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What to Know About United MileagePlus— Including How to Earn Status and Redeem Miles

Discover everything you need to know about United's frequent flier program.

How to Sign Up

How to earn miles, united airlines elite tiers, redeeming miles, how to get the most out of your mileageplus miles.

Courtesy of United

The United Airlines MileagePlus frequent flier program gives more than 100 million members travel perks in exchange for loyalty to the world’s third-largest airline. By flying on United and partner airlines, spending on co-branded credit cards, and other earning methods, members can acquire elite status and redeemable miles.

United Airlines recently revamped the MileagePlus program, emphasizing the accrual of Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs) through activities like flying, using co-branded credit cards, and online shopping. This lets loyalists earn United elite status — Premier Silver, Premier Gold, Premier Platinum, and Premier 1K — and the associated perks without flying frequently. 

The airline’s miles can subsequently be redeemed for domestic and international flights on United and partner carriers across the Star Alliance and beyond.

“United has the largest network of quality international partners among U.S. airlines, giving members strong opportunities for mileage earning and redemption across the globe,” Gary Leff, travel expert from View from the Wing, tells Travel + Leisure . “With so many overlapping partners in Europe and Asia, there's a reasonable chance that one will have the award space you're looking for when planning travel abroad.”

To create a MileagePlus account, visit the enrollment page on the United Airlines website. You'll be prompted to complete a form with personal information, including your name, contact details, and date of birth, and then create a password for your account. You’ll then receive a confirmation email containing your MileagePlus account number — make sure you add this number to your flight reservations to earn miles.

When you fly with United Airlines, you can earn miles on the base fare of your ticket, excluding taxes and fees. The number of miles earned varies depending on your MileagePlus elite status:

• No status: 5 miles per dollar spent
• Premier Silver: 7 miles per dollar spent
• Premier Gold: 8 miles per dollar spent
• Premier Platinum: 9 miles per dollar spent
• Premier 1K: 11 miles per dollar spent

Like many other loyalty programs, you can also earn miles on flights operated by Star Alliance partners, typically based on distance flown and fare class. Star Alliance is the largest airline alliance in the world with more than 25 carriers, making it easy to rack up substantial MileagePlus miles through airlines other than United.

Credit Cards

United Airlines offers a few different co-branded credit cards with various sign-up bonuses and incentives: the United Gateway℠ Card; the United℠ Explorer Card; the United Quest℠ Card; and the United℠ Business Card, each with sign-up bonuses ranging from 30,000 to 90,000 miles. These cards earn anywhere from two to four miles per dollar on United Airlines purchases, with some cards earning miles on everything from gas to dining to local transit.

Other Ways to Earn

• Transferring Points: You can transfer points from partner programs, like Chase Ultimate Rewards or Marriott Bonvoy, to your MileagePlus account at varying exchange rates.
• Shopping Portal: Utilize the MileagePlus shopping portal to earn additional miles when making purchases online.
• MileagePlus X: Connect your credit or debit cards to participate in the MileagePlus X program, which lets you earn miles while shopping online or in-person at certain stores.
• Dining Program: Participating restaurants offer opportunities to earn up to five miles per dollar through the MileagePlus Dining program.
• Travel Partners: Book car rentals and accommodations through MileagePlus travel partners to accrue extra miles.
• Mileage Purchases: Occasionally, United Airlines provides opportunities to purchase MileagePlus miles, often with bonus incentives.

Related: Everything You Need to Know About Earning and Redeeming Airline Miles

United Airlines presents four elite status tiers with different benefits, ranging from bonus miles and complimentary seat selection to baggage allowances. Premier 1K members enjoy the most extensive privileges, including complimentary upgrades on award flights and access to United Club lounges when traveling internationally.

Premier Silver Status

Requirements:

• 5,000 Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs) or 12 Premier Qualifying Flights (PQFs) and 4,000 Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs)
• 7x miles earned on every flight
• Complimentary access to Economy Plus seating at check-in (when available)
• Complimentary upgrades on select flights
• One free checked bag, up to 70 pounds

Premier Gold Status

• 10,000 PQPS or 24 PQFs and 8,000 PQPs
• 8x miles earned on every flight
• Complimentary access to Economy Plus seating at booking (when available)
• Two free checked bags, up to 70 pounds
• Star Alliance Gold status

Premier Platinum Status

• 15,000 PQPs or 36 PQFs and 12,000 PQPs
• 40 PlusPoints, to be used for upgrades
• 9x miles earned on every flight
• Complimentary access to Economy Plus seating
• Three free checked bags, up to 70 pounds

Premier 1K Status

• 24,000 PQPs or 54 PQFs and 18,000 PQPs
• 280 PlusPoints, to be used for upgrades
• Pre-boarding
• One free drink and snack in economy 
• 11x miles earned on every flight

Related: How to Use Airline Elite Status for Seat Upgrades, Free Checked Bags, Priority Check-in, and So Much More

United Airlines employs dynamic pricing for award flights. This means that the mileage cost can vary depending on demand, route, and travel date. While traditional award categories like "saver" and "standard" are no longer offered, United Airlines does maintain award charts with starting values, which can be helpful for travelers seeking seats at lower redemption levels.

“United also makes more seats available using points to members of their program who hold a United credit card,” Gilbert Ott, director of partnerships at Point.me , tells T+L. “This has been really successful at engendering loyalty and ensuring people who participate can usually get what they want, or close, with the program.”

All members can use their MileagePlus miles to request upgrades from economy to premium cabins on eligible flights. MileagePlus elite members, including Premier Silver, Premier Gold, Premier Platinum, and Premier 1K, can access complimentary flight upgrades within specific regions. Premier 1K members, in particular, enjoy the most extensive upgrade privileges, including complimentary upgrades on award flights. But, Leff warns, “Upgrades can be tough to come by, even for top-level elite fliers.” 

Other Ways to Redeem Miles

• United Hotels: You can book hotel stays through United Hotels using MileagePlus miles.
• Marriott Bonvoy: MileagePlus miles are transferable to the Marriott Bonvoy program at a 1:1 ratio.
• In-flight Wi-Fi: Want Wi-Fi during your flight? You can use your miles to pay for it.
• TSA PreCheck: One of the more unique MileagePlus redemptions is for the TSA PreCheck application fee — it costs 11,000 miles. (Note that some United Airlines co-branded credit cards offer credit for TSA PreCheck and/or Global Entry, too.)
• Go Shopping: United Airlines has an online store that allows you to pay in miles for various items like Bose headphones, Dyson hair styling tools, and Briggs & Riley suitcases.
• Charity Donations: You can donate your miles to various charities. The minimum donation is 1,000 miles.

Partner Airline Redemptions

Members can also redeem MileagePlus miles for flights with Star Alliance partners, including Lufthansa, Air Canada, Thai Airways, and Singapore Airlines.  United Airlines also has partnerships with various non-Star Alliance carriers like Aer Lingus, Hawaiian Airlines, and Copa Airlines. The availability of these redemptions depends on partner airlines' award inventory, so it's essential to check and plan your travel accordingly.

Earn elite status.

Focus on accumulating Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs) through flying with United Airlines, using co-branded credit cards, and engaging with MileagePlus partners. Higher elite status tiers, such as Premier Gold, Premier Platinum, and Premier 1K, have significant benefits like bonus miles, seat selection, and free checked bags.

Explore partner airlines and alliances.

Consider redeeming miles for flights with Star Alliance partners to access a vast network of airlines worldwide. Additionally, explore redemption options with non-Star Alliance partners to broaden your travel horizons.

Take advantage of unique perks.

United Airlines offers unique perks like the Excursionist Perk and TravelBank, which can help you save on travel expenses and stretch your miles further.

United MileagePlus now charges more miles for intra-Europe and intra-Asia business-class award flights

I n April 2020, United MileagePlus removed its partner award chart . Partner awards continued pricing at the lowest Saver level from the last-published award charts for a while. But over time, United Airlines has slowly raised its unpublished partner award rates. Last month, United devalued first-class partner redemptions , increasing award prices up to 100%. Now, the loyalty program has struck again with another devaluation.

The most recent victim is business-class awards for partner-operated flights within Europe and Asia, as View from the Wing first reported.

For example, short-haul business-class awards within Europe now cost around 33,000 miles plus taxes and fees. That's a lot compared to the economy-class award rate of 6,000 miles plus taxes and fees on the same route.

Meanwhile, longer business-class award flights within Europe — such as the following example from Zurich to Athens, Greece — price around 49,500 miles plus taxes and fees. Previously, you could book longer business-class flights within Europe for 27,500 miles.

Business class within Europe usually doesn't get you much besides a blocked middle seat. So, I usually find it best to redeem miles for an economy-class award when traveling within Europe — or book a paid flight if redeeming miles would lead to too low of a redemption value . But if you want to fly in business class within Europe, see whether other programs you can access with transferable points can get you a lower award rate than United MileagePlus.

A representative for United previously told TPG, "Pricing for all fares, awards and revenue is highly dynamic and always changing."

Related: How to get maximum value from the United MileagePlus program

United MileagePlus has also increased its unpublished partner award rates for flights within Asia. For example, now you'll need to redeem 33,000 miles plus $25.20 to fly in business class from Tokyo to Seoul, South Korea.

And you'll need to redeem 27,500 miles plus $47.90 to fly in business class on the short hop from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

It's likely not worth flying in business class on the short hop between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur unless doing so would provide other valuable perks, such as lounge access. But if you want to fly short-haul business class within Asia, you'll likely do better booking through another program.

Related: How to redeem miles with the United MileagePlus program

Bottom line

Short-haul business class usually isn't worth booking — although sometimes lounge access and additional checked bags might make the math work out. So, although these increased award rates aren't good news, they're also unlikely to severely affect most award travelers. If you want to fly in business class within Europe or Asia, consider using an award search tool like Point.me to find the program with the best rates.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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Biden-Harris Administration Announces Final Rule Requiring Automatic Refunds of Airline Tickets and Ancillary Service Fees

Rule makes it easy to get money back for cancelled or significantly changed flights, significantly delayed checked bags, and additional services not provided  

WASHINGTON – The Biden-Harris Administration today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued a final rule that requires airlines to promptly provide passengers with automatic cash refunds when owed. The new rule makes it easy for passengers to obtain refunds when airlines cancel or significantly change their flights, significantly delay their checked bags, or fail to provide the extra services they purchased.

“Passengers deserve to get their money back when an airline owes them - without headaches or haggling,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg . “Our new rule sets a new standard to require airlines to promptly provide cash refunds to their passengers.”  

The final rule creates certainty for consumers by defining the specific circumstances in which airlines must provide refunds. Prior to this rule, airlines were permitted to set their own standards for what kind of flight changes warranted a refund. As a result, refund policies differed from airline to airline, which made it difficult for passengers to know or assert their refund rights. DOT also received complaints of some airlines revising and applying less consumer-friendly refund policies during spikes in flight cancellations and changes. 

Under the rule, passengers are entitled to a refund for:

• Canceled or significantly changed flights: Passengers will be entitled to a refund if their flight is canceled or significantly changed, and they do not accept alternative transportation or travel credits offered. For the first time, the rule defines “significant change.” Significant changes to a flight include departure or arrival times that are more than 3 hours domestically and 6 hours internationally; departures or arrivals from a different airport; increases in the number of connections; instances where passengers are downgraded to a lower class of service; or connections at different airports or flights on different planes that are less accessible or accommodating to a person with a disability.  
• Significantly delayed baggage return: Passengers who file a mishandled baggage report will be entitled to a refund of their checked bag fee if it is not delivered within 12 hours of their domestic flight arriving at the gate, or 15-30 hours of their international flight arriving at the gate, depending on the length of the flight.  
• Extra services not provided: Passengers will be entitled to a refund for the fee they paid for an extra service — such as Wi-Fi, seat selection, or inflight entertainment — if an airline fails to provide this service.

DOT’s final rule also makes it simple and straightforward for passengers to receive the money they are owed. Without this rule, consumers have to navigate a patchwork of cumbersome processes to request and receive a refund — searching through airline websites to figure out how make the request, filling out extra “digital paperwork,” or at times waiting for hours on the phone. In addition, passengers would receive a travel credit or voucher by default from some airlines instead of getting their money back, so they could not use their refund to rebook on another airline when their flight was changed or cancelled without navigating a cumbersome request process.  

The final rule improves the passenger experience by requiring refunds to be:

• Automatic: Airlines must automatically issue refunds without passengers having to explicitly request them or jump through hoops.   
• Prompt: Airlines and ticket agents must issue refunds within seven business days of refunds becoming due for credit card purchases and 20 calendar days for other payment methods.  
• Cash or original form of payment: Airlines and ticket agents must provide refunds in cash or whatever original payment method the individual used to make the purchase, such as credit card or airline miles. Airlines may not substitute vouchers, travel credits, or other forms of compensation unless the passenger affirmatively chooses to accept alternative compensation.    
• Full amount: Airlines and ticket agents must provide full refunds of the ticket purchase price, minus the value of any portion of transportation already used. The refunds must include all government-imposed taxes and fees and airline-imposed fees, regardless of whether the taxes or fees are refundable to airlines.

The final rule also requires airlines to provide prompt notifications to consumers affected by a cancelled or significantly changed flight of their right to a refund of the ticket and extra service fees, as well as any related policies.

In addition, in instances where consumers are restricted by a government or advised by a medical professional not to travel to, from, or within the United States due to a serious communicable disease, the final rule requires that airlines must provide travel credits or vouchers. Consumers may be required to provide documentary evidence to support their request. Travel vouchers or credits provided by airlines must be transferrable and valid for at least five years from the date of issuance.

The Department received a significant number of complaints against airlines and ticket agents for refusing to provide a refund or for delaying processing of refunds during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. At the height of the pandemic in 2020, refund complaints peaked at 87 percent of all air travel service complaints received by DOT. Refund problems continue to make up a substantial share of the complaints that DOT receives.

DOT’s Historic Record of Consumer Protection Under the Biden-Harris Administration

Under the Biden-Harris Administration and Secretary Buttigieg, DOT has advanced the largest expansion of airline passenger rights, issued the biggest fines against airlines for failing consumers, and returned more money to passengers in refunds and reimbursements than ever before in the Department’s history.

• Thanks to pressure from Secretary Buttigieg and DOT’s flightrights.gov dashboard, all 10 major U.S. airlines guarantee free rebooking and meals, and nine guarantee hotel accommodations when an airline issue causes a significant delay or cancellation. These are new commitments the airlines added to their customer service plans that DOT can legally ensure they adhere to and are displayed on flightrights.gov .  
• Since President Biden took office, DOT has helped return more than $3 billion in refunds and reimbursements owed to airline passengers – including over $600 million to passengers affected by the Southwest Airlines holiday meltdown in 2022.   
• Under Secretary Buttigieg, DOT has issued over $164 million in penalties against airlines for consumer protection violations. Between 1996 and 2020, DOT collectively issued less than $71 million in penalties against airlines for consumer protection violations.  
• DOT recently launched a new partnership with a bipartisan group of state attorneys general to fast-track the review of consumer complaints, hold airlines accountable, and protect the rights of the traveling public.  
• In 2023, the flight cancellation rate in the U.S. was a record low at under 1.2% — the lowest rate of flight cancellations in over 10 years despite a record amount of air travel.  
• DOT is undertaking its first ever industry-wide review of airline privacy practices and its first review of airline loyalty programs.

In addition to finalizing the rules to require automatic refunds and protect against surprise fees, DOT is also pursuing rulemakings that would:

• Propose to ban family seating junk fees and guarantee that parents can sit with their children for no extra charge when they fly. Before President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg pressed airlines last year, no airline committed to guaranteeing fee-free family seating. Now, four airlines guarantee fee-free family seating, and the Department is working on its family seating junk fee ban proposal.  
• Propose to make passenger compensation and amenities mandatory so that travelers are taken care of when airlines cause flight delays or cancellations.   
• Expand the rights for passengers who use wheelchairs and ensure that they can travel safely and with dignity . The comment period on this proposed rule closes on May 13, 2024.

The final rule on refunds can be found at https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/latest-news and at regulations.gov , docket number DOT-OST-2022-0089. There are different implementation periods in this final rule ranging from six months for airlines to provide automatic refunds when owed to 12 months for airlines to provide transferable travel vouchers or credits when consumers are unable to travel for reasons related to a serious communicable disease. 

Information about airline passenger rights, as well as DOT’s rules, guidance and orders, can be found at   https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer .

American Airlines changes its frequent flyer rules—again

Looking to achieve frequent-flyer status with American Airlines? Book direct.

The carrier has announced another round of changes to its loyalty program, saying passengers will only receive Loyalty Points and AAdvantage miles if they book directly with American, one of its partners, or a “preferred” travel agency. Flights booked elsewhere won’t earn miles.

The new rules go into effect in July.

At present, there’s no word on which agencies qualify as “preferred”—and it could be early June before that’s cleared up. The Wall Street Journal says that classification will depend “on whether they have adopted modern booking technology.”

“Booking with us provides a better travel experience,” the carrier argued in its announcement. “You can manage your trip online, receive travel credit for canceled trips and more. Plus, you’ll continue to earn miles and Loyalty Points through our non-airline partners and on eligible purchases with an AAdvantage credit card.”

Direct booking also lowers costs for the carrier.

For passengers who opt for basic economy fares, booking direct is the only way they’ll earn AAdvantage Miles or Loyalty Points. Preferred travel agency bookings will not be eligible.

American last announced a major overhaul of its frequent-flyer program in 2021, doing away with using how far or often someone flew to calculate status. That’s when Loyalty Points were introduced, which could be earned via travel or spending on branded credit cards.

Other airlines have followed its lead, with Delta announcing a big overhaul on its SkyMiles rewards program last year, which resulted in a bit of a rebellion among that company’s customers, forcing Delta to walk back some of its changes .

American noted that any existing reservations booked with third parties or non-preferred travel agencies will earn miles or Loyalty Points.

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Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

BTS Updates National Transportation Statistics 04/30/2024

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) today released its monthly update to National Transportation Statistics (NTS) , a guide to historical national-level transportation trends.

This month’s updated data tables include System Mileage Within the United States, Retail Sales of New Cars by Sector, U.S. Flag Vessels by Type and Age, Passengers Boarded at the Top 50 U.S. Airports, and Air Passenger Travel Arrivals and Departures in the United States from Selected Foreign Countries.

Recently Updated Tables by Topics:

Physical Extent

• System Mileage Within the United States ( 1-1 , 1-1M )

Vehicle, Aircraft, and Vessel Inventory

• Retail Sales of New Cars by Sector ( 1-18 )
• Number of U.S. Truck Registrations by Type ( 1-22b )
• Class I Railroad Locomotive Fleet by Year Built ( 1-32 ) 
• U.S. Flag Vessels by Type and Age ( 1-34 )

Travel and Goods Movement

• Average Length of Haul, Domestic Freight and Passenger Modes ( 1-38 , 1-38M )
• Passengers Boarded at the Top 50 U.S. Airports ( 1-44 )
• Air Passenger Travel Arrivals in the United States from Selected Foreign Countries ( 1-45 )
• Air Passenger Travel Departures from the United States to Selected Foreign Countries ( 1-46 )
• Crude Oil and Petroleum Products Transported in the United States by Mode ( 1-61 )

How to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to United

Editor's Note

Chase Ultimate Rewards points are one of my favorite transferable rewards currencies due to the sheer number of high-value airline and hotel loyalty programs these points let me access. I often transfer Chase points to Hyatt , but you can also transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to many other partners, including United MileagePlus .

Here's how to transfer Chase points to United Airlines and other things you should know before transferring your Ultimate Rewards points.

How to transfer Chase points to United

Before learning how to transfer Chase points to United, make sure you have a MileagePlus account. If you don't, head to United's website , click "Join now" and create an account.

To transfer Chase points to United, head to the Ultimate Rewards website , log into your account and select your Ultimate Rewards earning card (if you have multiple). You should land on a dashboard page for the card account you selected. For example, here's the dashboard for my Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card .

Click on the "Travel" dropdown at the top of your dashboard, and then select "Transfer points to partners."

You'll go to a page showing all the Chase transfer partners. Scroll down, and then click on the United row. Doing so will take you to an information page about transferring Chase points to United.

If you want to continue, click "Transfer points" to reach a page where you can enter your United MileagePlus information (if you haven't already enrolled your account with Chase Ultimate Rewards). In the example below, I'd transfer Chase points to my United MileagePlus account.

If you have an eligible authorized user on your account, you could transfer to them. For example, I've already enrolled United MileagePlus accounts for my husband and myself for my Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card 's Ultimate Rewards account, so I could transfer Chase points to either of our United accounts.

On the next page, enter the amount of Chase points you'd like to transfer to United. You must transfer at least 1,000 points and can only transfer in increments of 1,000 points.

Click "Next" to reach a summary page before clicking "Submit" to confirm your transfer request.

The transfer from Chase to United will usually occur instantaneously but could take up to seven business days.

Related: How to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for maximum value

Chase to United transfer ratio

The Chase to United transfer ratio is 1:1. You must transfer Chase points in increments of 1,000 points, which means you can convert 1,000 Chase points into 1,000 United miles. You might occasionally find a transfer bonus that boosts the Chase to United transfer ratio, but these are rare.

Based on TPG's valuations , Chase points are worth 2.05 cents each, and United miles are worth 1.32 cents each. You'll lose theoretical value when you transfer Chase points since transferable points are inherently more valuable . But, as we'll discuss in the next section, this doesn't mean you shouldn't transfer Chase points to United.

Related: Best Chase credit cards

Should I transfer Chase points to United?

As you read this guide, you might ask yourself whether you should transfer Chase points to United. This question has a lot of complexity, so I can't tell you whether you should transfer Chase points to United without understanding your specific situation.

However, United MileagePlus isn't the most valuable Chase transfer partner based on our valuations. For example, while our valuations peg the value of United miles at 1.32 cents each, we value some other Chase transfer partners higher; this includes World of Hyatt at 1.7 cents each, as well as British Airways Avios , Air Canada Aeroplan and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club at 1.5 cents each.

So, you may want to reserve your Chase Ultimate Rewards points for transfers to these higher-value partners — especially if you haven't accrued a massive stash of Chase points. But, you can get much higher value from United miles on some redemptions. Check out our guide on redeeming United miles to get started, then read our guide about maximizing United MileagePlus redemptions for more tips on getting the most value from your United miles.

Even if you're only getting 1.32 cents per point when transferring Chase points to United, this is higher than the 1.25 cents per point you can get when redeeming points for travel through the Chase Travel℠ portal with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card . So, if you have a lot of Chase points or don't want to book awards with higher-value transfer partners, transferring Chase points to United might be right for you.

However, if you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve® , you can get 1.5 cents per point when redeeming through the Chase Travel portal. Because of this, Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders should ensure they'll get at least 1.5 cents per mile on their United award before transferring Chase points to United.

Related: Flights, credit cards and more: How to earn miles with the United MileagePlus program

How to earn Chase points

If you want to transfer Chase points to United, you may also be curious about how you can earn more Chase points. Here's a list of some major cards that participate in the Chase Ultimate Rewards program and are currently accepting applications:

• Chase Sapphire Reserve®
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
• Chase Freedom Flex℠
• Chase Freedom Unlimited®
• Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
• Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
• Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

Some of these cards earn cash-back rewards instead of points, but you can combine rewards from all your Ultimate Rewards cards into a single account. If the account you use to collect all your rewards is your Sapphire Reserve, Sapphire Preferred or Ink Business Preferred account, you'll have a stash of points you can transfer to Chase transfer partners.

Related: How (and why) to combine your Chase Ultimate Rewards points into a single account

Bottom line

Now you know how to transfer Chase points to United.

It can be daunting the first time you go to transfer Chase points. However, once you decide to transfer Chase points to United and find an award flight you want to book, follow the steps above to transfer the number of points you need to book your award flight.

Remember, you must transfer in increments of 1,000 points, so you may need to transfer slightly more points than you need to book your flight.

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United Quest Card: $250 Fee Grants You More Miles and Credits for Your Journey

The $250 annual fee is not for everybody, but frequent United flyers who use the $125 airline credit should be able to extract plenty of value from the card.

• Bonus categories
• New cardholder bonus offer
• Free checked bag
• Luxury perks
• Has annual fee
• Rewards have limited flexibility
• No lounge membership

21.99%-28.99% Variable APR

Rewards rate

Bonus offer

Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

Ongoing APR

APR: 21.99%-28.99% Variable APR

Cash Advance APR: 29.99%, Variable

Penalty APR: Up to 29.99%

Balance transfer fee

Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

Foreign transaction fee

• Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 PQP after qualifying purchases
• Earn 3 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases
• Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on all other travel, dining and select streaming services
• Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Free first and second checked bags - a savings of up to $320 per roundtrip (terms apply) - and priority boarding
• Up to a $125 United® purchase credit and up to 10,000 miles in award flight credits each year (terms apply)
• Earn up to 6,000 Premier qualifying points (25 PQP for every $500 you spend on purchases)
• Member FDIC

Compare to Other Cards

Detailed review: United Quest℠ Card

The United Quest℠ Card from Chase gives United Airlines flyers a way to earn more miles and perks than with the carrier’s more basic cards, while avoiding the massive annual fee for the priciest card that includes airport lounge access.

It's still on the pricey side, though, at an annual fee of $250 . That means the United Quest℠ Card slots in as a midtier option among the three other United-branded Chase credit cards offered for personal use. (Annual fees on those other cards? $0, $95 and $525 ).

The Quest's fee effectively can be chopped in half if you use its $125 annual credit for United purchases. Layer on award-flight credits, progress toward elite status, extra free checked bags, and a credit toward a TSA Precheck, Global Entry or NEXUS application, and you’re quickly making out on the deal. You also rack up miles with useful bonus categories on your spending, including extra miles for United purchases, travel, dining and streaming services.

Airline credit cards, especially those with $250 fees, aren’t for everyone. But frequent United flyers should be able to get their fee back and more with the United Quest℠ Card .

United Quest Card: Basics

Card type: Airline .

Annual fee: $250 .

Sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

3 miles per $1 spent on United purchases.

2 miles per $1 spent on all other travel, dining and select streaming services.

1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases.

» MORE: United Airlines MileagePlus program: The complete guide

NerdWallet values United miles at 1.2 cents each. This is a baseline value, drawn from real-world data on hundreds of economy routes, not a maximized value. In other words, you should aim for award redemptions that offer 1.2 cents or more in value from your United miles.

$125 United purchase credit per year (good on airfare).

Two 5,000-mile award flight credits per anniversary year.

Two free checked bags for the cardholder and a companion.

Priority boarding.

Up to $100 credit on TSA Precheck, Global Entry or NEXUS.

25% back on United in-flight purchases, including Wi-Fi, food and beverages.

Travel protections.

A one-year complimentary DashPass membership for both DoorDash and Caviar. Terms apply.

Interest rate: The ongoing APR is 21.99%-28.99% Variable APR .

Foreign transaction fee: None.

» MORE: Benefits of United Airlines credit cards

How it compares with other United cards

United and Chase offer four co-branded credit cards for personal use, each with different benefits and annual fees.

For the Quest's annual fee of $250 , you get some big upgrades from the United℠ Explorer Card , which has an annual fee of $0 intro for the first year, then $95 . But you don’t get a United Club airport lounge membership, which comes with the United Club℠ Infinite Card at a price of $525 .

The United Quest℠ Card mostly competes with the United℠ Explorer Card . That’s especially true because if you’re able to regularly use the $125 airline credit, it effectively drops the annual fee to very close to the annual fee of the United℠ Explorer Card .

Benefits and perks

Sign-up bonus.

One of the joys of getting a new airline credit card is reaping a huge cache of bonus miles if you’re able to meet the minimum spending requirements. That windfall of miles potentially means free flights soon after you get the card. The United Quest℠ Card offers the following bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

Rewards for spending

Earning extra miles for United purchases as well as travel and restaurant spending is useful and welcome on an airline card. Bonus rewards on streaming services don't quite fit the travel theme neatly, but they can be useful and give you an excuse to use the card for non-travel spending.

Overall, though, it's easier to rack up ample United miles with this card than with other options.

$125 annual United purchase credit

When you make United purchases with the card, you can get up to $125 in statement credits each anniversary year. The credit applies to most United spending you can think of, not just incidentals. So it counts toward airline tickets and seat upgrades, as well as in-flight food, beverages and Wi-Fi. It counts toward bag fees, too, although you already have some checked-bag benefits baked into this card.

A key way to think about this benefit: Fully used, it cuts the annual fee in half.

Credits for booking award flights

When you rack up enough miles and book a free flight — called an award flight — you’ll get 5,000 miles returned to your frequent-flyer account. You can use those miles on a future award flight, and you can do that twice a year. The benefit starts on your first anniversary with the card. The value of frequent-flyer miles changes over time, but if United miles were worth a penny each, that’s a potential value of $100 per year if you book a couple of award flights. Those credits do not carry over from year to year, though. It’s "use it or lose it."

NerdWallet currently values United miles at 1.2 cents each.

Free checked bags and priority boarding

You and a companion traveling on your reservation can each get your first two checked bags free . The first bag typically costs $40; the second, $50. So this perk alone could cover the card's annual fee.

You also get priority boarding. Getting on the plane earlier means you’re more likely to find overhead bin space for your roll-aboard. And some flyers like to board earlier to get settled before the cabin gets crowded. Either way, priority boarding is usually a welcome perk, although it also comes with the lower-tier United℠ Explorer Card .

Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS credit

This statement credit for TSA Precheck, Global Entry or NEXUS is worth up to $100 every four years and can be used to cover your application fees for these programs. The statuses for these options last for five years.

Status Boost bonuses and seat upgrades

Through spending on the card, you can earn up to 6,000 premier qualifying points (PQPs) per year toward Premier status eligibility. That’s more than enough to get you to Silver status, which at the time of this writing requires 5,000 PQPs. Earn 25 PQPs for every $500 in card spend, up to 6,000 PQPs in a calendar year.

The primary cardmember who is also a MileagePlus Premier member traveling on a domestic MileagePlus award ticket will be eligible for complimentary Premier upgrades on eligible United-operated flights when available.

Primary rental car coverage

This feature, by the wonky name “auto rental collision damage waiver,” is unusual. Unlike most airline and travel cards, this card comes with car rental coverage that's primary , meaning the card’s benefit kicks in before your own auto insurance. That can save you money — your insurance deductible — if you have an accident in a rental. To use this benefit, you must pay for the rental with the card and decline the rental company's coverage.

Other travel protections

Baggage delay insurance.

Lost luggage reimbursement.

Trip delay reimbursement.

Trip cancellation/interruption insurance.

Drawbacks and considerations

High annual fee.

You don’t expect these kinds of rewards and perks on a card with no annual fee. But if $250 a year is too much to stomach, you could drop down to one of the lower-priced United cards. Or, you might find a better fit with a general travel card .

The Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card has a lower fee, and it earns points in similar categories. You get 2 points per $1 spent on travel and dining purchases, and 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases. It also offers $200 in statement credits, including up to $100 for a Global Entry or TSA Precheck application fee and up to $100 for airline incidentals, such as seat upgrades, checked bags and day passes to lounges.

No lounge access

Competing travel rewards cards offer some airport lounge access. Even the lower-tier United℠ Explorer Card offers two United Club lounge passes per year. The Quest card has none.

If lounge access is your top priority, the United Club℠ Infinite Card is an obvious choice. Or go with another premium card instead — The Platinum Card® from American Express . It offers access to more than 1,300 airport lounges worldwide, along with a bevy of other benefits. The annual fee is huge, but for perpetual travelers who can take advantage of everything it offers, it could be worth the cost. Terms apply ( see rates and fees ).

» MORE: 6 things to know about United lounges

Free checked bags for only one extra traveler

With the United Quest℠ Card , the primary cardmember and one traveling companion on the same reservation are each eligible to receive their first two checked bags free. Two checked bags each might be overkill for most trips, but many other airlines offer a free checked bag for more travel companions, which is potentially more useful. For example, Delta Air Lines’ comparable card is the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card . It offers free checked bags for a total of nine people. Terms apply, see rates and fees .

Limited redemption options

Generally, the best redemption options for United MileagePlus miles are award flights and seat upgrades on United and its Star Alliance partners. That’s pretty limiting compared with general travel cards , which allow you to apply rewards to a wide range of travel-related expenses.

If you mix your flying with other airlines, a comparable card is the American Express® Gold Card , which also has useful bonus categories for everyday spending. Terms apply, see rates and fees .

For those looking for premium perks, good choices include the Chase Sapphire Reserve® , Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and The Platinum Card® from American Express .

For a lower annual fee in a general travel card, check out the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card .

No companion fare

The same-tier credit card from Delta Air Lines, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card , comes with an annual companion certificate — a rare and valuable perk that covers the cost of a round-trip domestic, Caribbean or Central American economy ticket for someone flying with you.

The United Quest℠ Card doesn't come with a companion-fare benefit.

» MORE: Airline credit cards that offer companion tickets

Visit NerdWallet's roundup of top cards if you're having trouble deciding which credit card is best for your needs.

The United℠ Explorer Card isn't as generous with rewards or other perks, but it costs less to carry and, unlike the Quest, offers two United Club lounge passes per year.

How to decide if it's right for you

If you can use the $125 airline credit on this card, it probably makes it a superior choice to the popular United℠ Explorer Card , one of NerdWallet’s perennial favorite airline credit cards . The additional perks on the United Quest℠ Card have a real cash value, while its lucrative bonus-rewards categories help boost your bank of frequent-flyer miles.

If you mix your flying with airlines, a general travel card might be a better pick, but frequent United Airlines flyers should take a hard look at the United Quest℠ Card .

To view rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card , see this page .

To view rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express , see this page .

To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card , see this page .

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Methodology

NerdWallet reviews credit cards with an eye toward both the quantitative and qualitative features of a card. Quantitative features are those that boil down to dollars and cents, such as fees, interest rates, rewards (including earning rates and redemption values) and the cash value of benefits and perks. Qualitative factors are those that affect how easy or difficult it is for a typical cardholder to get good value from the card. They include such things as the ease of application, simplicity of the rewards structure, the likelihood of using certain features, and whether a card is well-suited to everyday use or is best reserved for specific purchases. Our star ratings serve as a general gauge of how each card compares with others in its class, but star ratings are intended to be just one consideration when a consumer is choosing a credit card. Learn how NerdWallet rates credit cards.

About the author

Gregory Karp