How to Pool United MileagePlus Miles With Family And Friends
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The United MileagePlus recently introduced a mileage pooling feature that allows members to combine their accounts to share and exchange miles, thus making it easy to accumulate enough miles for travel rewards. This is an unrestricted pool; therefore, you don’t need to restrict yourself only to your family members. Friends and acquaintances can also be invited to this pool. In this article, you will find out how to use the United MileagePlus program as well as some frequently asked questions about transferring miles.
What is United MileagePlus Mileage Pooling?
Mileage pooling enables a group of United MileagePlus members (up to 5 persons) to put their miles together under one account. This feature comes in handy when families or groups of friends want to amass enough miles quickly so that they can undertake a collective journey as a unit.
How to Use United MileagePlus Mileage Pooling
- Create a Mileage Pool: Log into your United MileagePlus account then go down to where there is mileage pooling section.
- Invite Members: Get people who require joining these pools by using their MileagePlus account numbers.
- Combine Miles: When the members agree to the invitation, all of their miles go into one account.
United MileagePlus Mileage Pooling Rulebook
Leader and Member Roles
- Pool Leader: The pool is managed by a designated manager who must be over 18 years of age. This manager is responsible for overseeing all contributions and mileage usage.
- Member Contributions: Each member is eligible to contribute and redeem miles from the pool as determined by the pool leader.
Contribution Rules
- Members are allowed to make unlimited contributions to the savings fund with no upper limit.
- Members can only exchange individual parts of their miles.
Membership Changes
- In terms of changing membership, members can leave the pool at any time, but they must wait 90 days before they can join another pool.
- In addition, new members are not allowed to join an existing pool within 90 days of the member’s withdrawal.
Miles that have been contributed to the accumulation pool remain in it even if the member leaves the programme, which ensures that they are available for use by the remaining members.
Redemption Rules
Miles from the accumulation fund can only be used to book tickets on United flights.
Can Pooled MileagePlus Miles Be Used For Seat Upgrades?
Combined miles can only be used to book United or United Express award tickets. Accumulated miles cannot be redeemed for upgrades, seat changes, in-flight food and beverages, onboard Wi-Fi access or anything else.
How fast can I use miles after pooling?
After pooling miles, all pool members, including the pool leader, must wait 24 hours before using them to book flights.
There is also a deadline for adding miles to the pool:
The pool leader can add miles to the pool immediately. All other members must wait 72 hours after joining the pool.
How and to Whom Are Qualification Points (PQP) Awarded for Booking a Ticket With Miles in the Pool?
All earned PQPs will be credited only to the member who booked the ticket. The individual traveler's status determines any benefits associated with Premier membership status.
If a Pool Member Has Not Been Granted Permission to Use the Accumulated Miles, Can I Redeem My Earned Miles for a Flight?
You cannot redeem miles that you have contributed to the mileage pool. You can only redeem miles from your individual MileagePlus account.
Is It Possible to Cancel the Transaction of Transferring Miles to the Pool?
The transaction can be cancelled within 24 hours after the transfer
*United reserves the right to modify or discontinue the mileage program at any time, and any abuse or violation of the rules may result in penalties, including ban from the program and forfeiture of all accumulated miles.
Participating Airlines and Pooling Options
Which Airlines Allow Miles Pooling?
Besides United Airlines, other airlines that offer miles pooling include:
- JetBlue
- Lufthansa
- Frontier Airlines
- Hawaiian Airlines
- British Airways
- Etihad Airways
- Emirates
- Japan Airline
- Qantas
- Qatar Airways
- Turkish Airlines
- Virgin Australia
- Virgin Atlantic
- Singapore Airlines
Benefits of United MileagePlus Mileage Pooling
- Flexible Contributions: Members are allowed to decide on the quantity of miles they would like to contribute rather than pooling all their miles. This flexibility is very important in group travel plans.
- Unlimited Contributions: There is no restriction on the number of miles that can be added to the pool.
- Easy Membership Management: Members can leave the pool at any time, but they must wait ninety days before they can join another one. It is important to note that new members will need to undergo a similar waiting period before joining an existing pool.
- Secure and Non-Refundable Contributions: The pooled miles cannot be withdrawn by those who leave the group, thus ensuring stability within the pool.
- Leader Control: The designated leader manages the pool, including contributions and redemption, thereby ensuring the organized and effective use of miles.
- Affordable: United Mileage Plus allows for free pooling of miles, unlike some programs that charge transfer fees.
Conclusion
By pooling miles, friends and family can more easily achieve their travel goals. Get the most out of your mileage pool without the extra cost by creating your own pool and inviting other members to join, and read all the terms and conditions carefully before you use this service.
