What the United MileagePlus Card Does
The United MileagePlus Card is a co-branded credit card issued by Chase in partnership with United Airlines. It earns miles on every purchase you make, and those miles can be redeemed for United flights, seat upgrades, and other travel rewards. The card comes with an annual fee, a sign-up bonus in miles, and various perks tied to United travel.
The card is designed for people who fly United regularly or want to build up miles toward a future trip. It is not a general cash-back card — the rewards are locked into United's ecosystem, so the value depends on how you use the miles and what you pay for the card itself.
Key Takeaways
- The United MileagePlus Card charges an annual fee (the amount varies by card tier) and offers a sign-up bonus in miles after you meet a spending threshold.
- You earn miles on every dollar spent, with higher earning rates on United purchases and dining, depending on which version of the card you hold.
- The card includes benefits like a free checked bag, priority boarding, and United Club passes, which may offset the annual fee if you use them.
- Miles can expire if your United account is inactive for 18 months, so the card only makes sense if you plan to use the miles or keep your account active.
- The card's value depends entirely on your travel habits and how much you value United miles relative to the annual cost.
Annual Fee and Sign-Up Bonus
The United MileagePlus Card charges an annual fee when you open the account and every year after that. The exact amount depends on which version of the card you choose — Chase offers multiple tiers, from a standard version to premium versions with higher fees and more benefits. You can find the current fee on Chase's website or by calling the number on the back of the card.
New cardholders receive a sign-up bonus in miles after they spend a certain amount within the first few months. This bonus is meant to offset the first year's annual fee and give you a head start toward a redemption. The bonus amount and spending requirement change periodically, so check Chase's current offer before you open an account.
To decide whether the card makes financial sense, subtract the annual fee from the value of the sign-up bonus and the benefits you will actually use. If you do not fly United at least a few times a year, or if you do not value the perks (like a free checked bag), the annual fee will likely cost more than the card delivers.
How You Earn Miles on Purchases
Every time you use the card, you earn miles. The earning rate depends on what you buy. United purchases — flights, seat upgrades, and baggage fees paid through United — earn at a higher rate than everyday spending. Dining at restaurants also earns at an elevated rate on most versions of the card. Everything else earns at a base rate, usually 1 mile per dollar.
The exact earning rates vary by card tier. A standard United card might earn 2 miles per dollar on United purchases and 1 mile per dollar on everything else. A premium card might earn 4 miles per dollar on United purchases and 2 miles per dollar on dining. Check the terms for the specific card you are considering.
Miles accumulate in your United MileagePlus account, which is separate from your credit card account. You can see your balance by logging into your United account online or through the United app. The miles stay in your account as long as you have account activity at least once every 18 months — if your account sits dormant longer than that, United can expire your miles.
Perks and Benefits Included with the Card
Beyond miles, the card includes several travel-related benefits. Most versions include a free checked bag on United flights when you use the card to buy your ticket. This alone can save you $35 to $70 per round trip, which adds up quickly if you fly several times a year. The card also typically includes priority boarding, which lets you board before most other passengers and choose better overhead bin space.
Premium versions of the card may include United Club passes, which give you access to United's airport lounges where you can eat, drink, and work in a quieter space while you wait for your flight. Some versions also offer travel credits or statement credits that can be used toward United purchases or other travel expenses. Read the full benefits list for the card tier you are considering, because these perks are where much of the card's value comes from.
These benefits only have value if you actually use them. If you never check a bag, never care about boarding order, and never visit airport lounges, the perks add nothing to your decision. Be honest about your travel habits before you sign up.
When Miles Expire and How to Use Them
United miles do not expire as long as your MileagePlus account has activity at least once every 18 months. Activity includes earning miles, redeeming miles, or even just logging into your account. If your account goes dormant for longer than 18 months, United can expire all your miles without warning. This is one of the biggest risks of holding a United card if you do not travel regularly.
You redeem miles by booking flights through United's website or by calling United directly. You can use miles to pay for the entire ticket or to cover part of the cost. Miles can also be used for seat upgrades, baggage fees, and other United services. The value you get per mile depends on the flight you book — a mile is worth more on an expensive route than on a cheap one, so timing and route choice matter.
You can also transfer miles to United's partner airlines or hotel programs, though this is usually less valuable than using them for United flights. Some people use miles for premium cabin upgrades on long international flights, where the value per mile is highest.
Comparing This Card to Other Travel Cards
The United MileagePlus Card is one option among many travel credit cards. Other cards offer cash back instead of miles, which is simpler and more flexible — you can use cash back for anything, not just United travel. Some cards earn miles for other airlines like American, Delta, or Southwest. Some cards offer higher cash-back rates on everyday categories like groceries or gas, with no annual fee.
The choice depends on your travel patterns. If you fly United frequently and value the perks like free checked bags, the United card may be worth the annual fee. If you fly different airlines, or if you prefer the simplicity of cash back, a different card might serve you better. If you rarely travel at all, a no-annual-fee card with cash back is almost certainly the better choice.
Before you explore, compare the annual fee, sign-up bonus, earning rates, and perks across a few cards. Calculate roughly how much you spend per year and what those purchases would earn. Then estimate whether the miles or cash back you would earn exceeds the annual fee by a meaningful amount.
How to Avoid Costly Mistakes with This Card
The biggest mistake is signing up for the card and then not using it. If you do not fly United regularly, the annual fee becomes pure cost with no offsetting benefit. Miles sitting in your account are worthless if you never redeem them, and they can expire if your account goes inactive.
Another common mistake is overspending to chase the sign-up bonus. The bonus is only valuable if you were going to spend that money anyway. If you put normal expenses on the card to hit the bonus threshold faster, you are paying interest on purchases you would not have made otherwise — that erases the bonus value when ready.
A third mistake is not tracking when your annual fee hits. The fee charges automatically every year on your card anniversary. If you decide the card is not worth it, cancel before the fee posts. If you cancel after the fee posts, you can sometimes call Chase and ask them to waive it, but that is not may provide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use United miles to fly on other airlines?
You can transfer United miles to partner airlines like Air Canada, Lufthansa, and others, but the transfer rate is usually not favorable — you typically lose value in the transfer. Most people get better value by using miles directly on United flights or partner flights booked through United's website.
What happens to my miles if I close the card?
Closing the card does not automatically expire your miles. Your miles stay in your United MileagePlus account as long as the account remains active (with activity at least once every 18 months). You can keep the miles and redeem them even after you close the card.
Is there a version of this card with no annual fee?
Chase offers multiple versions of the United MileagePlus Card, but all versions charge an annual fee. There is no no-fee version. If you want a United-branded card without an annual fee, you would need to look at cards from other issuers, though United's co-branded options with Chase are the most common.
How do I know if the sign-up bonus is worth it?
Multiply the bonus miles by the average value per mile (typically 1 to 1.5 cents per mile for domestic flights), then subtract the annual fee. If the result is positive and you were going to spend that amount anyway, the bonus has value. If the bonus is 50,000 miles and you value them at 1 cent each, that is $500 in value minus the annual fee.
Can I earn miles on purchases made by family members using my card?
Only the person whose name is on the card earns miles from that card's purchases. If you add an authorized user to your account, purchases they make also earn miles that go into your account, but you are responsible for paying the bill for all charges.