United MileagePlus, the loyalty program of United Airlines, is currently offering a sale on purchased miles with a bonus of up to 85%. The offer is valid through 11:59 PM CT on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, and eligibility for the bonus, as well as the bonus value, varies by member.
Normally, United MileagePlus charges 3.76 cents per mile, but with the current sale, members could purchase miles for as little as 2.03 cents per mile with the maximum bonus applied for eligible members.
To see what bonus you are eligible for, simply sign in to your United Mileage Plus account here. The minimum purchase amount for this deal is 2,000 miles, while the maximum amount that can be purchased remains 175,000 miles per year.
Of course, the most cost-effective way to buy miles through this promotion is to purchase the maximum possible number of miles. For example, if you are targeted for the 85% bonus, you could purchase 175,000 miles for $3,062.50, which works out to a cost of just 1.74 cents per mile.
It’s important to note, however, that purchasing miles may not always be the most cost-effective way to pay for a flight and before you go ahead and purchase miles, it might be worth comparing the cost of simply buying a ticket outright.
That being said, with the current state of the industry and ticket miles expected to remain inflated throughout the summer and into the autumn, using miles could prove to be very beneficial.
When redeeming United MileagePlus miles, the best value is often said to be found in international Polaris, whereas domestic economy and First Class tickets don’t usually as much value.
Bottom Line
United MileagePlus is one of the key programs to earn and redeem miles for free flights and other rewards. If you’re looking for a way to rack up your United MileagePlus miles a little quicker, buying miles is a great option…. especially when bonus offers are on the table.
Additional Information
- United MileagePlus used to expire after 18 months of inactivity but this changed in 2019 and now miles last forever.
- United miles can be used to book award flights on United as well as partner airlines across the Star Alliance, including Air Canada, Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines.
- Miles can also be used to purchase upgrades and other ancillary services but this might not be the most cost-effective way to spend them.
