United Airlines has the most extensive and comprehensive flight offer, using miles, of all airlines and is a member of the largest  airline alliance, Star Alliance. No matter the destination, you can find a way to use your miles to book a flight. 

• For destinations where the cost of airfare is high, for example a round-trip ticket to Eastern Europe can run at $1,200 to $1,500, you can book with United Airlines using miles instead, at 60,000 miles for the round-trip.

• When you need it, you can transfer your points from Chase Sapphire Reserve or Preferred cards to United, at a 1:1 value ratio and no transfer fee. Or, you can apply to United MileagePlus Explorer Card to take advantage of their bonus miles offer.

• Sign up for United's frequent to flyer mileage program MileagePlus, it's free.

• United MileagePlus loyalty program members can earn extra miles by shopping online at United MileagePlus Shopping Portal, which partners with more than 850 stores.

• United MileagePlus members can earn up to 5 miles / $1 spent while using United's MileagePlusX Mobile App, for shopping and dining at participating merchants.

• You can take advantage of the partnerships between United MileagePlus rewards program and its hotel partners to earn United award miles when paying for a hotel room. In top of that, remember to use one of your reward credit cards (like Chase Sapphire Reserve, Sapphire Preferred, or Mileage Plus Explorer), when paying for hotel stay to earn points on your reward card (3 points/$1 spent with Reserve, 2 points/$1 spent with Preferred or 1 mile/$1 spent with MileagePlus Explorer).

• At United you don't pay carrier surcharges for award tickets, only government taxes and fees. This can save you a lot of money.

With MileagePlus Explorer Card:

• Get 40,000 initial bonus miles. (Tip: if you log in to your MileagePlus account, you might receive an offer for United MileagePlus Explorer card with a 60,000 initial bonus miles, instead of 40,000.)

• Additional 20,000 miles (limited time offer), after you spend $8,000 total on purchases in the first 6 months from account opening.

• You earn 2 miles/$1 spent on airfare purchase from United.

• You earn 1 mile/ $1 spent on all other purchases.

• Free first checked bag on United flights when purchasing tickets with United MileagePlus Explorer for card holder and one companion (2 bags total).

• No foreign transaction fees.

• Two United Club one-time passes each year (with account anniversary).

• $0 intro annual fee for the first year, $95/year, after that.

TIPS for booking a United flight

• Plan ahead, book more than 21 days in advance, because United charges $75 additional fee for bookings under 21 days of departure.

• Be aware that any cancellation/change to your award travel flight has a fee of $75/ticket if you cancel/change flight with 61 or more days prior to original departure.

• Any cancellation/change to your award travel flight, less than 61 days prior to original departure, has a fee of $125/ticket.

• Always compare with purchasing tickets using cash. If the cost in $ is less or close to the amount of miles needed to book divided by 100 (for the same flight), it is not worth to use the miles at this time.

• For flights within the continental US, try to book at the 12,500 miles/one-way level (when you choose economy saver).

• For flights from USA to Europe, try to book at the 30,000 miles/one-way level (when you choose economy saver).

• To find information regarding baggage fees at United, visit United Baggage Calculator.

• Using United's search engine at United.com, you can search for award flights at almost all Star Alliance partners, not just United, (Singapore Airlines is one of the exceptions).

Booking at United