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United MileagePlus Guide

Everything you need to know about United MileagePlus status, miles, credit cards, upgrades, award travel, lounges, and flight benefits.

Premier Status Miles & Award Travel Credit Cards Upgrades & Airport Lounges
United MileagePlus Guide

A brief overview

United MileagePlus is the loyalty program of United Airlines. Members can earn miles from United and partner flights, credit cards, hotel and transportation partners, and selected everyday activities. Miles can be redeemed for United and Star Alliance award flights, seat upgrades, and other travel rewards. Frequent travelers can qualify for MileagePlus Premier Silver, Gold, Platinum, or 1K status and receive benefits such as complimentary upgrades, bonus miles, preferred seating, free checked bags, priority airport services, and Star Alliance recognition.

Knowledge Map

Your complete United MileagePlus guide

Explore the most important parts of United MileagePlus, including Premier status, PQP and PQF, earning and redeeming miles, upgrades, credit cards, lounges, baggage, and airline partnerships.

Tip: Bookmark this page to quickly return to the United MileagePlus guides you use most often.

Program flow

How United MileagePlus Guide Works

Follow the core journey from joining to earning points, unlocking status, and redeeming rewards more strategically.

01

Earn Miles

Earn MileagePlus miles through United and partner flights, credit cards, hotel and transportation partners, and selected everyday activities.

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02

Earn Premier Status

Qualify for Premier status by earning Premier Qualifying Points and Premier Qualifying Flights during the qualification year.

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03

Book Award Travel

Use United miles to book eligible United, Star Alliance, and other partner airline award flights.

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04

Upgrade Your Flight

Use Premier benefits, complimentary upgrades, or PlusPoints to move into a higher cabin when eligible.

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Premier Status

Premier Status Guide

United MileagePlus has four published Premier tiers: Silver, Gold, Platinum, and 1K. These guides explain how Premier qualification works, what PQP and PQF mean, which benefits apply at each level, and how United status connects with Star Alliance recognition. The section also covers status matches, Million Miler benefits, and the invitation-only Global Services tier.

United Premier Silver

United Premier Silver

Discover how to earn United MileagePlus Premier Silver and make the most of its perks. Our [pc_year] guide…

United Premier Gold

United Premier Gold

Learn all about the benefits of United Premier Gold — everything about each benefit, how to use these…

United Premier Platinum

United Premier Platinum

United Premier Platinum benefits explained: how to qualify, PlusPoints, Economy Plus, lounge access, checked bags, partner perks, and…

United Premier 1K

United Premier 1K

Discover how United Airlines Premier 1k works, current requirements, key benefits, and strategies to maximize value in United…

United PQP and PQF

United PQP and PQF

Full information about PQP and PQF United. How to earn them, examples of calculations. What You Need to…

United Status Match

United Status Match

A guide to the United MileagePlus Premier Status Match Challenge, when elite members of different airlines can upgrade…

United Million Miler

United Million Miler

United Million Miler: lifetime tiers, key benefits, how miles are counted, companion policy 2027 changes, and side-by-side comparisons…

United Global Services

United Global Services

Learn what United Global Services is, how to get invited, qualification requirements, benefits, lifetime status at 4 million…

Miles & Award Travel

Miles & Award Travel Guide

United MileagePlus miles can be earned from flights, credit cards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, travel partners, and selected everyday activities. These guides explain how to buy and pool miles, transfer Chase points, and use MileagePlus miles to book award flights.

United MileagePlus Program Overview

United MileagePlus Program Overview

Explore the United MileagePlus program: earn & redeem miles for flights, upgrades, hotels & more. Discover credit card…

Buy United Miles

Buy United Miles

Current buy United miles with a discount of up to 45% (until August 20, 2026) -> 2.07 cents…

Convert Chase Points to United Miles

Convert Chase Points to United Miles

Step-by-step instructions - How to convert Chase points to United miles. How to calculate the number of miles…

How to Book Tickets With United Miles

How to Book Tickets With United Miles

Step-by-step instruction on how to book tickets with United miles, including an Award Fare Class chart explaining saver…

Earn United Miles With Lyft

Earn United Miles With Lyft

Earn up to 4x United MileagePlus miles on Lyft rides in the U.S. & Puerto Rico. See how…

Credit Cards

Credit Cards Guide

United credit cards can provide free checked bags, priority boarding, lounge access, award availability benefits, statement credits, and additional ways to earn MileagePlus miles. These guides compare the available consumer and business cards and explain recent changes to their fees and benefits.

United Credit Cards in 2026

United Credit Cards in 2026

Compare United credit cards, from no-annual-fee options to premium lounge-access cards, and find which United card best fits…

United Credit Card Changes

United Credit Card Changes

United Airlines and Chase have released major updates to their credit cards - higher annual fees, and a…

Upgrades & Airport Lounges

Upgrades & Airport Lounges

United offers several ways to improve the airport and inflight experience. PlusPoints can be used by eligible Premier members for upgrades, while United Club and Polaris Lounge access depends on membership, credit cards, status, and the type of itinerary. These guides explain the major upgrade and lounge options.

United PlusPoints

United PlusPoints

Discover how to earn PlusPoints with United Airlines, unlock upgrades, and make the most of this flexible travel…

United Lounge Access

United Lounge Access

Get united lounge access effortlessly with our 5 proven tips. Boost your travel comfort and indulge in premium…

United Club vs. Polaris Lounge

United Club vs. Polaris Lounge

United Airlines operates two very different types of airport lounges: United Club lounges and United Polaris lounges. While…

Flight Benefits & Connectivity

Flight Benefits & Connectivity

These guides cover some of the practical benefits travelers use most often on United flights, including free checked baggage, inflight Wi-Fi, and the benefits available through United credit cards and Premier status.

Free Baggage on United Airlines

Free Baggage on United Airlines

Learn how to secure free baggage on United Airlines with MileagePlus status or a United credit card. Step-by-step…

United Wi-Fi Guide

United Wi-Fi Guide

Explore United WiFi services, including subscription plans, day passes, inflight access, costs, and options for free connectivity during…

United Partnerships

United Partnerships

United works with hotel, airline, and transportation partners that provide additional opportunities to earn miles or receive reciprocal benefits. These guides explain the Marriott Bonvoy RewardsPlus partnership, the JetBlue Blue Sky partnership, and earning United miles with Lyft.

Earn United Miles With Lyft

Earn United Miles With Lyft

Earn up to 4x United MileagePlus miles on Lyft rides in the U.S. & Puerto Rico. See how…

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