Since its inception in 1981, the United MileagePlus program has become a cornerstone of travel rewards, offering members a vast ecosystem of partners. From airlines and hotels to car rentals and financial services, understanding United Mileage Program Partners is key to unlocking the full potential of your miles.
MileagePlus miles are incredibly versatile. While you can redeem them for United flights, the real value often lies in leveraging the extensive network of United Mileage Program Partners. This includes not only flights with partner airlines but also a range of non-flight redemptions like hotel stays and cruises. However, it’s important to note that while diverse, not all redemption options offer the same value for your miles.
Exploring United Airlines Partner Airlines
United Airlines strategically partners with a diverse group of airlines, categorized into two main groups: Star Alliance members and other airline partners. This expansive network significantly broadens your travel horizons, allowing you to reach destinations beyond United’s direct routes by utilizing United Mileage Program Partners in the air.
Discovering United’s Star Alliance Partners
As a founding member of the Star Alliance, United collaborates with a powerful global network of airlines. This partnership means seamless travel experiences and enhanced mileage earning and redemption opportunities across a vast international network. Here are 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
Expanding Horizons with Other United Airline Partners
Beyond the Star Alliance, United has forged partnerships with additional airlines, further enriching the United Mileage Program Partners network. These collaborations provide even more flexibility in flight options and destinations, especially in niche markets or regions not heavily served by Star Alliance. These partners include:
- 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
* Important Note: Redemption for Emirates and Flydubai flights using MileagePlus miles is specifically for flights originating from Dubai when booked in conjunction with a United flight from the US to Dubai.
Beyond Flights: Other United Airlines Travel Partners
The benefits of the United Mileage Program Partners extend beyond air travel. United has cultivated strong relationships with various travel industry players, enhancing the value proposition for MileagePlus members. Notably, the close relationship with the Marriott Bonvoy program offers reciprocal benefits for elite members, creating a seamless travel experience across air and accommodation. Furthermore, exclusive partnerships with Avis car rentals, including reciprocal elite status, add another layer of convenience and value.
MileagePlus members can also earn miles with numerous hotel chains and car rental companies within the United Mileage Program Partners network. On the redemption side, beyond flights, your miles can be used for car rentals, hotel stays, and cruises. While options like retail products and magazine subscriptions are available, they often represent a less optimal use of your valuable miles compared to travel redemptions.
Understanding MileagePlus Point Needs for Flights
Redeeming Miles on United Flights
United utilizes dynamic pricing for its own flights, meaning award flight costs fluctuate based on demand and other factors. This dynamic model means there isn’t a fixed award chart. However, to give you a general idea, short-haul economy flights within North America can start from around 6,000 miles each way. Round trips to popular destinations like Hawaii might begin around 35,000 miles, and European round trips could start from approximately 55,000 miles. For longer haul destinations, expect to see roundtrips to Asia starting around 121,000 miles, and to Africa from about 145,000 miles.
For those seeking premium cabin experiences, domestic United First class on shorter flights can be found from about 30,000 miles each way. Transatlantic United Polaris business class seats can sometimes be found for as low as 135,000 miles each way. For transpacific journeys to Japan, business class might start around 170,000 miles each way, and to Africa, Polaris flights could begin around 325,000 miles each way.
It’s worth noting that MileagePlus elite members and United credit cardholders may gain access to expanded award inventory and potentially discounted award redemption rates, adding another perk to program loyalty.
Maximizing Value with Partner Airline Redemptions
United also employs dynamic pricing for many United Mileage Program Partners airlines. However, some partners operate with a different model: they offer a fixed redemption rate when award inventory is available. This “all-or-nothing” approach can sometimes mean limited availability but also potential sweet spots for value.
Interestingly, partner awards can sometimes mirror United award pricing, but in certain markets, they can be significantly more advantageous. For example, you might find a United nonstop economy award from San Francisco to Tokyo Haneda for 70,000 miles, while an award on EVA Air via Taipei, a United Mileage Program Partner, could be available for 61,000 miles. Business class awards on Ethiopian Airlines to African cities have been found for as low as 88,000 miles each way. One of the most sought-after partner redemptions is Lufthansa First Class, which, on select routes, can be cheaper than United Polaris and offers an exceptional flight experience for around 140,000 miles each way. However, Lufthansa First Class availability is limited and typically appears only within two weeks of departure.
Partner airlines also integrate with United’s “Excursionist Perk,” a valuable benefit allowing a free one-way flight within a region on round-trip itineraries that don’t start and end in the same region. This perk can be leveraged with United Mileage Program Partners to further maximize the value of your award travel.
Strategies for Earning MileagePlus Miles
Earning MileagePlus miles is multifaceted. Flying with United, Star Alliance partners, and other United Mileage Program Partners directly contributes to your mile balance. Beyond flying, you can accumulate miles through hotel stays, car rentals, and partnerships with financial institutions like banks and energy providers. Holding a MileagePlus credit card is another effective way to consistently earn miles on everyday spending.
For United-operated flights or partner flights ticketed by United (ticket number starting with 016), mile earnings are based on the ticket price, with multipliers determined by your MileagePlus elite status.
Furthermore, you can transfer points from popular programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, and Bilt Rewards to United MileagePlus, providing flexibility in accumulating miles from various sources.
Unlocking Benefits with MileagePlus Status
The MileagePlus program offers four Premier elite status tiers: Premier Silver, Premier Gold, Premier Platinum, and Premier 1K. These tiers unlock a range of valuable benefits, including complimentary checked baggage, upgrades on domestic flights, access to Economy Plus seating, priority boarding, and more.
Domestic upgrades are prioritized based on status level, with Premier 1K members enjoying upgrade clearance up to 96 hours before departure, while Premier Silver members are upgraded on the day of departure. While complimentary upgrades on international flights and long-haul domestic routes (like Hawaii to the East Coast) are not standard, Premier Platinum and Premier 1K members receive Plus Points, which can be used to request upgrades on these premium flights.
Premier Silver status corresponds to Star Alliance Silver, offering benefits like priority waitlisting and standby. Premier Gold and higher tiers align with Star Alliance Gold, granting access to business class check-in and boarding, and lounge access on most international flights across the Star Alliance network.
Top United Airlines Partners for MileagePlus Point Redemptions
With such a vast network of United Mileage Program Partners for redemption, identifying the best value options can seem overwhelming. However, certain partners consistently offer excellent redemption opportunities, particularly for maximizing your miles.
Airline Partners with Exceptional Value
All Nippon Airways (ANA)
ANA stands out for offering some of the most economical redemptions within the MileagePlus program, especially for domestic flights within Japan. Economy seats on select short-haul routes in Japan can be booked for as little as 5,000 miles each way, representing incredible value.
Ethiopian Airlines
For travel to Africa, Ethiopian Airlines, a United Mileage Program Partner, provides nonstop flights from the United States to Addis Ababa, its hub. While economy redemptions to African destinations might be similarly priced between United and Star Alliance partners, Ethiopian often offers better business class award availability. Business class awards to Africa on Ethiopian can often be found for around 88,000 miles each way, a substantial saving compared to the 200,000 miles or more sometimes seen on United and other Star Alliance carriers.
Aer Lingus
Aer Lingus, another valuable United Mileage Program Partner, often presents superior award availability and potentially lower redemption rates in premium cabins, especially to European destinations via Dublin. Business class redemptions to many European cities via Dublin can be found for around 88,000 miles each way. When searching for award flights, sorting by the lowest redemption amount can be beneficial to uncover these valuable options. Furthermore, Aer Lingus flights from Ireland to the U.S. offer pre-clearance for US customs, streamlining connections upon arrival in the United States.
Lufthansa
Lufthansa First Class, a premium experience offered on select flights from Frankfurt and Munich, is a highly desirable redemption within the United Mileage Program Partners network. One-way flights from the U.S. to Europe can be booked from around 110,000 miles each way. While availability is limited and typically only opens up within two weeks of departure, accessing Lufthansa’s dedicated First Class terminal in Frankfurt adds to the exclusivity of this redemption.
Redeeming MileagePlus Points on Partner Airlines: A Seamless Process
United has streamlined the redemption process for United Mileage Program Partners. The vast majority of MileagePlus awards on partner carriers can be booked directly through the United website. It’s seldom necessary to contact an agent for booking partner awards unless the website encounters technical issues processing the transaction. Simply search for flight availability on united.com, log in to your MileagePlus account, and proceed with your booking.
In Conclusion: Unlocking Global Travel with United Mileage Program Partners
MileagePlus stands as a leading loyalty program, boasting an extensive network of airline, hotel, car rental, and financial United Mileage Program Partners for both earning and redeeming miles. Members benefit from this vast network and the ease of online booking for most redemptions. Strategically utilizing partner redemptions can often unlock even greater value than booking solely with United, making understanding and leveraging United Mileage Program Partners crucial for maximizing your travel rewards.
