United Airlines lets you move miles from your account to another person's account, to travel partners on the same booking, or to certain nonprofit organizations

United's mile transfer program is called MileagePlus Transfer. You can send miles to someone else's United account, use them on a joint booking with a travel companion, or donate them to one of United's partner charities. The person receiving the miles must have an active MileagePlus account. Transfers are permanent — once miles leave your account, you cannot get them back.

The main reason to transfer miles is to help someone else book a flight or to consolidate miles from multiple accounts into one. You might also transfer miles to a family member or friend who is close to booking a redemption but needs a few hundred more miles to complete it. Transfers take between one and three business days to show up in the receiving account.

Key Takeaways

  • You can transfer miles to another person's MileagePlus account, but United charges a fee based on how many miles you send.
  • Transfers to nonprofit organizations do not cost a fee, but only certain charities participate in the program.
  • The person receiving miles must have an active MileagePlus account before you initiate the transfer.
  • Miles transferred as a gift are taxable income to the recipient in the United States, though United does not report the transfer to tax authorities.

Transfer fees and minimum amounts

United charges a fee to transfer miles to another person. The fee structure is based on the number of miles you transfer. For transfers of 1,000 to 5,000 miles, the fee is $2.50 per 1,000 miles. For 5,001 to 10,000 miles, the fee is $3.00 per 1,000 miles. For transfers over 10,000 miles, the fee is $3.50 per 1,000 miles. You pay the fee with a credit card at the time you request the transfer.

The minimum transfer is 1,000 miles. There is no stated maximum, but United may review very large transfers. The fee is non-refundable, even if the receiving account does not accept the miles or if the transfer is cancelled before it completes.

How to transfer miles to another person

Log into your MileagePlus account on United's website or mobile app. Go to the "Transfers" or "Give Miles" section — the exact name varies by whether you are on desktop or mobile. Enter the recipient's MileagePlus number, first name, last name, and email address. Confirm the number of miles you want to send and review the fee.

United will ask you to confirm the recipient's information before the transfer goes through. Once you confirm, the miles leave your account when ready and the fee is charged to your payment method. The receiving account will see the miles appear within one to three business days. If the recipient's account information is incorrect, the transfer may fail and you will need to contact United customer service to recover the miles.

Transferring miles on a joint booking

If you are booking a flight for yourself and a travel companion on the same reservation, you can use your miles to cover both tickets. This is not technically a "transfer" — it is a single redemption that covers multiple passengers. You book the flight through your MileagePlus account and add the other person as a passenger. United will deduct the total miles cost from your account.

This option is useful when you have enough miles for both seats but the other person does not have a MileagePlus account or does not have miles of their own. You do not pay a fee for this type of redemption. The other person does not need to be a MileagePlus member, though they will need a name and date of birth to be added to the booking.

Donating miles to nonprofit organizations

United partners with several nonprofit organizations through its MileagePlus Charity Program. You can transfer miles to these organizations at no cost. The charities use the miles to book flights for people in need — disaster relief workers, children with medical conditions, military personnel, and others. United's list of partner charities includes organizations like Make-A-Wish Foundation, Mercy Corps, and the American Red Cross, though the full list changes over time.

To donate miles, log into your MileagePlus account and select the charity donation option. Choose the organization and the number of miles. There is no fee and no minimum or maximum. The donation is tax-deductible in the United States if you itemize deductions, though you will need to track the value yourself — United does not provide a tax receipt for the donation.

Tax implications of transferred miles

When you transfer miles to another person as a gift, the Internal Revenue Service considers the miles to be taxable income to the recipient. The value is based on the fair market value of the miles at the time of transfer. In practice, this means the recipient may owe income tax on the miles, though the amount depends on their tax bracket and how the IRS values the miles.

United does not report mile transfers to the IRS, so there is no automatic tax reporting. However, if the transfer is large or if the recipient is audited, the IRS may ask about the source of the miles. Transfers between spouses may have different tax treatment depending on your state and filing status. If you are transferring a large number of miles, consider consulting a tax professional about the potential tax liability.

What happens if a transfer fails

If you enter incorrect information for the recipient, the transfer may fail. United will attempt to contact the receiving account, but if the account information does not match, the miles will not be delivered. You will still be charged the transfer fee. Contact United customer service with your confirmation number and the recipient's correct information to request that the miles be resent.

If the receiving account is closed or inactive, the transfer will fail. The recipient must have an active MileagePlus account at the time the miles arrive. If you are transferring miles to someone who does not yet have an account, ask them to open one before you initiate the transfer. This prevents delays and failed transfers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer miles to someone who is not a family member?

Yes. United does not restrict transfers to family members. You can transfer miles to anyone with an active MileagePlus account. However, the IRS may view large transfers to unrelated people as taxable gifts, so the recipient may owe income tax on the miles.

What if I want to transfer miles but the recipient does not have a MileagePlus account yet?

Ask the recipient to open a free MileagePlus account first. They can do this on United's website in a few minutes. Once their account is active and they have a MileagePlus number, you can transfer miles to them. Do not transfer miles to an account that does not exist yet.

Can I reverse a transfer after I send the miles?

No. Once miles are transferred, they cannot be reversed or recalled. The transfer is permanent and the fee is non-refundable. Make sure the recipient's information is correct before you confirm the transfer.

Do I have to pay taxes on miles I receive as a gift?

The IRS treats transferred miles as taxable income to the recipient. You may owe income tax on the fair market value of the miles. United does not report the transfer to tax authorities, but you should track the transfer and consult a tax professional if you receive a large number of miles.

Can I transfer miles to a deceased person's account?

No. The receiving account must be active. If the account holder has passed away, contact United customer service to discuss options for the miles in that account. In some cases, United may allow a family member to use the miles, but this is handled on a case-by-case basis.