How to Book United Flights to Las Vegas with Points

Odds are good that you'll have no issues finding a flight to Vegas on United.
Alisha McDarris
By Alisha McDarris 
Updated

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Las Vegas, with its world-famous Strip, is a popular destination for many travelers. Whether you’re traveling to the city for the casinos, the entertainment, proximity to outdoor adventures or one of the myriad conventions that take place in the city throughout the year, there is something for everyone.

For loyal United Airlines customers visiting the area soon, here’s a step-by-step look at how to book a United flight to Las Vegas using MileagePlus miles.

Steps to booking a United MileagePlus award flight to Vegas

1. Search for flights

Start on United.com, where it’s easy to search for flights to Las Vegas from any of United’s destinations. Sign in to your MileagePlus account, then select your preferred departure location and the dates you want to travel. Check the “Book with Miles” box.

You can also choose to search for economy, premium economy, business, or first class flights.

Select “Find Flights” to view all available travel options.

2. Browse flight options

The next page will display the lowest fares available every day over the seven days surrounding the date you selected for your departure flight. Below that will be all the available award flights for that day, including how many miles are required to book.

🤓Nerdy Tip

You can sort flights by departure or arrival time, number of stops, flight duration or cost in miles.

Select a different departure day to see what flights are available throughout the week.

If your travel plans are flexible, select “View 30 day calendar” to see the lowest award fares for your preferred fare type over a 30-day period. Select any day to see all the available flights in that 24-hour period.

Once you’ve chosen the departure flight you want, repeat the process for your return flight.

3. Review your trip and select add-ons

After selecting your award flights, you’ll be able to review your itinerary and add extras, like seat upgrades and checked bags (which you will pay for in cash, not miles). You can also view checked baggage fees in a drop-down menu at the top of the page; you can pay for these separately after booking.

This page will tell you how many miles you’ll need to book the trip, as well as the cost of taxes and fees and any upgrades you chose.

Select “Continue” at the bottom of the page to complete this step.

4. Confirm traveler information

The next page is where you will confirm details like:

  • Your name.

  • Contact information.

  • MileagePlus account information (or other Star Alliance frequent traveler number).

  • Your TSA PreCheck or Global Entry account number if it’s not already linked to your account.

  • Note special travel needs.

  • Select a meal if it’s available on your flight.

When all the information is correct, select “Continue.”

5. Select seats

United allows passengers to select their seats for each leg of their journey in this next step. You can choose from available United Economy seats for no extra charge. You can also choose to upgrade to an Economy Plus or Preferred seat for an additional fee. Select the seat you want or hover over it with your cursor to see how much it costs.

6. Checkout

On the next page, review all your flight details and selected travel options. It’s here that you can add on travel insurance if you desire (read more about travel insurance in this article). You can also purchase Premier Access which gets you faster check-in, dedicated security lanes, and priority boarding. Last, enter your payment information to cover costs like taxes, fees, and any add-ons. You can also buy additional miles, if needed.

Then, select “Buy Now” to complete the booking process for your United award flight to Vegas and you’re done.

Other tips for booking an award flight to Las Vegas on United

But booking is just the beginning. Here are some tips to make sure you get the most out of every travel experience.

  • Consider getting a separate travel insurance policy. Sometimes travel credit cards offer travel insurance when you use them to book travel, and United offers the option to buy insurance during booking, but if you’re looking for more complete coverage, consider independent travel insurance.

  • Use the low fare calendar. If your travel dates are flexible and you’re looking to save a few miles, checking the 30-day calendar will show you the best deals.

  • Score free checked bags as a MileagePlus Card member or Premier member. You could get free checked bags if you have an active United℠ Explorer Card, United Quest℠ Card or United Club℠ Infinite Card, all of which offer at least one free checked bag per person. Don’t have a United credit card? Premier Silver Status members and above can also enjoy free checked bags.

  • Pay for checked bags before your flight. If you don’t qualify for free checked bags, don’t wait until you get to the airport to pay for your luggage. Prepaying at least 24 hours before your flight departs may save you some cash.

  • Know what bags you can carry on. Naturally, you don’t have to check a bag. In fact, if you're traveling light, United lets most passengers to bring one carry-on and one personal item on board every flight for free. The exception is for United passengers who purchased a Basic Economy fare; they are permitted a personal item only.

Final thoughts on United flights to Vegas

Booking a United award flight to Vegas is simple and straightforward. As long as you have miles in your account, searching for award flights, choosing your seat and finding the best deal on travel is a breeze.


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NerdWallet Rating
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75,000

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