United’s MileagePlus program has made some current modifications, akin to devaluing first-class accomplice redemptions in 2024 and overhauling its cobranded bank cards earlier this 12 months. Nonetheless, since United miles by no means expire, PlusPoints and miles can be utilized to verify long-haul Polaris upgrades and MileagePlus now enables you to pool miles, this system nonetheless has many vibrant spots.
This information will offer you all the required info on this system, together with methods to earn United miles and standing and methods to maximize your miles for award journey.
Associated: Greatest frequent flyer applications for US vacationers
United MileagePlus overview
With over 100 million members, United MileagePlus is among the largest loyalty applications on the planet.
MileagePlus members can earn miles by flying United and its companions, in addition to by spending on their bank cards, procuring and eating. You’ll be able to redeem your miles for award journey on the airline in addition to its Star Alliance companions.
MileagePlus members also can earn United elite standing by assembly a sure threshold of Premier qualifying factors. Elite standing consists of further advantages, akin to upgrades, most well-liked and Financial system Plus seating, precedence boarding and free checked luggage. Moreover, United provides numerous cobranded bank cards that may assist members earn miles extra rapidly and revel in further perks.
Associated: Methods to get most worth from the United MileagePlus program
United Airways companions
You’ll be able to earn and redeem miles with numerous worldwide airways by United Airways’ membership in Star Alliance, the world’s largest airline alliance. United Premier members can usually take pleasure in perks like lounge entry (relying on standing) 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 accomplice)
- LOT Polish Airways
- Lufthansa
- 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 Star Alliance:
- Aer Lingus
- Air Dolomiti
- Airlink
- Azul Brazilian Airways
- Cape Air
- Uncover Airways
- Edelweiss
- Emirates
- Eurowings
- FlyDubai
- Hawaiian Airways
- JSX
- Lufthansa Metropolis Airways
- Olympic Air
- Silver Airways
- Virgin Australia
Companions can have their very own limitations relating to MileagePlus members — together with relevant bonuses, eligible fare lessons and excluded routes — so make sure 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
MileagePlus has 4 ranges of elite standing: Premier Silver, Premier Gold, Premier Platinum and Premier 1K. There’s additionally an unique International Providers tier, which you’ll be able to solely earn after finishing 4 million flight miles or receiving a private invitation.
There are two methods to earn United Premier standing: With a mix of Premier qualifying factors and Premier qualifying flights or by incomes PQPs alone. To earn any stage of standing, you will need to additionally take at the very least 4 United or United Categorical flights.
You’ll be able to earn PQFs and PQPs by flying United or its companions. You too can earn PQPs by spending on most of United’s cobranded bank cards.
That is what it takes to qualify for United standing in 2025 (legitimate by Jan. 31, 2027):
| Tier | Premier qualifying factors + Premier qualifying flights | Premier qualifying factors solely |
|---|---|---|
| Premier Silver | 5,000 PQPs + 15 PQFs | 6,000 PQPs |
| Premier Gold | 10,000 PQPs + 30 PQFs | 12,000 PQPs |
| Premier Platinum | 15,000 PQPs + 45 PQFs | 18,000 PQPs |
| Premier 1K | 22,000 PQPs + 60 PQFs | 28,000 PQPs |
United Premier members take pleasure in perks like bonus miles on paid tickets, free checked luggage and complimentary waitlisted upgrades on most United-operated flights.
Larger-tier members have entry to extra invaluable perks like complimentary Financial system Plus seating, PlusPoints (which can be utilized to verify upgrades), Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite standing and Star Alliance Gold standing (which gives advantages like lounge entry, precedence boarding, further luggage and extra while you fly on different Star Alliance carriers).
Associated: United unveils massive Premier standing, PlusPoints modifications for 2025
Methods to earn United miles
You’ll be able to seek advice from our information on methods to earn United miles for the whole image, however listed here are a few of the hottest methods to spice up your MileagePlus stability.
Fly on United Airways
When flying on United-marketed and -operated tickets, you earn MileagePlus miles (as much as 75,000 miles per ticket) based mostly in your ticket’s value minus taxes and your MileagePlus standing slightly than the space you fly.
This is what number of miles you will earn per greenback spent based mostly in your stage of standing:
- Basic 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 $200 and $30 in taxes and costs. In that case, you’d earn 1,000 miles as an everyday MileagePlus member however 2,200 miles should you’re a top-tier Premier 1K member.
These incomes charges additionally apply should you e-book United’s fundamental economic system fare class.
Fly on United accomplice airways
You’ll be able to earn MileagePlus miles when flying with United’s companions, however it may be difficult. In case you e-book a accomplice flight by United (indicated by a 016 ticket quantity), you will earn miles based mostly in your ticket fare and elite standing.
However should you e-book on accomplice ticket inventory, you will earn miles based mostly on the size of your flight and fare class. Usually, you’ll be able to see your fare class when reserving your flight or in your affirmation e-mail. Mileage-earning charges fluctuate by airline, so verify 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: United’s best-kept elite standing secret: Methods to earn PQPs sooner with accomplice flights
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 (and, on some playing cards, PQPs). This is a take a look at the present welcome bonuses on a few of our favorites:
Associated: Why somebody in your loved ones wants a United bank card
Switch bank card factors
There are two transferable currencies that accomplice with United MileagePlus: Chase Final Rewards and Bilt Rewards. You’ll be able to switch factors from both program to your MileagePlus account at a 1:1 ratio, and transfers normally occur immediately — making this a straightforward solution to increase your stability for a United redemption.
Associated: Methods to switch Chase Final Rewards factors to United
Extra methods to earn United miles
Like most airways, United has an on-line procuring portal the place you’ll be able to earn miles to your on-line purchases. The MileagePlus X app gives one other solution to earn bonus miles on on a regular basis purchases, each in-store and on-line.
In the meantime, MileagePlus Eating awards as much as 5 miles per greenback while you dine at collaborating eating places and use a linked bank card.
Different methods to earn United miles embody shopping for miles and transferring Marriott Bonvoy factors, in addition to reserving resorts, automotive leases and cruises by the United journey portal.
Associated: Earn MileagePlus miles with United’s airline, resort and bank card companions
United Miles 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.
That is particularly helpful for households. Since there isn’t any age restriction on becoming a member of MileagePlus, children can earn miles and pool them with their mother and father’ miles towards a bigger redemption. A pool can have as much as 5 members. You’ll be able to select what number of of your miles to place in a pool, and there’s no restrict to what number of miles you’ll be able to contribute.
To get began pooling, you have to be at the very least 18 years outdated to create a pool and grow to be the “pool chief.” You will then have the ability so as to add different members and determine which members have redemption privileges.
There are a couple of stipulations. Whenever you’re contributing miles to a pool, you’ve got 24 hours to reverse a transaction, after which you can’t get your pooled miles again. You too can solely function in a single pool at a time. In case you exit a pool, there is a 90-day “cooling” interval earlier than you’ll be able to be part of one other pool or earlier than a brand new member can be part of your outdated pool.
Lastly, you can’t pool Premier qualifying factors, and pooling miles doesn’t have an effect on your Premier standing.
Associated: Airways that enable households to pool miles
Methods 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.
Usually, you will get essentially the most worth out of your miles while you redeem them for flights, which is straightforward to do on United’s web site or app. United bank card holders and Premier members can entry further award house on United flights, so make sure to log into your MileagePlus account earlier than trying to find award flights should you fall into these classes.
United additionally has a cost possibility known as Cash + Miles. Nonetheless, we do not suggest this as a result of it provides a set charge of 1 cent per mile — effectively beneath our April 2025 valuation of 1.35 cents for United miles.
The identical goes for many different methods to redeem United miles, akin to with United Membership memberships, inflight Wi-Fi purchases, TSA PreCheck charges, automotive leases, resort stays, retail merchandise and present playing cards. The worth you will get from these redemptions is nearly at all times considerably decrease than what you will get on an award ticket.
Associated: Methods to change your undesirable present playing cards for United miles
Greatest 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 virtually at all times price lower than $100, these awards may be an effective way to maintain your journey plans versatile since United not prices redeposit charges while you cancel award flights.
You too can discover transcontinental flights beginning at 15,000 miles in economic system class or 30,000 miles in enterprise class when there’s saver award house. You may think about preserving a wholesome “simply in case” stash of miles in your MileagePlus account for last-minute conditions.
For one thing a little bit extra advanced, the United Excursionist Perk is an effective 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 area is free in the identical class because the previous flight. For instance, should 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).
Lastly, you’ll be able to think about using United miles to fly on prime accomplice carriers — together with these with merchandise like ANA’s “The Room” enterprise class or EVA Air’s enterprise class, which provide high-end facilities however include excessive award charges.
Associated: Superb first-class seats you’ll be able to e-book with factors and miles
Backside line
Since United has a large community — and provides new routes ceaselessly — it is simple to earn and redeem MileagePlus miles on flights. In case you reside close to a United hub or wish to benefit from the perks of elite standing, sticking with the MileagePlus loyalty program might make sense. Even should you do not fly United fairly often or do not care about elite standing, you should still discover it helpful to switch miles from this system’s bank card switch companions.
Whichever kind of United flyer you might be, understanding the intricacies of the MileagePlus program may be rewarding.
