Late final yr, United MileagePlus made some modifications to its advantages and elite standing — they usually weren’t all good. Nonetheless, United Airways miles are straightforward to earn because of a set of United bank cards and a few main switch companions. You can also redeem miles throughout United’s huge community of home and worldwide routes or on over two dozen Star Alliance companions.
Nonetheless, there are a number of quirks to grasp when reserving award flights with United miles. Plus, there are additionally different methods to redeem United miles, however you usually will not get a excessive redemption worth.
Let’s discover how one can redeem United MileagePlus miles for United flights, accomplice flights, journey, merchandise and extra.
Redeem United miles for United flights
United operates one of many largest worldwide and home flight networks, with a whole lot of locations from which to decide on — and that is not together with its accomplice flights.
United provides you the choice to e book flights with cash, miles or a mixture of the 2. Nonetheless, since Cash + Miles tickets present an unimpressive redemption charge of 1 cent per mile (or much less), we do not advocate this route. As a substitute, we’ll deal with getting essentially the most out of your miles by reserving award tickets fully with miles.
Methods to e book award flights on United’s web site
United’s web site is without doubt one of the finest for locating award availability, so you’ll be able to e book most Star Alliance awards by merely looking out on-line or within the app — no telephone calls are required.
You’ll be able to seek for award flights with out logging in, however you probably have United Premier standing or a United bank card, you will need to log in earlier than looking out. Cardholders and elite members achieve entry to further (or discounted) award stock on United-operated flights.
Head to United’s web site, enter your flight search standards and verify “E-book with miles.” Then, click on the “Discover flights” button to run your search.
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Above the search outcomes, you will discover costs for 3 days earlier than and after your chosen date. It’s also possible to toggle between cash and miles within the drop-down menu on the prime.
To see award costs throughout a whole month, select “Superior search” within the search field and verify the “Versatile dates” field. It’s also possible to select your most well-liked cabin.
A calendar will pop up, with the bottom costs for that month in inexperienced. Click on on a date to discover flight choices.
As soon as you discover an award you want, click on the field containing the value and observe the on-screen prompts to e book it with miles. You will must pay for the taxes and costs in money; we advocate utilizing a bank card that earns bonus miles on airfare and gives journey insurance coverage.
Associated: Does paying the taxes and costs on award flights set off journey protections?
Redeem United miles on accomplice flights
United is a member of Star Alliance, the world’s largest airline alliance. Its members embrace Avianca, Ethiopian Airways, Lufthansa and Singapore Airways; take a look at our Star Alliance information for a full checklist. United has a formidable portfolio of nonalliance companions, too, together with Aer Lingus, Emirates and Hawaiian Airways. You’ll be able to e book accomplice flights with United miles by means of United’s web site, as described above.
One of many greatest upsides of the MileagePlus program is that it would not impose gas surcharges on accomplice award tickets. Reserving by means of different applications (like ANA Mileage Membership) can add a whole lot of {dollars} in taxes and costs. Plus, redeeming United miles for partner-operated flights to Europe can doubtlessly prevent 1000’s of miles.
Remember that you would be able to basically add a free stopover to pick out round-trip tickets with United’s Excursionist Perk, which applies to each United-operated and accomplice flights.
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Redeem United miles for journey, merchandise and extra
It’s also possible to redeem United MileagePlus miles for United Membership lounge memberships, lodge stays and Wi-Fi — however we seldom advocate doing this. These redemptions often yield a worth of 1 cent per mile or much less, effectively under TPG’s March 2025 valuation of 1.35 cents every for United miles.
That mentioned, here is a fast take a look at these different journey redemption choices.
Redeem United miles for motels
You’ll be able to earn 2 United miles per greenback spent on paid lodge bookings by means of United Motels. Or, toggle the “Use MileagePlus miles” button within the prime proper nook to e book your stick with miles.
You will not get essentially the most worth to your miles this manner. Within the instance above, a one-night keep on the Luxor Resort and On line casino prices 21,894 miles per evening after taxes and costs, or simply $220 in the event you pay in money. That comes out to roughly 1 cent per mile. You are higher off paying money and incomes miles on the acquisition than redeeming them for award flights.
In case you maintain MileagePlus Premier standing, you’ll be able to switch United miles to Marriott Bonvoy at a 1:1 ratio. This is not a superb deal both — TPG values Marriott Bonvoy factors at 0.7 cents every per our March 2025 valuations, which is roughly half our valuation of United miles. Nonetheless, it is a good choice to have in the event you’re quick a couple of Bonvoy factors for a high-value Marriott redemption.
Associated: Fast Factors: Earn as much as 25 factors per greenback spent on Southwest Motels stays
Make inflight purchases with United miles
Although United has introduced plans to deliver free Wi-Fi to each flight, for now, you continue to must pay for this privilege — and you are able to do so with miles. The fee varies by flight size; as an illustration, on U.S. home and short-haul worldwide flights, Wi-Fi prices $8 or 800 miles for MileagePlus members. It’s also possible to buy a Wi-Fi subscription for $49 or 7,500 miles per thirty days.
Equally, you’ll be able to pay for inflight snacks together with your miles. A $5 can of Pringles prices 590 miles, whereas a $10 cup of chardonnay will set you again 1,180 miles.
These choices provide you with a worth of about 0.85 cents per mile, so we advocate saving your miles for higher redemptions.
Associated: Rating free and discounted inflight Wi-Fi with these bank cards
Improve your journey expertise with United miles
United provides a couple of different travel-related redemptions, although none are an amazing worth.
You’ll be able to redeem 11,000 United miles for a cost code that covers the $78 TSA PreCheck price for brand new and renewal functions, providing you with a worth of 0.7 cents per mile. Particular person United Membership lounge memberships price $750 or 94,000 miles per yr, providing you with a worth of about 0.8 cents per mile. All-access memberships price between $1,200 (150,000 miles) and $1,400 (175,000 miles), relying in your elite standing, providing you with a worth of 0.8 cents per mile.
In these instances, you are higher off getting a bank card that covers the TSA PreCheck or International Entry utility price or gives lounge entry. The next United playing cards provide one or each of those perks, plus a priceless welcome bonus:
- United℠ Explorer Card (see charges and costs): Earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 on qualifying purchases within the first three months from opening an account, with a $0 annual price the primary yr, then $150.
- United Quest℠ Card (see charges and costs): Earn 90,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying factors after spending $4,000 on qualifying purchases within the first three months from opening an account.
- United Membership℠ Card (see charges and costs): Earn 95,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on qualifying purchases within the first three months from opening an account.
- United℠ Enterprise Card (see charges and costs): Earn 125,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on qualifying purchases within the first three months from opening an account.
Lastly, you’ll be able to e book seat upgrades with miles. As an illustration, on an upcoming flight from Denver to London, you should buy varied premium seats for roughly 1 cent per mile.
Associated: The final word information to getting upgraded on United Airways
Redeem United miles for merchandise and present playing cards
You’ll be able to redeem United miles for merchandise, similar to electronics, baggage and residential items, by way of United’s on-line retailer. You will typically get a rock-bottom redemption worth — for instance, a pair of Bose QuietComfort headphones prices 53,900 miles. These headphones retail for $349, providing you with a worth of simply 0.66 cents per mile.
We advocate incomes miles with the MileagePlus X app, which helps you to buy present playing cards for instant use and earn bonus miles, however we do not advocate spending your miles with it. You will get round 0.3 cents per mile in worth this manner, making it one of many worst doable redemptions you may make.
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Donate your United miles to charity
Lastly, you’ll be able to donate your United miles to pick out charities by means of Miles on a Mission. It is a good choice for individuals who need to liquidate their mileage stability and provides to a superb trigger. That mentioned, it is unclear how a lot cash per mile will likely be donated to your charity of alternative.
Associated: How one can donate your factors and miles to charity
Backside line
There are a lot of methods to redeem your United MileagePlus miles, however you are typically finest off reserving award flights. Fortunately, reserving these tickets on-line with United and its companions is comparatively straightforward. And with the flexibility to switch bank card factors from Bilt Rewards and Chase Final Rewards to United at a 1:1 ratio, you’ll be able to shortly enhance your account and unlock some stellar redemptions.
In case you’re considering making use of for a United bank card, there are a number of enticing welcome bonuses that might make it value including one to your pockets.
