Earning miles with the United MileagePlus program: Flights, credit cards, and beyond

While United MileagePlus miles may have lost some of their former value, they still offer benefits. You can redeem them for flights with United Airlines and Star Alliance partners without incurring fuel surcharges, potentially saving you hundreds on each ticket.

Even though United employs dynamic pricing, there are still opportunities to secure low-cost domestic award tickets and reasonably priced long-haul international business-class tickets. This makes it a great program for newcomers looking to earn and redeem miles effectively.

In this article, I’ll share the top strategies for earning United miles—many of which don’t require you to board a plane at all.

Accumulate United miles by flying

You can earn United miles by flying with United or one of its partner airlines. However, the way you accumulate these miles varies based on factors like the airline operating the flight, your booking method, and your fare class. Let’s delve deeper into this.

Traveling with United

Over time, United has revised its mileage earning structure for flights operated by the airline. Instead of calculating miles based on the distance traveled, you now earn miles based on the base fare of your ticket (excluding taxes and fees). Additionally, if you hold MileagePlus elite status, you'll earn extra miles—the higher your status, the more miles you accrue.

Here’s how many miles you can earn for every dollar spent, depending on your status level (these rates apply even if you're booked in United's basic economy fare class):

• General member: 5 miles
• Premier Silver: 7 miles
• Premier Gold: 8 miles
• Premier Platinum: 9 miles
• Premier 1K: 11 miles

For instance, if you purchase a one-way United ticket from Chicago to Philadelphia with a base fare of $310 and $30 in taxes, you'll earn 1,550 miles ($310 multiplied by 5 miles per dollar) as a MileagePlus member without status. However, if you’re a Premier 1K member, your earnings increase to 3,410 miles ($310 multiplied by 11 miles per dollar).

Flying on United also contributes to earning Premier status. You gain status by accumulating a minimum number of Premier qualifying points or a mix of PQPs and Premier qualifying flights. PQPs are based on your spending, while PQFs are determined by the number of segments you fly on United or its partner airlines.

Traveling with Star Alliance partners

You can accumulate United MileagePlus miles when flying with any of United's Star Alliance or non-alliance partners; the miles you earn will depend on the distance of your flight and your fare class. However, if you book a partner flight through United (noted by a 016 ticket number), your mileage will be based on your ticket fare and elite status.

Mileage earning rates can differ from one airline to another. For more information, refer to our comprehensive guide on earning MileagePlus miles with United's partners.

Elite status with United on partner flights

United Premier members automatically receive Star Alliance elite status, granting you elite benefits not only on United flights but also when traveling with any of United's Star Alliance partners. Some Premier members enjoy additional perks like complimentary checked bags and priority check-in, boarding, and baggage delivery on select non-Star Alliance carriers. To learn more about your benefits, visit United's partner page and select the airline you're interested in.

A great way to achieve United Premier status is by flying long-haul, premium-cabin Star Alliance tickets. Typically, you earn about 1 PQP for every dollar spent on United flights. However, with partner airlines, you might earn over 3 PQPs for each dollar spent. Check out our guide on earning PQPs with partner flights to see how flying with United's partners can assist you in qualifying for United status. Remember, United requires at least four paid flights on United or United Express annually to qualify for any status level.

Let’s break this down with a real example of a Lufthansa ticketed and operated flight. We’ll refer to United's earning chart for Lufthansa, which you can find on United's airline partner page.

Imagine you’re traveling from New York to Munich. If your flight is booked in Z-fare business class, you'll earn 150% of the mileage flown. The journey from New York to Munich covers 4,038 miles, so you'd earn 6,057 redeemable miles (4,038 times 1.5). Additionally, a United Premier Gold member would receive an extra 50% on the usual miles earned, totaling 9,086 miles in this scenario (6,057 times 1.5).

To find the distance between two airports, visit gcmap.com and enter your departure and arrival airport codes.

Accumulate United miles through credit cards

Another effective way to earn United miles is by using United cobranded credit cards. These cards enable you to quickly amass miles on everyday purchases, and they often feature generous welcome bonuses that can significantly boost your mileage right from the start, provided you meet the minimum spending requirement. Many of these cards also offer enhanced award availability when redeeming your hard-earned miles, along with extra benefits like free checked bags, priority boarding, and lounge access.

Here’s a look at some of the top United cards you can use to earn MileagePlus miles:

• United Quest℠ Card: Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Additionally, earn 3 miles per dollar on United purchases; 2 miles per dollar on dining, travel, and select streaming services; and 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.
• United℠ Explorer Card: Earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months. This card earns 2 miles per dollar on United purchases, dining, and direct hotel bookings, plus 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.
• United Club℠ Infinite Card: Earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months. This card earns 4 miles per dollar on United purchases; 2 miles per dollar on all other travel, dining, and eligible food delivery services; and 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.
• United℠ Business Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months. Additionally, earn 2 miles per dollar on United purchases, dining (including eligible delivery services), gas stations, office supply stores, and local transit and commuting, and 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.

Transfer points to United MileagePlus

Another way to enhance your United miles balance is by transferring points from other loyalty programs to your MileagePlus account. Let’s explore United’s transfer partners: Chase Ultimate Rewards, Bilt Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy.

Transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points

Chase Ultimate Rewards points are a widely used transferable currency. While there are several ways to redeem Ultimate Rewards points, the most rewarding option is transferring them to one of Chase's airline or hotel transfer partners, which includes United.

You can transfer Chase points to United at a 1:1 ratio, meaning that 1,000 Ultimate Rewards points convert into 1,000 United miles, with most transfers occurring instantly. Ultimate Rewards offers various other transfer partners, including Air France-KLM Flying Blue, British Airways Executive Club, and World of Hyatt. This added flexibility is why we recommend earning Ultimate Rewards points instead of solely United miles. Additionally, Chase's lineup of Ultimate Rewards-earning credit cards might be more beneficial for you, as they feature broader bonus categories than United’s cobranded cards.

Transfer Bilt Rewards points

Another credit card points program that allows transfers to United is Bilt Rewards. While relatively new in the points and miles landscape, it has been consistently adding hotel and airline transfer partners, including United. Similar to Chase Ultimate Rewards, you can convert your Bilt Points to MileagePlus at a 1:1 ratio, and the transfer typically completes in minutes.

Transfer Marriott Bonvoy points

One of the standout features of Marriott Bonvoy is the ability to transfer points to numerous airline partners. You can convert Marriott points to most airline partners at a 3:1 ratio, receiving a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points transferred. However, due to United's RewardsPlus partnership with Marriott, there’s a preferred transfer rate, allowing you to earn a 10,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott points sent to United. This means that 60,000 Marriott points will convert to 30,000 United miles.

To transfer Marriott points to United, log into your Bonvoy account, navigate to the "Transfer Points to Miles" page, and click the "Transfer Points" button. Next, choose United from the airline drop-down menu, input your United MileagePlus number, and specify the number of points you wish to transfer. Click the "Continue" button at the bottom of the window to start the transfer, and the miles should typically show up in your United account within 48 hours.

Earn United miles with travel partners

In addition to airlines and credit card rewards programs, United has several travel partners, including cruise lines, hotels, and rental car companies, where you can earn extra miles.

For example, the MileagePlus cruise portal allows you to earn up to 4 United miles for every dollar spent when you book a sailing (or up to 7 miles per dollar if you’re a United cardholder). It’s not uncommon to earn as much as 45,000 bonus miles per booking, even on budget cruises. While you can redeem United miles for sailings through the portal, it generally doesn’t provide good value for your miles, so we don't recommend this option.

United also partners with various hotels, allowing you to earn United miles instead of hotel points during your stay. While this usually offers less value than accumulating hotel points, it can be beneficial if you’re staying at a chain you don’t visit often or if you’re just a few miles short for an upcoming redemption. Check out our complete guide to United's partners to see how many miles you can earn at different hotels.

If you're considering an independent hotel where you wouldn’t typically earn rewards, you can still earn miles for your stay by using the United Hotels portal or Rocketmiles. However, prices can vary, so it’s wise to compare costs through the portal with direct bookings.

Regarding rental cars, United ended its partnership with Hertz in 2021 and now collaborates with Avis and Budget. MileagePlus members can earn up to 1,250 miles per qualifying rental (and sometimes more during promotions) and can save up to 35% on base rates with Avis and Budget. To access these benefits, book through United's car rental page using your MileagePlus loyalty number and the Avis Worldwide Discount number A791500 or Budget Customer Discount number B204900.

Earn United miles through various partnerships

MileagePlus also includes several partners outside of travel. Here are some of our top picks to help you earn additional United miles.

MileagePlus Shopping

Like many airlines, United provides an online shopping portal where you can earn miles for your everyday online purchases. Simply create a MileagePlus Shopping account, then locate your preferred merchant on the site before making a purchase.

By starting at this portal instead of the retailer's website, you'll earn extra miles on your purchases, in addition to any rewards from your chosen credit card. This can be an excellent way to accumulate 1, 2, or even 5 additional miles for every dollar spent while shopping online. Moreover, MileagePlus Shopping often features holiday and seasonal promotions. Be sure to watch for these promotions to maximize your online earnings.

However, there might be better earning opportunities available through other shopping portals. We suggest using a shopping portal aggregator like Cashback Monitor to find which portal provides the highest return on your purchases.

MileagePlus X app

Download the MileagePlus X app to earn United miles wherever you are. With this app, you can earn a specific number of miles for every dollar spent when purchasing gift cards from select retailers. These gift cards are available instantly and can be bought in any denomination. Participating merchants include well-known brands like Walmart, Staples, Lowe's, Regal Cinemas, and Panera Bread.

This app is an excellent way to earn miles on purchases where you typically wouldn’t accumulate much. For example, REI is not part of common credit card bonus categories and isn’t featured on most shopping portals, but by buying an REI gift card through MileagePlus X, you can earn bonus United miles on your REI purchases. Additionally, primary United Chase cardholders receive a 25% bonus on miles earned through the MileagePlus X app.

One of the greatest advantages of the MileagePlus X app is that miles are typically credited instantly. So if you find yourself just short of a redemption, you can simply buy a gift card to a store or restaurant you frequently visit.

MileagePlus Dining

Similar to many domestic airlines and certain hotel chains, United offers a dining rewards initiative known as MileagePlus Dining.

Essentially, this program acts as a shopping portal for dining experiences. Simply create an account and link the credit cards you typically use for meals. You'll earn up to 5 miles for every dollar spent (based on your membership tier) when you pay with a linked card at participating restaurants. These miles are in addition to any rewards you earn from your credit card, so choose one that provides dining bonuses.

Basic MileagePlus Dining members earn just 1 mile for every $2 spent. However, you can easily upgrade to the Select tier by opting to receive email updates, which will increase your earning rate to 3 miles per dollar spent. After completing 11 dining transactions within a year, you'll achieve VIP status and earn 5 miles for every dollar spent.

Small businesses can earn rewards through PerksPlus

United's PerksPlus program allows businesses to accumulate points (distinct from MileagePlus miles) when their employees fly with United, United Express, and select partners. These points can be exchanged for benefits such as United elite status for employees, travel certificates, United Club memberships, and more. This program can help reduce travel costs or enhance the travel experience for employees. PerksPlus points are earned in addition to the miles employees accumulate while traveling, providing a win-win situation. Visit United's PerksPlus website to find out more and to enroll.

Purchase United miles

If you find yourself in need of United miles quickly, you can purchase them directly from the airline. However, this option can be quite costly.

United miles are typically priced at $35 for every 1,000 miles, translating to cents each — significantly higher than TPG's September 2024 valuation of 1.35 cents. Therefore, purchasing miles is usually only advisable if you need a few to complete an award booking. Prices may decrease if you can take advantage of a promotion on buying points or miles, but generally, it's best to buy miles only when you have a specific redemption in mind and have identified available award space.

Final thoughts

As illustrated, there are numerous ways to accumulate United miles. The most effective strategy involves combining several of the methods mentioned above — this will help you achieve excellent earning rates that bring you closer to your next award trip.