United
MileagePlus
Transfer points to United - all bank programs
| Bank Program | Points Currency | Base Ratio | Transfer Time | Active Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ultimate Rewards | 1:1 | Instant | - | |
| Bilt Rewards | 1:1 | Instant | - | |
| Taekus Rewards | 1:1 | Varies | - |
Ratios and bonus availability update in real time. Always verify before transferring - transfers are irreversible.
Current United transfer bonuses
Transfer Bonus History
No transfer bonus history available.
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About MileagePlus
United Airlines MileagePlus is the largest Star Alliance program by membership and the primary loyalty currency for Chase Ultimate Rewards cardholders. Chase Ultimate Rewards transfers to MileagePlus at 1:1 instantly - and Chase is the only major US bank that does so, making MileagePlus the exclusive Star Alliance destination for the tens of millions of Chase Sapphire and Ink cardholders. Miles never expire, United passes no fuel surcharges on any award, and most Star Alliance partner flights are bookable online at united.com without a phone call.
MileagePlus switched to fully dynamic pricing in 2019 and has no published award chart. Costs fluctuate with cash fare demand - a Chicago–London economy seat might cost 22,000 miles one week and 60,000 miles the next. The upside is that saver space exists when demand is low, and United's broad Star Alliance network of 26 airlines gives access to partners like ANA, Singapore, Lufthansa, Swiss, and Air New Zealand. The downside is unpredictability - travelers targeting specific routes need flexibility on dates to find reasonable pricing.
MileagePlus is the only way for Chase cardholders to access Star Alliance through a direct bank transfer, which gives it a strategic role in any Chase-heavy points strategy. The program is best used opportunistically - search for saver space first at united.com, find an attractive price, then transfer the exact amount needed. Because miles never expire, there is no pressure to use them quickly, making MileagePlus a viable long-term accumulation vehicle for Chase cardholders who want Star Alliance flexibility without committing to a specific redemption date.
TransferPoints tracks transfer bonuses in real time across all major programs. Transfer ratios, active bonuses, and program rules on this page are verified against official bank and airline sources and update automatically. Visit the official MileagePlus website
Why transfer points to MileagePlus?
The Only Direct Star Alliance Transfer for Chase Cards
Chase Ultimate Rewards transfers to United MileagePlus at 1:1 instantly - and Chase is the only major US bank with a direct MileagePlus relationship. For the millions of Chase Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve, Ink Business Preferred, and Ink Business Premier cardholders, United is the primary Star Alliance on-ramp. No other Star Alliance program accessible from Chase offers instant processing and no minimum hold period before booking.
Miles Never Expire
United MileagePlus eliminated mile expiry in 2019 - miles remain in your account indefinitely regardless of account activity. There is no earning requirement, no redemption requirement, and no status threshold needed to preserve your balance. This is particularly valuable for travelers who accumulate slowly over years, or who use MileagePlus as a long-term savings vehicle while waiting for the right premium cabin opportunity to appear at a reasonable price.
Zero Fuel Surcharges on All 26 Star Alliance Partners
United does not pass carrier-imposed fuel surcharges on any MileagePlus award - including Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, ANA, Singapore Airlines, and all other Star Alliance members. You pay government taxes only. This surcharge exemption makes MileagePlus especially useful for booking Lufthansa Group flights, where other programs add $500–$850 in fees. For Chase cardholders who previously had no surcharge-free path to Lufthansa Group, MileagePlus fills that gap.
Broad Partner Network Bookable Online
Most of United's 26 Star Alliance partners - including ANA, Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, Swiss, Air New Zealand, and many others - can be searched and booked directly at united.com without calling. The booking window opens up to 337 days in advance for most partners. Dynamic pricing means costs vary, but the online availability and wide partner selection give Chase cardholders genuine Star Alliance flexibility from a single transfer destination.
How to transfer points to MileagePlus
Follow these four steps every time. The golden rule: find available award space before transferring - transfers are irreversible.
- 1
Find the award first
Search for award availability on MileagePlus's website before moving a single point. Note the flight number, date, cabin, and exact miles required. Award space can disappear at any moment - and transfers are irreversible.
- 2
Check for an active transfer bonus
Scroll up to the Current Bonuses table. If a bonus is live (e.g. +20%), you get 20% more miles for free - 10,000 points transferred becomes 12,000 miles. Timing your transfer to an active bonus is one of the easiest ways to stretch your balance without spending more.
- 3
Execute the transfer from your bank
Chase
InstantLog in at chase.com → Ultimate Rewards → Earn/Use → Transfer to Travel Partners → select the airline → enter your membership number → confirm. Requires Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve, Ink Business Preferred, or Ink Business Premier.
Bilt
InstantLog in at biltrewards.com → Points → Transfer Points → select the airline → enter your membership number and amount → confirm.
Taekus
VariesLog in at taekus.com → Rewards → Transfer Points → select the airline → confirm.
- 4
Book the award immediately
As soon as the miles post to your account, book the award. Don't wait - partner award availability can evaporate within hours. Have your loyalty membership number, passport details, and preferred payment method for taxes ready before you start the booking process.
MileagePlus award chart - highlights
Chart type: Fully dynamic - no published award chart; costs vary by route, date, and demand
MileagePlus uses fully dynamic pricing - there is no fixed award chart. Costs fluctuate based on cash fare levels and seat availability. The figures below reflect typical saver-level pricing observed in 2025–2026; actual costs can be higher at peak periods or lower during promotions. Always search united.com for live pricing before transferring.
MileagePlus has no published award chart - all figures are typical observations as of April 2026 and can vary significantly. Prices above reflect saver-level availability; standard pricing can be 2–3× higher. Always check live award prices at united.com before transferring points - transfers are irreversible.
How much are MileagePlus miles worth?
The value of a MileagePlus mile varies significantly depending on redemption type. Economy redemptions typically deliver near the base valuation; business and first class awards - especially on partner airlines - can return 3–10× more per mile than the average.
Worked example
70,000 miles for United Polaris business class EWR → LHR (cash fare ~$4,500) = ~6.4¢ per mile when saver space is available
Valuations per TPG April 2026 (1.35¢ average). Actual value varies by specific route, date, and cabin availability.
Best credit cards for earning MileagePlus miles
United rarely has a compelling US co-branded card. The most effective strategy is earning transferable points from a premium bank card and converting them when you are ready to book.
Chase Sapphire Reserve
3× on travel and dining; transfers to MileagePlus at 1:1 instantly - the only major bank card that does this. The 60,000-point welcome bonus funds saver business class to Europe one-way. The Reserve's Priority Pass and travel protections complement frequent United flyers.
Chase Sapphire Preferred
3× on dining, 2× on travel; same 1:1 instant MileagePlus transfer as the Reserve at a lower $95 annual fee. For cardholders primarily accumulating points for transfer to MileagePlus rather than using Chase's own travel portal, the Preferred delivers strong value relative to cost.
Ink Business Preferred
3× on travel, shipping, internet, cable, and phone on up to $150k annually - highest Chase UR earning for business owners. 100,000-point welcome bonus. Transfers to MileagePlus instantly at 1:1. For small business owners, this card generates more United miles per dollar than any personal Chase card.
Bilt Mastercard
Earn MileagePlus miles on rent with no transaction fee - the only card in the market with this feature. Instant 1:1 transfers. 3× on dining, 2× on travel. Monthly rent payments can generate thousands of free MileagePlus miles for Chase-heavy collectors who also hold a Bilt card.
MileagePlus vs other Star Alliance programs
MileagePlus competes directly with Aeroplan and Singapore KrisFlyer for Star Alliance premium cabin bookings. All three cover similar partner airlines but differ sharply on pricing predictability, bank access, and expiry terms.
Bottom line
Use MileagePlus as your primary Star Alliance program if you are a Chase-only cardholder who doesn't hold Amex, Capital One, or Citi. The never-expire policy removes clock pressure and dynamic pricing occasionally produces genuinely cheap saver space. Use Aeroplan when predictability matters - fixed pricing for ANA Japan (55k OW, much cheaper than United's dynamic rates), free stopovers, and access from four banks. Use Singapore KrisFlyer specifically for Singapore Airlines own-metal awards and Alaska Airlines Hawaii redemptions at 13,500 miles one-way.
MileagePlus - program details
| Program Name | United MileagePlus |
| Alliance | Star Alliance (26 member airlines) |
| Points Currency | MileagePlus Miles |
| Award Chart Type | Fully dynamic - no fixed chart |
| Chase UR → MileagePlus | 1:1 · Instant |
| Bilt → MileagePlus | 1:1 · Instant |
| Amex MR → MileagePlus | Not available |
| Capital One → MileagePlus | Not available |
| Citi TYP → MileagePlus | Not available |
| Minimum Transfer Amount | 1,000 miles |
| Miles Expiry | Never expire - eliminated in 2019 |
| Activity Resets Expiry? | N/A - miles never expire |
| Fuel Surcharges (Own Flights) | None on United-operated awards |
| Fuel Surcharges (Partner Flights) | None - United does not pass any carrier surcharges |
| Transfers Reversible? | No - all transfers are final |
| Awards Bookable Online? | Yes - most Star Alliance partners at united.com |
| Excursionist Perk | Eliminated August 21, 2025 |
| Booking Window | Up to 337 days in advance (most partners) |
| Can You Buy Miles? | Yes - at united.com/mileageplus/buy-miles |
| Elite Status Tiers | Silver (4,000 PQP) / Gold (8,000 PQP) / Platinum (12,000 PQP) / 1K (18,000 PQP) |
