Did you obtain reward playing cards for the vacations that you simply aren’t that enthusiastic about?
We’ve got some excellent news: You possibly can flip these undesirable reward playing cards into United MileagePlus miles by way of United’s MileagePlus Present Card Trade. This is the way it works.
Which reward playing cards are eligible?
On the MileagePlus Present Card Trade touchdown web page, United notes that “over 100” varieties of service provider reward playing cards are accepted. On the backside of that web page, there is a hyperlink to an inventory of the retailers whose reward playing cards this system will take, together with Finest Purchase, Sears, Starbucks and Walmart.
Nevertheless, observe that some retailers on its record aren’t truly obtainable for change on the web site, similar to House Depot and Southwest Airways. There are additionally loads of retailers obtainable for change that are not on the record, together with North Face and HP.
Associated: Flights, bank cards and extra: Methods to earn miles with the United MileagePlus program
Is it price it?
United has a chart itemizing the “minimal award miles awarded,” which might make you assume that some choices provide extra miles than these charges. However I checked dozens of various retailers, and the mileage provide was the identical for every one.
Regardless of the chart, you are not restricted to $25, $50 and $100 reward playing cards. You possibly can change any reward card with not less than a $15 minimal steadiness. From what we have gathered, the calculation is the reward card worth instances 26.6, rounded as much as the closest 10 miles. This charge imputes a price on the United miles of between 3.70-3.76 cents per mile, relying on how a lot you are buying and selling in. For instance:
- $15 reward playing cards = 400 United miles (3.75 cents per mile)
- $20 reward playing cards = 540 United miles (3.70 cents per mile)
- $25 reward playing cards = 670 United miles (3.73 cents per mile)
- $30 reward playing cards = 800 United miles (3.75 cents per mile)
- $40 reward playing cards = 1,070 United miles (3.74 cents per mile)
- $50 reward playing cards = 1,330 United miles (3.76 cents per mile)
- $100 reward playing cards = 2,660 United miles (3.76 cents per mile)
This charge is far greater than TPG’s valuation of 1.45 cents per United mile, that means that you simply’re not getting good worth out of your reward playing cards. However, should you’d relatively have the miles than the reward card, it could be price profiting from this manner of offloading them.
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Additionally, not less than United is being constant. When United is not working a purchase miles promotion, you should purchase United miles at a charge of $35 per 1,000 United miles. After taxes and costs, this charge can be successfully 3.76 cents per mile.
Associated: One of the best bank cards for purchasing factors and miles
Limitations to bear in mind
To promote reward playing cards by way of the MileagePlus Present Card Trade, your MileagePlus account should have been open for not less than 90 days. Additionally, this system’s phrases and situations observe your account should “have a constructive account steadiness.”
Though United provides you with a quote for $10 reward playing cards, the phrases and situations state: “Present playing cards accepted should have a $15 minimal steadiness on the cardboard and should have a most imposed.” It additionally seems that the change will solely settle for reward playing cards as much as $100.
In the event you resolve to promote a present card by way of the MileagePlus Present Card Trade, the miles ought to arrive in your United account inside 5 enterprise days.
Associated: Trade your undesirable reward playing cards for Accommodations.com reward playing cards and extra
Backside line
Whilst you’re not going to get a superb charge from buying and selling in undesirable reward playing cards, it is good to have the choice to liquidate these reward playing cards for one thing that you simply may truly need. That mentioned, it is perhaps price checking on-line for one more reward card change program (similar to CardCash) which will offer you a greater charge.
The one argument for utilizing the MileagePlus Present Card Trade is should you want United miles for an upcoming redemption, have tapped out your Chase Final Rewards factors and are holding a qualifying reward card. In case your solely different possibility is to purchase United miles, you may as properly liquidate the reward card — particularly if it is one you would not use quickly anyway.
