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Nerdy takeaways
- United miles are worth about 1.2 cents each.
- The timeframe of booking won't impact the value of your miles for most main cabin fares.
The United MileagePlus program is one of the largest, and most complicated, airline rewards systems in the world. Learning how to navigate it starts with knowing how much its currency — miles — are worth.
Here’s the short answer: The value of United MileagePlus miles is roughly 1.2 cents each. You can get more or less value from each mile depending on when and how you use them, but this is a good estimate for comparing your own redemptions.
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How much are United miles worth?
We estimate that each United mile is worth 1.2 cents, but this is a baseline value, not a maximized value based on comparing real-world cash and award fares in main cabin. You can get considerably more bang from your miles by researching carefully, targeting partner airlines, leveraging the Excursionist Perk and booking business class (see below). You can also get considerably less value by using your United miles carelessly. Just like real money, there are better and worse ways to use award miles.
Calculator: Convert United miles to dollars
With the calculator below, you can quickly figure out how much your United miles are worth based on our estimated value.
» Learn more: The best United Airline credit cards
United MileagePlus Miles value over time
United miles rose in value during in the past five years of NerdWallet's analysis.
How do United miles compare with other airlines?
United falls near the middle of the airline pack with its mile value.
» Learn more: How much are your airline miles and hotel points worth?
When is the best time to use United miles?
We compared the value when booking at three different time frames:
- 180 days before departure.
- 15 days before departure.
- Peak holiday travel (Dec. 22-29).
United miles are worth roughly the same across these three time frames.
Can United miles be used on other airlines?
Yes, United miles can be used to book flights on United, of course. They can also be used to book flights on dozens of partner airlines (through the United search tool, not by transferring to partners), upgrade to premium cabin seats and even upgrade Star Alliance partner flights.
You can also use these miles for unusual purchases such as magazine subscriptions and rental cars, but in general these redemption options don’t offer great value.
United credit cards
Annual Fee
$0 intro for the first year, then $150
$350
$695
$0
Earning Rate
• 5 miles per $1 on prepaid hotels booked through United.
• 3 miles per $1 on United purchases. Earn 3 additional miles per $1 on United airfare (excluding taxes and fees) just for holding the card.
• 2 miles per $1 at restaurants and hotels (when booked directly with hotel).
• 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases.
• 5 miles per $1 on hotel stays through Renowned Hotels and Resorts.
• 4 miles per $1 on United purchases. Earn 3 additional miles per $1 on United airfare (excluding taxes and fees) just for holding the card.
• 2 miles per $1 at restaurants, select streaming services and all other travel.
• 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases.
• 5 miles per $1 on United purchases and hotel stays through Renowned Hotels and Resorts. Earn 3 additional miles per $1 on United airfare (excluding taxes and fees) just for holding the card.
• 2 miles per $1 at restaurants and all other travel purchases.
• 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases.
• 2 miles per $1 on United purchases, gas stations and local transit and commuting.
• 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases.
• Earn 3 additional miles per $1 on United airfare (excluding taxes and fees) just for holding the card.
United benefits
• First checked bag free for you and one companion on your reservation.
• 2 United Club one-time passes each year.
• $100 United Travelbank credits after spending $10,000 in a calendar year.
• 10,000-mile discount after spending $20,000 in a calendar year.
• Credit every four years for TSA PreCheck, Global Entry or NEXUS.
• Priority boarding.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• United cardholders get at least 10% off United flight award tickets; MileagePlus Premier members save at least 15%.
• First and second checked bag free for you and one companion on your reservation.
• $200 yearly United TravelBank credit.
• Yearly 10,000-mile discount.
• Another 10,000-mile discount after spending $20,000 in purchases per calendar year.
• 2 global Economy Plus seat upgrades after spending $40,000 in a calendar year.
• Annual 1,000 Card Bonus Premier Qualifying Points deposit.
• Credit every four years for TSA PreCheck, Global Entry or NEXUS.
• Priority boarding.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• United cardholders get at least 10% off United flight award tickets; MileagePlus Premier members save at least 15%.
• First and second checked bag free for you and one companion on your reservation.
• Access to United Club airport lounges.
• A 10,000-mile discount after spending $20,000 in purchases per calendar year (up to two times per year).
• Annual 1,500 Card Bonus Premier Qualifying Points deposit.
• Credit every four years for TSA PreCheck, Global Entry or NEXUS.
• Priority boarding.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• United cardholders get at least 10% off United flight award tickets; MileagePlus Premier members save at least 15%.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• 2 free checked bags after you spend $10,000 in a calendar year.
• United cardholders get at least 10% off United flight award tickets; MileagePlus Premier members save at least 15%.
Bonus offer
Earn up to 80,000 United MileagePlus bonus miles after spending $3,000 on qualifying purchases in the first 3 months of opening an account (70K + 10K more miles with an authorized user).
Earn up to 100,000 United MileagePlus bonus miles and 3,000 PQP after spending $4,000 on qualifying purchases in the first 3 months of opening an account (90K + 10K more miles with an authorized user).
Earn up to 110,000 United MileagePlus bonus miles and 3,000 PQP after spending $5,000 on qualifying purchases in the first 3 months of opening an account (100K + 10K more miles with an authorized user).
Earn up to 40,000 United MileagePlus bonus miles after spending $1,000 on qualifying purchases in the first 3 months of opening an account (30K + 10K more miles with an authorized user).
Still not sure?
How did we determine the value of United miles?
We collected hundreds of data points comparing the cash value with award (mile) value for the same routes and dates. That is, we compared the cost of a given ticket in either cash or miles, across many tickets.
This method differs from others in that it looks at actual redemptions rather than hypothetical, maximized redemptions. The advantage of this approach is that it provides a real-world indication of how much these miles are worth, on average. That said, it doesn’t take into account the upper range of potential values.
Wondering what you can do with those miles? Check out our guide to booking award flights with United.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much are 10,000 United miles worth?
10,000 United miles are worth about $120.
How much are 40,000 United miles worth?
40,000 United miles are worth about $480.
How much are 50,000 United miles worth?
50,000 United miles are worth about $600.
How much are 60,000 United miles worth?
60,000 United miles are worth about $720.
How much are 100,000 United miles worth?
100,000 United miles are worth about $1,200.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2026:
- Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
- Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Luxury perks: American Express Platinum Card®
- Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
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