United MileagePlus miles is probably not as helpful as they as soon as had been, however they’ve their place. You need to use them for United Airways and Star Alliance accomplice awards with no gas surcharges, saving you lots of of {dollars} per ticket.
Although the airline operates utilizing dynamic pricing, you possibly can nonetheless discover low-cost home award tickets and cheap pricing on long-haul worldwide business-class tickets operated by United. Due to this, it is a superb program for factors and miles newcomers who wish to earn and redeem miles.
On this article, I am going to present you one of the best methods to earn United miles — lots of which do not even require stepping on a aircraft.
Associated: United Airways MileagePlus: Information to incomes and redeeming miles, elite standing and extra
Earn United miles by flying
As you’d anticipate, you possibly can earn United miles by flying with the provider or one in all its companions. Nonetheless, the way you earn United miles is determined by a number of elements, together with the airline working the flight, the way you booked the flight and your fare class. Let’s take a more in-depth look.
Flying on United
Through the years, United has modified the way you earn miles when flying on United-operated flights. As a substitute of incomes miles based mostly on distance flown, you now earn miles based mostly in your ticket’s base value (not together with taxes and costs). You may additionally earn further miles you probably have MileagePlus elite standing — the upper your standing, the extra miles you earn.
This is what number of miles you will earn per greenback spent based mostly in your degree of standing (these charges apply even when you’re booked into United’s primary economic system fare class):
- Basic member: 5 miles
- Premier Silver: 7 miles
- Premier Gold: 8 miles
- Premier Platinum: 9 miles
- Premier 1K: 11 miles
This is an instance of how this works: In case you purchase a one-way United ticket from Chicago to Philadelphia with a base fare of $310 and $30 in taxes, you will earn 1,550 miles ($310 occasions 5 miles per greenback) as a MileagePlus traveler with out standing. Nonetheless, when you’re a top-tier Premier 1K member, that incomes jumps to three,410 miles ($310 occasions 11 miles per greenback) .
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United flights additionally depend towards incomes Premier standing. You may earn standing based mostly on a minimal variety of Premier qualifying factors or a mix of PQPs and Premier qualifying flights. PQPs are based mostly on spending, and PQFs are based mostly on the variety of segments you fly on United or its accomplice airways.
Associated: Stunning issues I did to earn top-tier United standing
Flying on Star Alliance companions
You possibly can earn United MileagePlus miles when flying any of United’s Star Alliance or nonalliance companions; you will earn miles based mostly on the size of your flight and fare class. Nonetheless, when you e book a accomplice flight via United (indicated by a 016 ticket quantity), you will earn miles based mostly in your ticket fare and elite standing.
The mileage incomes charges additionally differ from airline to airline. For extra particulars, try our full information to incomes MileagePlus miles with United’s companions.
United elite standing on accomplice flights
United Premier members robotically qualify for Star Alliance elite standing — that means you will get elite advantages not simply on United flights, however if you fly on any of United’s Star Alliance companions. Some Premier members may entry elite perks like free checked luggage and precedence check-in, boarding and baggage supply on choose non-Star Alliance companions. To know your advantages, head to United’s accomplice web page and click on the airline you are concerned with.
Top-of-the-line methods to qualify for United Premier standing is by flying on long-haul, premium-cabin Star Alliance tickets. As talked about, you usually earn round 1 PQP per greenback spent on United flights. Nonetheless, on accomplice airways, you possibly can typically earn over 3 PQPs for every greenback you spend. Discuss with our information on incomes PQPs with accomplice flights to learn the way flying with United’s companions may also help you qualify for United standing. Simply take into account that United requires no less than 4 paid flights on United or United Specific per 12 months to qualify for any standing degree.
Let’s unpack this by taking a look at an actual instance of a Lufthansa-ticketed and -operated flight. We’ll begin with United’s incomes chart for Lufthansa, which you’ll find on United’s airline accomplice web page.
As an example you are flying from New York to Munich. Your flight is booked in Z-fare enterprise class, that means you will earn 150% of the mileage flown. The flight from New York to Munich clocks in at 4,038 miles, so that you’d earn 6,057 redeemable miles (4,038 occasions 1.5). As famous above, a United Premier Gold member would earn an extra 50% of the standard miles earned, giving them 9,086 complete miles for this instance (6,057 occasions 1.5).
To find out the space between two airports, use gcmap.com and enter your departure and arrival airport codes.
Associated: Your information to Star Alliance airways, lounges and elite standing
Earn United miles with bank cards
One other option to earn United miles is by spending on United cobranded bank cards. You possibly can shortly rack up miles utilizing these playing cards to pay in your on a regular basis purchases, they usually supply profitable welcome bonuses that may give you a hefty chunk of miles proper off the bat — as long as you meet the minimal spending requirement. A number of of those playing cards present enhanced award availability when it is time to redeem your hard-earned miles, in addition to further perks like free checked luggage, precedence boarding and lounge entry.
This is a have a look at among the finest United playing cards you should utilize to earn MileagePlus miles:
- 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. Plus, you will earn 3 miles per greenback spent on United purchases; 2 miles per greenback spent on eating, journey and choose streaming companies; and 1 mile per greenback spent on all different purchases.
- 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 spent on United purchases, eating and direct resort purchases, and 1 mile per greenback spent on all different purchases.
- 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 United purchases; 2 miles per greenback spent on all different journey, eating and eligible meals supply companies; and 1 mile per greenback spent on different purchases.
- United℠ Enterprise Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months your account is open. Plus, earn 2 miles per greenback spent on United purchases, eating (together with eligible supply companies), fuel stations, workplace provide shops and native transit and commuting, and 1 mile per greenback spent on all different purchases.
Associated: The very best bank cards for reserving flights
Switch factors to United MileagePlus
One other option to enhance your United miles stability is by transferring different loyalty currencies to your MileagePlus account. Let’s take a more in-depth have a look at United’s switch companions: Chase Final Rewards, Bilt Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy.
Switch Chase Final Rewards factors
Chase Final Rewards factors are a well-liked transferable foreign money. Though there are various methods to redeem Final Rewards factors, essentially the most profitable is to switch factors to one in all Chase’s airline or resort switch companions, which embrace United.
You possibly can switch Chase factors to United at a 1:1 ratio, successfully turning 1,000 Final Rewards factors into 1,000 United miles, and most transfers occur immediately. Final Rewards has varied different switch companions, together with Air France-KLM Flying Blue, British Airways Govt Membership and World of Hyatt. This added flexibility is why we advocate incomes Final Rewards factors over United miles. Plus, Chase’s suite of Final Rewards-earning bank cards could also be a greater match in your pockets as a result of they’ve broader bonus classes than United’s cobranded playing cards.
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Switch Bilt Rewards factors
The opposite bank card factors program that at present presents transfers to United is Bilt Rewards. This program is comparatively new to the factors and miles world, but it surely’s been steadily including resort and airline switch companions, together with United. As with Chase Final Rewards, you possibly can switch your Bilt Factors to MileagePlus at a 1:1 ratio, and the method normally takes minutes.
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Switch Marriott Bonvoy factors
One in every of Marriott Bonvoy‘s finest perks is which you could switch factors to this system’s many airline companions. You possibly can switch Marriott factors to most airline companions at a 3:1 ratio, and you will get a 5,000-mile bonus for each 60,000 factors you switch. Nonetheless, United has a most popular switch fee because of the airline’s RewardsPlus partnership with Marriott, so you will get a ten,000-mile bonus for each 60,000 Marriott factors you switch to United. Which means 60,000 Marriott factors will grow to be 30,000 United miles.
To switch Marriott factors to United, log in to your Bonvoy account, head to the “Switch Factors to Miles” web page and click on the “Switch Factors” button. Then, choose United from the airline drop-down menu, enter your United MileagePlus quantity and enter what number of factors you’d prefer to switch. Click on the “Proceed” button on the backside of the window to provoke the switch, and the miles will sometimes seem in your United account inside 48 hours.
Associated: When does it make sense to switch Marriott factors to airways?
Earn United miles with journey companions
Past airways and bank card rewards applications, United has a handful of different journey companions like cruise strains, motels and rental automobile firms with which you’ll be able to earn further miles.
As an example, the MileagePlus cruise portal helps you to earn as much as 4 United miles per greenback spent if you e book a crusing (or as much as 7 miles per greenback when you’re a United cardholder). It is common to earn as much as 45,000 bonus miles per reserving, even on low-cost cruises. You can even redeem United miles towards sailings via the portal, however this usually will not offer you a lot worth in your miles, so we do not advocate it.
United has a collection of resort companions, too, which helps you to earn United miles as an alternative of resort factors in your keep. This usually will not offer you as a lot worth as incomes resort factors, however this selection might be helpful if it is a chain you hardly ever go to or when you’re brief just a few United miles for an upcoming redemption. See our full information to United’s companions for what number of miles you possibly can earn at varied motels.
When you have your eye on an unbiased resort the place you would not in any other case earn rewards, you possibly can earn miles in your keep utilizing the United Resorts portal or Rocketmiles. However costs differ, so at all times be sure that to match the price of the keep via the portal with reserving instantly.
With regards to rental automobiles, United ended its partnership with Hertz in 2021 and now has a relationship with Avis and Price range. MileagePlus members can earn as much as 1,250 miles per qualifying rental (typically extra if there is a promotion) and save as much as 35% off base charges at Avis and Price range. To make use of these perks, e book via United’s automobile rental web page along with your MileagePlus loyalty quantity and Avis Worldwide Low cost quantity A791500 or Price range Buyer Low cost quantity B204900.
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Earn United miles with different partnerships
MileagePlus additionally has a number of non-travel-related companions. Listed here are a few of our favorites that can assist you earn further United miles.
MileagePlus Procuring
Like most airways, United presents an on-line purchasing portal the place you possibly can earn miles for making on a regular basis purchases on-line. Simply join a MileagePlus Procuring account and discover your service provider on the positioning earlier than making a purchase order.
Beginning at this portal quite than on the retailer’s website gives you further miles in your purchases along with the rewards you will earn utilizing your bank card of selection. This may be an effective way to earn 1, 2 and even 5 further miles per greenback spent when purchasing on-line. As well as, MileagePlus Procuring continuously runs vacation and seasonal promotions. Hold a watch out for these promotions and use them to earn much more in your on-line purchases.
Nonetheless, you could possibly earn extra on a purchase order at a unique purchasing portal. We advocate utilizing a purchasing portal aggregator like Cashback Monitor to see which portal presents one of the best return in your purchases.
Associated: The final word information to incomes miles with the United MileagePlus Procuring portal
MileagePlus X app
Obtain the MileagePlus X app to earn United miles on the go. Merely put, you earn a set variety of miles per greenback spent if you use the app to purchase present playing cards at choose retailers. The present playing cards can be found instantly, and you should buy them in any quantity. Taking part retailers embrace main manufacturers like Walmart, Staples, Lowe’s, Regal Cinemas and Panera Bread.
This may be an effective way to earn miles on purchases the place you would not usually earn a lot. As an example, REI would not fall into any widespread bank card bonus classes and is not accessible on most purchasing portals, however you possibly can earn bonus United miles per greenback spent if you purchase an REI present card via MileagePlus X and use it to pay in your REI buy. Even higher, major United Chase cardmembers earn a 25% bonus on miles earned from MileagePlus X.
Top-of-the-line issues in regards to the MileagePlus X app is that miles are awarded immediately typically. So when you’re ever just a few miles away from a redemption, merely purchase a present card to a retailer or restaurant you frequent.
MileagePlus Eating
Like most different home carriers (and a few motels), United has a eating rewards program: MileagePlus Eating.
Briefly, it is a purchasing portal for consuming out. Simply join an account and hyperlink the bank cards you employ for eating. You may earn as much as 5 miles per greenback spent (relying in your membership tier) if you swipe a linked card at taking part eating places. These earnings are along with what you earn on the bank card you employ, so you should definitely use one that provides a bonus on eating purchases.
Primary MileagePlus Eating members earn only one mile per $2 spent, however you possibly can simply attain the subsequent tier (Choose) by opting in to obtain electronic mail communications. Doing so will enhance your incomes fee to three miles per greenback spent. As soon as you have made 11 eating purchases in 12 months, you will attain VIP standing and begin taking house 5 miles per greenback spent.
Associated: Can I earn factors and miles from 2 eating rewards applications concurrently?
Small companies can earn rewards with PerksPlus
United’s PerksPlus program lets companies earn factors (totally different from MileagePlus miles) when their workers journey on United, United Specific and choose companions. You possibly can redeem these factors for United elite standing for workers, award journey certificates, United Membership memberships and extra. You need to use these to scale back worker journey prices or improve their journey expertise. PerksPlus factors are earned along with the miles an worker earns when touring, so each events win. Try United’s PerksPlus web site to study extra and enroll.
Purchase United miles
In case you want United miles in a pinch, you should purchase them from the airline. Sadly, that is normally fairly costly.
The usual value for United miles is $35 per 1,000 miles, which comes out to three.5 cents apiece — properly above TPG’s September 2024 valuation of 1.35 cents — so it is hardly ever price it until you could purchase a small variety of miles to prime up for an award. This value could go down when you can reap the benefits of a promotion on shopping for factors or miles, however on the whole, we advocate shopping for miles solely when you will have a particular redemption in thoughts and have already discovered bookable award house.
Associated: When does it make sense to purchase factors and miles?
Backside line
As you possibly can see, there are various methods you possibly can earn United miles. Essentially the most strong method is to make use of some or all the above strategies in tandem — you will unlock some terrific incomes charges that may shortly get you inside putting distance of your subsequent award journey.
