Essential Tips: Conserve thousands of United miles by booking partner flights to Europe

The United MileagePlus program has recently raised the costs of its premium cabin Anytime awards, as first highlighted by Live and Let's Fly. Instead of opting for United Airlines' Anytime awards, consider our method to save hundreds, if not thousands, of miles on your next trip to Europe.

MileagePlus Saver and Anytime awards

United employs dynamic pricing for MileagePlus redemptions on its own flights (i.e., flights operated by United). The lowest Saver rates for business class flights from the U.S. to Europe begin at 80,000 miles per person each way.

If you book during off-peak seasons like winter, these rates are readily available, making it a good deal for a quality business-class experience. However, availability is limited, especially during busy times like summer.

United provides Anytime awards, which are more accessible but demand significantly more miles. These used to start at 155,000 miles for a one-way flight to Europe, but the price has now increased to 200,000 miles each way.

The Anytime redemption rates for flights from the U.S. to South America have also jumped from 155,000 to 220,000 miles for a one-way trip.

If you can't find the limited Saver awards and only have the Anytime option left, a round-trip business-class flight to Europe will cost 400,000 miles, equating to an impressive $5,400 according to TPG's August 2024 valuations.

You're likely to discover a cash ticket with your preferred airlines and schedules for significantly less than that amount.

However, there's a strategy to sidestep this recent devaluation. Flights booked with United miles on partner airlines are typically available at fixed rates, and all award options are at the Saver level. Keep in mind, though, that since United doesn't provide partner award charts, these rates can fluctuate without warning — as we witnessed earlier this year.

United MileagePlus has a comprehensive list of partner airlines for redeeming miles, including Star Alliance members like Lufthansa, Swiss, and Air Canada, as well as non-alliance airlines such as Aer Lingus, Emirates, and Hawaiian Airlines (only for interisland flights).

While off-peak times might show an 80,000-mile award available for a United-operated flight, during peak periods, always consider flights run by partner airlines, such as the Aer Lingus itinerary below, even if it requires a connection. This could save you over 100,000 miles.

How to accumulate United miles

A simple way to enhance your MileagePlus balance for your next trip to Europe is by applying for a United cobranded credit card. Here are some of our top picks for United credit cards:

• United℠ Explorer Card: Earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
• United Quest℠ Card: Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after spending $4,000 in the first three months your account is active.
• United℠ Business Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after making $5,000 in purchases within the first three months.
• United Club℠ Infinite Card: Earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open.

You can also transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to United MileagePlus at a 1:1 ratio. Here are some of the top Chase credit card offers available:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Earn 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening, plus a $300 statement credit on Chase Travel℠ purchases made within the first year.
• Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Earn 60,000 points after making $4,000 in purchases within the first three months from account opening.
• Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card: Earn 90,000 points after spending $8,000 in the first three months of account opening.