The right way to trade reward playing cards for United MileagePlus miles

‘Tis the season for items — and that features reward playing cards. Sadly, you might have obtained some reward playing cards for the vacations that you just aren’t very enthusiastic about. If that is the case, we now have some excellent news: You may flip these undesirable reward playing cards into United MileagePlus miles by means of United’s MileagePlus Reward Card Trade. Here is the way it works.

Associated: What bank cards do you have to use to buy reward playing cards?

Which reward playing cards are eligible for United miles?

On the MileagePlus Reward Card Trade touchdown web page, there is a hyperlink to a “Reward card retailer checklist” on the backside. This checklist presently contains over 30 retailers, akin to Finest Purchase, Sears, Starbucks and Walmart.

Nonetheless, be aware that some retailers on this checklist might not really be out there for trade on the web site. There are additionally some retailers out there for trade that are not on the checklist, together with The North Face and HP.

Associated: Flights, bank cards and extra: The right way to earn miles with the United MileagePlus program

Is it price exchanging reward playing cards?

United has a chart itemizing the “Minimal award miles awarded,” which might make you suppose that some choices supply extra miles than these charges. However we checked dozens of various retailers, and the mileage supply was the identical for every one.

Regardless of the chart, you are not restricted to $25, $50 and $100 reward playing cards. Based on the homepage, you possibly can trade reward playing cards with no less than a $15 minimal steadiness. Nonetheless, there are larger minimal balances for some retailers, like $50 at The North Face. In case your steadiness is simply too low, a crimson field with the minimal will pop up while you click on “Get Mileage supply.”

From what we have gathered, the variety of miles provided is the reward card worth occasions 26.6, rounded as much as the closest 10 miles. This comes out to between 3.70 and three.76 cents per mile, relying on what number of you are buying and selling in. For instance:

• $15 reward playing cards equal 400 United miles (3.75 cents per mile)
• $20 reward playing cards equal 540 United miles (3.70 cents per mile)
• $25 reward playing cards equal 670 United miles (3.73 cents per mile)
• $30 reward playing cards equal 800 United miles (3.75 cents per mile)
• $40 reward playing cards equal 1,070 United miles (3.74 cents per mile)
• $50 reward playing cards equal 1,330 United miles (3.76 cents per mile)
• $100 reward playing cards equal 2,660 United miles (3.76 cents per mile)

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This charge is far larger than TPG’s December 2024 valuation of 1.35 cents per United mile, that means you are not getting good worth out of your reward playing cards. Nonetheless, in case you’d quite have the miles than the reward card, this could possibly be a helpful approach to offload them.

Additionally, no less than United is being constant. When United is not operating a purchase miles promotion, you should purchase United miles at a charge of $35 per 1,000 United miles. After taxes and costs, this comes out to three.76 cents per mile.

Associated: The perfect bank cards for getting factors and miles

Limitations to the Reward Card Trade

To promote reward playing cards by means of the MileagePlus Reward Card Trade, your MileagePlus account should have been open for no less than 90 days and have a constructive account steadiness. This implies you possibly can’t trade your reward playing cards for miles if there aren’t any miles in your account.

But when your account is empty, don’t fret: There are a number of simple methods to earn United miles with out flying, akin to by means of the MileagePlus procuring portal or the MileagePlus Eating program.

Though the location might provide you with a quote for $10 reward playing cards at some retailers, the phrases and situations state that “reward playing cards accepted should have a $15 minimal steadiness on the cardboard and should have a most imposed.” It additionally seems that the trade will solely settle for reward playing cards as much as $100.

In case you resolve to promote a present card by means of the MileagePlus Reward Card Trade, the miles ought to arrive in your United account inside 5 enterprise days.

Associated: The right way to use factors and miles to present items with zero out-of-pocket price

Backside line

Whilst you’re not going to get one of the best worth from exchanging reward playing cards for United miles, it is good to have the choice to swap an undesirable reward card for one thing extra helpful. The MileagePlus Reward Card Trade might turn out to be useful in case you want United miles for an upcoming redemption, have tapped out your Bilt Rewards Factors and Chase Final Rewards factors, and are holding a qualifying reward card. In case your solely different possibility is to purchase United miles, you would possibly as effectively liquidate the reward card — particularly if it is one you would not use quickly anyway.

Alternatively, if you do not have a United redemption in thoughts, it is likely to be price checking on-line for one more reward card trade program (akin to CardCash) which will provide you with a greater charge.