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United Airlines is one of the major U.S. airlines. MileagePlus, the United Airlines loyalty program, has several advantages over other airline rewards programs that can make it especially valuable for redeeming airline miles. These include no fuel surcharges on reward flights and a wealth of partner airlines.
In this post, we’ll cover the best ways to redeem 60,000 United Airlines miles and what you need to know to maximize the MileagePlus program.
Chase Ultimate Rewards has multiple Chase airline partners, including United Airlines. Earning transferable points with Ultimate Rewards is an ideal strategy to maximize the high-value redemptions in the MileagePlus program.
Hot Tip: We love collecting Ultimate Rewards because they’re easy to earn, and when you’re ready to transfer them to United Airlines, you can do so instantaneously at a 1:1 ratio.
A fantastic travel card with a huge welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.
Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.
A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.
If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of the best options out there.
The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like airport lounge access, with excellent point earning and redemption options. Plus it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to keep you covered whether you’re at home or on the road.
Don’t forget the $300 annual travel credit which really helps to reduce the annual fee!
Business owner? See our list of the best Chase business credit cards.
The most popular United credit card is the United℠ Explorer Card, which is a solid option for frequent United travelers. You’ll get a generous sign-up bonus, your first bag checked for free, priority boarding privileges, and more.
Bottom Line: Earning transferable points with Chase Ultimate Rewards provides flexibility in award travel. With Chase Ultimate Rewards, you can not only use the MileagePlus program to book flights, but also leverage Chase’s 9 other airline partners.
United Airlines is a member of the Star Alliance, so United miles can be redeemed on United Airlines flights, partner airline flights, and non-alliance partner flights. With many Star Alliance members based in Europe, you will have plenty of options booking award travel to Europe.
One important thing to note is that in 2019, United eliminated its fixed-price award chart and moved to dynamic pricing, so while the rates in this list are average, you may find higher or lower costs depending on your dates of travel.
Hot Tip: United does not impose fuel surcharges on award tickets, which can significantly reduce your out-of-pocket spend.
The Excursionist Perk is a free one-way flight, not in the region of your departure, when booking a round-trip or open-jaw multi-city itinerary.
The following criteria must be met to receive the Excursionist Perk:
Hot Tip: The United Excursionist Perk is competitive with the Southwest Companion Pass as one of the best perks in any award program. A free intra-region flight in Star Alliance partner-rich regions such as Europe provides incredible value.
The entire Caribbean is a region in the United Airlines award chart. A United business class flight from North America to the Caribbean is as low as 60,000 miles round-trip. If economy class is more your style, United prices round-trip flights from North America to the Caribbean around 35,000 miles.
United’s network of U.S. hubs provides excellent coverage throughout this region. United Airlines flights between Chicago (ORD) and Aruba (AUA), Houston (IAH) and Grand Cayman (GCM), and Newark (EWR) and Turks and Caicos (PLS) will set you back from 60,000 miles round-trip in business class and start at 35,000 round-trip in economy class, among other options.
Need help booking? Follow our step-by-step guide to booking United business class award flights!
Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama are all within United’s Central America region. Business class flights start at 60,000 miles round-trip.
If you want to maximize your United Airlines miles even more, consider economy class flights. Flights to Central America are as low as 35,000 miles round-trip in economy class.
There is good Star Alliance coverage in the Central America region. Both United and Avianca provide non-stop flights from several U.S. destinations.
Flights between Chicago (ORD) and Belize (BZE), Newark (EWR) and Costa Rica (SJO), Houston (IAH) and San Salvador (SAL), Los Angeles (LAX) and Guatemala City (GUA), Houston (IAH) and Honduras (TGU), Miami (MIA) and Nicaragua (MGA), and New Orleans (MSY) and Panama City (PTY) all require at least 60,000 miles round-trip in business class and 35,000 miles round-trip in economy class on United, or a minimum of 66,000 miles round-trip in business class and 38,600 round-trip in economy class on Avianca.
United breaks South America into 2 regions. The northern region includes Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. You can get a one-way business class ticket to northern South America from 35,000 miles, while a round-trip economy class ticket starts at 40,000 miles.
Star Alliance partner Avianca (which is an Amex transfer partner, Citi transfer partner, and Capital One transfer partner), along with United Airlines, covers Northern South America with non-stop flights.
United flights between Newark (EWR) and Bogotá (BOG), Houston and Quito (UIO), and Newark (EWR) and Lima (LIM) can be found from 35,000 miles one-way in business class and 40,000 miles round-trip in economy class. Flights on Avianca are from 38,500 one-way in business class and 44,000 miles round-trip in economy class.
Europe is considered a single region with United Airlines and includes countries you would expect, including England, France, and Germany. The region also includes Turkey, which is not always the case in other award programs.
Business class flights to Europe on United Airlines start at 60,000 miles one-way, while you need at least 77,000 miles one-way for a Star Alliance partner such as Lufthansa.
Another option to consider is economy class flights. From 60,000 miles round-trip, you can fly economy class to Europe on United, while you can choose any partner in the Star Alliance from 66,000 miles round-trip.
Coverage of the region is incredible due to the number of Star Alliance partners headquartered in Europe. Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, SAS, Swiss Air Lines, TAP Air Portugal, and Turkish Airlines all operate out of the Europe region.
Examples of non-stop business class flights that can be booked from the U.S. to Europe from 60,000 miles one-way include:
United requires at least 55,000 miles one-way in business class on Star Alliance partner flights in Australia, New Zealand, and South Asia. Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, and Air New Zealand are the 3 Star Alliance partners providing coverage in this region. Additionally, United now also has a partnership with Virgin Australia.
The South Asia region includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The Australia and New Zealand region includes Australia, New Zealand, and Norfolk Island.
Examples of flights on Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways include:
Africa is divided into 2 regions: Northern Africa and Central and Southern Africa. The Central and Southern Africa region includes every country in Africa excluding Algeria, the Canary Islands, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia.
Notable destinations included in this region are Mauritius, Reunion Island, and Seychelles.
Business class flights within the Central and Southern Africa region begin at 33,000 miles one-way. Economy class flights should also be considered, as flights shorter than 800 miles only need 8,000 reward miles. Flights longer than 800 miles require a minimum of 19,300 reward miles.
An example of a non-stop business class flight you can book from 33,000 miles one-way is between Addis Ababa (ADD) and Mahé (SEZ). Star Alliance partners South African Airways and Ethiopian Airways provide good coverage for this region.
Hot Tip: Did you know there are a handful of other ways to fly to the Seychelles on points if you want to save those hard-earned United miles? Also, check out these other ways to fly to South Africa on points.
The Oceania region includes many of the hard-to-reach islands in the South Pacific. Economy class flights shorter than 800 miles (most of the intra-Oceania flights) start at 8,000 reward miles one-way, while flights longer than 800 miles are at least 12,500 reward miles one-way. Business class flights require 20,000 miles one-way.
Hot Tip: A bucket-list item for many AvGeeks is the United Island Hopper. The route starts in Honolulu (HNL) traveling through the Marshall Islands (MAJ), Kwajalein Atoll (KWA), Kosrae (KSA), Pohnpei Island (PNI), Weno (TKK), and Guam (GUM). If you fly the entire route, the mileage prices out to 67,500 miles at its lowest.
The Europe region stretches from the U.K. to Russia and from the Nordic countries to Turkey. Business class flights intra-Europe require a minimum of 27,500 miles one-way. Economy class flights shorter than 800 miles start from 8,800 United miles while one-way flights longer than 800 miles start at 16,500 United miles one-way.
Focusing on the longer and more expensive routes will maximize your redemption. Turkish Airlines flies non-stop between Istanbul (IST) and Copenhagen (CPH), Stockholm (ARN), Helsinki (HEL), and Dublin (DUB). TAP Portugal flies non-stop between Lisbon (LIS) and Moscow (DME).
| Aegean | Ethiopian |
| Air Canada | EVA Air |
| Air China | LOT Polish Airlines |
| Air India | Lufthansa |
| Air New Zealand | Scandinavian Airlines |
| ANA | Shenzhen Airlines |
| Asiana Airlines | Singapore Airlines |
| Austrian | South African Airways |
| Avianca | SWISS |
| Brussels Airlines | TAP Air Portugal |
| Copa Airlines | Thai Airways |
| Croatia Airlines | Turkish Airlines |
| Egypt Air | United Airlines |
| Non-Alliance Partners | |
| Aer Lingus | Eurowings |
| Aeromar | Hawaiian Airlines |
| Air Dolomiti | Olympic Air |
| Azul | Silver Airways |
| Boutique Air | Vistara |
| Cape Air | |
| Edelweiss | |
United Airlines has many exciting options for making the best use of your MileagePlus rewards. With business class flights to the Caribbean and northern South America, United’s region lists allow you to book premium cabins in a variety of ways. Finding United partner airlines with low fuel surcharges for flights in their premium cabins is critical.
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United Airlines miles, similar to other airline miles, can’t be transferred to another airline. The miles can be used to book United, Star Alliance, and non-alliance partner airline flights.
United Airlines flies non-stop to many destinations around the world. The airline operates out of hub airports in Chicago (ORD), Denver (DEN), Guam (GUM), Houston (IAH), Los Angeles (LAX), Newark (EWR), San Francisco (SFO), Tokyo (NRT), and Washington, D.C. (IAD).
United can impose fees to make changes to award tickets. United uses a detailed chart outlining the fees associated with booking an award ticket and revising an existing award ticket.
United Airlines allows you to cancel your award ticket through its Manage Reservations portal. If you cancel your flight, the miles will be redeposited into your MileagePlus account. Check the Award Ticketing Options/Service Fees page to determine the cost for your situation.
United Airlines baggage fees are determined by your route and fare class. If you hold a United credit card or United elite status, you may be entitled to free checked bags.
For existing reservations, United Airlines can be contacted at 800-UNITED (864-8331). You can also email United Airlines at eservice@united.com.
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Born and raised in Mobile, Alabama, Michael took his first international trip in 2013 with friends to the Bahamas. Although he didn’t travel much in his younger years, on that trip, he caught the travel bug and has been hooked ever since.
Michael first caught wind of the points and miles game in 2014 while at a bar in Washington, DC where the conversation amongst friends was quickly derailed because of an alert on a friend’s phone about a mistake fare. That’s where the love affair with points and miles began.
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