United MileagePlus program

United Airlines miles offers customers a way to redeem their loyalty for such perks as flights, gift cards and hotel stays. Like many rewards programs, the strongest value of award miles comes in the form of flight redemptions. And the carrier’s partnership with Star Alliance airlines means you can put your points toward a wide variety of destinations.

How much are United miles worth?

Based on our March 2019 valuation, United miles are worth between 1 cent and 1.4 cents each, depending on what you’re redeeming them on.

How do I earn United miles?

You can earn miles with MileagePlus in two main ways:

• Fly with United Airlines or Star Alliance partners as a MileagePlus member.
• Use a United cobranded credit card for purchases.

If you’re looking for a way to kick off your United miles collection, check out the United MileagePlus® Club card from Chase. You’ll earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months after opening your account. This is on top of free entry to United Club membership — up to a $550 value each year.

Our pick for a United credit card

United℠ Explorer Card

• $0 first-year intro annual fee, then $95.
• Signup bonus: 40,000 miles after you make $2,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
• 2x miles on United purchases, hotel stays and restaurant purchases.
• Credit every four years for your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee.
• 25% back as statement credit on United inflight purchases. Plus, priority boarding and your first checked bag free on United-operated flights.
• 2 United Club one-time passes each card anniversary.

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Compare cards for earning United miles

United cobranded credit cards offer a direct way to earn additional miles on top of your MileagePlus membership. With the right timing, you can earn a strong mileage signup bonus, making these cards ideal if United is your airline of choice.

If you don’t mind passing on bonuses specific to United Airlines, you can earn points on other credit cards that allow for rewards transfers to MileagePlus — sometimes at stronger rates than you’ll find with a cobranded card.

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Name	Product	Welcome offer	Rewards	Annual fee	Filter values
United℠ Explorer Card		40,000 miles after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months	2x miles at restaurants, hotels and United and 1x miles on all other purchases	$0 intro annual fee for the first year ($95 thereafter)		40,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.	See offer View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
United Club℠ Infinite Card		N/A	4x miles on United purchases, 2x miles on travel and dining and 1x miles on all other purchases	$0 intro annual fee for the first year ($525 thereafter)		Get United Club membership with access for you and two guests at any United Club or Star Alliance lounge -- a value of up to $650 annually.	See offer View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
CardMatch™ from creditcards.com		See terms	See terms	See terms		Use the CardMatch tool to find cards you're likely to qualify for with your credit score, without a hard pull on your credit.	See offer View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card		60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months	5x points on Lyft, 2x points on travel and dining and 1x points on all other purchases	$95		This popular travel card's signup bonus is worth up to $750. Get even more value out of your travel, dining, and Lyft rewards by transferring them to miles.	See offer View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Chase Sapphire Reserve®		50,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months	10x points on Lyft rides, 3x points on dining and travel after earning your $300 travel credit and 1x points on all other purchases	$550		Earn 50,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months	See offer View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
United℠ Business Card		60,000 miles once after spending $3,000 in your first 3 months	2x miles on United, transit and rideshares, and at gas stations, office supply stores and restaurants, and 1x miles on all other purchases	$0 intro annual fee for the first year ($99 thereafter)		Earn 60,000 miles once after spending $3,000 in your first 3 months.	View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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United MileagePlus Frequent Flyer Program

How to redeem United miles

United offers many ways to redeem your miles, including flights, seat upgrades, hotel stays, gift cards, experiences and more. As you might expect, flights tend to offer the best value. Check out our United MileagePlus award chart here.

Loyalty program elite levels

United allows you to reach Premier status in its rewards program through Premier qualifying miles (PQM) or Premier qualifying segments (PQS). If you live in the US, you must also meet minimum annual spending requirements tracked as Premier qualifying dollars (PQD).

You can progress through four levels of Premier status if you meet the requirements, with each level featuring upgraded or additional perks. Once you reach Premium status in a calendar year, you can hold on to that status until the end of the following year.

Data obtained March 2019. Values are subject to change and should be used only as a general guide.

Note that unlike some airline cards, United credit cards don’t provide an intro period on status levels or help you reach an elite level faster.

Benefits of Premier status

Premier members can take advantage of a host of benefits that can enhance your travel.

• Seating benefits

  Access to Economy Plus seating, preferred seating and companions.

• Flight upgrades

  Premier upgrades that depend on your flight and destination.

• Mileage bonuses

  Accelerated rates on your mile earnings depending on your premier level.

  Premier levelSilverGoldPlatinum1K

  Award miles (including Premier bonus award miles)	7 x fare	8 x fare	9 x fare	11 x fare

  Data obtained March 2019. Values are subject to change and should be used only as a general guide.

• Premier priority travel services

  Get priority check-in, security screenings, boarding privileges and baggage handling, along with lounge access when traveling internationally and access to many sold-out flights.

• Discounts and waivers

  Take a break from fees with complimentary checked baggage allowances, discounted same-day flight changes and savings on United Club membership rates.

• Award travel benefits

  Get access to standby, waitlisting, premium cabins and reduced fees with higher priority depending on your Premier level.

Bottom line

With a variety of ways to earn miles and a choice of flights through Star Alliance partners, United MileagePlus is a way to turn your loyalty to this airline into lucrative rewards.

If you’re looking for stronger rewards rates or prefer another airline, look into other loyalty travel programs.

How to redeem United miles

Frequently asked questions

• Is United MileagePlus free?

  Yes, it’s free to sign up for the MileagePlus program.

• Can I receive credit for trips taken before I had a MileagePlus account?

  As long as you traveled on United-operated flights, you can request credit for flights taken up to 30 days before your program enrollment date.

• Where can I find my mileage information?

  Sign in to your United MileagePlus account through United Airlines’s website. Click My Account to view and redeem your mileage.