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Earn MileagePlus miles with United’s airline, hotel and credit card partners
Andrew Kunesh is TPG's Points & Miles editor. He has been active in the points and miles space since 2014, using them to travel far and wide around the world. He is originally from Chicago but moved to New York City after graduating from DePaul University. His work is featured on Credit Karma, UpgradedPoints, ValuePenguin and various other travel and finance publications. He currently holds Delta Diamond Medallion and Marriott Titanium status, and 20+ credit cards that each have a special place in Andrew's wallet.
Rachel Craft is a travel writer at TPG. She's excited about introducing more people to the world of points & miles and helping fellow travel newbies make the most of their points.
also contributed to this story
July 1, 2025 • 15 min read
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By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
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Quick summary
United Airlines' MileagePlus program offers extensive opportunities to earn and redeem miles through a broad network of airline, hotel and rental car partners.
Members can earn miles not only by flying but also through hotel stays, car rentals, shopping, dining and various everyday activities.
The program includes both Star Alliance and nonalliance airline partners, expanding route options and redemption possibilities worldwide.
Recent devaluations have affected some aspects, but the program remains valuable for frequent and occasional travelers.
What to consider
Earning rates and eligibility for miles can vary by partner, fare class and route, so reviewing specific terms is essential.
Some offers and bonuses mentioned may no longer be available, and restrictions may apply to earning or redeeming miles with certain partners.
Transferring hotel points to United is possible but often not the most efficient use of those points.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed breakdown of partner earning rates, transfer options and strategies for maximizing United MileagePlus miles across travel and everyday spending.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Despite recent devaluations, United Airlines' MileagePlus program is still a useful one for points and miles enthusiasts. One attractive feature is its wide network of partner airlines, hotel groups and rental car companies, which opens up more destinations and new ways to earn and redeem airline miles. But United's partners aren't limited to travel; you can also earn valuable MileagePlus miles through shopping, dining and other everyday activities.
In fact, one of the airline's cobranded credit cards is currently offering its highest-ever welcome bonus.
This article will give you an overview of the many partners you should know about if you’re a United loyalist, to help you avoid leaving rewards on the table.
United is a founding member of Star Alliance, the largest airline alliance in the world. United frequent flyers can earn and redeem miles with all the member airlines, opening up a huge route network that spans all inhabited continents and nearly all major cities worldwide.
In addition to United, the Star Alliance member airlines are:
United also maintains a handful of airline partnerships outside of Star Alliance, giving United customers access to even more destinations around the world. You can earn and redeem miles with these partners in most cases, though some may have restrictions.
For example, MileagePlus members can earn miles on interisland Hawaiian Airlines flights but not flights from the mainland U.S., and flyers cannot book Hawaiian Airlines flights with United miles.
Here’s a rundown of United’s nonalliance airline partners:
Aer Lingus
Air Dolomiti
Airlink
Azul Brazilian Airlines
Cape Air
Discover Airlines
Edelweiss Air
Emirates
Eurowings
Flydubai
Hawaiian Airlines
JSX
Lufthansa City Airlines
Olympic Air
Virgin Australia
Note that United has also announced a new partnership with JetBlue Airways, though the timeline for implementation of the "Blue Sky" agreement isn't yet clear.
From airlines to car rental companies, United has many ways to earn miles through partners. Here’s a quick overview.
United airline partners
SVEN HOPPE/PICTURE ALLIANCE/GETTY IMAGES
You can earn United miles when you add your MileagePlus number to flights operated by any of United’s partners.
If United issues your ticket (i.e., your ticket number starts with “016”), you’ll earn 5 base miles per dollar spent. If you have Premier status with United, you’ll earn additional bonus miles per dollar spent on the flight.
MileagePlus status
Base miles earned
Premier bonus miles earned
Total miles earned
General member
5 miles
No additional miles
5 miles per dollar
Premier Silver
5 miles
2 bonus miles
7 miles per dollar
Premier Gold
5 miles
3 bonus miles
8 miles per dollar
Premier Platinum
5 miles
4 bonus miles
9 miles per dollar
Premier 1K
5 miles
6 bonus miles
11 miles per dollar
If a partner tickets your flight, you’ll earn United miles based on the distance flown and the fare class.
For example, a Lufthansa flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Frankfurt Airport (FRA) booked as an M fare (economy) would earn 5,806 miles. This is because the flight from LAX to FRA is 5,806 miles, and the Lufthansa chart shows that M fares earn 100% of the mileage flown.
United MileagePlus earning rates on Lufthansa-operated flights. UNITED AIRLINES
You can also earn Premier qualifying points and Premier qualifying flights on partner flights. Flights on United’s “preferred” partner airlines earn 1 PQP for every 5 miles flown; flights on other partners earn 1 PQP for every 6 miles flown. However, note that United has limits on how many PQPs and PQFs you can earn, depending on the partner airline and the fare class.
You can view the PQP guidelines, as well as miles earning rates for each partner airline, on United’s website. Review these pages closely — sometimes, airlines restrict mileage earning to specific routes and fare classes.
United has partnerships with most major hotel chains and some hotel booking platforms to allow members to earn United miles on lodging. Some earn a set number of miles per stay, while others earn miles based on how much you spend at a given hotel. Many hotel loyalty programs also let you transfer your hotel points to United, though that usually isn’t the best use of your points.
Transfer Accor Live Limitless points to United MileagePlus at a 2:1 ratio.
Best Western
Earn 250 United miles per eligible stay at any participating hotel.
Choice
Transfer Choice Privileges points to United MileagePlus at a 5:1 ratio.
Earn 250 United miles per eligible stay at a participating hotel.
Hilton
Transfer Hilton Honors points to United MileagePlus at a 10:1 ratio.
Hyatt
Transfer World of Hyatt points to United MileagePlus at a 2.5:1 ratio. Plus, you'll get a 5,000-mile bonus when you convert 50,000 points to 20,000 miles.
Earn 500 United miles per eligible stay at certain World of Hyatt brands.
IHG
Transfer IHG One Rewards points to United MileagePlus at a 5:1 ratio.
Earn 2 United miles per dollar spent on qualifying room rates at certain IHG brands. Candlewood Suites and Staybridge Suites earn 1 mile per dollar spent.
Marriott
Transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to United MileagePlus at a 3:1 ratio, plus get a 10,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott points you transfer. Conversely, Premier members can convert MileagePlus miles to Marriott Bonvoy points at a 1:1 ratio.
Depending on the brand, you can earn 1 or 2 miles per dollar spent on all qualifying charges at select Marriott hotels.
Rocketmiles
Book hotels through Rocketmiles and earn up to 10,000 miles per night.
Shangri-La
Transfer Circle points to United MileagePlus at a 1:1 ratio (must convert a minimum of 2,500 Shangri-La Circle points).
Earn 500 United miles per eligible stay at select brands.
United Hotels
Earn 2 United miles per dollar spent.
Vrbo
Earn 3 United miles per dollar spent on Vrbo vacation rentals.
Wyndham
Transfer Wyndham Rewards points to United MileagePlus at a 5:1 ratio.
Wyndham Gold and Blue members earn 1 United mile per dollar spent at participating hotels; Wyndham Platinum and Diamond members earn 2 miles per dollar spent.
Rental cars are an important part of many trips, especially if you plan to travel outside big cities.
When you rent with Avis and Budget, you can earn United miles by simply providing your MileagePlus membership number when you book. However, you may need to pay a frequent traveler program surcharge if you opt to earn miles on your rental.
MileagePlus membership tier
Miles earned
Basic member
500 miles per rental
MileagePlus Chase credit card holder
750 miles per rental
Premier Silver and Premier Gold
1,000 miles per rental
Premier Platinum and Premier 1K
1,250 miles per rental
United flyers can also take advantage of discounts of up to 35% with Avis and Budget using their respective discount numbers.
Or, you can rent through car-sharing service Turo to boost your MileagePlus balance. You'll earn 5 miles per dollar spent on your first Turo rental and 1 mile per dollar thereafter.
United Airlines has an exclusive partnership with Chase to issue credit cards in the U.S. Each card offers extra miles on United purchases, and some offer additional perks like free checked bags and United Club access.
Here’s an overview of the currently available United personal cards and their welcome bonuses:
United Gateway℠ Card: Earn 30,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening (see rates and fees).
United℠ Explorer Card: Earn 70,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening (see rates and fees).
United Quest℠ Card: Earn 80,000 bonus miles and 3,000 Premier qualifying points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening (see rates and fees).
United Club℠ Card: Earn 90,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening (see rates and fees).
United also has two business credit cards:
United℠ Business Card: Earn 100,000 bonus miles and 2,000 PQPs after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening (see rates and fees).
United Club℠ Business Card: Earn 100,000 bonus miles and 2,000 PQPs after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
The information for the United Club Business Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
There are two credit card reward currencies that you can transfer to United MileagePlus: Chase Ultimate Rewards points and Bilt Rewards Points. Both transfer at a 1:1 ratio, so you can turn 10,000 Ultimate Rewards or Bilt Points into 10,000 United miles — and transfers are almost instant.
Here are some of our favorite cards that earn these valuable points:
Bilt Mastercard® In many cases, you can earn United miles faster with one of these cards than with the United cards we mentioned earlier. While you don’t get airline-specific benefits like free checked bags, you can earn more points on everyday purchases. Not to mention, you can transfer your points to other airlines and hotels if you find a better redemption.
The information for the Bilt Mastercard has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Shopping and everyday partners
JACOB WACKERHAUSEN/GETTY IMAGES
United has a suite of other partners that you can use to earn United miles on your daily purchases.
Partner
Mileage earning
Audience Rewards
Earn at least 100 miles per Broadway ticket, with bonus offers of up to 2,000 miles.
Emergency Assistance Plus
Earn 1,500 miles when you sign up for Emergency Assistance Plus and for each year you renew.
FTD
Earn 15 miles for every dollar you spend on FTD flowers and gifts.
Gopuff
Earn 2 miles per dollar spent in the Gopuff app when you link your MileagePlus account. Plus, new Gopuff users can get 500 bonus miles on their first order.
Home Chef
Earn up to 5,000 miles on your first five boxes from Home Chef (1,000 miles each).
ID Resolve
Earn 800 miles for ID Resolve and 1,400 miles for ID Resolve 360 when you sign up and each year when you renew.
Earn up to 1,000 bonus miles when you join, plus earn miles when shopping at qualifying merchants like Apple, Macy’s and Levi’s.
MileagePlus X
Earn United miles on every dollar you spend on gift cards, restaurant purchases, items from online retailers and last-minute hotel deals through the MileagePlus X app.
MyPoints
Earn up to 1,500 miles when you join MyPoints and make your first purchase within 30 days.
National Foundation for Cancer Research
Earn 10 miles per dollar spent on tax-deductible contributions of $25 or more.
Norton 360 with LifeLock
Save up to 45% and earn up to 10,000 miles on your first year of Norton 360 with LifeLock.
NRG and Reliant Energy
Earn 10,000 bonus miles for enrolling in an NRG electricity account and 2,500 bonus miles for enrolling in a natural gas account after two months of service. Get 2 miles for every dollar spent on the supply portion of your monthly electric and natural gas bills. (Available in select utility service areas.)
Texas residents can earn 15,000 bonus miles when signing up and 500 bonus miles each month for 24 months when they switch to the Reliant Secure 24 plan.
Opinion Miles Club
You can earn up to 600 United miles for joining and completing your first survey, plus additional miles for each survey after that.
Rocket Mortgage
Earn 25,000 miles for closing or refinancing a home loan through Rocket Mortgage.
Thanks Again
Earn 100 bonus miles when you enroll and 1 mile per dollar spent when you park, shop or dine at more than 100 airports throughout North America. You can also earn by shopping at thousands of local businesses nationwide.
Therabody
Earn up to 6 miles per dollar spent on Therabody products.
Timeshifter
Earn 500 miles when you purchase an annual Timeshifter jet lag app subscription or 200 miles when purchasing a round-trip plan.
United Cruises
Earn up to 4 miles per dollar spent on cruises booked through United Cruises (a maximum of 25,000 miles per cruise applies).
Vivid Seats
Earn 2 miles per dollar spent on Vivid Seats tickets.
United Premier elite members get reciprocal benefits on all Star Alliance carriers. United Premier Silver members are eligible for Star Alliance Silver status, while United Premier Gold and above members are eligible for the more lucrative Star Alliance Gold status. To take advantage of your Star Alliance benefits when flying partner airlines, add your United MileagePlus number to your booking.
United is one of the biggest airlines on the planet, and its MileagePlus loyalty program can deliver a lot of value to both frequent and occasional United travelers. Although the carrier is known to price award space on partner-operated flights slightly higher than on its own planes, you can leverage United’s partner network to fly to destinations not served by United for only a few thousand extra miles — meaning United miles can take you just about anywhere in the world.
To earn more United miles, you might consider opening one of United's credit cards. However, if you’re just beginning your mileage journey, we highly recommend starting with a card that earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points or Bilt points. After all, you can transfer these points to United (and many other programs).
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
