Earlier this yr, United MileagePlus massively devalued its loyalty program by rising award charges by as much as 122%.
Nonetheless, United miles are straightforward to earn because of a collection of United bank cards and a few main transferable factors companions. You can also redeem miles throughout United’s huge community of home and worldwide routes or on over two dozen Star Alliance companions.
Luckily, United’s web site is among the finest for locating award availability, so you will discover and e book most Star Alliance awards by merely looking out its website — no cellphone calls are required.
Nevertheless, there are a number of quirks to grasp when reserving award flights with United miles, and though there are methods to redeem United miles exterior of flights, you sometimes gained’t get a excessive redemption worth.
Let’s discover the best way to redeem United MileagePlus miles for United flights, companion flights, inns and different merchandise.
Redeem United miles for United flights
United operates one of many largest worldwide and home flight networks, with lots of of locations from which to decide on — and that’s not together with its companion flights.
In November 2021, United additionally launched one other option to redeem miles, Cash + Miles. This feature supplies an unimpressive mounted 1 cent per mile redemption fee. In case your ticket could be paid with Cash + Miles, you will see that this selection on the ultimate cost display screen after choosing seats.
How one can e book flights on United’s web site
As famous above, United’s web site is among the higher Star Alliance choices when looking for award tickets, even with out logging in. Head to United’s web site, enter your flight search standards and examine “E-book with miles.” Then, click on the purple “Discover flights” button to run your search.
Join our each day publication
If in case you have United Premier standing or have a United bank card related along with your MileagePlus account, you’ll wish to log in earlier than looking out. Cardholders and elite standing members achieve entry to further (or discounted) award stock on United-operated flights.
United shows flights on the heart of the web page alongside costs. One good factor concerning the United search engine is that it exhibits every week’s price of award pricing on the prime of the display screen. Click on on a date to see all of the accessible flight choices for a given day. You possibly can type by value by clicking on the label for the cabin you’d wish to fly in. For instance, click on “Enterprise” to see business-class choices.
As soon as you discover an award you want, click on the “choose” button beneath the worth and comply with the on-screen prompts to e book it. Pay the ticket’s taxes and charges with a bank card that earns bonus miles on airfare and supplies journey protections.
Associated: One of the best bank cards for United Airways flyers
Redeem United miles on companion flights
United is a member of Star Alliance, the world’s largest airline alliance. Right here’s a take a look at United’s checklist of alliance Star Alliance companions:
- 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 Air.
- LOT Polish Airways.
- Lufthansa.
- SAS.
- Shenzhen Airways.
- Singapore Airways.
- South African Airways.
- Swiss.
- TAP Air Portugal.
- Thai Airways.
- Turkish Airways.
Juneyao Airways and Thai Smile are connecting companions of Star Alliance.
Moreover, United has a powerful portfolio of non-alliance companions too:
- Aer Lingus.
- Aeromar.
- Air Dolomiti.
- Airlink.
- Azul.
- Boutique Air.
- Cape Air.
- Edelweiss.
- Emirates.
- Eurowings.
- Eurowings Uncover.
- Hawaiian Airways.
- JSX.
- Olympic Air.
- Silver Airways.
- Virgin Australia.
- Vistara.
One of many greatest positives of redeeming United miles is that the MileagePlus program doesn’t impose gasoline surcharges on companion award tickets. Reserving by different packages (like ANA Mileage Membership or Asiana Membership) can add lots of of {dollars} in further taxes and charges. However at instances, reserving by companions will value you considerably fewer miles.
The absence of gasoline surcharges comes with a value, although. United’s premium cabin award charges for long-haul companion flights are sometimes increased than the least costly awards operated by United. With its Europe devaluation, anticipate to spend a minimum of 80,000 miles on a one-way United-operated flight or 102,400 miles on a one-way partner-operated flight from the U.S. to Europe in enterprise class. In the meantime, flights to Asia and different continents will nearly all the time value above 100,000 miles now.
Associated: Asiana is leaving Star Alliance. These are the carriers I might wish to see be part of as its alternative
Redeem for different journey
You can even redeem United MileagePlus miles for United Membership memberships, lodge stays and Wi-Fi. However we seldom suggest doing this. These redemptions normally yield a far decrease worth than TPG’s valuations, which peg the worth of MileagePlus miles at 1.1 cents every. You’ll normally get a price beneath 0.75 cents for these redemptions.
That mentioned, right here’s a fast take a look at your entire different journey redemption choices alongside their redemption values:
Redeem United miles for inns
You need to use United Inns to e book lodge rooms utilizing your United miles, nevertheless it isn’t a superb deal. Utilizing United’s lodge reserving portal, I checked for a one-night keep on the Andaz Singapore. One evening in February 2024 prices $578.19 or 83,190 miles, which implies you’ll get about 0.7 cents per mile in worth. You’re much better off paying money or redeeming World of Hyatt factors for this explicit keep.
Switch United miles to Marriott Bonvoy
You possibly can switch United miles to Marriott Bonvoy at a 1:1 ratio. This isn’t a superb deal both — TPG values Marriott Bonvoy factors at 0.84 cents every, which is 0.26 cents per level lower than TPG’s valuation of United miles. You need to solely switch miles to Marriott if it’s a small variety of miles to top-up for a particular, high-value Marriott award.
Purchase inflight Wi-Fi with United miles
You need to use United miles to pay for inflight Wi-Fi on home United flights, however the fee varies by flight size. The airline additionally gives a $49 month-to-month Wi-Fi go for $49 or 7,500 miles. Nevertheless, by redeeming United miles for this go, you’d solely get 0.65 cents per mile in worth, so we suggest steering away from this redemption.
Associated: How one can save on inflight Wi-Fi on your subsequent journey
Pay for TSA PreCheck with United miles
Lastly, you’ll be able to redeem United miles for TSA PreCheck. 11,000 United miles covers the $78 software payment, which means you’d solely get a redemption worth of 0.7 cents per mile. You’re much better off getting a bank card that covers the TSA PreCheck or World Entry software payment, just like the United℠ Explorer Card. Then it can save you on the payment and earn a brand new sign-up bonus.
Associated: Flights, bank cards and extra: How one can earn miles with the United MileagePlus program
Redeem for merchandise
You can even redeem United miles for merchandise, reward playing cards, newspapers and Broadway tickets. Like redeeming miles for inns, these redemptions are typically a poor worth that we suggest skipping.
Right here’s a fast take a look at your entire choices alongside their redemption charges.
Redeem United miles for merchandise
You possibly can redeem United miles for merchandise through United’s on-line retailer. This retailer gives electronics, baggage and residential items. We don’t suggest doing this, as you’ll typically get a low redemption worth. For instance, a pair of the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 prices 66,800 miles. These headphones retail for $379, providing you with simply 0.58 cents per mile in worth.
Pay for MileagePlus X reward playing cards with United miles
We suggest incomes miles with the MileagePlus X app, however we don’t suggest spending your miles with it. This app permits you to buy reward playing cards for rapid use and earn miles. You’ll get a mere 0.3 cents per mile in worth should you redeem miles for reward playing cards. This is among the worst doable redemptions you can also make.
Subscribe to newspapers and magazines with United miles
You can even redeem United miles for journal and newspaper subscriptions, however this can be a poor use of miles because it yields an especially low redemption worth.
Donate your United miles to charities
Lastly, you’ll be able to donate United miles to pick out charities. You possibly can donate a minimal of 1,000 miles at a time and select from varied charities. This is usually a good possibility for many who wish to liquidate their mileage steadiness and provides to a superb trigger. That mentioned, it’s all the time price contemplating if a money donation is a more practical manner to assist.
Associated: How one can donate your factors and miles to charity
Finest use of United miles
United has devalued its miles time after time, however there are nonetheless a handful of wonderful methods to redeem United miles. Right here’s a take a look at a number of the finest United MileagePlus candy spots it is best to find out about.
Journey from the U.S. to Europe on a United Airways flight
Though United elevated Europe saver award charges by round 33%, you’ll be able to nonetheless fly to Europe for 31,800 miles in financial system class on off-peak dates. This is usually a nice use of miles.
Quick-haul Europe and home Japan awards
You may think about using your United miles on short-haul Europe and home Japan awards. These flights typically value underneath 10,000 miles; you probably have Star Alliance Gold standing, you may have entry to Star Alliance-branded lounges.
Low-cost home award tickets on United
One of many good issues about United’s transfer to dynamic pricing is the addition of low-cost award tickets. Among the low-cost tickets we’ve seen just lately embody Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport (EWR) to San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO) for 12,500 miles and Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX) to Denver Worldwide Airport (DEN) for 8,200 miles.
On the time of writing, this LAX to DEN flight was on sale for $103 in United’s deeply discounted “G” fare class. Should you redeemed miles for this flight, you’d get a redemption worth of 1.19 cents per mile, which is above TPG’s present valuation of United miles.
Free stopovers with the Excursionist Perk
One of many advantages of reserving round-trip or multicity awards with United is the Excursionist Perk. This perk permits you to add a free stopover to pick out round-trip tickets.
In its most simple kind, you employ this perk to e book one thing like Newark to London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR), then London to Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and eventually Frankfurt again to Newark — with stops in each London and Frankfurt. You wouldn’t pay any further miles for the London to Frankfurt leg, a wonderful money-saver on a European journey.
Associated: One of the best packages for maximizing stopovers and open jaws on award tickets
How one can discover United award area
Fortunately, discovering United award area is comparatively easy. Many vacationers think about United’s web site the finest Star Alliance search engine since nearly all United and Star Alliance companion award area is obtainable on-line. You’ll hardly ever must name United to e book an award ticket — search on-line and e book accordingly.
That mentioned, United’s web site generally exhibits phantom award area. That is when an award seems on-line that isn’t bookable. You possibly can confirm award area earlier than you switch miles from Chase Final Rewards by looking out ANA’s web site. ANA’s search software isn’t probably the most intuitive however dependable. All flights proven on ANA’s web site ought to be bookable with United miles.
Associated: One of the best web sites to seek for Star Alliance award availability
Steadily requested questions
The United MileagePlus program might initially appear daunting — particularly should you’re new to the factors and miles world. Listed below are solutions to a number of the most ceaselessly requested questions relating to United MileagePlus:
How do I be part of United MileagePlus?
You possibly can be part of United MileagePlus without spending a dime. Head to United’s web site and click on “Be part of now” within the higher proper nook of the display screen. Then, enter the requested info on the heart of the display screen.
When you’ve signed up, you will discover your MileagePlus quantity by clicking in your title on the prime of the display screen. Add this quantity to United and Star Alliance companion bookings to earn mileage.
Associated: United’s finest saved elite standing secret: How one can earn PQP sooner with companion flights
When do United miles expire?
In 2019, United modified its expiration coverage for the higher. These days, United miles don’t expire even throughout extended durations of inactivity. This is good news for infrequent United flyers and vacationers with out rapid use for his or her United miles.
Can I switch factors to United MileagePlus?
You possibly can switch miles from Chase Final Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy to United MileagePlus. You possibly can switch Chase Final Rewards to United at a 1:1 ratio with a 1,000-mile minimal switch. These transfers course of immediately, providing you with a quick and straightforward option to accrue miles.
Marriott Bonvoy factors switch to United MileagePlus at a 3:1 ratio. Nevertheless, you’ll get 10,000 bonus miles for each 60,000 factors you switch because of to United and Marriott’s RewardsPlus partnership. Simply word that transfers take roughly three days to course of based mostly on our prior checks.
Associated: Marriott Titanium and Ambassador Elites can declare United standing in underneath 5 minutes
Backside line
There are numerous methods to redeem your United MileagePlus miles, however you’re typically finest off trying to e book award flights. Fortunately, reserving these tickets on-line with United and its Star Alliance companions is comparatively straightforward.
The provider’s award search engine is among the finest on the market, and this system costs low taxes and charges in comparison with different Star Alliance mileage packages. And with the power to switch Chase Final Rewards factors to United at a 1:1 ratio, you’ll be able to rapidly enhance your account and unlock a few of these redemptions as you intend your subsequent journey.
Further reporting by Kyle Olsen.
