Key takeaways
- United miles are value roughly 0.9 cents every in accordance with Bankrate valuations, though some bookings could have a better or decrease level worth.
- United now not options an award chart, and this makes it troublesome to foretell what number of miles you’ll want for a selected award.
- Miles might be earned via spending with co-branded United bank cards and Chase Final Rewards playing cards in addition to via flights with the airline (and companions) and different qualifying exercise.
Incomes United miles generally is a good transfer for those who plan to journey inside america however much more so for those who’re a frequent traveler abroad. That is because of the airline’s membership within the Star Alliance, which unlocks the possibility so that you can use miles to fly to just about 1,200 distinctive airport locations throughout greater than 25 totally different airline companions.
It will possibly nonetheless assist to understand how a lot United miles are value earlier than you concentrate on incomes this rewards forex. You also needs to have a basic concept of the place United and its companions fly in addition to what number of miles you’ll want for an award reserving. This might help you establish if different frequent flyer applications journey to extra locations you need to go to from your private home airport for fewer miles total.
So, how a lot are United miles value? And how will you use miles within the United MileagePlus program for journey? We reply these questions and loads of others under.
How a lot are United miles value?
In accordance with Bankrate’s latest factors and miles valuations, United miles are value about 0.9 cents every. Which means that, on common, you’ll get 0.9 cents per mile in worth whenever you redeem your rewards for airfare. If you break it down additional, this implies 50,000 miles are value roughly $450.
That mentioned, it might be attainable to get a greater redemption worth for those who’re ready to make use of your miles to e book worldwide flights in a premium cabin.
United miles vs. different airways
Different frequent flyer program miles might be value kind of than United miles on common, and this additionally will depend on when and the way you select to redeem your factors. This data is useful to know whenever you’re contemplating airline bank cards and making an attempt to earn miles which might be truly worthwhile in their very own proper, whether or not you need to e book a fast flight near house or are planning an intensive worldwide journey.
The chart under exhibits how the worth of United miles compares to the worth of different airline currencies:
| Airline rewards program | Bankrate worth |
|---|---|
| Air France / Flying Blue | 1.5 cents |
| American Airways AAdvantage | 1.0 cents |
| Alaska Airways Mileage Plan | 1.1 cents |
| Delta SkyMiles | 1.2 cents |
| Frontier Miles | 1.3 cents |
| Hawaiian Airways HawaiianMiles | 0.7 cents |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | 1.3 cents |
| Southwest Fast Rewards | 1.5 cents |
| Spirit Airways Free Spirit | 1.0 cents |
| United MileagePlus | 0.9 cents |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership | 2.6 cents |
How one can redeem United miles
Whereas there are alternate redemption choices for United miles, they are typically value significantly extra for those who use them to e book airfare. Right here’s a rundown of the totally different redemption choices for United miles and once they make sense.
Ebook a flight with United or its companions
Relating to flights, you need to use your miles to e book airfare with United and its Star alliance companions. You may make the reserving with miles completely (plus airline taxes and charges), or you’ll be able to e book a flight utilizing a mix of money and miles. You too can use miles to pay for an improve on eligible itineraries you paid with money.
In any of those eventualities, you’ll be able to e book award flights via United.com or the United cellular app. You’ll need to log into your United MileagePlus account to see award choices and redeem your miles for airfare.
What number of United miles do you want for a flight? This will depend on your vacation spot and journey dates, however it’s vital to notice that United does not provide an award chart that allows you to discover this data out forward of time.
This mentioned, you might be able to discover one-way worldwide flights to locations in Europe for as little as 35,000 miles in economic system and 60,000 miles in premium economic system. You might also be capable of discover one-way itineraries from the U.S. to Asia for lower than 55,000 miles in economic system. One-way home flights in economic system might be discovered for lower than 10,000 miles, though this relies closely in your journey vacation spot, metropolis of departure and journey dates.
Right here’s the best way to get began reserving a flight with United miles:
- Go to United.com or open your United cellular app.
- Log in to your United MileagePlus account.
- Enter the date of your journey and seek for accessible flights. Make sure you click on the “Ebook with Miles” field so as to see how a lot flights price in miles.
- Choose your flights and your class of seat.
- Full your private traveler data.
- Select to make use of miles or miles and money to pay in your flight.
Discover a take care of United’s Featured Awards
The airline additionally affords a flight awards web page that lists a few of its least costly award choices, which you need to use for some inspiration. If you happen to’re in a position to construct your journeys across the airline’s featured awards, it can save you some miles each time you fly.
As of this writing, a number of the following award offers had been accessible with United miles:
- Chicago (ORD) to Tokyo (NRT) for 55,000 miles (plus $6) in economic system
- Newark (EWR) to Orlando (MCO) for 7,900 miles (plus $6) in economic system
- San Francisco (SFO) to Boston (BOS) for 12,900 miles (plus $6) in economic system
- Houston (IAH) to Cancun (CUN) for 7,300 miles (plus $43) in economic system
- Newark (EWR) to Tel Aviv (TLV) for 40,000 miles (plus $39) in economic system
Use different redemption choices at a lesser worth
You too can redeem your miles for choices like:
- Present playing cards
- Merchandise
- Resort stays, automobile leases and cruise bookings
- United Membership memberships
- In-flight wifi or eating
- Checked bag charges
Nonetheless, redeeming miles for something aside from airfare works finest in eventualities the place you haven’t any plans to make use of them for airfare and easily need to deplete their worth. In spite of everything, you’ll nearly all the time get a greater worth out of miles you redeem whenever you use them for flights with United and its companions over non-travel choices.
When is one of the best time to redeem United miles?
The very best time to redeem United miles is any time you discover a reserving you need that’s accessible for an affordable value. In spite of everything, award availability with United can change by the day and even the hour, so the reserving you need is probably not there for those who wait.
You’re additionally higher off making an attempt to make use of your miles early, as far out as 11 months earlier than your journey dates. By trying to find award availability early, you might be able to lock in prized bookings that is probably not accessible afterward. Plus, you’ll have further time to proceed your search and contemplate alternate journey dates and locations.
Greatest bank cards for incomes United miles
United affords a number of co-branded bank cards via Chase, however you don’t want a co-branded card to get United miles. Chase Final Rewards factors switch to United at a 1:1 ratio. This implies you’ll be able to earn factors in your Chase bank card after which flip them into United miles by transferring them.
Right here’s an summary of a number of the finest United Airways bank cards — plus one Chase journey bank card — that will help you earn United miles:
Further methods to earn United miles
Along with incomes United miles with co-branded bank cards and Chase Final Rewards playing cards, you can even earn miles with the next methods:
Take a look at Bankrate’s journey toolkit for ideas and methods on the best way to maximize journey with a bank card.
Methodology: How we calculated the United miles worth
In an effort to estimate the worth of United miles to {dollars}, we researched the price of dozens of home and worldwide flights throughout 29 totally different airline loyalty applications, evaluating their price in money with their price in miles. We additionally in contrast the price in money versus miles throughout totally different lessons of airfare. In doing so, we weighted economic system class tickets extra closely so as to present the worth {that a} typical buyer will get from utilizing rewards to e book flights.
The 0.9 cents per level worth we gave to United miles represents the median level per mile worth throughout the economic system and firstclass flights we researched. In fact, the precise worth of your United miles might be larger or decrease based mostly on a number of components, together with the way you redeem your factors, the precise flights you select (when redeeming factors for flights) and extra.
The underside line
United miles are value slightly below one cent (0.9 cents) every on common, however it’s attainable to get extra worth than that for those who’re versatile along with your journey dates and prepared to buy round. You’ll even be loads higher off for those who put in additional effort on the incomes facet of the equation. Which means that, along with flying with the airline, it is best to decide up a co-branded United card or a Chase journey bank card to start out incomes rewards on every thing you purchase.
FAQs
*The details about The New United℠ Explorer Card, The New United Quest℠ Card and The New United Membership℠ Card has been collected independently by Bankrate. The cardboard particulars haven’t been reviewed or permitted by the cardboard issuer.
