, of course.

• If you don't check bags, you can standby for an earlier flight. On my double round trip day, I didn't think I'd have time to leave the airport, but thanks to standing by for earlier flights, I was able to carve out a 4 hour adventure in Porto between segments three and four that day.

• Non-premium seats on TAP do not have a power outlet, so bring a battery bank in case of delays. The Classic Fare includes a regular seat that you can pick in advance but not a premium seat.

• Choose ground transportation wisely. The Metro in Porto only runs from the airport about once every 30 minutes but costs 2.85 EUR each way. Consider taking an Uber or Bolt to get across town more quickly to make the most of the layover between flights. I paid less than 12 EUR for a Bolt to Vila Nova de Gaia. I generally took an Uber one way and then walked to the Metro station to catch the train on the way back.

• Ground transportation is cheap in Lisbon. It cost me about 1.50 EUR each way to get to and from Lisbon airport on the metro. However, the Lisbon Metro doesn't open until 6:30 am so early departures mean an Uber or Taxi is required. An Uber or Bolt to Lisbon Airport costs less than 12 EUR from Saldanha.

• I met a woman named Joana on the bus ride to the plane on one of my flights to Porto. She is a frequent flyer on TAP and told me that the ABC side of the plane has the best views on the way from Lisbon to Porto.

• It takes less than 10 minutes from exiting the Metro to get through Fast Track security in Porto. You don't have to take you computer out of your bag so it's extra quick. 

• TAP closes the gate 30 minutes prior to departure which is earlier than I expected. Keep an eye on the monitors to make sure you're not late to the gate. Get a sense of when the plane will actually leave by keeping an eye on the inbound flight via Google. Typically, the inbound flight is your flight number minus three except for the earliest morning flights which may come in from elsewhere in Europe.

• Catching the Porto Metro at Bolhão back to the airport can be a little confusing. At street level Linha E is on the sign, but below ground it is not. Apparently, the airport line used to end at Trindade but now it goes all the way to the football stadium. They just haven't updated the signage yet. Follow signs to Povoa de Varzim which is in the same direction as the airport.

• While I had the advantage of living in Portugal, I think this United status run is also doable if you live elsewhere in Europe or even in the U.S. Fly on the cheap to Lisbon and then do 1-2 round trips a day to Porto to wrack up the segments. Staying in Matosinhos (a 10 minute Uber ride from Porto Airport) is an economical option during the offseason. I paid less than 75 EUR a night at the Eurostars Hotel in Matosinhos in January.

Other Observations

• TAP Portugal flight segments generally took 48 hours to post to my United MileagePlus account. All 12 segments posted in a timely manner.

How to Spend 3-4 Hours on a Layover in Porto

Porto is a great city to spend a 3 day weekend. Of course, I discovered during my status run that you can cover a lot of ground in Porto in a short amount of time. 

For three of my trips, I had a 5-6 hour layover which meant between 3-4 hours of time outside the airport to explore. How did I spend my time? Very efficiently...

Layover 1: Porto's Fabulous Food Markets

After landing in Porto, I decided to make the most of my limited time. I had seen an advertisement at the airport for the Christmas Market at the World of Wine (WOW). I made an on the spot decision to make WOW my starting point and caught a Bolt over there. I drank in the views from Vila Nova de Gaia to the city of Porto. Afterward, I took a stroll along the picturesque Douro River, crossing Ponte Luiz I.

As the sun began to set, I headed towards Mercado do Bolhão, a bustling traditional market. I couldn't resist treating myself to a glass of vinho verde, a refreshing Portuguese white wine, and browsing the stalls filled with local produce and handicrafts and decorated for Christmas. 

From there, I walked to Mercado Bom Sucesso, a more modern and less touristy market with diverse food stalls. I opted for the menu sandes de leitão (suckling pig sandwich) at Leitão do Zé, which was absolutely divine! 

The sandwich came with chips, sparkling wine, and coffee – what a deal at 12.95 EUR! With my belly full and my camera full of photos, I walked to Casa da Música and hopped on the metro back to the airport, feeling content and excited for more Porto adventures to come.

Layover 2: Porto's Fabulous Doors

During my second layover in Porto, I once again started in Vila Nova de Gaia. This time, I had the Bolt drop me off at Largo dos Aviadores. Why? My regular readers know that door photography is my weird hobby. I had noticed some amazing doors decorated with Portuguese tiles when the Bolt drove by the previous day. 

I eventually made my way up to the Mosteiro da Serra do Pilar, a monastery perched on a hilltop overlooking the city. The panoramic views from the monastery were simply breathtaking; even better than from Jardim do Morro situated just below.

After soaking in the sights, I wandered down towards the river, where I came across a vendor selling roasted chestnuts. I couldn't resist buying a bag and munching on these warm, nutty treats as I walked. 

I then crossed the lower level of the Ponte Luiz I, the iconic double-decker bridge, and climbed the Escadas do Codeçal, a steep set of stairs that led me back up to the city center.

As I made my way back to the Trindade Metro station, I kept my eyes peeled for more beautiful Porto doors. Porto is a city filled with architectural gems, and I couldn't get enough of these eclectic and colorful doors.

Layover 3: Francesinha Time

On my third and final layover in Porto, I took the metro to Bolhão and indulged in a Francesinha at a small, family-run restaurant called Ruial Francesinha. This hearty sandwich smothered in spicy sauce is a Porto specialty, consisting of bread, sausage, ham, steak, and covered in melted cheese and a spicy tomato and beer sauce. It was absolutely delicious, but be warned, it's a very filling meal! 

Ruial Francesinha is a little hole in the wall run by an older man who seemed to be there all by himself. After cleaning my plate, I wanted to tell the guy working there: Antes do meu almoço, eu estava cheia com fome. Agora, eu estou cheia ☺️

I was too shy though and didn't say it out loud. I did conduct the entire meal transaction in Portuguese though.

After lunch, I set off on another door-hunting expedition, this time focusing on the Marquês de Pombal area. I found so many beautiful doors, each one unique and full of character. 

As the sun began to set, I found myself back at Mercado do Bolhão, soaking in the festive atmosphere and admiring the twinkling Christmas lights. I treated myself to another glass of vinho verde as I browsed the market stalls. With my heart full of joy and my camera full of beautiful door photos, I hopped on the metro back to the airport, feeling grateful for the unexpected adventures this mileage run had brought me.

Bonus: Tales from the Plane

• Leg 3: Some guy's metal water bottle fell out of the bin and hit me in the shoulder while he was putting his bag up. Isso dói! (it hurts!). He apologized and I told him não faz mal (no harm done).

• Leg 11: I met a mother and daughter sitting next to me on the flight. I think the mom was Portuguese but the daughter was raised in England and they were in the process of selling the house in England and moving back to Porto. The daughter said she was trying to learn Portuguese too so we all attempted to chat. They had been on a trip to Cabo Verde and ran into bad weather. From what I could gather, it was a bit of an ordeal for 48 hours getting back. 

Was My Status Run Worth It? 

Absolutely! 12 flights in 5 days was a lot. Going in, I was uncertain how I'd feel at the end. I was very excited to start the process and it turns out I barely lost steam at all. I found my trips to Porto to be delightful. Getting there (and back) is half the fun. 

When the 53rd and 54th segment hit my United MileagePlus account and I got confirmation of my 1K status for next year, I did a little happy dance. I can't wait to tackle my million mile lifetime status run in 2025!