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In 2023, United massively devalued the MileagePlus program by rising award charges by as much as 122% with out advance discover. MileagePlus additionally makes use of dynamic pricing (versus award charts), giving the airline complete flexibility to regulate award costs.
Nonetheless, this system can nonetheless be priceless to its members since United miles by no means expire, you should use PlusPoints and miles to substantiate long-haul Polaris upgrades and MileagePlus now permits you to pool miles.
This information will give you all the required info on this system, together with how one can earn United miles and standing and how one can maximize your miles for award journey.
United MileagePlus overview
With over 100 million members, United MileagePlus is among the largest loyalty packages on the planet.
MileagePlus members can earn miles by flying United and its companions, in addition to by non-flight actions like bank card spending, procuring and eating. You possibly can redeem your miles for award journey on the airline in addition to its Star Alliance companions.
MileagePlus members may earn United elite standing by assembly a sure threshold of Premier qualifying factors. Elite standing contains further advantages, akin to upgrades, most well-liked and Financial system Plus seating, precedence boarding, and free checked baggage. Moreover, United affords numerous cobranded bank cards that may assist members earn miles extra shortly and luxuriate in further perks.
Associated: The right way to get most worth from the United MileagePlus program
United Airways companions
You possibly can earn and redeem miles with numerous worldwide airways by United Airways’ membership within the Star Alliance, the world’s largest airline alliance. United Premier members can usually get pleasure from perks like lounge entry and further baggage allowance when touring with these companions.
This is a take a look at United’s present Star Alliance companions.
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- Aegean Airways
- Air Canada
- Air China
- Air India
- Air New Zealand
- All Nippon Airways
- Asiana Airways
- Austrian Airways
- Avianca
- Brussels Airways
- Copa Airways
- Croatia Airways
- Egyptair
- Ethiopian Airways
- EVA Airways
- Juneyao Airways (a connecting companion)
- LOT Polish Airways
- Lufthansa
- Scandinavian Airways
- Shenzhen Airways
- Singapore Airways
- South African Airways
- Swiss
- TAP Air Portugal
- Thai Airways
- Turkish Airways
United additionally companions with a number of airways exterior of the Star Alliance:
- Aer Lingus
- Air Dolomiti
- Airlink
- Azul Brazilian Airways
- Boutique Air
- Cape Air
- Uncover Airways
- Edelweiss
- Emirates
- Eurowings
- Hawaiian Airways
- JSX
- Olympic Air
- Silver Airways
- Virgin Australia
- Vistara
Companions can have their very own limitations concerning MileagePlus members — together with relevant bonuses, eligible fare courses and excluded routes, so make sure to evaluate United’s airline companions web page for full particulars of every one.
Associated: One of the best web sites to seek for Star Alliance award availability
United Airways Premier standing
United Airways has 4 ranges of elite standing: Premier Silver, Premier Gold, Premier Platinum and Premier 1K. There’s additionally an unique World Providers tier, which you’ll be able to solely earn after finishing 4 million flight miles or receiving a private invitation.
To earn United Premier standing, you will need to take at the least 4 United or United Categorical flights and both earn PQPs or a mixture of Premier qualifying flights and PQPs. You possibly can earn PQFs and PQPs by flying United or its companions. You may as well earn PQPs by spending on most of United’s cobranded bank cards.
That is what it takes to qualify for United standing in 2025:
| Tier | Premier qualifying factors + Premier qualifying flights | Premier qualifying factors solely |
|---|---|---|
| Premier Silver | 4,000 PQPs + 12 PQFs | 5,000 PQPs |
| Premier Gold | 8,000 PQPs + 24 PQFs | 10,000 PQPs |
| Premier Platinum | 12,000 PQPs + 36 PQFs | 15,000 PQPs |
| Premier 1K | 18,000 PQPs + 54 PQFs | 24,000 PQPs |
United Premier members get pleasure from perks like bonus miles on paid tickets, free checked baggage and complimentary waitlisted upgrades on most United-operated flights.
Increased-tier members obtain perks like complimentary Financial system Plus seating, PlusPoints (which can be utilized to substantiate upgrades), Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite standing and Star Alliance Gold standing, which comes with perks when flying on different Star Alliance carriers.
Associated: United Premier standing: What it’s and how one can earn it
The right way to earn United miles
You possibly can seek advice from our information on how one can earn United miles for the whole image, however listed here are among the hottest methods to spice up your MileagePlus steadiness.
Fly on United Airways
When flying on United-marketed and -operated tickets, you earn MileagePlus miles based mostly in your ticket’s worth minus taxes and your MileagePlus standing slightly than the space you fly.
This is what number of miles you may earn per greenback spent based mostly in your stage of standing:
- Common member: 5 miles
- Premier Silver: 7 miles
- Premier Gold: 8 miles
- Premier Platinum: 9 miles
- Premier 1K: 11 miles
For instance, suppose you purchase a one-way United ticket from San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO) to Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX) with a base fare of $210 and $30 in taxes and charges. In that case, you’d earn 1,050 miles as an everyday MileagePlus member however 2,310 miles when you’re a top-tier Premier 1K member.
These incomes charges additionally apply when you e book United’s fundamental economic system fare class.
Fly on companion airways
You possibly can earn United MileagePlus miles when flying with United’s companions, however it may be difficult. When you e book a companion flight by United (indicated by a 016 ticket quantity), you may earn miles based mostly in your ticket fare and elite standing.
However when you e book on companion ticket inventory, you may earn miles based mostly on the size of your flight and fare class. Typically, you’ll be able to see your fare class when reserving your flight or in your affirmation e mail. Mileage-earning charges range by airline, so verify your reserving class and use United’s companion airline record to find out your award miles. As anticipated, premium-cabin tickets earn extra miles than economic system tickets, and Premier members are eligible for bonus miles on choose companions.
Associated: Your final information to United Airways companions
Get and use United Airways bank cards
United’s cobranded bank cards issued by Chase are among the many hottest methods to earn MileagePlus miles. This is a take a look at the sign-up bonuses and incomes charges on a few of our favourite United bank cards:
- United℠ Explorer Card: Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first three months your account is open. The cardboard earns 2 miles per greenback on United purchases, eating and direct resort purchases, and 1 mile per greenback elsewhere.
- United Quest℠ Card: Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months your account is open. The cardboard earns 3 miles per greenback on United purchases (instantly after incomes your $125 annual United buy credit score); 2 miles per greenback on eating, journey and choose streaming providers; and 1 mile per greenback elsewhere.
- United℠ Enterprise Card: Earn 100,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months your account is open. The cardboard earns 2 miles per greenback on United purchases, gasoline stations, eating (together with eligible supply providers), workplace provide shops, native transit and commuting (together with ride-hailing providers, taxicabs, prepare tickets, tolls and mass transit), and 1 mile elsewhere. You will additionally earn 5,000 bonus miles on every card anniversary when you will have each the United Enterprise Card and a private United bank card.
- United Membership℠ Infinite Card: Earn 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. The cardboard earns 4 miles per greenback spent on purchases with United, and a couple of miles per greenback spent on all different journey purchases, eating and eligible meals supply providers. All different purchases earn 1 mile per greenback spent.
United bank cards with an annual payment help you earn 25 PQPs for each $500 you spend on the cardboard, however limits apply. For instance, the Explorer Card earns a most of 1,000 PQPs per calendar 12 months.
Associated: United’s best-kept elite standing secret: The right way to earn PQPs quicker with companion flights
Switch bank card factors from Chase Final Rewards
You possibly can immediately switch Chase Final Rewards factors to United at a 1:1 ratio, which might be an interesting option to immediately enhance your MileagePlus steadiness.
TPG values Chase Final Rewards factors at 2.05 cents apiece, whereas United miles are value 1.4 cents apiece. You may as well redeem your Chase factors for United flights within the Chase Final Rewards journey portal. If you do that, you may usually earn United miles since your ticket might be coded as a paid fare.
Extra methods to earn United miles
Like most airways, United has an internet procuring portal the place you’ll be able to earn miles on your on-line purchases.
You may as well earn extra miles with the MileagePlus X app by buying choose service provider present playing cards. Taking part retailers embrace main manufacturers like Walmart, Staples and Panera Bread. Major United bank card holders additionally earn a 25% bonus on miles earned from these purchases.
In the meantime, MileagePlus Eating awards as much as 5 miles per greenback whenever you dine at collaborating eating places and use a linked bank card.
Different methods to earn United miles embrace shopping for miles, transferring Marriott Bonvoy factors and reserving resorts, automobile leases and cruises by the United journey portal.
Associated: Flights, bank cards and extra: The right way to earn miles with the United MileagePlus program
United MileagePlus pooling
In 2024, United introduced the addition of miles pooling, which can enable MileagePlus members of all ages to share and redeem miles in a single account.
Since there is no such thing as a age restriction on members having the ability to join a MileagePlus account, further and unused miles from children, for example, can be utilized in a single account. As much as 5 members might be added to a pool, and there’s no restrict to the variety of miles you’ll be able to contribute to a pool.
Nonetheless, you have to be at the least 18 years previous to create a pool and develop into the “pool chief.” You may as well solely function in a single pool at a time, so that you can’t be part of a number of swimming pools.
Some stipulations exist; you’ll be able to enter and exit a pool at your individual discretion, however the airline will implement a 90-day “cooling” interval whenever you exit a pool, so you may have to attend earlier than becoming a member of one other one.
If you’re contributing miles to a pool, you will have 24 hours to reverse a transaction. After 24 hours have handed, you can not get the miles you contributed to a pool again.
United additionally acknowledged that pooling miles won’t have an effect on a member’s Premier standing.
The right way to redeem United miles
United has retired its award charts and now makes use of dynamic award pricing. Nonetheless, there are methods to maximise this system.
To redeem United miles, go to united.com or the United app. United Airways bank card holders and Premier members can entry further award area on United flights. When you maintain a United bank card or Premier standing, log in to your MileagePlus account earlier than looking for award area.
United additionally has an possibility referred to as Cash + Miles, which affords a set charge of 1 cent per mile. This feature is out there on the ultimate cost display screen for eligible tickets. When attainable, keep away from this selection since it is a suboptimal use of miles.
Finest makes use of of United miles
You possibly can seek advice from our information on maximizing the MileagePlus program, however listed here are a number of of our favourite makes use of of United miles.
You may discover award choices beginning round 5,000 miles on high-frequency, short-haul flights. Though these flights nearly at all times value lower than $100, these awards might be a good way to maintain your journey plans versatile since United now not expenses redeposit charges whenever you cancel award flights.
For one thing slightly extra advanced, the United Excursionist Perk is a good way to maximise your United miles when reserving multicity journeys. Mainly, the primary flight inside a area completely different out of your departure and vacation spot areas is free in the identical class because the previous flight. For instance, when you e book a round-trip business-class flight from Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport (EWR) to London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) and again, you too can get a “free” business-class flight from London to a different European airport, akin to Brussels Airport (BRU).
This lets you fly to London, then Brussels after which again to Newark for a similar variety of miles as a easy round-trip flight between Newark and London.
To e book, use the “Multi-city” search function on united.com. In our expertise, a lot of United’s telephone brokers aren’t accustomed to this lesser-known United candy spot.
Moreover the Excursionist Perk, you’ll be able to maximize United miles by reserving a transcontinental flight for 15,000 miles for economic system class and 30,000 miles for enterprise class when there’s saver award area. You may additionally take into account protecting a wholesome “simply in case” sum of miles in your MileagePlus account for last-minute conditions.
Lastly, you’ll be able to think about using United miles to fly on prime companion carriers — together with merchandise like ANA’s “The Room” enterprise class or EVA Air’s enterprise class, which supply high-end facilities however are available in with excessive award charges.
Associated: Appears like top quality: Flying ANA The Room enterprise class from LA-Tokyo
Different makes use of of United miles
You should use United miles for United Membership memberships, inflight Wi-Fi purchases, TSA PreCheck charges, automobile leases and resort stays. You may as well switch United miles to Marriott Bonvoy. Nonetheless, it isn’t advisable, as the worth you may get from these redemptions is sort of at all times decrease than the worth of MileagePlus miles for flight redemptions.
The identical might be stated for redeeming your miles for present playing cards by the MileagePlus X app, retail merchandise, Broadway tickets, newspapers and magazines. These choices usually present lower than 0.5 cents per mile.
Backside line
When you’re a frequent United Airways traveler, sticking with the airline’s loyalty program may make sense. By realizing the intricacies of the MileagePlus program, you will get a lot of miles and redeem them for prime worth. And when you fly sufficient, you’ll be able to get pleasure from all of the elite standing perks.