What is the United Airlines’ Mileage Plus Program?

If you are a frequent flyer or planning to travel more often, you might want to join the United Airlines’ Mileage Plus Program. This is a free loyalty program that rewards you for flying with United and its partners. In this blog post, we will explain what the Mileage Plus Program is and what benefits you can enjoy as a member.

What is the Mileage Plus Program?

The Mileage Plus Program is the loyalty program of United Airlines, one of the largest and most global airlines in the world. The program was launched in 1981 and has since grown to offer more ways to earn and use miles than any other U.S. airline loyalty program.

As a Mileage Plus member, you can earn miles based on the type of ticket you purchase, the ticketing airline and the operating airline. You can also earn miles by using a United credit card, dining, shopping, staying at hotels, renting cars and more. You can then redeem your miles for flights, merchandise, gift cards, upgrades and more.

The number of miles you earn per dollar spent depends on your level of elite status, which is determined by how much you fly and spend with United and its partners.

The 4 levels of elite status are: Premier Silver, Premier Gold, Premier Platinum and Premier 1K.

Each level offers additional benefits such as bonus award miles, upgrades, priority travel services and travel benefits on Star Alliance member airlines.

How can you earn miles?

There are many ways to earn miles as a Mileage Plus member:

• Flying with United or its partner airlines: You can earn miles based on the fare class, ticketing airline and operating airline of your flight. You can also earn Premier Qualifying Credits (PQCs) that count towards your elite status. You can fly with more than 35 partner airlines such as Copa, Avianca and Azul, and access more than 1,000 destinations worldwide.
• Using a United credit card: You can earn miles for every purchase you make with a United credit card, such as the United Explorer Card or the United Club Infinite Card. You can also enjoy perks such as free checked bags, priority boarding, lounge access and more.
• Dining, shopping and more: You can earn miles for dining at participating restaurants, shopping online or in-store at select retailers, staying at hotels, renting cars, buying gift cards and more. You can also convert your points from other loyalty programs such as Marriott Bonvoy or Hertz Gold Plus Rewards into miles.

 

How can you use miles?

You can use your miles for a variety of rewards that suit your preferences and needs:

• Booking award travel: You can book flights with United or its partner airlines using your miles. You can choose from different award types such as saver awards (which require fewer miles but have limited availability) or everyday awards (which require more miles but have more availability). You can also use a combination of money and miles to pay for your flight.
• Requesting upgrades: You can use your miles to request upgrades on United or other Star Alliance member airlines. You can upgrade from economy to business class or from business class to first class. The number of miles required depends on the route, fare class and availability.
• Booking hotel stays: You can use your miles to book hotel stays through s. You can choose from over 30,000 hotels worldwide and pay with all or part of your miles.
• Redeeming for merchandise or gift cards: You can use your miles to shop for merchandise or gift cards from various categories such as electronics, home goods, fashion, travel and more. You can browse the selection on the Mileage Plus Merchandise Awards website.

What benefits can you enjoy as a member?

As a Mileage Plus member, you can enjoy many benefits that enhance your travel experience and reward your loyalty. Some of these benefits are:

• Miles never expire: Unlike some other loyalty programs, your miles do not expire as long as you are a member. This means you can save them for future trips or use them whenever you want.
• Economy Plus seating: You can access Economy Plus seating, which offers extra legroom and more space to work or relax on select flights. Depending on your elite status, you may get complimentary access or discounted access to Economy Plus seating.
• Inflight entertainment and dining: You can enjoy a variety of inflight entertainment options, such as free streaming personal device entertainment, live TV, movies and more. You can also enjoy enhanced dining options across United routes, with menus designed by world-renowned chefs.
• Premier status: If you fly and spend enough with United and its partners, you can achieve Premier status, which gives you more benefits such as bonus award miles, upgrades, priority travel services, lounge access and more. You can also enjoy travel benefits on Star Alliance member airlines, such as priority check-in, boarding, baggage handling and lounge access.

Conclusion

The United Airlines’ Mileage Plus Program is a great way to earn and use miles for your travel and lifestyle needs. You will be able to earn miles by flying with United and its partners, using a United credit card, dining, shopping and more. You can then use your miles for flights, upgrades, hotel stays, merchandise, gift cards and more.

You can also enjoy benefits such as Economy Plus seating, inflight entertainment and dining, Premier status and more. If you are not a member yet, you can join for free on the United website or app and start earning miles today.

FAQs

What is the United Airlines MileagePlus Program?

The United Airlines MileagePlus Program is a loyalty program offered by United Airlines that rewards frequent flyers with miles for every eligible flight they take. These miles can be redeemed for various benefits such as free flights, upgrades, hotel stays, car rentals, and more.

How do I earn miles in the MileagePlus Program?

You can earn miles in the MileagePlus Program by flying with United Airlines, its partner airlines, and through various non-flight activities such as using co-branded credit cards, shopping with partner merchants, booking hotels, renting cars, and more.

What are the benefits of the MileagePlus Program?

The MileagePlus Program offers a range of benefits based on your accumulated miles and membership status. These benefits include complimentary upgrades, priority boarding, access to airport lounges, free checked bags, and the ability to redeem miles for travel rewards.

How do I redeem miles for rewards?

You can redeem your MileagePlus miles for rewards such as flights, upgrades, hotel stays, and other travel-related services through the United Airlines website or mobile app. Simply log in to your MileagePlus account, search for the desired reward, and follow the instructions to complete your redemption.

Is there a fee to join the MileagePlus Program?

No, joining the MileagePlus Program is free of charge. You can sign up for the program on the United Airlines website or during the flight booking process. However, some elite status tiers and certain benefits might require meeting specific criteria or flying a certain number of miles.