United MileagePlus

United MileagePlus® Program Overview

United MileagePlus is United Airlines’ frequent flyer program, designed for both casual travelers and frequent flyers. It’s known for its strong partner network (Star Alliance), flexible miles, and one of the most valuable upgrade and award programs in the U.S.

MileagePlus is especially appealing to those who fly often from United’s hub cities like Chicago, Newark, Denver, Houston, and San Francisco.

How to Earn MileagePlus Miles

1. Flying United & Star Alliance Partners

• Earnings are based on fare, not distance (for United-operated flights).

• General Members: 5 miles per $1 spent on the base fare and surcharges.

• Premier Silver: 7x

• Premier Gold: 8x

• Premier Platinum: 9x

• Premier 1K: 11x

• Flying partner airlines (like Lufthansa or ANA)? Miles are earned based on distance and fare class.

2. United Co-Branded Credit Cards

Issued by Chase, these cards allow you to earn miles on everyday spending:

• United Explorer, Quest, Infinite, and Business cards.

• Common earning:

• 2x miles on United purchases.

• 2x on dining and hotels (some cards).

• 1x on other purchases.

• Benefits include free bags, priority boarding, expanded award availability, and more.

3. Everyday Spending Partners

• MileagePlus Shopping Portal: Earn miles while shopping online with major retailers.

• MileagePlus Dining: Link your card and earn bonus miles when dining at participating restaurants.

• Hotels, car rentals, and cruises: Earn miles through IHG, Marriott, Avis, and more.

Redeeming United Miles

Think of MileagePlus miles like flexible points that can be used for economy or first-class travel across the globe — especially strong when redeemed on Star Alliance partners.

1. Award Flights

• No close-in booking fees (a big plus).

• Uses dynamic pricing, so the number of miles required can vary.

Redemption Examples:

• U.S. domestic economy: ~10,000–20,000 miles one-way.

• U.S. to Europe in economy: ~30,000–40,000 miles.

• U.S. to Asia in business class: ~75,000–90,000+ miles.

• Polaris business class on long-haul routes: top-tier redemption.

2. Upgrade Awards

• Use miles + a cash co-pay to upgrade from economy to business class on eligible paid flights.

• United elites often get complimentary upgrades within the U.S. on most fare classes.

3. Other Redemptions

• Hotels, car rentals, inflight Wi-Fi, TSA PreCheck, Apple products, gift cards — but lower value per mile.

Premier Elite Status (Premier Tiers)

United uses two main elite qualification metrics:

• PQPs (Premier Qualifying Points) = Dollars spent on United.

• PQSs (Premier Qualifying Segments) = Number of flights taken.

You need a mix of both to achieve status:

Star Alliance & United Partners

MileagePlus is part of Star Alliance, the largest global airline alliance — meaning your miles are good almost anywhere:

• Major Star Alliance members: Lufthansa, ANA, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Swiss, Air Canada, and more.

• Earn and redeem miles across all member airlines.

• Premier Gold+ members get Star Alliance Gold benefits worldwide (lounge access, priority boarding, extra bags).

Tips to Maximize United Miles

1. Use “Excursionist Perk” – Book a free one-way within a multi-city international award itinerary (example: Europe side trip).

2. Avoid dynamic pricing pain – Book early, and check partner awards for fixed-rate redemptions.

3. Use the shopping & dining portals – Stack promotions to rack up extra miles.

4. Fly partners in premium cabins – Lufthansa or ANA business class offers top value redemptions.

5. Check Award Deals Page – United frequently runs mileage sales to select destinations.