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United Airlines Frequent Flyer Program Guide

If you fly regularly with United Airlines, you will also be interested in their frequent flyer program called MileagePlus. If you have never heard of it, don’t worry. Our guide will give you a complete review of United’s frequent flyer program.

In this travel guide prepared by Treknova, we will take a look at United Airlines’ frequent flyer program called MileagePlus, how to get it and its benefits.

United Airlines MileagePlus Program

United Airlines MileagePlus program allows frequent flyers to earn more points in the form of miles travelled, which can then be used for making purchases. These purchases include buying reservation tickets, shopping at various partner retails, renting ground transportation for easy conveyance and more.

How to Sign Up for United MileagePlus Program

In order to take full advantage of United’s frequent flyer program, it is required that you sign up for their MileagePlus account. Having a MileagePlus account gives you many benefits when you fly with United Airlines, whether it’s your holiday or business trip.

It is very easy to sign up for a United MileagePlus account. Here are the steps for the sign up process.

Steps:

1. Using your computer or smartphone that is connected to the internet, visit United Airlines’ website https://www.united.com.

2. When you’re on their homepage, you will see the Sign Up button at the upper right corner. Click on it and you will be taken to the sign up page.

3. During the process, you will be asked to provide your details, such as your name, e-mail address, contact information and resident address. You will also be asked to set your own security questions and answers.

Note: You will be required to create five different security questions and their answers.

4. Next, you will be presented with United’s terms and conditions which you must accept in order to proceed.

5. Once the process is complete, you will be notified and a unique MileagePlus number will be sent to you.

You can find your MileagePlus number by simply logging in to your MileagePlus account on United’s website. Your MileagePlus number will be displayed under your name.

How to Earn United MileagePlus Miles

You can earn United MileagePlus miles through various ways. Below are the different ways you can earn United miles each time you travel.

Earn Milesby Flying More Often

The number of flight miles you will earn depends on the amount you spend on your ticket and your Mile Plus status. All identities other than main members can earn miles rewards. For example, the base membership reward rate is 5 miles per dollar. If you are a Premier Silver member, you will receive a 40% bonus, which brings the rate for your room to $ 7 per mile.

You will receive a bonus earning rate as you continue to climb up the United elite level ranks.

  • Premier Silver elite level earns 7 miles per $1 spent
  • Premier Gold elite level earns 8 miles per $1 spent
  • Premier Platinum elite level earns 9 miles per $1 spent
  • Premier 1K elite level earns 11 miles per $1 spent

Earn Miles using Credit Cards

Another way to earn miles when flying on United Airlines flights is by using credit cards. Keep in mind, however, that only certain types of credit cards are eligible for frequent flyer programs. For example, you could start by going to a co-brand Chase United card, such as the Chase United MileagePlus Explorer Card.

Using this credit card is a great way to earn a lot of points plus a solid sign up bonus. But beyond the sign up bonus, this card also offers perks for flying with United. Some of these perks include things like free check-in bags for you and a companion, and you also get priority riding. Another great benefit is that you get two free day passes for United club clubs that you get each year.

There are three other popular United co-brand credit cards you can use in addition to the MileagePlus Explorer Card:

  • United MileagePlus Club Card
  • United MileagePlus Club Business Card
  • United Airlines Mileage Plus Explorer Business Card

You can also use the Chase Sapphire card. These cards will earn you points, which can be transferred not only from Chase to United Airlines, but also to other airlines such as Southwest Airlines and Singapore Airlines. You can also transfer points to partner hotels, such as Hyatt.

Chasing Sapphire Preferred Card is one of the best cards to get the ultimate Chase reward. This card can be won twice in meals and in travel. Therefore, if you spend a lot of money in these categories, you will also receive additional combined miles on the same day. If you prefer to use airline tickets such as VIP lounges, Chase Sapphire Reserve is definitely a good choice. Its annual fee can be as high as $ 550, but it also offers airline vouchers of $ 300 and the right to use the Priority Pass Select Select VIP room.

Earn Miles by Shopping Online

United also offers the MileagePlus shopping portal. This is an online shopping portal that allows you to earn miles from the UK when you buy different types of goods online. You will be able to buy the same type of products as the public and pay the same price, the only difference is that you will get extra joint miles. For example, you can earn 3 combined miles for $ 1 spent on Macy’s, which is in addition to the points you earn with your credit card.

There is also a mobile app called MPX that allows you to earn combined miles when you shop at this restaurant. So using the MileagePlus shopping portal and the MPX app are great ways to top up your miles.

Earn Miles by Dining

United offers a MileagePlus Dining portal that allows you to earn United miles when you dine at various partner restaurants. It’s simple, all you have to do is link a credit card to the program, then go out to eat and leave a review for that restaurant. The more times you eat out, the more joint miles you will earn.

Earn Miles through Auto Rentals and other Ground Transportation

Hertz-owned rental agencies, including Dollar and Thrifty, offer the option to earn MileagePlus miles. Partners also include Amtrak rail services as well as selected shuttle and car services.

Spend United Miles

In terms of mileage and the cost of the awards, United’s awards table is pretty good. You can choose between ‘Energy Saving Award’ and ‘Daily Award’. Saver prizes are much cheaper but hard to find, and Everyday prizes are more expensive but easier to find. Short-haul flights can make the most of your United Miles. For one-way and economy class tickets to most U.S. destinations, United only needs 12,500 miles. However, if the flight distance is less than 700 miles, all you need is 10,000 miles.

United’s privileges for short trips allow you to add open chins and ladders to the right area to maximize the value of United Miles. Vibration provides you with a free segment within the area of ​​land you are traveling in, as long as that area is different from the one you started your trip on.

One of the best things about using United Airlines mileage awards is that you can usually avoid high surcharges. For example, Lufthansa is one of the first class products of any airline in the world. However, one of the main problems with booking Lufthansa awards is that you usually have to pay some surcharges for the prizes, which is very high. Fortunately, with United Airlines, you can avoid surcharges on Lufthansa and book first-class tickets to Europe and the United States for just 110,000 miles.

There are several other types of rewards that you can avoid surcharges, which makes United MileagePlus a very attractive program at times.

Earn Elite Status with United

In order to attain Elite status with United, you will need to earn First Qualifying Miles (PQM) or Travel through First Qualifying Tiers (PQS). Additionally, you will also have to meet the First Qualifying Dollars (PQD) requirements.

  • Premier Qualified Dollars (PQD) are determined by the base fare and carrier-imposed surcharges.
  • Premier Qualified Miles (PQM) are based on the number of flight miles paid and the rate purchased.
  • Premier Qualified Segments (PQS) are based on the number of paid flown segments travelled and the fare class purchased.

As long as you spend at least $25,000 on a Chase MileagePlus co-branded credit card, your minimum spending requirement will be waived (except for Premier 1K elite status).

Here are the requirements for each tier.

  • Premier Silver: 25,000 PQM or 30 PQS (and $3,000 PQD)
  • Premier Gold: 50,000 PQM or 60 PQS (and $6,000 PQD)
  • Premier Platinum: 75,000 PQM or 90 PQS (and $9,000 PQD)
  • Premier 1K: 100,000 PQM or 120 PQS (and $15,000 PQD)

There is also an invitation-only elite status called United Global Services that United offers to select members. In order to obtain Global Services membership, you need to spend a lot on United airfare.

Buy Additional MileagePlus Miles

You can purchase additional miles through United milesPlus, but this is generally not a good idea. You may have to pay much more than one cent for each mile that Miles Plus miles are evaluated. However, if you need a few thousand miles to top up your account for a valuable prize, this might make sense.

Star Alliance Frequent Flyer Partners

United Airlineshas partnered with Star Alliance. This means you can earn miles for United even when you are flying on different airline partners. For example, if you fly on an Air Canada flight, you can attribute your earned miles to United Airlines flight and vice versa.

Below is a complete list of Star Alliance partners in alphabetical order.

Additionally, there are other partners of United Airlines as well, which include the following. Some airline carriers in the list are also regional airlines.

  • Aer Lingus
  • Aeromar
  • Air Dolomiti
  • Azul Brazilian Airlines
  • Cape Air
  • Edelweiss
  • Eurowings
  • Great Lakes Airlines
  • Hawaiian Airlines
  • Silver Airways

After obtaining the status of United Airlines, you will be granted the status of Star Alliance. For example, when you get a joint VIP gold card, you will also get a Star Alliance gold card status. All Star Alliance airlines with Star Alliance Gold membership can enjoy priority service and better baggage allowance, which saves you from the baggage fees of certain airlines such as Lufthansa.

Conclusion – United Airlines Frequent Flyer Program Guide

United frequent flyer program, MileagePlus, is in itself, a great program for regular travellers. Also, the airline carrier has partnered with several other airlines so that you can avail the maximum benefits each time you fly, be it just a holiday with friends or family or a regular business trip.

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