The United Mileage Plus program is one of the most rewarding airline loyalty programs. In fact, point.me recently ranked Mileage Plus third on its list of The World’s Best Airline Rewards Programs. United’s partnerships are extensive, and they have numerous credit card products at various annual fee rates. The ease of earning miles and redemption opportunities make this program immensely popular with members in the U.S. and other countries where either United or Star Alliance offers significant service.
Table of contents
How to determine the value of a United mile based on the flight cost
Like most airlines, United uses dynamic pricing for its award flights, meaning there’s no award chart, and redemptions are (roughly) tied to the cash fares. Not surprisingly, many of the most popular travel dates often see flights sold out for mileage redemption or available at astronomical rates.
Thankfully, United publishes a Featured Awards page on their website, highlighting discounted award redemptions. It can be hit-or-miss, but if your dates are flexible, it’s a good way to find a deal on a point booking.
The value of United miles when booking United flights
For travelers with flexible plans, don’t give up if your preferred dates don’t show good award redemptions right off. We recently searched for flights to Hawai’i in September 2025, thinking the entire month would be good for award travel. Not so.
When searching availability, select “Flexible Dates” and indicate the length of your trip. You’ll get a calendar for the entire month with the lowest-redemption dates highlighted in green.
When we did this, we learned of a weeklong sweet spot in September for the cheapest redemptions to Hawaii from the Texas city we were searching.
Another valuable consideration is that United now issues Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) on award flights operated by United or United Express. Members trying to qualify or requalify for United Premier elite status won’t sacrifice their eligibility by booking award travel. MileagePlus members earn 1 PQP per 100 miles redeemed on United or United Express flights.
So when you redeem more points, United gives you more PQP and more credit toward Premier status.
Some United cardholders also receive more favorable award availability and discounts on award redemptions when redeeming miles. When you’re logged into your Mileage Plus account, any discount on the number of miles needed will display when searching for award availability.
The value of United miles when booking partner flights
Partner flights are a particularly good deal across the Atlantic, where United’s access to some award inventory on partners like Lufthansa is roughly the same as United’s own flights, meaning partner awards are often the same price as a United flight — as low as 44,000 miles each way for an economy ticket.
United also offers a benefit on multi-city itineraries. In select geographic locations, United offers an Excursionist Perk. Book a ticket to Hawaii, Asia, or Europe, among other locations, and you can book a shorter flight between two cities without redeeming more miles. Examples might include taking a United flight to Singapore from San Francisco and returning from Hong Kong with a free Singapore Airlines flight between Singapore and Hong Kong (plus award taxes and fees).
We also found examples of flights between Honolulu and Lihu’e, Kaua’i, and between Amsterdam and Frankfurt on Lufthansa.
The best use of your United miles
- Premium cabin redemptions on United flights
- Multi-city itineraries using the Excursionist Perk
The worst use of your United miles
- Peak period travel to popular leisure destinations (e.g. Hawaii, Europe) at non-saver pricing
Frequently asked questions about the worth of United miles
How much are 10,000 United miles worth?
10,000 United miles are worth roughly $110, depending on how you redeem them. For example, with 10,000 miles, you can generally book a one-way short-haul domestic flight on United, such as between Chicago and Boston or between Seattle/Tacoma and San Francisco. Short-haul flights on Lufthansa in Europe can also be booked for under or around 10,000 miles, as long as they’re nonstop.
How much are 25,000 United miles worth?
25,000 United miles are worth around $275, depending on how you use them. These miles can typically be redeemed for a roundtrip medium-length domestic flight on United, such as between Dallas/Ft. Worth and San Francisco or between Los Angeles and Boise. You can also book flights on partner carriers, such as round trips between Honolulu and Lihue on Hawaiian Airlines or between San Juan and St. Thomas on Silver Airways.
How much are 50,000 United miles worth?
Economy class Saver Awards between most U.S. cities and United’s five destinations in Hawai’i start below 35,000 miles for a roundtrip. Latin America is also on the table, with economy round trips between Providence, RI, and Puerto Vallarta or Salt Lake City and Belize City. United’s famous “Island Hopper” between Honolulu and Guam via multiple stops in the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia can also be flown one-way in United Economy at this redemption level.
How much are 100,000 United miles worth?
Saver Awards in United Premium Plus from the United States to Europe on routes such as Newark (EWR) to London Heathrow (LHR) can be booked for up to 100,000 miles. It’s also generally enough miles for a round-trip economy ticket between San Francisco and Papeete or a one-way in United First between Denver and Anchorage, Alaska. A round trip between Guam and Tokyo Haneda can also be booked at this redemption level.
On partner airlines, this redemption level will cover a round-trip economy flight between Washington DC and Nairobi on Ethiopian Airlines or between Raleigh/Durham and Zurich on SWISS International. Many premium cabin redemptions for long-haul international flights on both United and partners are routinely in excess of 100,000 miles.
How many United miles does it take for a free flight?
At an absolute minimum, it’s 10,000 miles, and that’s for short flights between cities in Japan on ANA. Domestically, you can get a free flight for around 13,000 miles roundtrip, such as on the Seattle/Tacoma to San Francisco route.
Do United miles expire?
United Miles Plus miles do not expire.
Can you use United miles to book flights on other airlines?
You can use Mileage Plus miles to book flights on United, United’s Star Alliance partners, and select other airline partners for certain flights.
When is the best time to book flights using United miles?
United releases seats 337 days in advance, but award availability can fluctuate up until departure. Some partner airlines may release award space at the last minute. This hasn’t been published, but Lufthansa and SWISS, for example, tend to hold on to first-class award availability until two weeks before departure.
Summary
United Mileage Plus miles have great utility for both United flights and those operated by partner airlines. Some of the best redemptions can be found in short-haul markets, on United-operated domestic flights, or on select Star Alliance partners like Ethiopian. Another great value is the Excursionist Perk, which allows travelers to add on a short-haul flight in a single region without redeeming more miles.
Share "How Much Are United Miles Worth?"
