How to pay your United credit card's annual fee with miles
Did you know that you can pay the annual fee on your United credit card using your airline miles? It's called "Pay Yourself Back" — but I'm not talking about using your Chase Ultimate Rewards points with the Chase Pay Yourself Back program. Instead, you can pay your card's annual fee with regular United Airlines MileagePlus miles.
If you weren't aware of this feature or the details surrounding it, don't feel bad. The website that houses this information is not widely publicized, and it also doesn't have much in the way of details.
Today, I'll walk you through how to pay your United credit card's annual fee using United miles.
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Cards eligible for this feature
United offers multiple cobranded credit cards, including the following:
- United Business Card.
- United Club Business Card.
- United Club Card.
- United Club Infinite Card.
- United Explorer Card.
- United Quest℠ Card.
The information for the United Club Card and 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.
Any United card with an annual fee is eligible to participate in this offer — including ones that are no longer available to new applicants.
Related: No saver space, no problem: How to unlock additional award availability with United
How to pay your card's annual fee with United Airlines miles
There is a website outlining this option: choices.unitedmileageplus.com. It mentions that you can use miles to pay off your annual fee, but unfortunately, it says you must call the number on the back of your card to start the process.
Moreover, the terms at the bottom of the page have a few important points you should note:
- This feature is only available after the prior payment of your annual fee within the last 90 days, meaning you will need to pay the fee first and then use United miles as a reimbursement after the fact.
- Redemption values aren't published and can change at any time. Right now, the value is 1.5 cents per mile (more on that below).
- The statement credit will appear on your account within three business days, and you'll see the reimbursement and use of miles on your billing statement within one or two billing cycles.
- Reimbursement of your annual fee using miles does not count as a payment to satisfy your minimum payment due that month, so ensure any minimum payments are still met.
Thus, in order to get started, you will need to call the number on the back of your United credit card. In addition, you must be within 90 days of when the annual fee posted to your account. Finally, you'll need to pay that fee first and then request to use your United miles as a reimbursement.
What it costs
How much does it cost? Or, to rephrase this question, how many miles will you need?
Since you will pay the annual fee and seek reimbursement with your miles, let's look at the cost in terms of how many United miles you'll ultimately use to reimburse yourself after paying the annual fee on your United credit card.
While the MileagePlus Choices page states "Redemption values may be changed at any time," we've seen no change in the redemption rate for over a year now. You can use your United miles at 1.5 cents apiece against your card's annual fee.
TPG values United miles at 1.21 cents each. Thus, this redemption is above the average value for United miles. On the face of it, that looks like a pretty good deal.
That said, if you're someone who routinely redeems your miles for first- and business-class awards, you are likely getting more than 1.5 cents each in value from your United miles. In this situation, you might be hesitant to use your miles in this way.
Overall, though, this is a fair use of United miles when considering all of your redemption options, but it will be up to you to decide whether it works for you.
Here is how many miles you can expect to pay, based on your card's annual fee:
- United Business Card ($0 introductory annual fee, then $99): 6,600 miles.
- United Club Business Card ($450 annual fee): 30,000 miles.
- United Club Card ($450 annual fee): 30,000 miles.
- United Club Infinite Card ($525 annual fee): 35,000 miles.
- United Explorer Card ($0 introductory annual fee, then $95): 6,333 miles.
- United Quest℠ Card ($250 annual fee): 16,666 miles.
Bottom line
Using United miles to offset your credit card's annual fee is an interesting option. Not everyone will find value in it, depending on how you prefer to use your miles, what value you assign to them or even how many are in your account right now. And since there's not much information online about this option, you may have never even considered it.
That said, I am a big fan of options, especially when you get get decent value from a redemption.
If you're interested in using your United miles to reimburse your card's annual fee, call the number on the back of your card to get started — but be sure to crunch the numbers to make sure it makes sense for you.
Top offers from our partners
How we chose these cards
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and at U.S. supermarkets. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
Build your loyalty to Delta by applying for the carrier's mid-tier card option, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. The annual fee is quickly recouped by the card's travel perks, such as an application credit to Global Entry or TSA Precheck, annual companion certificate and so much more. Plus you can fast-track to elite status simply through card spend.Pros
- Earn bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and an Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver when you hit specific spending thresholds with your card within a calendar year
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year
- Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
- First checked bag free
Cons
- Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
- SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
- New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Rewards Rate
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and at U.S. supermarkets. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.Earn 90,000 Bonus Miles50,000 Bonus MilesAnnual Fee
$250Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO© Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.670-850Excellent/Good
Why We Chose It
Build your loyalty to Delta by applying for the carrier's mid-tier card option, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. The annual fee is quickly recouped by the card's travel perks, such as an application credit to Global Entry or TSA Precheck, annual companion certificate and so much more. Plus you can fast-track to elite status simply through card spend.Pros
- Earn bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and an Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver when you hit specific spending thresholds with your card within a calendar year
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year
- Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
- First checked bag free
Cons
- Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
- SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
- New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees