United PerksPlus: How Businesses Can Earn & Redeem Points [2024]

United Airlines has a rewards program for corporate customers who book through a travel agency known as PerksPlus.

This program is distinctly separate from United MileagePlus, the main frequent flyer program that we all know and are familiar with.

PerksPlus allows business and company owners to amass points for flights booked on behalf of the company, regardless of who is flying.

And if you’re a business owner, you can even earn both United MileagePlus miles and United PerksPlus points on the same flight, effectively double-dipping your rewards!

Let’s take a look at how you can make the most of United PerksPlus.

The Pros and Cons of United PerksPlus

United PerksPlus is similar to United MileagePlus in the sense that both are loyalty programs whose currencies can be redeemed for valuable travel rewards.

But everything else about these 2 programs is different.

One of the biggest benefits of PerksPlus is that you can earn points on a slew of different airlines (not limited to United), including ANA, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa, and Swiss International Air Lines.

As a result, earning PerksPlus points is doable whether you’re flying domestically or internationally.

The biggest downside of this program is that rewards are generally much more expensive than MileagePlus, which can offer Saver-level award tickets. Luckily, you can double-dip your rewards and earn both United MileagePlus miles and PerksPlus points on your paid travel.

You can redeem your PerksPlus points flexibly. Including airfare, you can get elite status, lounge membership, beverage vouchers, or convert your PerksPlus points to MileagePlus miles.

Hot Tip:

Businesses who book travel directly through United may be eligible for the United for Business program.

How To Enroll in United PerksPlus

Enrolling in United PerksPlus is easy, as is qualification. All you need is:

• At least 5 employees
• A valid tax ID

If you’re a customer in the U.S. or Canada, you need to spend at least $5,000 in the 12 months immediately after enrollment for your membership to renew. After it’s renewed, your points will remain valid for another 24 months.

Flights on United, United Express, Lufthansa, and ANA (where applicable) are eligible to count towards the $5,000 threshold.

If you’re a customer in Latin America or the Caribbean, only United, United Express, and ANA flights will count towards the $5,000 threshold (Lufthansa is excluded).

If you’re in Brazil, your company’s eligible spending within the 12 months must total at least $15,000.

If you do not meet these thresholds, you will have 120 days to redeem your points before they expire.

However, if you don’t spend the required amount, your points will expire.

Business owners can enroll in the United PerksPlus program online.

How To Earn United PerksPlus Points

At the moment, the only way to earn United PerksPlus points is by booking paid airfare through a travel agency.

The exact earning structure is a multiplier based on the revenue cost of your fare (excluding any taxes and fees).

If you’re in the U.S., there are 3 levels of PerksPlus accrual:

If you’re in Latin America, Central America, or the Caribbean, there are 2 levels of PerksPlus accrual:

The following airports count as hubs:

If you’re booked in a premium economy ticket on Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, or ANA (booking class G, E, N), your accrual will vary:

• Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines accruals in G follow Tier 1, while E is in Tier 2, and N is in Tier 3
• ANA follows accruals for G fares in Tier 1, E fares in Tier 2, and N fares in Tier 3
• United’s new Premium Plus (booking class O, A, R) on international long-haul routes receive points in Tier 1 for O tickets, Tier 2 for A tickets, and Tier 3 for R tickets

Hot Tip: Using Google ITA Matrix will help you figure out what fare class you’re looking at when searching for flight prices.

For example, if you book a $250 plane ticket ($225 in fare and $25 in airport taxes and fees) in H class from Indianapolis (IND) to Orlando (MCO), you would earn a multiplier of 4 points per dollar spent, which amounts to 900 PerksPlus points earned.

Similarly, if you booked a $3,500 J class ticket ($2,500 in fare and $1,000 in taxes and fees) from Boston to London, you would earn a multiplier of 4 points per dollar spent, which is equal to 10,000 PerksPlus points.

Lastly, if you’re flying on ANA from Mexico City (MEX) to Tokyo (NRT) on a Z class ticket in business class for $1,900 ($1,500 in fare and $400 in taxes and fees), you will accrue 12x points off of the fare, which amounts to 18,000 PerksPlus points!

How To Earn PerksPlus Navigator Status

United’s exclusive PerksPlus elite status is called PerksPlus Navigator. If you make $400,000 in eligible qualifying spend over the course of the year, you can get access to PerksPlus Navigator.

PerksPlus Navigator Benefits

PerksPlus Navigator members get access to:

• 15% more points on eligible flights
• Enhanced quarterly reporting that provides details on travel spend and redemption patterns
• Additional redemption options, including higher MileagePlus elite status

How To Redeem United PerksPlus Points

As we mentioned earlier, PerksPlus points can be redeemed for:

Generally, the best value you’ll find is for travel certificates — these travel certificates cover specific fare classes. Certificates that cover more flexible fare classes cost more points, and the routing is a major factor, too.

One unique perk is that PerksPlus travel certificates permit open jaws, which means you can return from a different airport than you’re originally fly to, making it even more flexible. Of course, your flights must still be within the original region’s boundaries.

You can redeem your PerksPlus points completely online, as long as you have your login details. Redemptions may take up to 14 days after submission to process, though the points redemption will be instantly performed.

You can also contact your local sales representative, whose information is in your PerksPlus account dashboard.

United has published a YouTube video detailing how you can use a certificate.

United PerksPlus Rewards Chart

United PerksPlus offers a helpful reward chart to inform travelers of how much certain redemptions cost.

All travel certificates are valid for 1 year, and they cover a round-trip base fare, which excludes all taxes and fees. For the vast majority of cases, this is the best value redemption!

Here is the complete PerksPlus Reward Chart:

Here are what the fare classes correspond to:

• JN — First/business class Everyday award for elites and credit cardholders
• ZN —  First/business class Everyday award for all other customers
• PZ — Mileage upgrade awards
• Y — Full fare economy ticket (regional instant upgrades for all elites)
• H — Flexible economy fare
• K — Deeply discounted economy fare

The 20 Best Ways To Use Your United PerksPlus Points

In this next section, we’ll be walking you through how to use your PerksPlus points as effectively as possible.

The first thing you’ll notice in this section is that we’ve completely strayed away from looking at PZ reward certificates as these mileage upgrade awards are ridiculously difficult to find on long-haul routes, plus, you’ll get marginal savings in points with a PZ reward certificate versus a ZN reward certificate.

One of the blessings of PerksPlus certificates is that you can use ZN award space, which is the more expensive type of fare.

Whereas Saver fares to Europe with miles cost around 60,000 to 80,000 miles one-way, Everyday fares cost a whopping 155,000 to 250,000 miles one-way! It can really come in handy when you need flexible reward space.

You can also get some good value through economy tickets that would otherwise be expensive if paid with cash.

1. Fly to Australia in United Polaris Class for 620,000 Points

Flying United Polaris class on an ultra-long-haul flight is ridiculously expensive. With just a few ultra-long-haul flights offered by the airline, United commands a pretty penny on these flights, especially if you are flying nonstop.

Without a doubt, United’s most expensive flights are to/from Australia — expect to see 5-figure price tags often and high 4-figure price tags always.

Luckily, on these flights, you’ll find a comfortable lie-flat seat available for business class passengers.

By redeeming 620,000 PerksPlus points, you can get a round-trip business class certificate booked in the ZN class on routes between the U.S. and Australia.

These plane tickets start at $9,000 round-trip and can go all the way up to $14,000+, which makes for some incredible value.

Here are some great example redemptions you can make:

• Los Angeles (LAX) – Sydney (SYD) round-trip in United Polaris class for 620,000 PerksPlus points + ~$252 in taxes and fees
• San Francisco (SFO) – Melbourne (MEL) round-trip in United Polaris class for 620,000 PerksPlus points + ~$252 in taxes and fees
• San Francisco (SFO) – Sydney (SYD) round-trip in United Polaris class for 620,000 PerksPlus points + ~$252 in taxes and fees

2. Fly to Hong Kong in United Polaris Class for 620,000 Points

Want to fly to Hong Kong in style but can’t book Cathay Pacific? United Polaris class is another comfortable way to fly across the Pacific Ocean on an ultra-long-haul flight.

And these are some of United’s most expensive business class tickets — it’s one of the only ways to fly directly to Southeast Asia on United Airlines.

The best part is that United deploys its flagship aircraft with the most updated Polaris business class product on flights to Hong Kong!

Paid tickets can start at $7,000 round-trip and can go up to $12,000 per person.

To get a round-trip business class certificate in the ZN class, you can redeem 620,000 PerksPlus points. Currently, United operates these nonstop flights to Hong Kong:

• Newark (EWR) – Hong Kong (HKG) round-trip in United Polaris class for 620,000 PerksPlus points + ~$279 in taxes and fees
• San Francisco (SFO) – Hong Kong (HKG) round-trip in United Polaris class for 620,000 PerksPlus points + ~$279 in taxes and fees

3. Fly to Japan in United Polaris Class for 620,000 Points

Want to fly to Japan in comfort using PerksPlus points? You’re in luck because United Airlines has invested millions of dollars into developing a quality route network to Japan.

A word of caution, though: some of these flights have United’s older Polaris product, so be sure to do your homework before committing to a specific flight!

But as a matter of convenience, it’s hard to beat being able to fly nonstop from United’s hubs to Tokyo. Just redeem 620,000 PerksPlus points for a ZN business class certificate good for round-trip travel.

You’ll get a cash value of around $5,000 to $7,000 for tickets to Japan.

Here are some fantastic routes to book nonstop:

• Chicago (ORD) – Tokyo (HND) round-trip in United Polaris class for 620,000 PerksPlus points + ~$479 in taxes and fees
• Denver (DEN) – Tokyo (NRT) round-trip in United Polaris class for 620,000 PerksPlus points + ~$479 in taxes and fees
• Houston (IAH) – Tokyo (NRT) round-trip in United Polaris class for 620,000 PerksPlus points + ~$479 in taxes and fees
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Tokyo (HND) round-trip in United Polaris class for 620,000 PerksPlus points + ~$479 in taxes and fees
• Newark (EWR) – Tokyo (HND) round-trip in United Polaris class for 620,000 PerksPlus points + ~$479 in taxes and fees
• San Francisco (SFO) – Osaka (KIX) round-trip in United Polaris class for 620,000 PerksPlus points + ~$479 in taxes and fees
• San Francisco (SFO) – Tokyo (NRT) round-trip in United Polaris class for 620,000 PerksPlus points + ~$479 in taxes and fees
• Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Tokyo (HND) round-trip in United Polaris class for 620,000 PerksPlus points + ~$479 in taxes and fees

4. Fly to India in United Polaris Class for 620,000 Points

Flying from the U.S. to India is made easy with United Airlines. Sure, Air India has more nonstop flights than United, but Air India’s business class product is pitiful — definitely avoid it if you can.

With United Airlines, it’s easy to fly in style to India nonstop. These ultra-long-haul flights can be booked seamlessly using your PerksPlus certificates. But keep in mind that round-trip fuel surcharges are around $1,000, which eats into the value a bit.

Here are some great routes to consider booking:

• Newark (EWR) – Mumbai (BOM) round-trip in United Polaris class for 620,000 PerksPlus points + ~$1,084 in taxes and fees
• Newark (EWR) – New Delhi (DEL) round-trip in United Polaris class for 620,000 PerksPlus points + ~$1,084 in taxes and fees
• San Francisco (SFO) – New Delhi (DEL) round-trip in United Polaris class for 620,000 PerksPlus points + ~$1,084 in taxes and fees

5. Fly to South Africa in United Polaris Class for 620,000 Points

Although United has a few long-haul flights from the U.S. to Africa, it doesn’t get much longer than South Africa! South Africa is a popular destination but is notoriously difficult to get to.

Luckily, it’s possible to book nonstop flights to/from South Africa in Polaris class! And savvy travelers will leverage the open jaw allowance to arrive in Johannesburg and return from Cape Town (or vice versa), instead of having to backtrack to their original city.

Realistically, these tickets start at $5,000 round-trip, but they can go all the way up to $12,000 round-trip for 1 passenger.

Here are some great example redemptions to consider making:

• Newark (EWR) – Cape Town (CPT), Johannesburg (JNB) – Newark (EWR) in United Polaris class for 620,000 PerksPlus points + ~$998 in taxes and fees
• Newark (EWR) – Johannesburg (JNB), Cape Town (CPT) – Newark (EWR) in United Polaris class for 620,000 PerksPlus points + ~$998 in taxes and fees

6. Fly to Western Africa in United Polaris Class for 620,000 Points

Did you know that United also flies to Western Africa nonstop? Well, it’s possible to book business class flights on these itineraries, too!

As you can imagine, these flights can get very expensive — United is the only show in town for these routes, so it can more or less charge whatever it wants for them.

But for 620,000 PerksPlus points, you’ll get a round-trip business class certificate in ZN, which can be redeemed for some exceptional value:

• Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Accra (ACC) round-trip in United Polaris class for 620,000 PerksPlus points + ~$1,087 in taxes and fees
• Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Lagos (LOS) round-trip in United Polaris class for 620,000 PerksPlus points + ~$1,087 in taxes and fees

These pricey tickets will start at around $3,000 round-trip, but they can also explode in price to more than $10,000!

7. Fly to Israel in United Polaris Class for 620,000 Points

Although ticket prices to Israel are reduced nowadays due to the ongoing travel complications from COVID-19, you can actually redeem your PerksPlus points for round-trip business class tickets to Tel Aviv.

In general, you’ll get a redemption value of at least $2,000 and up to $10,000 round-trip here.

This is yet another instance in which United Polaris class is offered only on certain routes to Israel, so do be sure to make use of SeatGuru to help you figure out the seat map.

Nevertheless, these flights come with huge fuel surcharges exceeding $1,300 round-trip. Here are some flights to consider booking:

• Chicago (ORD) – Tel Aviv (TLV) round-trip in United Polaris class for 620,000 PerksPlus points + ~$1,397 in taxes and fees
• Newark (EWR) – Tel Aviv (TLV) round-trip in United Polaris class for 620,000 PerksPlus points + ~$1,397 in taxes and fees
• San Francisco (SFO) – Tel Aviv (TLV) round-trip in United Polaris class for 620,000 PerksPlus points + ~$1,397 in taxes and fees
• Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Tel Aviv (TLV) round-trip in United Polaris class for 620,000 PerksPlus points + ~$1,397 in taxes and fees

8. Fly to Sweden in United Polaris Class for 430,000 Points

Let’s move on to Europe! Although Europe is a popular destination for U.S. travelers, most agree that you can find affordable paid airfare in business class if you are flexible in dates and routing. This is especially true if you’re flying to major international cities like Paris, Frankfurt, Munich, or London.

But flying into other countries in Europe might prove to be pricier than you originally anticipated.

In particular, flying to Sweden in United Polaris business class can run upwards of $6,000 to $7,000 round-trip.

United’s only route to northern Europe is to Stockholm (ARN) is via Newark, so if you’re originating from a different city, you’ll want to connect there. Here are some great example bookings to make with 430,000 PerksPlus points:

• Myrtle Beach (MYR) – Newark (EWR) – Stockholm (ARN) round-trip in United Polaris class for 430,000 PerksPlus points + ~$1,513 in taxes and fees
• Wichita (ICT) – Newark (EWR) – Stockholm (ARN) round-trip in United Polaris class for 430,000 PerksPlus points + ~$1,513 in taxes and fees

9. Fly to Spain in United Polaris Class for 430,000 Points

Spain is served well by United both to Madrid and Barcelona. And although all of the flights involve a hub airport in the northeast U.S., getting there from any city in the U.S. is straightforward.

With 430,000 PerksPlus points, you can book a round-trip business class flight from anywhere in the U.S. to Spain.

Paid tickets start at around $2,500 round-trip, and they can go all the way up to $8,000+ per person.

Here are some ideas to get you inspired:

• Omaha (OMA) – Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Madrid (MAD) round-trip in United Polaris class for 430,000 PerksPlus points + ~$1,495 in taxes and fees
• Orlando (MCO) – Newark (EWR) – Barcelona (BCN) round-trip in United Polaris class for 430,000 PerksPlus points + ~$1,495 in taxes and fees

10. Fly to Croatia in United Polaris Class for 430,000 Points

How does flying to Croatia sound? One little-known fact about United Airlines is that it actually has a nonstop flight from the U.S. to Croatia.

With 430,000 PerksPlus points, you can access round-trip business class flights via 1 stop from virtually any city in the U.S.

If you paid cash for these tickets, it would cost anywhere from $5,500 to $6,500 round-trip.

Here are some great example routes you can use:

• Bozeman (BZN) – Newark (EWR) – Dubrovnik (DBV) round-trip in United Polaris class for 430,000 PerksPlus points + ~$1,489 in taxes and fees
• New Orleans (MSY) – Newark (EWR) – Dubrovnik (DBV) round-trip in United Polaris class for 430,000 PerksPlus points + ~$1,489 in taxes and fees

11. Fly to France in United Polaris Class for 430,000 Points

If you’re wanted to visit France and are originating in a smaller airport in the U.S., paid business class tickets can be fairly pricey.

In fact, you can actually even get to the south of France via a nonstop flight from the U.S.

When you redeem 430,000 points, you’ll get a round-trip business class certificate in ZN class. You’ll net yourself a cash value of at least $4,000, while it can go all the way up to $11,000 round-trip.

Remember, you can use open jaws here, so here are some great example redemptions to look at:

• Cleveland (CLE) – Chicago (ORD) – Paris (CDG), Nice (NCE) – Newark (EWR) – Cleveland (CLE) in United Polaris class for 430,000 PerksPlus points + ~$1,569 in taxes and fees
• San Antonio (SAT) – Newark (EWR) – Nice (NCE) round-trip in United Polaris class for 430,000 PerksPlus points + ~$1,569 in taxes and fees

In particular, the Cleveland route is fantastic because you can fly into Paris and out of Nice with just 1 stop in each direction and avoid backtracking while you’re in France.

12. Fly to Italy in United Polaris Class for 430,000 Points

Want to check out the land of pasta and pizza? Italy is such an exciting destination that you ought to maximize your time there. Ideally, your flight to Italy is comfortable and luxurious, but convenience is key here.

With United’s vast network of flights, you can fly from pretty much anywhere in the U.S. to Italy with just 1 stop.

You’ll get a round-trip business class certificate good for travel in the ZN booking class to Italy for 430,000 PerksPlus points. Unfortunately, there isn’t a great way to avoid fuel surcharges on these tickets.

Here are some example routes you can consider booking:

• Duluth (DLH) – Chicago (ORD) – Rome (FCO) round-trip in United Polaris class for 430,000 PerksPlus points + ~$1,512 in taxes and fees
• Sacramento (SMF) – Newark (EWR) – Rome (FCO), Venice (VCE) – Newark (EWR) – Sacramento (SMF) round-trip in United Polaris class for 430,000 PerksPlus points + ~$1,512 in taxes and fees

Depending on what your origin is in the U.S., you can get a cash value of at least $5,000; but more specifically, you can get more than $8,000 in redemption value!

13. Fly to Hawaii in United First Class for 220,000 Points

Let’s pivot over to a popular but closer vacation spot: Hawaii!

It’s no secret that traveling to Hawaii is an expensive endeavor — it has a captive audience of U.S. travelers, a unique Polynesian culture, and beautiful scenery.

Unfortunately, though, plane tickets can be extremely expensive, especially if you’re flying on a route that is solely serviced by United Airlines.

You can redeem just 220,000 PerksPlus points to get a round-trip certificate good for business class airfare booked in the ZN class, which covers all of United’s Everyday business class rewards.

Some of these first class tickets cost over $2,000 on round-trip flights, which means big value!

Here are some great flights to book for maximum value:

• Chicago (ORD) – Kahului (OGG) round-trip in United first class for 220,000 PerksPlus points + ~$193 in taxes and fees
• Denver (DEN) – Kona (KOA) round-trip in United first class for 220,000 PerksPlus points + ~$193 in taxes and fees
• Newark (EWR) – Honolulu (HNL) round-trip in United first class for 220,000 PerksPlus points + ~$193 in taxes and fees

14. Fly to Hawaii in United Economy Class for 75,000 Points

If you’re looking to redeem fewer points and are willing to fly in economy class to Hawaii as long as it means you get a ticket for free, then you can redeem 75,000 PerksPlus points for a round-trip economy fare in the K class.

The K class is generally known as discounted economy, so it may take a little more effort to find fares in this booking class. Not to fret, though, as you will get excellent value from these tickets, especially if you’re planning your travel during the peak season.

Here are some tickets you can book for high value:

• Chicago (ORD) – Kona (KOA) round-trip in United economy class for 75,000 PerksPlus points + ~$11 in taxes and fees
• Denver (DEN) – Kahului (OGG) round-trip in United economy class for 75,000 PerksPlus points + ~$11 in taxes and fees
• Presque Isle (PQI) – Newark (EWR) – Honolulu (HNL) round-trip in United economy class for 75,000 PerksPlus points + ~$11 in taxes and fees

15. Access Better Availability to Hawaii in United Economy Class for 140,000 Points

What if you’re having difficulty finding availability to Hawaii on a K-class ticket? Luckily, you can actually redeem more PerksPlus points to be able to book more flexible fares.

Specifically, you can redeem 140,000 PerksPlus points to get a round-trip, H-class ticket booked in economy.

H class is generally referred to as a high fare economy ticket (though still not full-fare). On many routes, these tickets can cost more than $1,500 round-trip!

Here are some great example redemptions to consider making:

• Burlington (BTV) – Newark (EWR) – Honolulu (HNL) round-trip in United economy class for 140,000 PerksPlus points + ~$11 in taxes and fees
• Denver (DEN) – Kona (KOA) round-trip in United economy class for 140,000 PerksPlus points + ~$11 in taxes and fees
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Hilo (ITO) round-trip in United economy class for 140,000 PerksPlus points + ~$11 in taxes and fees
• San Francisco (SFO) – Lihue (LIH) round-trip in United economy class for 140,000 PerksPlus points + ~$11 in taxes and fees
• Santa Fe (SAF) – Denver (DEN) – Kahului (OGG) round-trip in United economy class for 140,000 PerksPlus points + ~$11 in taxes and fees

16. Fly to Aspen in United Economy Class for 45,000 Points

Aspen is one of the premier ski resorts in the U.S. If you’re looking to visit, you’ll want to plan your trip carefully because plane tickets can get ridiculously expensive.

Lock in a great round-trip flight in economy for as little as 45,000 PerksPlus points, if booked in the K class.

Expect to see cash ticket prices at around $500 to $1,000 round-trip.

Here are some great ideas you should consider:

• Billings (BIL) – Denver (DEN) – Aspen (ASE) round-trip in United economy class for 45,000 PerksPlus points + ~$11 in taxes and fees
• Destin (VPS) – Houston (IAH) – Aspen (ASE) round-trip in United economy class for 45,000 PerksPlus points + ~$11 in taxes and fees
• Erie (ERI) – Chicago (ORD) – Aspen (ASE) round-trip in United economy class for 45,000 PerksPlus points + ~$11 in taxes and fees
• San Luis Obispo (SBP) – San Francisco (SFO) – Aspen (ASE) round-trip in United economy class for 45,000 PerksPlus points + ~$11 in taxes and fees
• Sun Valley (SUN) – Denver (DEN) – Aspen (ASE) round-trip in United economy class for 45,000 PerksPlus points + ~$11 in taxes and fees

17. Fly to Jackson Hole in United First Class for 195,000 Points

Jackson Hole is as famous as Aspen, though it’s also got incredible rugged terrain and high-end resorts.

Flying first class here is a great way to go, especially if you’re booking a last-minute trip using PerksPlus points.

That’s because you can get a round-trip first class certificate valid for Everyday reward space (ZN) for 195,000 PerksPlus points. You’ll get some solid value here, from $1,000 to $1,800 round-trip.

Check out some of these great routes you can book:

• Des Moines (DSM) – Denver (DEN) – Jackson Hole (JAC) round-trip in United first class for 195,000 PerksPlus points + ~$11 in taxes and fees
• Ithaca (ITH) – Newark (EWR) – Jackson Hole (JAC) round-trip in United first class for 195,000 PerksPlus points + ~$11 in taxes and fees
• Nashville (BNA) – Denver (DEN) – Jackson Hole (JAC) round-trip in United first class for 195,000 PerksPlus points + ~$11 in taxes and fees
• Philadelphia (PHL) – Newark (EWR) – Jackson Hole (JAC) round-trip in United first class for 195,000 PerksPlus points + ~$11 in taxes and fees
• Savannah (SAV) – Chicago (ORD) – Jackson Hole (JAC) round-trip in United first class for 195,000 PerksPlus points + ~$11 in taxes and fees

18. Fly to Alaska in United First Class for 195,000 Points

One of the most expensive domestic plane tickets you can book is first class, nonstop flights to Alaska.

This represents an excellent way to redeem PlusPerks points. Because cash prices are high and Everyday-level availability is plentiful, you can easily redeem your PerksPlus points here.

You’ll redeem 195,000 points for a round-trip first class (ZN) certificate. On these redemptions, you’ll get a cash value of $1,000 to $1,600.

Here are the best routes you can book using PlusPerks points:

• Chicago (ORD) – Fairbanks (FAI) round-trip in United first class for 195,000 PerksPlus points + ~$11 in taxes and fees
• Denver (DEN) – Anchorage (ANC) round-trip in United first class for 195,000 PerksPlus points + ~$11 in taxes and fees
• Houston (IAH) – Anchorage (ANC) round-trip in United first class for 195,000 PerksPlus points + ~$11 in taxes and fees
• Newark (EWR) – Anchorage (ANC) round-trip in United first class for 195,000 PerksPlus points + ~$11 in taxes and fees
• San Francisco (SFO) – Anchorage (ANC) round-trip in United first class for 195,000 PerksPlus points + ~$11 in taxes and fees

19. Book Ridiculously Expensive Regional Flights in United First Class for 195,000 Points

When you redeem 195,000 points for a regional certificate, your travel is covered as long as you fly anywhere within the U.S. (excluding Hawaii), Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, and Central America.

And during the holiday season, flights to the Caribbean are overwhelmingly expensive, especially if you don’t plan in advance.

Make those financial woes disappear by redeeming your United PerksPlus points for one of these round-trip certificates good for first/business class travel in the ZN class.

Some of these tickets cost anywhere from $1,000 to $2,500, which is excellent value!

Your exact taxes and fees will vary depending on which place you visit, but here are some phenomenal redemptions:

• Anchorage (ANC) – Chicago (ORD) – Saint Lucia (UVF) round-trip in United business class for 195,000 PerksPlus points + ~$75 in taxes and fees
• Las Vegas (LAS) – Houston (IAH) – Providenciales (PLS) round-trip in United business class for 195,000 PerksPlus points + ~$80 in taxes and fees
• San Francisco (SFO) – Newark (EWR) – Antigua (ANU) round-trip in United business class for 195,000 PerksPlus points + ~$72 in taxes and fees
• St. Louis (STL) – Newark (EWR) – Curacao (CUR) round-trip in United business class for 195,000 PerksPlus points + ~$90 in taxes and fees

20. Book Pricey Regional Flights in United Economy Class for 45,000 Points

Our very last redemption is focused on simple, economy flights that would otherwise be pricey if you paid out of pocket for them.

These regional flights must be wholly within the U.S. (excluding Hawaii), Mexico, Canada, Central America, and the Caribbean.

For 45,000 PerksPlus points, you’ll get a round-trip economy certificate for travel valid in the K booking class anywhere within this region.

There are plenty of possibilities to be had, but here are some of our favorites:

• Albuquerque (ABQ) – Chicago (ORD) – Montego Bay (MBJ) round-trip in United economy class for 45,000 PerksPlus points + ~$80 in taxes and fees
• Birmingham (BHM) – Chicago (ORD) – Sint Maarten (SXM) round-trip in United economy class for 45,000 PerksPlus points + ~$39 in taxes and fees
• Phoenix (PHX) – Houston (IAH) – Roatan (RTB) round-trip in United economy class for 45,000 PerksPlus points + ~$70 in taxes and fees
• Portland (PDX) – Newark (EWR) – St. Kitts (SKB) round-trip in United economy class for 45,000 PerksPlus points + ~$88 in taxes and fees
• Salt Lake City (SLC) – Houston (IAH) – Belize City (BZE) round-trip in United economy class for 45,000 PerksPlus points + ~$73 in taxes and fees
• Seattle (SEA) – Houston (IAH) – Panama City (PTY) round-trip in United economy class for 45,000 PerksPlus points + ~$50 in taxes and fees

K-class tickets on these routes usually run around $600 to $1,000 round-trip.

Final Thoughts

United PerksPlus is a corporate frequent flyer rewards program with a lot of benefits. As a business owner, being able to get rewarded for your employees’ paid travel is fantastic.

Plus, you can even double dip rewards on paid flights by earning both MileagePlus miles and PerksPlus points.

All you need to register is a valid tax ID and at least 5 employees. Keep in mind that there’s a minimum threshold of $5,000 to $15,000 in qualifying spending per year to stay in active standing.

There are tons of high-value ways to redeem your PerksPlus points, but we focused mostly on long-haul flights in business class, as these are often the most expensive in terms of the cash price.

We also touched on regional flights in first/business class, as well as a selection of economy flights where cash fares are high.

Now, you have all of the resources you need to start earning and redeeming United PerksPlus points!