The Ultimate Guide to United Miles: Part 1 – Earning Lots of United Miles

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United miles are among the best miles to use for international travel.  That’s because United is part of the Star Alliance (a group of 28 airlines) and you can redeem your United miles not only on United, but ALSO on other Star Alliance airlines such as Lufthansa, Thai Airways, etc.

This opens up lots of travel opportunities!

Even better, United does not charge high fuel surcharges or extra fees for using United miles for award travel.  This makes using United miles cheaper than using American Airlines miles for travel to Europe.

That’s because you pay extra fees and surcharges when you redeem American Airlines miles for flights on British Airways to London.   But you don’t pay these extra fees for flights on United’s partner airlines Lufthansa, Swiss, etc. for flights to Europe.

The Ultimate Guide To United Miles Index

• Part 1 – Earning Lots of United Miles
• Part 2 – Introduction To United Miles
• Part 3 – Understanding The United Award Chart
• Part 4 – United Award Costs/Fees
• Part 5 – Using The United Website To Book Awards
• Part 6 – Stopovers, Open Jaws And Free One Ways
• Part 7 – Using The ANA Website to Find Star Alliance Award Seats
• Part 8 – All The Ways To Get To Europe!
• Part 9 – The Best Tip For Searching On United.com
• Part 10 – All The Ways To Get To Japan, North Asia & South Asia
• Part 11 – All The Ways To Get To Australia, New Zealand, & Oceania!
• Part 12 – All The Ways To Get To The Caribbean, Central & South America
• Part 13 – All The Ways To Get To India
• Part 14 – North America United Awards (Including Canada And Hawaii)
• Part 15 – All The Ways To Get To Africa

You can use your United miles to book award seats on United and on Star Alliance partner airlines such as Lufthansa, Air New Zealand, and Singapore Airlines.

United lets you book one-way award seats so you could fly to one city and leave from another, or fly there using United miles and come home using another airline’s miles.

United has a reasonable award chart:

• One-way Coach seats for travel in the US starts at 10,000 United miles
•  Travel to Hawaii starts at 20,000 miles for a one-way in Coach and 40,000 miles for a one-way in Business class
• A Coach one-way award ticket to Europe starts at 30,000 miles and a Business class one-way award ticket starts at 50,000 miles.
•  One-way Business class award tickets to India are 60,000 miles

The fastest way to earn a lot of United miles is through credit card signup bonuses.  But before you apply for credit cards, be sure you know the 5 dangers of applying for credit cards.

290,000 United Miles

You can earn 290,000 United miles with all the possible cards which earn United miles.

Credit Card	Sign-On Bonus	Minimum Spending Required	Annual Fee
United MileagePlus Explorer (personal)	30,000 United Airlines miles (Look out for targeted 50,000 mile offers as well) 5,000 additional United Airlines miles by adding an authorized user and make a purchase within the 1st 3 months of opening your account $50 statement credit after your 1st purchase	$3,000 within 3 months	$95 waived for 1st year
United MileagePlus Explorer (business)	50,000 United Airlines miles	$2,000 within 3 months	$95 waived for 1st year
Chase Sapphire Preferred	50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points 5,000 additional Chase Ultimate Rewards points when you add an authorized user who makes a purchase within the 1st 3 months of opening your account	$4,000 in 3 months	$95 waived for 1st year
Chase Ink Plus	60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points	$5,000 in 3 months	$95
Chase Freedom	15,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points ($150) $25 (2,500 Chase Ultimate Rewards points) for adding your 1st authorized user who makes a purchase within this same 3-month period	$500 in 3 months	No annual fee
Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card	20,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points ($200)	$3,000 in 3 months	No annual fee
United Club (personal)	$100 statement credit after your 1st purchase United Club lounge access	none	$450 NOT waived for 1st year
United Club (business)	$100 statement credit after your 1st purchase United Club lounge access	none	$450 NOT waived for 1st year
Starwood Preferred Guest AMEX (personal)	25,000 Starwood points = 12,500 United Airlines miles, plus 5,000 bonus miles when you transfer in 20,000 point increments	$3,000 within 3 months	$95 waived for 1st year
Starwood Preferred Guest AMEX (business)	25,000 Starwood points = 12,500 United Airlines miles, plus 5,000 bonus miles when you transfer in 20,000 point increments	$5,000 within 3 months	$95 waived for 1st year
Total	272,500 United Airlines Miles

You shouldn’t apply for all the cards at the same time because all but two are from Chase, and not all of them will meet your needs!  And you should not apply for credit cards if you have a big loan in the next 2 years.

Earn United Miles

Chase United MileagePlus Explorer

Link:  United MileagePlus Explorer (personal)

Link:  United MileagePlus Explorer (business)

Sign-up Bonus:   The United MileagePlus Explorer (personal) and the United MileagePlus Explorer (business) offer 30,000 miles after spending $1,000 within 3 months.

See this post on the different ways folks have been able to get the 50,000 United miles offer after spending $2,000 within 3 months.

Other Perks:

• Priority boarding and 1 free checked bag if you book using the card
• Primary Rental Car Insurance
• No Foreign Transaction fees
• 2 free United Club passes every year
• 10,000 extra United miles if you spend $25,000 in a calendar year.  This means that you earn 1.4 United miles for the 1st $25,000 in spending on the card

If you’re chasing United elite status, you can avoid the Premier Qualifying Dollar spending requirements up to Platinum elite status by spending $25,000 within 1 calendar year on your United card.

Earning United Miles:   The United MileagePlus Explorer card gives you 2 miles for every $1 spent at United.  But, it is NOT the best card to use for non-United spending because you earn only 1 mile per $1 (unless you spend $25,000 within 1 calendar year and earn an extra 10,000 miles).  That said, the card could be worth it for some folks because of the free checked bag, priority boarding etc.

However, the business United Explorer earns 2 points for spending in gas stations, restaurants, and office supply stores.

Your miles won’t expire as long as you have the United card.  If you cancel your card, the miles will expire in 18 months of not earning or using United miles, but it is easy to have some activity in your account.

Ultimate Rewards Points – Direct 1:1 Transfer to United

1.   Chase Sapphire Preferred

Link:  Chase Sapphire Preferred

Sign-up Bonus:  The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers 50,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 within 3 months.  You can transfer Ultimate Rewards points to United in a 1:1 ratio. Other Perks:

• No foreign transaction fees
• Can transfer Ultimate Rewards points to many different airlines and hotels

Earning United Miles:  You earn 2 points per $1 spent on travel and dining, so you’re better off putting those expenses on your Sapphire Preferred than on your United credit card.

You can then transfer Ultimate Rewards points to United & earn 2 miles on ALL travel and dining expenses!

2.   Chase Ink Plus (Business)

Link:   Chase Ink Plus

Sign-Up Bonus:   You earn 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $5,000 within 3 months.  You can transfer 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points to 60,000 United miles. Other Perks:

• No foreign transaction fees
• 2 free lounge passes each year
• Can transfer Ultimate Rewards points to many different airlines and hotels

Earning United Miles:   You earn 5X points on office supply stores and telecom (cable, wireless, internet) so you are better off paying for those expenses on your Ink Bold or Ink Plus and then transferring the points to United.

Ultimate Rewards Points – Transfer to United via Sapphire Preferred, Ink Bold, or Ink Plus

Ultimate Rewards points earned from the cards below cannot be directly transferred to United.

But you can transfer Ultimate Rewards points earned on the cards below to your Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Ink Bold, or Chase Ink Plus card and then to United at a 1:1 ratio!

1.   Chase Freedom

Link:  Chase Freedom

Sign-Up Bonus:   Earn 15,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points ($150 cash back) after spending $500 within 3 months. Other Perks:

• No annual fee so it is a great card to build your credit history!
• 5X points in changing categories each quarter

Earning United Miles:   You earn 5X points with select categories (gas, groceries, etc.) each quarter up to a maximum of $1,500 or 7,500 points per quarter.

You can earn 30,000 bonus points if you max out the $1,500 category limit each quarter for $ 6,000 in annual spending!

If you have a Chase checking account, you will earn a 10% annual bonus on all points which you earn with your Chase Freedom card.

2.   Chase Sapphire Visa

Link:  Chase Sapphire Visa

Sign-up Bonus:  The Chase Sapphire Visa has a 10,000 point sign-up bonus after spending $500 within 3 months. Other Perks:

• No annual fee so it is a great card to build your credit history!

Earning United Miles: You earn 2X points per $1 only on dining and 1 point per $1 on everything else.

In contrast, the Chase Sapphire Preferred earns 2X points on both dining AND travel.

3.   Chase Ink Classic

Link:  Chase Ink Classic

Sign-up Bonus:   Earn 20,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $3,000 within the first 3 months on the Chase Ink Classic Credit Card. Other Perks:

• No annual fee

Earning United Miles:   You earn 5X points on office supply stores and telecom (cable, wireless, internet) and 2X points on hotel and gas subject to a $25,000 annual cap on each category.

You can use the same gift card strategies for the Ink Bold with this card to earn 5X points on most of your purchases.

4.   Chase Ink Cash

Link:  Chase Ink Cash

This card gets you 2X points on dining (not hotels) and gas.

Other Ways to Earn United Miles

1.   Chase United Club Credit Card

Link:  United Club (personal)

Link:  United Club (business)

Sign-up Bonus:   The United Club (personal) and the United Club (business) get you:

• United Club lounge access (free wi-fi, snacks & showers)
• Premier Access (priority boarding, security, etc.)
• 2 free checked bags
• Free Hyatt Platinum status (free internet!) as long as you have the card

You may be able to get the card with the 1st year fee waived if you visit a Chase branch.

If you’re chasing United elite status, you can avoid the Premier Qualifying Dollar spending requirements up to Platinum elite status by spending $25,000 within 1 calendar year on your United card.

Earning United Miles:   The United Club card gives you 2 miles for every $1 spent at United.

You also earn 1.5 miles for every $1 spent everywhere else making it a good card to put your daily spending on if your goal is to earn lots of United miles or if you’re a Big Spender.

2.   Starwood Points – 2:1 Transfer to United & 5,000 Transfer Bonus

AMEX Starwood Preferred Guest

Link:  Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express (personal)

Link:  Starwood Preferred Guest Business Credit Card from American Express (business)

Sign-up Bonus:   The Starwood Preferred Guest AMEX (personal) offers 25,000 Starpoints after you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months and the Starwood Preferred Guest AMEX (business) offer 25,000 Starpoints after you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months

But the transfer ratio isn’t great because you get only 1 mile for every 2 Starwood points.  But there is a 5,000 point bonus for every 20,000 Starwood points you transfer to United.

So you’d get only 15,000 United miles for transferring 25,000 Starwood points (including the 5,000 point bonus).

To be clear – I personally would use my Starwood points for hotel stays or to transfer them to other airlines which have a transfer ratio of 1:1, instead of transferring them to United.

If you do want to use Starwood points for Star Alliance flights, you could transfer them at a 1:1 ratio to US Air (as long as they are in the Star Alliance) or Lufthansa.    25,000 Starwood points would transfer to 30,000 US Air or Lufthansa miles which is a better value than transferring them to United.

Earning United Miles:   The Starwood Preferred Guest card earns 5 Starwood hotel points for every $1 spent at Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) hotels and resorts.

You also earn 1 Starpoint for every $1 spent everywhere else.

You get 5,000 bonus points when you transfer 20,000 Starpoints to one of over 30 airline partners.  But I would use the United Club card (which earns 1.5 miles per dollar) as your everyday spending card if you want to maximize your United miles.

Fidelity Brokerage Accounts

Earn up to 50,000 United miles with a $100,000 deposit in your Fidelity Brokerage account.

Ultimate Rewards Shopping Mall

After credit card sign-on bonuses, the easiest way to earn lots of miles and points is by clicking through to a mile and point earning portal to buy stuff which you would have otherwise bought.

The Ultimate Rewards portal is a great way to earn extra points which can then be transferred to United.

For example, why not click through the Ultimate Rewards portal for your $100 Kohl’s purchase and earn, say, 10X points or 1,000 points for the same purchase?

MILEAGE EXPIRATION

United says that your miles expire in 18 months unless you use or spend your United miles:

Mileage accrued shall only be subject to expiration on the last day of the eighteen (18) months after the last account activity in the member’s account.

But you can easily keep your miles active.

Keep Your United Miles Active by Earning Miles:

• Fly on a paid United flight, Star Alliance partner flight, or their non-alliance partners and credit the miles to United
• Rent a car or hire a car service through one of United’s partners
• Take a trip on Amtrak in one of the designated fare classes
• Plan a vacation or cruise through United
• Stay with one of United’s hotel partners
• Sign up for MileagePlus Dining program
• Link your social media accounts with Bckstgr, and earn 1,000 bonus miles
• Use the MileagePlus Explorer or Club Card
• Miles never expire as long as you pay the fee or use the MileagePlus Explorer card
• Transfer points from your Chase Ultimate Rewards account to United
• Purchase an item through the United shopping portal ($1 iTunes song will do)
• Transfer hotel points from Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, Priority Club, Starwood, Wyndham & Choice to your United account
• Register any credit card with Thanks Again via United to earn miles at participating merchants
• Sign up for e-Miles or e-Rewards
• Exchange other airline miles into United miles through Points.com

Keep Your United Miles Active by Redeeming Miles:

• Book an award ticket, hotel or rental car
• Book and cancel a MileagePlus award ticket for free if you are a Global Services/1K/Platinum elite member
• Subscribe to a magazine or newspaper
• Donate United miles

BOTTOM LINE

• You can earn lots of United miles for Big Travel with Small Money!
• The quickest way to earn United miles is to put all your spending on credit cards which earn United miles
• United miles expire after 18 months unless there is some activity such as flying, renting a car, or even dining out