Your guide to United MileagePlus travel rewards program

United® Airlines offers a helpful travel rewards program for frequent flyers to earn and redeem miles whenever they fly. Also known as MileagePlus, members can earn miles by flying with United Airlines, booking car rental services, staying in partner hotels, and more.

Understand how to earn and redeem your Mileage Plus rewards, including how to make the most of your membership.

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What is United rewards travel and how does it work?

The United Airlines MileagePlus travel rewards program gives customers a chance to earn and redeem miles for travel perks.

Members of the MileagePlus program can earn miles on any eligible flights operated by United, United Express, or partner airlines. These miles go into your MileagePlus account, and you can choose how you redeem them.¹

You can sign up for a free MileagePlus account, but you’ll need to earn a certain number of miles before you can qualify for Premier status.

This rewards program is great if you regularly travel by air, as you can access seat upgrades, priority check-in, and discounts.

How to earn miles with United

There are a few ways to earn miles with United Airlines. We’ve detailed some of the common options below.

Earn miles by flying

One of the most simple ways to earn miles with United is by flying! You can earn miles with United, Star Alliance, or any other United Airlines partner.

After signing up for MileagePlus, you’ll receive a member number, which you can use for your flight reservations - and you can earn up to a maximum of 75,000 miles per ticket.¹

Shop via the United MileagePlus shopping portal

You can shop from various merchants using the United MileagePlus shopping portal. Simply sign up for an account using your MileagePlus number to start earning points.

You can also earn miles when you visit restaurants using MileagePlus dining.²

Stay in selected hotels

If you stay in a United partner hotel, you can earn points during your visit. This includes many popular hotel chains, such as Best Western® and Marriott®. If you book your hotel through Rocketmiles® or United’s hotel portal, you can also earn miles on your trip.²

Book car rentals

Earn up to 1,250 MileagePlus points when you book a car rental using Avis® or Budget®. You may also get a discount on your car rental with United travel rewards.

The number of miles you can earn depends on your level in the program. For example, MileagePlus general members can earn 500 miles on rentals, but Premier Platinum members can earn 1,250 miles.¹

Use partner services

You can earn miles by using United partner services. The Bank of America® offers airline fee credit, and you can use this with United Airlines.³

Chase also partners with United to provide MileagePlus credit cards, such as the United Explorer Card. This card lets you earn 2 miles per dollar spent on United purchases - and you can also access upgrades, deals, and extra points.⁴

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Bank of America travel rewards and United airlines

The Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card includes airline fee credit to use at various airlines. You can receive up to 100 USD statement credit each calendar year - and you can use this credit toward purchases with United.

Spend your fee credit on airport and plane amenities, such as inflight food and drink. By using this card alongside your United Airlines rewards travel program, you can maximize your travel perks every time you fly.³

Redeeming miles for travel with United

You can redeem your miles for flights with United Airlines and its partner airlines. We’ve put together a step-by-step guide to redeeming miles for travel.

Step 1. Log in to your United MileagePlus account

Step 2. Search for flights with United

Step 3. Select your flight and complete the transaction. And that’s it - simple!

It’s important to remember that any partner offers and rewards may vary depending on which airline you choose, and you need to find eligible United flights to earn points.¹

As with other travel rewards programs, such as the AAdvantage American Airlines® program, it’s best to redeem your United MileagePlus miles for travel. You can book different kinds of award tickets: Saver and Everyday. You’ll get the best value for your points if you choose Saver flights, as these are cheaper.⁵

Can you use your United rewards for someone else?

You can transfer your miles to another person. We’ve put together a step-by-step guide to booking reward travel for someone else.

Step 1. Head to the United Airlines website and select “Transfer Miles”

Step 2. Log in to your MileagePlus account and complete the transfer miles application

Step 3. Pay any transfer fees and wait for the transaction to complete

If you buy a ticket for another MileagePlus member, they will earn the miles, not you.¹

You’ll also need to pay 7.50 USD per 500 miles transferred, and you’ll be charged a 30 USD processing fee. You can only transfer up to 100,000 miles - and you’ll need to transfer your points to another member’s MileagePlus account.¹

Benefits for travel companions on United airlines

There are a few key benefits for your travel companions if you’re a United rewards travel program member.

If you’re a Premier member, a companion traveling on the same reservation as you will be able to access Complimentary Premier Upgrades, even if they aren’t a Premier member.

You can also use your miles to sponsor a Star Alliance Upgrade Award for up to four people - even if you’re not traveling together.¹

Can you upgrade your flight with United Airlines miles?

You can request an upgrade using MileagePlus when you book your flight, or you can add an upgrade after you’ve booked your flight via your MileagePlus account. If you’re a Premier member, you can also choose a PlusPoints upgrade for someone else.¹

What are the travel reward levels with United airlines?

There are a few different United Airlines status levels and you need to qualify for Premier status if you want to access additional benefits.

Qualifying for Premier status is based on your number of Premier Qualifying Flights (PQF) and your Premier Qualifying Points (PQP). You can also access Premier status by earning only PQP, but you’ll have to reach a higher threshold.

You’ll earn 1 PQP for every dollar you spend on flights operated by United or United Express, as long as that flight is eligible for Premier credit.¹

We’ve put together information about the different levels and how to achieve elite status.

General Member

You can sign up as a member for free. At this level, you’ll be able to book award travel with United and any partner airlines.¹ As a general member, you can earn 5x your fare when spending money on flights.¹

Premier Silver

To qualify for Premier Silver, you’ll need to fly 12 PQF and 4000 PQP, or 5000 PQP. You’ll be eligible for Complimentary Premier Upgrades with Premier Silver - and you can earn 7 x miles on every flight.¹

Premier Gold

To qualify for Premier Gold, you’ll need 24 PQF and 8000 PQP on your account, or 10,000 PQP. When you reach 1 million miles, you’ll automatically receive lifetime status. You can also access Star Alliance Gold status and earn 8x miles on every flight.¹

Premier Platinum

If you want to become a Premier Platinum member, you’ll need to earn 36 PQF and 12,000 PQP, or 15,000 PQP. You can get 3 complimentary checked bags in economy and earn 9x miles on every flight.¹

Premier 1K

Premier 1K members can earn 11x miles with every flight and get 280 PlusPoints for reaching this level. You’ll need 54 PQF and 18,000 PQP, or 24,000 PQP to reach this status level - and you can maintain elite lifetime status by reaching 3 million miles.¹

Common questions about United travel rewards

You may have a few questions about the United travel rewards program before signing up.

Do United Airlines miles expire?

The miles you earn through United Airlines won’t expire as long as your account stays active.¹

Can you combine miles from multiple accounts?

You can’t combine miles from different MileagePlus accounts. This includes Premier Qualifying Points.¹

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The United Rewards Travel program is a great way to earn miles by flying, and you can redeem your points on hotel visits, shopping, car rentals, and flights. Simply use your MileagePlus number to start earning and redeeming with United.

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Sources:

1. United
2. NerdWallet
3. The Points Guy
4. Chase
5. Upgraded Points

Sources checked on 08.15.2023