United Is Offering a Miles Bonus of Up to 100% — What to Know

The deal ends November 21.

By Stella Shon Stella Shon

Stella Shon is an aviation news writer. Her work has been featured in publications including The Points Guy, USA Today, and others. Globetrotting more than 100,000 miles every year, she loves flying new airlines and scoping out remodeled airports. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines Published on November 12, 2024

Close A United Airlines airplane after takeoff . Photo:

UIG/Getty Images

Buying United miles in time for the holidays just got more rewarding with the airline’s limited-time promotion. 

“There are many quick and easy ways to buy miles — pick an option that suits your award goals,” the airline shared about the sale on its website.

This mileage deal, which ends on Thursday, Nov. 21, at 11:59 p.m. CT, allows United MileagePlus members to buy or gift miles with up to a 100 percent bonus. The promotion is targeted, so travelers may see varying bonuses upon logging into their account:

• Buy 5,000 to 19,000 miles and receive 30 percent bonus miles
• Buy 20,000 to 39,000 miles and receive 65 percent bonus miles
• Buy 40,000 to 100,000 miles and receive 100 percent bonus miles

Without any bonuses, buying 1,000 miles costs $35, but the bonus effectively halves that rate at the maximum 100% bonus level. However, it may take up to 72 hours for the purchased miles to appear in mileage balances, according to United.

To gift miles to others, travelers simply enter the recipient's name, email address, MileagePlus number, and can include a personal message if desired.

Redeeming United miles can offer good value in some cases. For example, United is charging 88,000 miles plus $5.60 in taxes and fees for a one-way business class ticket from Newark (EWR) to Frankfurt (FRA) on Lufthansa, a flight that otherwise costs nearly $3,000. Purchasing enough miles with this 100 percent bonus allows travelers to book this flight for roughly half the cash price.

This promotion comes as United has recently raised the requirements for earning elite status in 2025, with more Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs) and Premier Qualifying Flights (PQFs) now needed. These elite-qualifying points differ from MileagePlus miles offered in this sale, the latter of which are redeemable for flights on United Airlines and its Star Alliance partners.