How to earn United miles You can earn miles when you fly on United or its partner airlines, by using a United Airlines credit card and by shopping and dining with partners. MileagePlus
MileagePlus
MileagePlus is the loyalty program of United Airlines and Aeromar that offers rewards to passengers traveling on certain types of tickets. Following the 2011 merger agreement between United Airlines and Continental Airlines, United Mileage Plus was chosen to be the frequent flye…
Full Answer
How much does it cost to buy United miles?
You can buy 1,000 United miles at a cost of $35, plus taxes and fees. The minimum purchase amount is 2,000 miles, and you may buy miles for yourself or to give to another MileagePlus member. Considering you're paying 3.5 cents each for miles that are worth about 1.2 cents each, this is usually not a good way to get United miles.
Does United have a frequent flyer program?
United MileagePlus is the frequent flyer program for United Airlines, which is a member of Star Alliance. The United frequent flyer program is known for its wide range of award travel destinations, excellent economy award availability and a variety of ways to earn and redeem miles.
How do you earn miles on United Airlines?
- Earn 80,000 bonus milesafter you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open
- Earn 3x miles on United® purchases, 2x miles on dining, select streaming services & all other travel, 1x on all other purchases
- Earn 3x miles on United purchases
- Earn 2x miles on dining and select streaming services
- Earn 2x miles on all other travel
How to earn United MileagePlus miles?
You can earn United Airlines miles by booking through one of three hotel booking websites:
- United Hotels powered by Hotels.com offers United MileagePlus member deals and earns 2x United miles on your stay.
- Rocketmiles allows you to earn 1,000 to 10,000 United miles per night.
- PointsHound allows you to earn up to 10,000 miles per night.
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How does United calculate miles earned?
Standard United MileagePlus members earn 5x the cost of their ticket. So multiply the cost of your ticket by five and and you'll get the number of miles you'll earn for that flight.
How many United miles do you earn per flight?
Entry-level MileagePlus members earn 5 miles for every dollar spent on United flights. If you have elite status, you can earn an additional 2 to 6 miles per dollar spent based on your level. Savvy traveler tip: You do earn United miles on Basic Economy fares just as you would when you buy any other flight.
How much is 1000 United miles worth?
United Miles vs The CompetitionRewards ProgramAverage Mile ValueValue of 1,000 MilesUnited MileagePlus1.29 cents$12.9Alaska Airlines1.18 cents$11.8Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards1.37 cents$13.7LATAM Pass1.18 cents$11.81 more row•Mar 24, 2022
How do I get United PQP without flying?
The primary way to earn PQPs is by flying on United or its Star Alliance partners. But you can also earn PQPs on the ground. Eligible United credit card holders can earn a limited number of PQPs by spending on their co-branded airline credit card.
How many United miles do you need to fly to Hawaii?
The Best Ways to Get to Hawaii With Points and MilesRewards ProgramOperating AirlineEconomy (Round-Trip)Air France/KLM Flying BlueDelta35,000Singapore Airlines KrisFlyerUnited35,000Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMilesHawaiian Airlines40,000(+)United MileagePlusUnited20,000+8 more rows
Do United miles expire?
As of August 2019, United Airlines miles no longer expire. That's right — United flyers don't have to worry about losing miles because they didn't keep their United MileagePlus account active. The quick answer is United miles don't expire as long as your United account is open and in good standing.
How much is 500000 United miles worth?
With all these customer-unfriendly devaluations of the United MileagePlus program, TPG's valuations now peg the value of United miles at just 1.21 cents each. Even so, I value my 500,000 MileagePlus miles at around $25,000 — more than four times TPG's valuations.
How much is 100000 United miles worth?
TPG values United miles at 1.3 cents each, making this bonus worth $1,300. It's important to note that this valuation dropped last year when United removed its award chart and switched to dynamic pricing for its own flights and Star Alliance partner flights.
How many United miles is a dollar?
Here's the short answer: The value of United MileagePlus miles is roughly 1.2 cents each. You can get more or less value from each mile depending on when and how you use them, but this is a good estimate for comparing your own redemptions. Key takeaways: United miles are worth about 1.2 cents each.
Do paid upgrades count towards PQP?
No. The only non-ticket purchases that may earn PQP are Economy Plus, preferred seating purchases, paid upgrades, and MileagePlus Upgrade Award co-pays.
Can you buy status on United?
Although 2021 has come to an end, there's still an opportunity to achieve the next level of United's sought-after Premier status for 2022 — by buying up. If your account was targeted, you may have the opportunity to purchase the status level above what you earned in 2021.
How do you become 1K on United?
Reach 100,000 Elite Qualifying Miles or 100 Elite Qualifying Segments within a single calendar year. Once you have collected this mileage amount, United will automatically upgrade your frequent flier status to United 1K traveler.
How much is 50k United miles worth?
about $60050,000 United miles are worth about $600. How much are 80,000 United miles worth? 80,000 United miles are worth about $960.
How much is 40000 United miles worth?
Based on NerdWallet's most recent analysis, here's how 40,000 miles shakes out in dollar values across major U.S. airlines. You should expect 40,000 miles to be worth about $493....Airline miles to dollars: An overview.AirlineEstimated value of 40,000 milesSpirit Airlines$320.United Airlines$480.7 more rows
Do you earn miles after a flight?
In general, if you're buying your ticket with your credit card from the airline or booking using points through your bank's travel portal, you should receive credit. Conversely, when you redeem your miles for an award flight, you will not earn miles for that trip.
How do you earn United plus points?
How do I earn PlusPoints on United? PlusPoints are automatically granted to elite members when they earn their status. Premier Platinum members receive 40 PlusPoints, while Premier 1K members get an additional 280 points (320 points total). You can also earn additional PlusPoints by flying more.
What are United miles?
United’s points program is called MileagePlus. The points you earn, redeem, and transfer are United MileagePlus miles.
Which credit cards earn United miles?
You can earn miles for United MileagePlus with the United Explorer Card, United MileagePlus Card, and United MileagePlus Business Card. MileagePlus...
What are United MileagePlus miles worth?
The value of United MileagePlus miles depends on where you are redeeming your points. It lies somewhere between 1 cent per mile and 2.5 cents per m...
How do I transfer United MileagePlus miles to a spouse?
Sign in to your account at united.com and hover over MileagePlus in the navigation at the top. Choose Buy, Transfer, and Give miles and then select...
Who are United MileagePlus partners?
United Mileage Plus program has several airline and hotel partners. Airlines: British Airways Executive Club Korean Air SkyPass Singapore Airlines...
When do United MileagePlus miles post in your account?
United miles should post to your account within 3-7 days. If miles are missing after this time period, consider requesting missing miles.
Are United MileagePlus miles refundable?
Yes, but a $150 fee per traveler may apply. You can cancel a trip and get a redeposit of miles online.
When do United MileagePlus miles expire?
United MileagePlus miles no longer expire.
How many miles per dollar do you get with Villas of Distinction?
Save on your next vacation with Villas of Distinction. Enjoy great service, access to premium offers and earn 3 miles per dollar.
What is the app MileagePlus X?
Download the MileagePlus X app to start earning miles for every dollar you spend. Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google Inc.
Is United MileagePlus subject to change?
The accrual of miles and Premier ® qualifying credits, redemption of and provision of benefits through the United MileagePlus program, including the Premier Program, are subject to change and are subject to the rules of the MileagePlus program.
How to earn miles on United Airlines?
1. Sign up for United Airlines credit cards. By far, the best way to earn a lot of United miles quickly is by signing up for credit cards.
How to get miles fast with United?
By far, the best way to earn a lot of United miles quickly is by signing up for credit cards. United is currently offering three personal cards and two business cards. Note that all United cards are issued by Chase, which is important to keep in mind given Chase’s 5/24 rule on its credit cards.
How much is 60,000 Marriott miles worth?
NerdWallet values Marriott points at 0.7 cent each. As such, 60,000 Marriott points equate to $420. Based on our 1 cent valuation of United miles, 27,500 miles are worth $275. Considering this math, a conversion of Marriott points to United miles does not make a ton of sense.
How to get United points?
Another great way to earn United points is by transferring them from Chase Ultimate Rewards®. Points transfer at a 1:1 ratio, and the process is pretty straightforward. You will need a credit card from Chase that earns Ultimate Rewards® points. NerdWallet recommends the following cards:
How many airline partners does United have?
You can also earn United miles when flying on 37 airline partners, 25 of which are part of Star Alliance. United’s membership in the Star Alliance network offers incredible opportunities for earning miles given the extensive coverage provided by the partner airlines.
How to transfer Chase points to United?
When you’re ready to transfer points from Chase to United, log into your Chase account and head over to the Chase Ultimate Rewards® page. From the menu at the top, select Transfer to Travel Partners.
What companies does United offer bonus miles?
United is currently offering the opportunity to earn bonus miles with three car-service companies, Sixt, Carmel and Execucar.
How many miles can you earn on TravelEx?
As of the time of writing, you can earn up to 3,000 miles per transaction.
How much PQP do you get on United Airlines in 2021?
For every $12,000 spent on these cards cardmembers earn 500 PQP, up to 1,000 PQP per calendar year.
How many miles can you buy with United Miles?from thepointcalculator.com
If you're short a few miles of a redemption, you can buy United Miles from their online portal. You can buy up to 175,000 United Miles per calendar year.
How long does it take to get miles on United Airlines?from united.com
The miles you earn for flights operated by United and United Express should credit to your account 48 hours after your travel is completed.
How much is United Airlines tax?from united.com
The price displayed when purchasing a ticket on united.com includes up to a 7.5% U.S. Federal Transportation Tax on the base amount of the fare on itineraries wholly within the United States. This tax also applies to certain itineraries between the United States and Canada or Mexico. You will not earn PQD or miles for the full amount of the displayed price for these itineraries because the U.S. Federal Transportation tax is not eligible to earn PQD or miles.
What is PQD on United Airlines?from united.com
Members earn Premier qualifying dollars (PQD) for the base fare and carrier-imposed surcharges on eligible flights operated by United and United Express. Certain specialty tickets, including but not limited to unpublished, consolidator/bulk, group, tour and opaque fares, do not earn PQD.
How many credit cards does United have?from thepointcalculator.com
United offers a total of six credit cards held by Chase Bank which consists of four personal credit cards and two business credit cards. Calculate total United Miles and the cash value of cards based on spend, how much you value card benefits, and annual fees. Compare results side-by-side top credit cards.
What is Premier qualifying points?from united.com
Premier qualifying points (PQP) are based on the cash portion of the base fare paid.
What is flight distance?from united.com
Flight distance is defined as the miles scheduled for a specific flight, as determined solely by United.
How many miles can you earn on United?
Earnings vary by company, but you can typically expect to earn at least 50 miles per rental period:
How do United miles work?
Over the years, United has changed how you earn miles when flying on United-operated flights. Instead of earning based on miles flown, you now earn MileagePlus miles based on your ticket’s base price (minus taxes). You’ll also earn additional miles if you have MileagePlus elite status — the higher your status, the more miles you earn.
What is MileagePlus X?
MileagePlus X is like a shopping portal for brick-and-mortar shopping. (Image courtesy of United)
How many miles does a United card earn?
Earning miles: The card earns 3x miles on United purchases, 2x miles on restaurant, travel and select streaming services and 1 mile elsewhere.
Can you earn United miles with a cobranded card?
Earn with United credit cards. You have a few options when it comes to earning United miles with credit cards . The most obvious of these is earning miles with United cobranded credit cards. You can quickly rack up miles by using these cards to pay for your everyday spending.
Can you use United miles on a cruise?
But when it’s safe to do so, you can earn a ton of United miles on your cruise booking. The MileagePlus cruise portal lets you earn and redeem United miles for booking a cruise.
Does United Airlines transfer points to Marriott?
Better yet, United has a preferred transfer rate due to the airline’s RewardsPlus partnership with Marriott. As of the time of writing, Marriott points transfer to United MileagePlus at a 3:1.1 ratio. This is in addition to the 5,000-mile bonus we mentioned earlier, so transferring 60,000 Marriott points to United results in 27,000 United miles.
How many miles can you earn on a United flight?
Government-imposed taxes and fees do not earn miles. Generally, the most you can earn on a ticket is 75,000 miles. Earning on other airlines: When the ticket is issued by United (ticket number starting with 016), you’ll earn miles based on the cost of the fare.
How many miles per dollar on United Airlines?
2 miles per dollar on eligible United Airlines purchases, hotel stays and at restaurants.
What is United Airlines frequent flyer program?
United Airlines’ frequent-flyer program uses a currency called MileagePlus miles, which NerdWallet values at an average of 1 cent each. You earn miles when you fly on United or one of its partner airlines, and you can redeem them for award flights.
What is United Airlines?
United Airlines is among the largest airlines in the U.S. and the world. It’s the dominant carrier at O'Hare International in Chicago, and it operates domestic hubs in Houston, Newark, Denver, San Francisco, Washington-Dulles, Los Angeles and Guam. The United MileagePlus program is the airline’s loyalty program.
What credit card gives you miles?
NerdWallet's favorite credit card for the MileagePlus program is the United℠ Explorer Card . It gives you 2 miles per dollar spent at restaurants, on hotel stays and on purchases from United, and 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases. You get a great sign-up bonus to start: Earn 40,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. The annual fee is $0 intro for the first year, then $95 — but the checked bag benefit on this card can make up for it quickly. The first checked bag is free for you and a companion traveling on your reservation.
How much is a break even for miles?
For example, break-even would be a flight that costs $400 or 40,000 miles ( 40,000 miles * .01 per mile). If you can book a $400 flight for 25,000 miles, that’s a better use of miles (1.6 cents per mile). United has many opportunities for sweet spot redemptions.
What are the elite levels of United?
On United, elite statuses are called Premier levels. From lowest to highest, they are Silver, Gold, Platinum and 1K.
How much do United miles earn?
Regular MileagePlus members (i.e. those without elite status) earn 5x miles per dollar spent on airfare with United or United Express. Those with Premier Silver status earn 7x, Premier Golds earn 8x, Premier Platinums get 9x and finally, Premier 1Ks earn 11x miles per dollar.
How many miles does a domestic economy award ticket cost?
These days, one-way domestic economy award tickets start at a mere 5,000 miles, but can range up to over 30,000 miles. You can find saver business or first-class awards within the US for as few as 25,000 miles, but also as high as over 60,000 miles.
How many Star Alliance partners does United have?
United also has 24 Star Alliance airline partners and 12 non-alliance airline partners with whom MileagePlus members can accrue miles when traveling. They include major carriers like ANA, Air Canada, EVA Air, Lufthansa, SAS and Singapore Airlines, among others.
How to search for United Airlines tickets?
To search for tickets, just go to United.com, enter in your origin, destination, and flight dates, and make sure the box that says, "Book with miles" is checked. You can even check "Flexible dates" to see a month's worth of award availability and filter your search by cabin class, which makes it easier to find the flights you need.
How much do Singapore Airlines tickets earn?
For instance, tickets on Singapore Airlines earn between 0-150% of the distance flown, while those on SWISS earn 0-200%. So it pays to check the mileage rates on each individual partner page before committing to a ticket.
How many United credit cards are there?
There are five United credit cards to consider if you just want to earn United miles and enjoy some day-of-travel perks to boot.
Can you redeem United miles on flights?
Just as you can earn United miles on flights with partner airlines, you can also redeem them for award tickets on the carrier's Star Alliance and non-alliance partners. United stealthily raised award prices across the board by around 10% earlier this year, and then bumped them up again for close-in bookings in October — all of which has driven these prices higher still.
How much are United miles worth?
This is especially true now that United has moved to dynamic pricing, but at a minimum, you should be able to get an average value of ~1.3 cents per mile, and more for last-minute domestic flights. If you use your miles for awards like business-class seats to Europe, you could very well get value of up to 10+ cents per mile.
How many miles does United Airlines charge for a round trip?
United Airlines charges 60,000 miles for round-trip, saver-level coach flights to Europe, which means you can get a lot of value from your miles using them for tickets to top vacation destinations like Paris, London or Madrid.
Can you use United miles on Turkish Airlines?
A scenario where using United miles may not make sense is when using another travel rewards currency offers a better value. For example, Turkish Airlines is a Star Alliance partner, so you can use Turkish miles to book United flights.
Can you transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to United Airlines?
Normally, when we want to book award flights on United Airlines, we transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Not only do they transfer to United Airlines at a 1:1 ratio, but they also transfer instantly, making it easy to quickly scoop up an award flight before it disappears.
Do United miles add value?
You often get even more value for your miles if you’re booking a last-minute flight, even with the miles surcharge United has added in place of the old close-in booking fee.
Is United Airlines dynamic pricing?
United Airlines recently moved to dynamic pricing, but the way you calculate the value of your miles is still the same:
Does United Airlines have economy flights?
And as of now United doesn’t have Basic Economy award flights, so with miles you are booking a more expensive and less restrictive economy fare that allows refunds (for a fee), seat selection and more. Here are some good deals you can get when you book United Airlines award flights:
Some background
Like many carriers, United has removed a member’s distance flown from its annual requirements for earning elite status. Nowadays, the carrier largely awards elite status to members with high annual spending — at least when you earn status on United's own flights.
The basics of earning United elite status with partners
Air Canada's business class is one of the best partner PQP-earning opportunities. (Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
Example United partner bookings
Now that you know how to calculate the number of PQPs you'll earn on a partner award ticket, here are some examples of earning PQPs with Star Alliance partners. These were found when writing this story and may no longer be available, but they're here to serve as inspiration for finding your own partner itineraries to maximize PQP-earning.
Bottom line
No matter which cabin you travel in, each of these examples lets you earn significantly more than the 1 PQP per dollar you would earn on United- and United Express-operated flights. Even if you're starting from scratch, you can earn a healthy stock of both PQPs and MileagePlus miles on partner flights.
