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Key Takeaways
United doesn’t add carrier surcharges, so you only pay standard taxes and airport fees on award tickets.
Premier members get more access to Saver award seats and can use flexible PlusPoints to upgrade flights.
Pool miles with up to 5 people at no extra cost.
United MileagePlus in a minute
United Airlines’ loyalty program is known as United MileagePlus or simply MileagePlus. It’s free to join and earn on United, Star Alliance, and partner activities. Things to note:
- Miles don’t expire while your account remains open.
- Award pricing is dynamic. United doesn’t publish an award chart for flights. Elites get broader access to Saver-level seats.
- Miles pooling lets you combine balances with family or friends (no transfer fees).
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Earning miles
Flight earnings
- On tickets issued by United (016 ticket number):
- On partner flights ticketed by United, the same 5x framework applies.
- On partner-ticketed itineraries, earning depends on distance, fare class, and the partner’s accrual chart. Always add your MileagePlus number to every booking.
Everyday earning
MileagePlus makes it easy to keep your balance growing even when you’re not flying:
- MileagePlus Shopping: Earn miles for each dollar spent while shopping at over 1,100 stores online and in-store, like Macy’s, M&S, Apple, Nike, etc. Sign in to MileagePlus Shopping/Global Shopping MileagePlus, and get the Chrome button.
- MileagePlus Dining: Visit the official website for MileagePlus Dining, link a card, and you will be eligible to earn mileage every time you dine out at partner restaurants.
- MileagePlus X (MPX) app: Download the MPX app to buy e-gift cards instantly and earn additional miles on everyday spend, especially handy when you’re short on a redemption.
- Travel partners (hotels, car rentals, cruises) with periodic promos.
- Credit card points transfers:
- Chase Ultimate Rewards – United (1:1). This is a good way to top up instantly when you spot award space. The Points Guy
- Bilt Rewards – United (1:1) is especially useful for renters earning Bilt points.
Miles Pooling
United now lets groups of 5 pool miles (up to 4 people who are also MileagePlus members), to create one shared reservoir of miles to use on United and United Express flights. You’ll manage a pool via your MileagePlus account.
Redeeming United miles
United removed its traditional award chart years ago, so you’ll see dynamic prices in search on united.com or the app. Two labels matter most:
- Saver Awards: Enjoy lower mileage prices and better value. Although availability can fluctuate, Premier members tend to see more.
- Everyday Awards: If a seat is open on a United flight, you can redeem miles for it, typically at a higher mileage cost.
- Other redemption notes worth knowing:
- No fuel surcharges are added by United on award tickets it issues (you still pay actual taxes/fees). This is a big reason MileagePlus redemptions remain competitive.
- Changes/cancellations: United has generally moved toward more flexible award policies, with many fees relaxed when you cancel or redeposit online; exact fees (if any) can vary by region and your status.
Upgrades with miles & PlusPoints
MileagePlus members with Premier Platinum status (1000 points or higher) can use PlusPoints to request premium cabin and seat upgrades anytime they fly, or exchange eligible PlusPoints for additional perks like bonus miles, gifting status to other members, and more.
PlusPoints (for Platinum and 1K members) offer versatile upgrades on long-haul United flights and select Star Alliance partners. Availability and rules vary by route and fare, so check early.
Earning Premier status
If you are a United MileagePlus member, then you stand a chance to earn Premier status. United Premier status is earned through a combination of:
Premier Qualifying Points (PQP)
PQP is primarily tied to spending. You can earn PQP when you fly on United, United Express, or one of the Star Alliance partners. You can also earn PQP when you book select award flights or use one of the co-branded credit cards.
Premier Qualifying Flights (PQF)
PQF is tied to the times flown via United Airlines. You must also fly at least 4 segments or times on United/United Express each year.
How PQP & PQF work
- United-operated flights: earn 1 PQP per US$1 (base fare + carrier-imposed surcharges), excluding taxes/fees.
- Partner flights: earn PQP based on a mileage table tied to distance and fare class.
- Award tickets on United: United-operated award flights earn toward the status of 1 PQP per 100 miles redeemed, and each award segment earns 1 PQF. That makes award travel a legitimate way to reach the threshold.
- Premier Accelerator: For the year 2025, you can purchase additional PQP to bridge a gap.
Premier Status levels
According to the official MileagePlus website, you can qualify via PQF+PQP or PQP-only. The following are the 2025 qualification levels to earn Premier status for 2026:
- Premier Silver: 15 PQF + 5,000 PQP or 6,000 PQP.
- Premier Gold: 30 PQF + 10,000 PQP or 12,000 PQP.
- Premier Platinum: 45 PQF + 15,000 PQP or 18,000 PQP.
- Premier 1K: 60 PQF + 22,000 PQP or 28,000 PQP.
If you reach Premier in 2025, your status will not expire until 31 January 2027. After you have flown 1 million miles, you’ll be eligible for the Million Miler program.
Tip: If you’re a high-spend, low-segment traveler, the PQP-only path may be smoother. If you fly a lot of short hops, aim for the PQF+PQP combo.
Premier status benefits
Key Premier benefits you’ll actually feel on travel day:
- Bonus earnings on United-ticketed flights:
- Silver: 7 miles per dollar 7x.
- Gold, Platinum, 1K: progressively higher multipliers (8x, 9x, 11x, respectively).
- Complimentary Premier Upgrades (CPUs): Eligible on most U.S. domestic routes and select short-haul international markets. Upgrade windows open roughly 24 hours (Silver), 48 hours (Gold), 72 hours (Platinum), and 96 hours (1K) before departure, space-permitting.
- Economy Plus & preferred seats: Free at booking for Gold and above; Silver can select Economy Plus at check-in (preferred seating is earlier).
- Checked bags: Higher tiers get more complimentary checked bags and higher weight allowances on many itineraries (policy varies by route). Check your fare’s baggage calculator online or in the app before you pack.
- Expanded award access: All Premier members see more Saver seats than general members, if there’s an open seat, Everyday awards remain bookable for elites.
- PlusPoints (upgrade currency): Earned at Premier Platinum (40) and Premier 1K (additional 280) and usable for upgrades on United and select partners.
United Club Lounge access
United Premier tiers map to Star Alliance status:
- Silver = Star Alliance Silver.
- Gold/Platinum/1K = Star Alliance Gold.
In the U.S., Star Gold members cannot access United Clubs when flying domestic-only itineraries; you’ll need a same-day international Star Alliance departure from that airport for United Club access via status. (Access rules for partner lounges abroad may differ.)
Star Alliance
MileagePlus ties into Star Alliance, the world’s largest airline alliance, giving you a far bigger map for earning and redeeming. Star Alliance currently lists 26 member airlines.
You’ll routinely see award space and mileage earning opportunities across carriers like Lufthansa, Air Canada, ANA, Singapore Airlines, SWISS, Turkish Airlines, EVA Air, Ethiopian, and TAP Air Portugal. United also partners with a handful of non-alliance airlines for specific routes and accruals; check the partner pages for the latest rules before you fly.
FAQ
Do United miles expire? No. MileagePlus miles never expire while your account stays open.
How many miles do I earn on United flights? Base members earn 5 miles per US$1 on United-issued tickets; elites earn more per dollar based on status.
How do I qualify for Premier status? You can qualify by earning a mix of PQP (spend) and PQF (segments), or by meeting a higher PQP-only target and completing at least 4 United/United Express segments.
Do award flights help me earn status? Yes, on United-operated award flights, you earn 1 PQP per 100 miles redeemed and 1 PQF per segment.
Can I combine miles with family? Yes. United’s miles pooling lets up to five members share miles with no transfer fee.
Do I get lounge access with status? Star Alliance Gold members get lounge access on international itineraries, but in the U.S., a same-day international Star Alliance departure is required for status-based United Club entry.
What happened to the Excursionist Perk? United stopped offering it for tickets issued on/after August 21, 2025 (and for changes made on/after that date).
Can I still upgrade with miles? Yes. You can request mileage upgrades, and elites can use PlusPoints.
Which global airline has the best loyalty program? Check out our dedicated article for Best Airline Loyalty Programs in 2025 to learn more.
