What is an award ticket with United Airlines?

If you fly regularly with United Airlines, you probably participate in its MileagePlus loyalty program: the American carrier offers bonus miles for flights flown. They can be spent in many ways, but travelers prefer to take award tickets. True, unpleasant surprises await customers: for example, the costs must in any case be paid out of pocket.

This is a travel document that is provided to members of the loyalty program if they collect the required number of bonuses.

For each flight with United Airlines or Star Alliance partner airlines, you receive bonus units (miles). They are called qualifiers: these points are necessary not only for purchases, but also to increase your level within the program. There are also non-qualifying miles that can be earned through the use of co-branded cards, booking rooms in certain hotels, car rental at the airport, …

Miles can be used to pay for flights by purchasing and booking award tickets. You can find out how many miles will be credited or how much the ticket will cost using the calculator that you will find on the official website. Just follow the link and open the Spend tab. You will need to indicate the direction of travel and the availability of flights, after which you will see the available options. Please note that fares also depend on whether you are traveling with United or Star Alliance airlines.

On the same page you can find out how many miles will be credited for a flight in a certain direction.

Open the “Compose” tab and enter the information in the appropriate fields: indicate whether you are flying with United Airlines or with partners; choose a direction; determine whether travel will be one-way or round-trip tickets are required; if you are on a connecting flight, fill in the relevant information; indicate the level in the MileagePlus program.

Check miles by your card number

You can check the availability of bonuses and their receipt in your personal account. Authorization is by participant ID and password; after their introduction, an SMS with a verification code is sent to the linked phone number.

You will see the total number of receptions and dialed segments. Eligible rollups are displayed separately, bringing you closer to reaching a new level in the program.

How to pay for a United reward ticket with miles?

To pay for a ticket with miles, follow the procedure below:

– Go to this page, sign in to your MileagePlys account. If you do not have access, please register.

– Select “Redeem Miles”. Locate the “Award ticket” section and click on “Book”.

– In the window that opens, you will see a flight search form. Specify the point of departure and arrival, as well as the desired dates, the number of passengers, the presence of children. Check the “For miles” box.

– After clicking “Search”, the service will provide a list of available options. You will see the number of bonuses required, as well as the amount of fees that are paid in cash or by card.

– After choosing a flight, you will issue the ticket: it is carried out according to the standard scheme.

Buy an award ticket for a companion:

– According to the rules of the air carrier United Airlines, you have the right to issue a ticket to another person. A traveler taking a flight does not even need to register for the program. The main condition is that a person who buys a travel document for miles must be over the age of twelve. The purchase must be made at least 24 hours before departure, otherwise the desired function may become unavailable.

– Just follow the same sequence of actions and when filling out the forms, enter the full name of the passenger for whom you are buying a ticket. If you are unable to make an online purchase, go to the air carrier’s office. You cannot go there personally, but send a trusted person, but he must have in his hands a document confirming his authority.

How many miles do you need to buy an award ticket?

The number of bonuses required to buy a free travel ticket depends on the direction, the flight, or even the season. To do this, do not hesitate to contact a United customer service agent for detailed information on this subject.

In the United States and Canada: 1.8004.2146.55 / 1.7139.5216.30. Outside the United States: See contact information for your country or region.