What Is The United Miles Worth And How To Maximize Your Redemptions

Miles earned within the United MileagePlus program are price roughly 1.2 cents every, though the worth you truly get will rely upon the way you redeem them. This common worth per mile was calculated based mostly on the prices of a number of award flights booked in several cabins, with completely different itineraries, and on a spread of journey dates.

It could be doable to get outsized worth for awards (much more than 1.2 cents per mile) in case you guide a global award in a premium cabin and snag a very good deal. On the flip facet, it is harder to get better-than-average worth for home United flights—significantly when you possibly can’t be versatile together with your departure airport, vacation spot, and journey dates.

Sadly, it may be laborious to know the United miles worth till you’ve a visit in thoughts and are able to guide. The United MileagePlus program makes use of a totally dynamic award chart that bases award price on elements similar to demand. Because of this regardless that costs for flights have a tendency to begin at across the identical thresholds for financial system and premium awards, United not makes use of an award chart (it stopped in 2019).

Evaluating United Airline miles with the competitors

Whereas the precise award worth you will get from every United mile varies, it is nonetheless good to know a mean worth, because it helps you evaluate with different rewards currencies in the marketplace at the moment. This information may help you determine which frequent-flyer applications you need to put to most use and which airline bank card is greatest for you.

With that in thoughts, take into account how the worth of United miles compares with different frequent-flyer applications supplied by means of U.S. carriers, similar to [SouthWest Rapid Rewards](<Evaluating United Airline miles with the competitors
Whereas the precise award worth you will get from every United mile varies, it is nonetheless good to know a mean worth, because it helps you evaluate with different rewards currencies in the marketplace at the moment. This information may help you determine which frequent-flyer applications you need to put to most use and which airline bank card is greatest for you.

With that in thoughts, take into account how the worth of United miles compares with different frequent-flyer applications supplied by means of U.S. carriers.>).

The best way to maximize Your United Airline redemptions

You may earn United miles by means of flights with the airline or its companions, by means of spending with United companions, or by means of a co-branded bank card from the airline. Additionally be aware that United MileagePlus is a Chase switch associate, so you should use a card just like the Chase Sapphire Most popular to earn Chase Final Rewards factors that switch to your United account at a 1:1 ratio.

Regardless of the way you earn United miles, here is a listing of how you may get extra bang on your buck.

Excursionist Perk

For those who’re a United MileagePlus member who has a stash of miles to burn, you should use this system’s Excursionist Perk to construct a free flight into your itinerary. This profit is price a free one-way award inside choose multiple-city itineraries which might be exterior of the place the journey originates.

Primarily, you will use the Excursionist Perk so as to add a free one-way flight inside three or extra one-way awards if: (1) the journey ends in the identical MileagePlus outlined area wherein the journey originates, (2) the origin and vacation spot of the Excursionist Perk are inside a single MileagePlus- outlined area, and (3) the cabin of service and stock for awards of the free one-way flight is identical or decrease than the one earlier than it. United additionally notes that this perk can solely be used for one free one-way flight, even when two or extra one-way awards qualify for this profit.

Right here’s an instance of how the Excursionist Perk can be utilized:

As you possibly can see on this instance, all standards for the Tour Perk have been met. First, the free one-way award is a part of a multiple-city itinerary that’s exterior of the place the journey originates. Additionally, the journey ends the place it originates, the origin and vacation spot of the Excursionist Perk are inside a single MileagePlus-defined area, and the cabin of service and stock for awards of the free one-way flight is identical because the one earlier than it.

United flights to Europe

United award flights to Europe is usually a nice deal or an terrible one; all of it is dependent upon the award availability and prices for the locations and dates you need to guide. Typically talking, the bottom award price you will discover for one-way financial system flights from North America to Europe is round 30,000 miles, which interprets to 60,000 miles spherical journey. Because the money value for such a flight is often no less than $1,000 and typically extra, you may get good worth on your miles right here.

Contemplate the instance under, which reveals that round-trip financial system flights from Indianapolis to Rome in fundamental cabin financial system begin at over $1,600 in October of 2023.

The identical flight in miles begins at round 33,000 miles plus $23 a technique and 30,000 miles plus $74.25 for the flight residence on the identical dates—or 63,000 miles spherical journey in financial system plus $97.25 in airline taxes and charges. For those who subtract the airline taxes from the bottom money value of $1,637 to get $1,539.75 and divide that quantity by 63,000 miles, you will notice you are getting a worth on your United miles of round 2.4 cents every.

($1,637 – $97.25) ÷ 63,000 miles = 0.024

Awards with Star Alliance companions

Additionally keep in mind that United MileagePlus is part of the Star Alliance, comprising26 member airways with which you’ll earn and redeem rewards. This airline alliance makes it doable to make use of your miles for journey to greater than 1,000 locations in nearly 200 international locations, so it dramatically expands the footprint of this frequent-flyer program.. 

Whereas a few of the alliance companions are a bit obscure, you should use your United miles to guide award fares with such in style carriers as Air Canada, Lufthansa, Singapore Airways, TAP AirPortugal, Turkish Airways, and extra.

As you possibly can see within the instance under, you would fly a technique from Chicago (ORD) to Istanbu (IST) in Turkish Airways enterprise class for 77,000 United miles plus $5.60. You may additionally avoid wasting miles and fly a technique in financial system for 33,000 miles plus $5.60.

You may fly a technique from Newark, N.J. (EWR) to Lisbon (LIS) for 66,000 miles plus $27.60 in TAP Air Portugal enterprise class.

Whereas United sometimes fees a better redemption price for a lot of of its awards, particularly awards in its premium cabins, you will discover in these examples that the frequent-flyer program doesn’t tack on exorbitant gas surcharges as another airways do. This will make associate awards specifically an particularly whole lot—in lots of circumstances, higher than redeeming fewer miles with a special program.

Versatile journey dates

One other method to enhance your United miles worth is being versatile with the journey you need to guide. This will imply contemplating completely different airports on your departure and alternate journey locations. Additionally, be as versatile with dates on your flights as you possibly can. Reserving an award sooner or later earlier or sooner or later later can have a dramatic influence on what number of miles it is advisable to use.

The screenshot under reveals precisely what we imply. We looked for enterprise class flights from Indianapolis (IND) to Rome (FCO) over dates in August 2023, and we discovered business-class awards that vary in price from 66,000 to 155,000 miles for a one-way flight.

Flight award offers

Lastly, be sure you take a look at United’s flight award offers, which it updates usually. These offers are principally sale fares you possibly can guide with fewer miles than regular, though they modify on a regular basis.

As of this writing, for instance, you would use United miles to guide any of the next financial system cabin itineraries:

• Cancun, Mexico (CUN) to Newark, N.J. (EWR) for 10,000 miles plus $59
• Chicago (ORD) to London (LHR) for 31,900 miles plus $6
• Chicago (ORD) to Zurich (ZRH) for 32,300 miles plus $6
• Los Angeles (LAX) to San Francisco (SFO) for 7,300 miles plus $6

You may as well seek for award flight offers in a premium cabin with the United flight award device. As of this writing, a few of the premium cabin offers embody the next:

• Cancun, Mexico (CUN) to Newark, N.J. (EWR) for 30,000 miles plus $59
• Denver (DEN) to Frankfurt (FRA) for 73,500 miles plus $12
• Denver (DEN) to London (LHR) for 62,800 miles plus $6
• Newark, N.J (EWR) to Johannesburg (JNB) for 72,800 miles plus $6

When is one of the best time to make use of United miles?

The perfect time to make use of United miles is any time you are getting no less than 1.2 cents per mile in worth for a redemption. For those who’re getting lower than that, you need to take into account paying money on your flight and saving your miles for one more day or maybe even reserving an award with a special rewards foreign money altogether.

That stated, we in contrast United mile redemptions for a number of itineraries at three completely different reserving thresholds:

• 15 days out 
• 60 days out
• 180 days out

Once we did, we discovered that the price of an award flight assorted dramatically relying on if you booked. Nonetheless, there have been no hard-and-fast guidelines that confirmed one of the best time to guide with United miles. For instance, a number of itineraries we checked out confirmed decrease redemption charges reserving two weeks prematurely in comparison with additional forward. Nonetheless, the most costly award flights for all of the itineraries we checked out have been at 60 days out. 

The chart under reveals how a lot a number of completely different awards price when booked at these completely different timing thresholds.

Can United miles be used on different airways?

United MileagePlus miles may be earned and used with the 25 different member airways of the Star Alliance, which makes them much more useful and helpful for frequent flyers who journey all over the world. Along with United Airways, the Star Alliance companions are:

• Aegean
• Air Canada
• Air China
• Air Indiana
• Air New Zealand
• ANA
• Asiana Airways
• Austrian
• Avianca
• Brussels Airways
• Copa Airways
• Croatia Airways
• Egyptair
• Ethiopian
• EVA Air
• LOT Polish Airways
• Lufthansa
• SAS
• Shenzhen Airways
• Singapore Airways
• South African Airways
• Swiss
• TAP Air Portugal
• Thai Airways
• Turkish Airways

Which United bank cards allow you to earn miles?

Like different frequent-flyer applications, United MileagePlus presents a handful of airline bank cards. These playing cards can be found along with journey bank cards from Chase that allow you to switch your factors to United at a 1:1 ratio.

Among the greatest bank cards with journey perks supplied by United Airways are:

• card_name – This bank card comes with annual_fees annual payment, and new cardholders bonus_miles_full.
• card_name – Selecting this card earns you a beneficiant sign-up bonus and bonus miles on United purchases and eating and lodges. Perks embody a primary checked bag free, two United Membership passes per yr, a payment credit score towards World Entry or TSA PreCheck membership, and extra. The cardboard with a annual_fees.
• card_name – This card presents a fair increased sign-up bonus, a $125 annual United buy credit score, two 5,000-mile anniversary flight credit, first and second checked luggage free, a payment credit score towards World Entry or TSA PreCheck membership, and extra. A annual_fees annual payment applies.
• card_name – If you wish to get the most important sign-up bonus on the market, then that is the cardboard for you. You additionally get first and second checked luggage free, a United Membership membership (valued at $650), a payment credit score towards World Entry or TSA PreCheck membership, and extra. A annual_fees annual payment applies.

Methodology

To give you the common worth of a United mile, we in contrast a spread of itineraries and their prices. We analyzed the money value of varied itineraries on United and its companions, and we in contrast it with the price of reserving with miles whereas subtracting airline taxes and charges from the money fare to achieve a foundation of comparability. 

Whereas the worth of miles can differ relying on the way you redeem them, we discovered that the common level per mile worth for United itineraries labored out to 1.2 cents every. Nonetheless, our sampling of award flights led to discovering redemption values as little as 0.8 cents per mile and as excessive as 2.5 cents per mile.

Conclusion

Miles within the United MileagePlus program are positively price incomes, and that is true whether or not you need to guide home flights or journey internationally. There are lots of methods to get greater than the common worth of 1.2 cents for every United mile, and it by no means hurts to have a rewards foreign money you should use on the opposite 25 airways within the Star Alliance.

The truth that United would not tack on enormous gas surcharges also can make its miles a greater worth, as can its printed flight award offers. Fortunately, signing up for the United MileagePlus program is free, so you don’t have anything to lose. Lastly, you possibly can earn some United miles in a rush (and with out even flying) with numerous United bank cards in the marketplace at the moment.

Incessantly requested questions (FAQ)

How a lot are 10,000 United Airline miles price?

Primarily based on our evaluation, 10,000 United miles are price roughly $120. Nonetheless, it is doable to get roughly worth relying on how the miles are redeemed.

How a lot does it price to switch to United miles?

Transferring Chase Final Rewards factors to United is totally free, though you do need to switch in increments of 1,000. Thankfully, some Chase bank cards supply level transferability to United MileagePlus and different airline and resort applications.

Are United Airline miles price greater than Delta Airline miles?

We worth Delta SkyMiles at 1.16 cents per mile, which signifies that United miles, at 1.2 cents every, are price barely extra.