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United MileagePlus guide

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Published on October 17, 2024 | 4 min read

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Key takeaways

  • The United MileagePlus program is a free airline loyalty program that allows you to earn rewards when you fly with United and United partners.
  • Joining the program can also help you achieve elite status, allowing you to earn miles faster, gain access to upgrades and enjoy other perks.
  • United MileagePlus miles can be redeemed for flights with United or eligible United partners, as well as flight upgrades, other types of travel, travel perks, merchandise, gift cards and more.
  • In partnership with Chase, United also offers its own United MileagePlus personal and business credit cards.

The United Airlines MileagePlus loyalty program can help you earn status and award flights with United, whether you fly multiple times per year or just a few. Joining the program is free and easy to use, and doing so can help you earn more miles toward your next trip.

In this guide, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about the United MileagePlus program, including how it works, how to earn and redeem miles, elite status and the best credit cards for earning even more United miles.

How does United MileagePlus work?

The United MileagePlus program is a free airline loyalty program that allows you to earn rewards when you fly with United and United partners. Once you sign up and start earning miles, you can redeem MileagePlus miles for free or reduced travel, merchandise, gift cards and more. Plus, your earning potential increases when you use a United Airlines credit card to book flights.

Flying with United can also help you achieve elite status, allowing you to earn MileagePlus rewards faster, gain access to upgrades and enjoy United Club airport lounge membership at a lower price point.

How to earn United MileagePlus miles

Earning United MileagePlus miles is easy, especially if you book United flights on a regular basis — but even the occasional traveler can rack up United miles by making everyday purchases on a United co-branded credit card.

How to redeem United MileagePlus miles

Whether you’re using your MileagePlus miles to book your next flight or redeeming your miles for once-in-a-lifetime experiences, United MileagePlus members have plenty of valuable redemption options. Here’s how you can redeem your miles:

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Bankrate’s take

Redeeming your miles for options other than flights could mean that you’re getting less value out of your miles than you would otherwise. While it’s better to spend your points on gift cards or subscriptions than to not spend them at all, it’s also important to be mindful about getting the most value possible out of your miles.

How much are United MileagePlus miles worth?

When you book travel through United, you can estimate United MileagePlus redemption values by entering your desired locations, dates and preferences for the time of day and fare class. Although United’s award-pricing system fluctuates depending on the specific flight you book, United MileagePlus miles are worth roughly 0.9 cents each, according to Bankrate’s points and miles valuations. United generally offers its highest redemption values for flight bookings — and if you redeem your miles for something other than flights, you might get less value for each point redeemed.

United MileagePlus vs. other airline programs

Here’s how United miles compare to miles from other popular rewards programs, based on Bankrate’s valuations. 

Rewards program Bankrate value**  Estimated value of 50,000 points/miles
Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles 0.7 cents $350
United Airlines MileagePlus 0.9 cents $450
American Airlines AAdvantage 1.0 cents $500
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan 1.1 cents $550
Delta SkyMiles 1.2 cents $600
JetBlue TrueBlue 1.3 cents $650
Southwest Rapid Rewards 1.5 cents $750
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club 2.6 cents $1,300

**Based on weighted average of median point/mile values across economy and first/business class fares.

United MileagePlus elite status

Earning Premier status with United MileagePlus doesn’t have to take a lot of time. If you fly regularly with United, it shouldn’t be hard to achieve at least the lower tiers of Premier status. Once you reach these levels, you’ll rack up more miles on every flight and become eligible for perks like seat upgrades, free baggage and priority check-in.

To qualify for Premier status, you’ll need to accumulate a certain number of Premier qualifying flights (PQF) and Premier qualifying points (PQP) or a higher number of PQP only. The status levels and qualifications for each level are as follows:

  • Premier Silver: 12 PQF and 4,000 PQP or 5,000 PQP
  • Premier Gold: 24 PQF and 8,000 PQP or 10,000 PQP
  • Premier Platinum: 36 PQF and 12,000 PQP or 15,000 PQP
  • Premier 1K: 54 PQF and 18,000 PQP or 24,000 PQP

United MileagePlus transfer partners

If you want to use your MileagePlus miles to book travel on partner airlines or stay overnight at participating hotels, you have options.

United MileagePlus airline partners

United has more than 40 airline partners offering worldwide travel options. United is a Star Alliance member, meaning that if your preferred airline is United, you can take flights on partner airlines and then credit the miles you earn to your MileagePlus account.

For example, let’s say you take a United flight to Canada and then use Air Canada — a Star Alliance member — to do some additional travel while in the country. Since both airlines are Star Alliance members, you can later redeem the miles you earned from those flights for another flight on a Star Alliance carrier.

United MileagePlus hotel partners

With more than 15,000 hotels to choose from worldwide, it’s easy to find a hotel where you can earn or redeem MileagePlus miles. You can also transfer United miles to hotel points in some of the world’s biggest hotel loyalty programs.

Top credit cards that earn United MileagePlus miles

In partnership with Chase, United offers its own United MileagePlus credit cards, all of which come with unique perks that will make future travel plans easier, cheaper and more enjoyable. Alternatively, you could also consider a general travel card that allows you to transfer rewards to the MileagePlus program.

United℠ Explorer Card image
Best for your first travel rewards card

United℠ Explorer Card

United Club℠ Infinite Card image
Best for frequent flyers who want luxury perks

United Club℠ Visa Infinite Card*

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card image
Best for everyday spending

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

The bottom Line

The United MileagePlus program is one of the best frequent flyer programs out there, especially if you’re interested in attaining elite status quickly. That said, it’s only worth applying for a United credit card if you live in an area that is served by United Airlines and travel to destinations served by United or one of its many partners. If you aren’t likely to fly United on a regular basis, you may want to consider one of the other top airline credit cards

*Information about the United℠ Explorer Card and United Club℠ Visa Infinite Card has been collected independently by Bankrate. Card details have not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.

FAQs about United MileagePlus

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