The United MileagePlus program, established in 1981, boasts an extensive network of partners, spanning from airlines and hotels to car rentals, cruises, retail, and financial services. This vast partnership ecosystem is designed to enhance the value and flexibility of your MileagePlus miles.
United MileagePlus miles offer versatile redemption options. While you can use them for flights on United Airlines, their value truly expands when you explore flights with United’s diverse partners. Beyond air travel, miles can also be redeemed for hotel stays and cruises, although it’s wise to evaluate the redemption value carefully for these non-airline options.
Exploring United Airlines Partner Airlines
United strategically partners with members of the Star Alliance, a global airline network where United is a founding member. Additionally, United collaborates with airlines outside of Star Alliance, broadening travel possibilities to destinations not directly served by United.
United’s Star Alliance Partners
- Aegean Airlines
- Air Canada
- Air China
- Air India
- Air New Zealand
- All Nippon Airways (ANA)
- Asiana Airlines
- Austrian
- Avianca
- Brussels Airlines
- Copa Airlines
- Croatia Airlines
- Egyptair
- Ethiopian Airlines
- EVA Airways
- LOT Polish Airlines
- Lufthansa
- SAS Scandinavian Airlines
- Shenzhen Airlines
- Singapore Airlines
- South African Airways
- Swiss International Air Lines
- TAP Air Portugal
- Thai Airways
- Turkish Airlines
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Alt text: ANA Business Class seat showcasing spacious layout and premium travel experience.
Other United Airline Partners
- Aer Lingus
- Air Dolomiti
- Airlink
- Azul
- Boutique Air
- Cape Air
- Discover Airlines
- Edelweiss
- Emirates*
- Eurowings
- Flydubai*
- Hawaiian Airlines
- JSX
- Juneyao Air
- Lufthansa City Airlines
- Olympic Air
- Silver Airways
- Virgin Australia
- Vistara
* Note: Mileage redemption for Emirates and Flydubai flights from Dubai is restricted to bookings connected with a United flight originating from the US and destined for Dubai.
Expanding Horizons: United Airlines Travel Partners Beyond Airlines
United’s partnerships extend beyond airlines, notably with Marriott Bonvoy, offering MileagePlus Premier members reciprocal benefits at certain elite tiers. For car rentals, United provides exclusive deals with Avis, including reciprocal elite status. Furthermore, members can accrue miles with numerous hotel chains and car rental companies.
MileagePlus miles can be redeemed for a diverse range of travel-related expenses including car rentals, hotel accommodations, and cruises, in addition to flight awards. While options like retail products and magazine subscriptions exist for mile redemption, their value proposition often isn’t as compelling compared to travel redemptions.
Understanding MileagePlus Point Requirements for Flights
Flights with United Airlines
United employs dynamic pricing for its flights, meaning award flight costs fluctuate and there isn’t a fixed award chart. Domestic short-haul economy flights within North America can start from approximately 6,000 miles each way. Roundtrip flights to Hawaii might begin around 35,000 miles, and European roundtrips from about 55,000 miles. For longer journeys, roundtrips to Asia can start around 121,000 miles, and to Africa from 145,000 miles.
For premium cabin experiences, domestic short-haul United First flights can be found starting around 30,000 miles each way. Transcontinental flights in First Class might be attainable for similar mile amounts under specific routing scenarios. For transatlantic travel, United Polaris business class can sometimes be booked for as low as 135,000 miles each way. Transpacific routes to Japan may start from 170,000 miles each way, while Polaris flights to Africa might begin around 325,000 miles each way.
MileagePlus elite members and United credit cardholders may gain access to enhanced award availability and potential discounts on award redemptions, further maximizing their miles.
Explore further details on United miles value and the United Excursionist Perk.
Flights with Partner Airlines
Dynamic pricing also applies to many United partner airlines. However, some partners operate with a fixed redemption rate system, where if award inventory is available, the price is set, although finding availability can be challenging.
Partner awards can sometimes align in cost with United awards, yet in certain markets, they might present better value. For example, an economy award flight with United from San Francisco to Tokyo Haneda could be 70,000 miles for a nonstop flight. In contrast, an award on EVA Air via Taipei might be available for 61,000 miles. Business class awards to select African cities on Ethiopian Airlines have been observed from 88,000 miles each way. Lufthansa First Class redemptions stand out as a potentially excellent value, occasionally costing less than United Polaris for premium transatlantic travel. While Lufthansa First Class routes are limited and availability often appears within two weeks of departure, at 140,000 miles each way, it offers an exceptional flight experience.
United’s Excursionist Perk extends to partner airlines, enabling travelers to include a free flight segment within the same region on round-trip itineraries, provided the origin and final destination are in different regions. For instance, on a trip from Newark to London, continuing to Paris, and returning from Paris to Newark, the London to Paris flight segment would not incur additional miles.
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Alt text: Lufthansa First Class cabin interior, showcasing luxurious seating and premium in-flight amenities.
Strategies for Earning MileagePlus Miles
MileagePlus miles accumulation is versatile. Flying with United, Star Alliance partners, or other United partners is a primary method. Miles can also be earned through hotel stays, car rentals, and via financial partners like banks and energy providers. Holding a MileagePlus credit card provides another avenue for mile accumulation through everyday spending.
Mileage accrual on United-operated flights or partner flights ticketed by United (ticket number starting with 016) is based on ticket price, with multipliers depending on the MileagePlus member’s elite status.
Furthermore, points from Chase Ultimate Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, and Bilt Rewards can be transferred to United MileagePlus, offering flexibility in consolidating rewards.
Unlocking Benefits with MileagePlus Status
The MileagePlus program features four Premier elite tiers: Premier Silver, Premier Gold, Premier Platinum, and Premier 1K. Premier status unlocks benefits such as complimentary checked baggage, domestic flight upgrades, access to Economy Plus seating at no charge, priority boarding, and other travel enhancements.
Domestic upgrade priority is sequenced by Premier status, with Premier 1K members receiving upgrade clearance earliest (up to 96 hours pre-departure), and Premier Silver upgrades clearing on the departure day. While complimentary upgrades are not standard on international flights and specific long-haul domestic routes (e.g., Hawaii to destinations east of California), Premier Platinum and Premier 1K members receive Plus Points, which can be used to request upgrades on these flights.
Premier Silver status aligns with Star Alliance Silver status, granting limited benefits like priority waitlisting and standby. Premier Gold status and higher equate to Star Alliance Gold, providing business class check-in and boarding, and lounge access on most international flights within the Star Alliance network.
Top United Airlines Partners for MileagePlus Point Redemption
With a wide array of partners for MileagePlus mile redemption, identifying the best value can be complex. However, certain partners consistently offer excellent redemption opportunities.
Airline Partners
All Nippon Airways (ANA)
ANA often presents some of the most cost-effective MileagePlus redemptions, particularly for domestic flights within Japan. Economy seats on select short-haul domestic Japan routes can be booked for as little as 5,000 miles each way, offering exceptional value.
Ethiopian Airlines
For travel to Africa, Ethiopian Airlines provides nonstop flights from the U.S. to Addis Ababa, its hub. While economy redemptions to African destinations may be similarly priced between United and Star Alliance partners, Ethiopian frequently offers better business class award availability. Business class award flights to Africa on United and some Star Alliance partners can reach 200,000 miles each way, whereas Ethiopian may offer them for 88,000 miles each way, representing substantial savings.
Aer Lingus
Similar to Ethiopian, Aer Lingus can offer superior and more affordable award availability in premium cabins. Notably, business class redemptions to numerous European destinations via Dublin can be found for around 88,000 miles each way. When searching for awards, sorting by lowest redemption amount can be beneficial. Aer Lingus flights from Ireland to the U.S. also feature pre-clearance for U.S. customs, streamlining connections upon arrival in the United States.
Lufthansa
Lufthansa First Class, available on select flights from Frankfurt and Munich, can be booked from 110,000 miles each way for transatlantic routes from the U.S. to Europe. However, award availability is restricted and typically becomes available only within two weeks of departure. Passengers traveling via Frankfurt gain access to Lufthansa’s exclusive First Class terminal, enhancing the premium experience.
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Alt text: Ethiopian Airlines Business Class cabin featuring comfortable lie-flat seats and modern design.
Redeeming MileagePlus Points on Partner Airlines: A Simple Process
United simplifies MileagePlus redemption on partner airlines. Almost all partner awards can be booked directly through the United website. Contacting an agent is rarely necessary unless the website encounters processing issues. To book, simply search for flights on united.com, log into your MileagePlus account, and proceed with booking your award travel.
In Summary: United Frequent Flyer Miles Partners
MileagePlus stands as a leading loyalty program globally, offering a vast network of airline, hotel, car rental, and financial partners for both mile accrual and redemption. Members benefit from United’s extensive partner network and the ease of online booking for most redemptions. Exploring partner redemptions can often unlock superior value compared to solely booking United flights, maximizing the potential of your MileagePlus miles.
