Summary
Learn about United Airlines partners that can help you earn and redeem United miles and use your elite status benefits.
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As a United MileagePlus member, you have the potential to earn miles each time you fly with 26 different airlines within the Star Alliance. To offer even more opportunities to earn miles, United Airlines also cooperates with 12 worldwide partners, such as Hawaiian Airlines, Cape Air and Eurowings.
See related: 12 ways to earn more United Airlines miles
If you’re angling to earn free flights, upgrades and more, it’s smart to figure out the best ways to use United MileagePlus miles to your advantage. This guide includes information on all the United Airlines partners you should know about, as well as how to make the most of them each time you book airfare with cash or airline miles.
United Airlines airline partners
Type of partner | Where to book flights | |
Aegean Airlines | Star Alliance | United.com |
Air Canada | Star Alliance | United.com |
Air China | Star Alliance | United.com |
Air India | Star Alliance | United.com |
Air New Zealand | Star Alliance | United.com |
ANA | Star Alliance | United.com |
Asiana Airlines | Star Alliance | United.com |
Austrian | Star Alliance | United.com |
Avianca | Star Alliance | United.com |
Brussels Airlines | Star Alliance | United.com |
Copa Airlines | Star Alliance | United.com |
Croatia Airlines | Star Alliance | United.com |
Egypt Air | Star Alliance | United.com |
Ethiopian Airlines | Star Alliance | United.com |
EVA Air | Star Alliance | United.com |
LOT Polish Airlines | Star Alliance | United.com |
Lufthansa | Star Alliance | United.com |
Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) | Star Alliance | United.com |
Shenzhen Airlines | Star Alliance | United.com |
Singapore Airlines | Star Alliance | United.com |
South African Airways | Star Alliance | United.com |
Swiss International Airlines (SAS) | Star Alliance | United.com |
TAP Air Portugal | Star Alliance | United.com |
THAI Airways | Star Alliance | United.com |
Turkish Airlines | Star Alliance | United.com |
Aer Lingus | Other partner | United.com |
Aeromar | Other partner | United.com |
Air Dolomiti | Other partner | United.com |
Azul | Other partner | United.com |
Boutique Air | Other partner | Call United |
Cape Air | Other partner | United.com |
Edelweiss Air | Other partner | United.com |
Eurowings | Other partner | United.com |
Hawaiian Airlines | Other partner | United.com |
Olympic Air | Other partner | Call United |
Silver Airways | Other partner | United.com |
Vistara | Other partner | United.com |
Also note that United MileagePlus Premier members automatically have Star Alliance Gold or Silver Status based on their elite status with United. This means that when you travel with Star Alliance partner airlines, you can enjoy recognition of your elite status as well as travel benefits.
United MileagePlus members also earn Premier qualifying miles (PQM) and Premier qualifying segments (PQS) when they fly partner airlines to various destinations worldwide. Finally, Star Alliance Gold members have access to one of the largest lounge networks in the world.
In addition to redeeming United MileagePlus miles for flights, you can also earn miles on paid flights with partner airlines. However, it’s important to note that you can only earn miles with one airline at a time. If you want all your miles assigned to your United MileagePlus account, you will need to enter your United loyalty number when you make your reservation.
Here’s how the benefits of Star Alliance elite status break down:
Benefit | Star Silver | Star Gold |
Priority reservations waitlisting | Yes | Yes |
Priority airport standby | Yes | Yes |
Priority airport check-in | Yes | |
Extra baggage allowance | Yes | |
Gold Track (Priority security and immigration) | Yes | |
Airport lounge access | Yes | |
Priority boarding | Yes |
Using a credit card to earn United miles
If you’re hoping to earn United miles you can use toward free flights with United Airlines and its partners, you should know that several co-branded credit cards can help in this respect. The United Club Infinite Card is a premium airline credit card that comes with United Club access, a free first and second checked bag and up to $100 toward a Global Entry or TSA Precheck application. You’ll earn 4 miles per dollar on United purchases, 2 miles per dollar on dining and other travel and 1 mile per dollar on everything else, although a $525 annual fee applies.
See related: Which United Airlines credit card should you choose?
If you’re looking for another avenue to earn United miles and prefer to pay a smaller annual fee, you can also check out the United Explorer Card. This card gives you 40,000 bonus miles when you spend $2,000 on your card within three months of account opening, plus an additional 25,000 bonus miles when you spend $10,000 within six months. You also earn 2 miles per dollar on United purchases, dining and hotels booked directly and 1 mile per dollar on other purchases.
Cardholder perks include two one-time United Club passes, up to $100 credit toward a Global Entry or TSA Precheck application, priority boarding and more. This card also waives the $95 annual fee for the first year.
Also keep in mind that United MileagePlus is a Chase Ultimate Rewards partner, meaning you can transfer points from cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve to this frequent flyer program. All transfers start at 1,000 points, but with the 1:1 transfer ratio, you’ll get 1,000 miles for each 1,000 points you transfer.
See related: Best airline credit cards
To initiate a transfer from points to miles, all you have to do is log into your Chase credit card account and head to Chase Ultimate Rewards. From there, you can click on “Transfer to Travel Partners.”
Once you complete that step, you’ll be directed to a page where you can select United MileagePlus and transfer Chase points in increments of 1,000.
Earning miles through United partners
While you can earn miles flying with United Airlines and its partners, there are numerous other ways to rack up miles for free flights. The number of miles you’ll earn with hotels, rental car companies and other partners will depend on the promotion and can vary throughout the year.
Here’s a list of the most popular United partners and how many miles you can expect to earn:
United Airlines hotel partners
Partner | Earning rate |
United Hotels | 2 miles per $1 spent |
Rocketmiles | 1,000 to 10,000 miles per night |
PointsHound | Up to 10,000 miles per night |
AC Hotels by Marriott | 1 mile per $1 spent |
aloft | 2 miles per $1 spent |
AmericInn by Wyndham | 1-2 miles per $1 spent |
Andaz | 500 miles per stay |
Ascend Hotel Collection | 250 miles per stay |
Autograph Collection Hotels | 2 miles per $1 spent |
Baymont by Wyndham | 1-2 miles per $1 spent |
Best Western | 250 miles per stay |
Cambria Suites | 250 miles per stay |
Candlewood Suites | 1 mile per $1 spent |
Clarion | 250 miles per stay |
Comfort Inn | 250 miles per stay |
Comfort Suites | 250 miles per stay |
Cordis Hotels and Resorts | 500 miles per night |
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson | Convert points to miles |
Courtyard by Marriott | 1 mile per $1 spent |
Crowne Plaza | 2 miles per $1 spent |
Days Inn by Wyndham | 1-2 miles per $1 spent |
Dazzler by Wyndham | 1-2 miles per $1 spent |
Delta Hotels | 2 miles per $1 spent |
Dolce Hotels and Resorts by Wyndham | 1-2 miles per $1 spent |
Eaton HK | 250 miles per night |
Econo Lodge | 250 miles per stay |
EDITION | 2 miles per $1 spent |
Element by Westin | 2 miles per $1 spent |
Esplendor Boutique Hotels | 1-2 miles per $1 spent |
Fairfield Inn by Marriott | 1 mile per $1 spent |
Fiesta Americana | 2,000 miles per stay |
Four Points by Sheraton | 2 miles per $1 spent |
Gaylord Hotels | 2 miles per $1 spent |
Grand Hyatt | 500 miles per stay |
Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham | 1-2 miles per $1 spent |
Holiday Inn Express | 2 miles per $1 spent |
Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts | 2 miles per $1 spent |
Hotel Indigo | 2 miles per $1 spent |
Howard Johnson | 1-2 miles per $1 spent |
Hyatt Properties | 500 miles per stay |
InterContinental Hotel Groups | 2 miles per $1 spent |
JW Marriott Hotels and Resorts | 2 miles per $1 spent |
La Quinta by Wyndham | 1-2 miles per $1 spent |
The Langham Hotels and Resorts | 500 miles per night |
Le Meridien | 2 miles per $1 spent |
The Luxury Collection | 2 miles per $1 spent |
MainStay Suites | 250 miles per stay |
Marriott Hotels and Resorts | 2 miles per $1 spent |
Microtel by Wyndham | 1-2 miles per $1 spent |
Millennium Hotels and Resorts | 250-500 miles |
Moxy Hotels | 1 mile per $1 spent |
Park Inn by Radisson | Convert points to miles |
Park Plaza | Convert points to miles |
Protea Hotels | 1 mile per $1 spent |
Quality | 250 miles per stay |
Radisson | Convert points to miles |
Ramada by Wyndham | 1-2 miles per $1 spent |
Renaissance Hotels | 2 miles per $1 spent |
Residence Inn by Marriott | 1 mile per $1 spent |
The Ritz-Carlton | 2 miles per $1 spent |
Rodeway Inn | 250 miles per stay |
Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts | 500 miles per stay |
Sheraton Hotels and Resorts | 2 miles per $1 spent |
Sleep Inn | 250 miles per stay |
SpringHill Suites | 1 mile per $1 spent |
St. Regis Hotels and Resorts | 2 miles per $1 spent |
Staybridge Suites | 1 mile per $1 spent |
Suburban Extended Stay Hotel | 250 miles per stay |
Super 8 by Wyndham | 1-2 miles per $1 spent |
TownePlace Suites | 1 mile per $1 spent |
Trademark Collection | 1-2 miles per $1 spent |
Traders Hotels | 500 miles per stay |
Travelodge | 1-2 miles per $1 spent |
Tribute Portfolio | 2 miles per $1 spent |
TRYP by Wyndham | 1-2 miles per $1 spent |
Unbound Collection | 500 miles per stay |
W Hotels | 2 miles per $1 spent |
Westin Hotels and Resorts | 2 miles per $1 spent |
Wingate by Wyndham | 1-2 miles per $1 spent |
Wyndham | 1-2 miles per $1 spent |
United transportation partners
Partner | Earning rate |
Hertz | Up to 1,250 miles per rental |
Dollar Rent A Car | 50 miles per rental day |
Thrifty Car Rental | 50 miles per rental day |
Amtrak | Varies |
Other United partners
Partner | Earning rate |
United Cruises | Varies |
FTD | 20 miles per $1 spent |
1-800 Flowers | 15 miles per $1 spent |
Teleflora | 750 bonus miles |
TPC | Varies |
Timeshifter App | 200 to 500 miles |
LifeLock | Up to 13,000 miles |
eRewards | Varies |
Harry & David | 30 miles per $1 spent |
Travelex | 1-2 miles per $1 exchanged |
Opinion Miles Club | Varies |
Vinesse Wines | 5,000 miles plus 1 mile per $1 spent |
MyPoints | Up to 1,500 miles |
VisaCentral | Varies |
Thanks Again | 100 miles for enrolling; 1 mile per $1 spent |
IT&E | Varies |
Mobil Guam and Saipan | 3 miles per gallon purchased |
Bottom line
While the United MileagePlus program is valuable on its own, its robust selection of partners makes earning and redeeming miles an even more lucrative proposition. The fact that your elite status transfers to partner airlines can also make air travel much more comfortable and rewarding.
Before you book a flight with United Airlines, check to see whether you could be securing a better redemption rate by flying with a partner airline. Depending on where you’re flying, it’s possible you could spend fewer United miles for a flight with a partner while enjoying the same elite status benefits.
Also, make sure you’re taking advantage of point-earning opportunities with United MileagePlus hotel, transportation and business partners. Since you could earn tens of thousands of miles booking cruises, hotels and rental cars or using the services of one of their partners, it’s always worth checking when you make a purchase online.
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