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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.
Nevertheless, this system can nonetheless be useful to its members since United miles by no means expire, you possibly can use PlusPoints and miles to verify long-haul Polaris upgrades and MileagePlus now permits you to pool miles.
This information will offer you all the required info on this system, together with earn United miles and standing and 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 via 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 can even earn United elite standing by assembly a sure threshold of Premier qualifying factors. Elite standing consists of further advantages, corresponding to upgrades, most popular and Economic system Plus seating, precedence boarding, and free checked baggage. Moreover, United gives varied cobranded bank cards that may assist members earn miles extra shortly and revel in further perks.
Associated: Easy methods to get most worth from the United MileagePlus program
United Airways companions
You possibly can earn and redeem miles with varied worldwide airways via United Airways’ membership within the Star Alliance, the world’s largest airline alliance. United Premier members can typically take pleasure in perks like lounge entry and additional baggage allowance when touring with these companions.
Right here’s a have a look at United’s present Star Alliance companions.
- 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 accomplice)
- 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 relating to MileagePlus members — together with relevant bonuses, eligible fare courses and excluded routes, so you’ll want to assessment 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 solely earn after finishing 4 million flight miles or receiving a private invitation.
To earn United Premier standing, you could take not less than 4 United or United Specific flights and both earn PQPs or a mix of Premier qualifying flights and PQPs. You possibly can earn PQFs and PQPs by flying United or its companions. You can too 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 take pleasure in 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 Economic system Plus seating, PlusPoints (which can be utilized to verify 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 earn it
Easy methods to earn United miles
You possibly can confer with our information on earn United miles for the whole image, however listed here are a few of 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 value minus taxes and your MileagePlus standing moderately than the gap you fly.
Right here’s what number of miles you’ll earn per greenback spent based mostly in your degree of standing:
- Normal 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 costs. In that case, you’d earn 1,050 miles as an everyday MileagePlus member however 2,310 miles in case you’re a top-tier Premier 1K member.
These incomes charges additionally apply in case you e book United’s primary economic system fare class.
Fly on accomplice airways
You possibly can earn United MileagePlus miles when flying with United’s companions, however it may be difficult. In the event you e book a accomplice flight via United (indicated by a 016 ticket quantity), you’ll earn miles based mostly in your ticket fare and elite standing.
However in case you e book on accomplice ticket inventory, you’ll earn miles based mostly on the size of your flight and fare class. Usually, you possibly can see your fare class when reserving your flight or in your affirmation electronic mail. Mileage-earning charges range by airline, so test your reserving class and use United’s accomplice airline checklist 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. Right here’s a have 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 lodge 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 companies; 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 companies), workplace provide shops, native transit and commuting (together with ride-hailing companies, taxicabs, prepare tickets, tolls and mass transit), and 1 mile elsewhere. You’ll additionally earn 5,000 bonus miles on every card anniversary when you’ve got 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 companies. All different purchases earn 1 mile per greenback spent.
United bank cards with an annual charge assist you to 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: Easy methods to earn PQPs quicker with accomplice 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 approach to immediately enhance your MileagePlus steadiness.
TPG values Chase Final Rewards factors at 2.05 cents apiece, whereas United miles are price 1.4 cents apiece. You can too redeem your Chase factors for United flights within the Chase Final Rewards journey portal. If you do that, you’ll usually earn United miles since your ticket shall be coded as a paid fare.
Extra methods to earn United miles
Like most airways, United has an on-line procuring portal the place you possibly can earn miles in your on-line purchases.
You can too earn extra miles with the MileagePlus X app by buying choose service provider reward playing cards. Taking part retailers embody 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 taking part eating places and use a linked bank card.
Different methods to earn United miles embody shopping for miles, transferring Marriott Bonvoy factors and reserving motels, automobile leases and cruises via the United journey portal.
Associated: Flights, bank cards and extra: Easy methods to earn miles with the United MileagePlus program
United MileagePlus pooling
In 2024, United introduced the addition of miles pooling, which is able to permit 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, additional and unused miles from youngsters, as an 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 possibly can contribute to a pool.
Nevertheless, you have to be not less than 18 years previous to create a pool and grow to be the “pool chief.” You can too 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 possibly can enter and exit a pool at your personal discretion, however the airline will implement a 90-day “cooling” interval whenever you exit a pool, so that you’ll have to attend earlier than becoming a member of one other one.
If you’re contributing miles to a pool, you’ve got 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 said that pooling miles won’t have an effect on a member’s Premier standing.
Easy methods to redeem United miles
United has retired its award charts and now makes use of dynamic award pricing. Nonetheless, there are methods to maximize 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 house on United flights. In the event you maintain a United bank card or Premier standing, log in to your MileagePlus account earlier than trying to find award house.
United additionally has an possibility referred to as Cash + Miles, which gives a hard and fast price of 1 cent per mile. This selection is on the market on the ultimate fee display screen for eligible tickets. When potential, avoid this selection because it’s a suboptimal use of miles.
Finest makes use of of United miles
You possibly can confer with our information on maximizing the MileagePlus program, however listed here are a couple 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 not prices redeposit charges whenever you cancel award flights.
For one thing a little bit extra complicated, the United Excursionist Perk is a good way to maximise your United miles when reserving multicity journeys. Mainly, the primary flight inside a area totally different out of your departure and vacation spot areas is free in the identical class because the previous flight. For instance, in case you e book a round-trip business-class flight from Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport (EWR) to London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) and again, you can too get a “free” business-class flight from London to a different European airport, corresponding 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, lots of United’s telephone brokers aren’t accustomed to this lesser-known United candy spot.
Apart from the Excursionist Perk, you possibly can 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 house. You may also think about protecting a wholesome “simply in case” sum of miles in your MileagePlus account for last-minute conditions.
Lastly, you possibly can think about using United miles to fly on prime accomplice carriers — together with merchandise like ANA’s “The Room” enterprise class or EVA Air’s enterprise class, which provide high-end facilities however are available with excessive award charges.
Associated: Seems like top notch: 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 lodge stays. You can too switch United miles to Marriott Bonvoy. Nevertheless, it’s not really useful, as the worth you’ll get from these redemptions is nearly at all times decrease than the worth of MileagePlus miles for flight redemptions.
The identical might be stated for redeeming your miles for reward playing cards via the MileagePlus X app, retail merchandise, Broadway tickets, newspapers and magazines. These choices usually present lower than 0.5 cents per mile.
Backside line
In the event you’re a frequent United Airways traveler, sticking with the airline’s loyalty program may make sense. By figuring out the intricacies of the MileagePlus program, you will get a number of miles and redeem them for prime worth. And in case you fly sufficient, you possibly can take pleasure in all of the elite standing perks.