Nerdy takeaways
- United MileagePlus miles are worth 1.2 cents each.
- That's equal to Delta for the lowest value domestic airline miles.
- The highest value redemptions are often on flights booked 15 days prior to departure.
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 miles — are worth.
Based on our analysis completed in August 2026, United MileagePlus miles are worth 1.2 cents each.
This value is drawn from real-world pricing data for Main Cabin economy tickets, not a maximized value. In other words, you should aim for reward redemptions that offer 1.2 cents or more in value from your United miles.
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What does this value mean?
Our estimated value of 1.2 cents per MileagePlus mile provides a median value you can use to determine the relative value of your own redemptions. It is based on comparing main cabin fares using both cash and points, across several dates and destinations.
There are ways to get more value from your miles, starting with understanding the intricacies of the United MileagePlus program. For example, eligible United credit card holders get at least 10% off all awards for United flights, making it an easy way to save. They also earn more miles than non-cardholders when flying with United. You can also get solid value from booking with United's partner airlines or by booking business class flights (see below).
A word of warning: 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.
» Learn more: How to earn more United miles
Earning United miles with credit cards
One of the easiest ways to amass United miles is to get a United credit card and earn its sign-up bonus. You can also transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards® and Bilt Rewards to United at a 1:1 ratio.
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.
• After spending $10,000 in a calendar year, get at least 10% off United flight award tickets; MileagePlus Premier members save at least 15%.
Bonus offer
Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
Earn 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
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?
» Learn more: The best United credit card offers
How to get the most out of your United miles
Not all redemptions are equal, so we compared the redemption rates for Delta awards using four specific time frames:
- Awards booked 15 days to departure.
- Awards booked 60 days out.
- Awards booked 90 days out.
- Awards booked 180 days out.
Across our study, the best median and maximum value for your United miles is on flights booked 15 days before departure, particularly on international flights. For example, a flight from Chicago O'Hare (ORD) to Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport booked 15 days before departure had the highest redemption value in our study at 2.3 cents per mile.
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.
United MileagePlus Miles value over time
United miles rose in value during the past several years of NerdWallet's analysis.
How do United miles compare with other airlines?
United falls to the bottom of the airline pack — tied with Delta Air Lines — with its mile value.
» Learn more: How much are your airline miles and hotel points worth?
Can United miles be used on other airlines?
Yes. United miles can be used to book flights on United and dozens of partner airlines (through the United search tool, not by transferring to partners). They can also be used to 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.
» Learn more: All the ways you can redeem United miles
How did we determine the value of United miles?
We analyzed the cash and points prices of 80 flights bookable with United miles across a range of domestic and international routes. A regular economy fare class was used for all pricing data to be able to compare the valuations of similar Main Cabin-type fares that are bookable with points or miles on other airlines.
Departure dates were selected at 15, 60, 90 and 180 days from the day of the analysis. Return dates were chosen eight days after the departure date. This process allowed us to analyze a wide combination of days of the week and not bias the data towards expensive (i.e. weekend) or cheaper (i.e. midweek) flights. We used the median value of the dataset as the average.
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 under typical circumstances.
Wondering what you can do with those miles? Check out our guide to booking award flights with United.
» Learn more: How much are your airline miles and hotel points worth?
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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