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United MileagePlus and Instacart have a great partnership that comes with several promotions and benefits for MileagePlus members. And that partnership recently became even sweeter with a new promotion.
MileagePlus members can now earn up to 10,500 bonus miles, enjoy no delivery fees around a trip, and even receive a complimentary Instacart+ membership with a United credit card.
If you're new to Instacart — or haven’t placed an order in a while — this partnership gives MileagePlus members a practical way to earn extra United miles on purchases you're probably already making. Here’s a breakdown of the partnership
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Earn up to 10,500 United Miles After Completing These Instacart Activities
United and Instacart are offering MileagePlus members the opportunity to earn up to 10,500 bonus miles after completing three separate activities tied to signing up for Instacart, placing orders, and upgrading to Instacart+. It’s a rewarding opportunity if you can use some United miles and already order through Instacart regularly.
You don’t need to complete all three activities to benefit, since miles are awarded for each one you finish. That said, only members who complete all three will earn the full 10,500-mile bonus.
How to register and link your United account to Instacart
Before you can earn miles through any of the three activities below, you’ll need to register and link your United MileagePlus and Instacart accounts through the official promotion landing page. Each activity also has its own enrollment deadline, so if you plan to complete all three, it’s worth bookmarking the page since some steps require re-enrollment.
Activity 1: Earn 500 bonus miles after your first Instacart order
The first activity is the simplest. After enrolling and linking your accounts, complete your first qualifying Instacart order within 60 days of enrollment and you’ll earn 500 bonus MileagePlus miles.
A qualifying order must have an item subtotal of at least $35 before taxes and fees. Restaurant orders don’t count, and canceled or refunded orders aren’t eligible.
Miles are typically credited within 6-8 weeks after delivery or pickup. This bonus can only be earned once per MileagePlus account. You must enroll by September 28, 2028, and your qualifying order must be placed no later than October 5, 2028.
Related: The Best Credit Cards for Grocery Shopping — From Cash Back to Transferable Points
Activity 2: Earn 5,000 bonus miles after 4 qualifying orders
The second activity offers the biggest return, especially for members who are new to Instacart. After completing your first qualifying order under Activity 1, you can earn an additional 5,000 MileagePlus miles by completing four qualifying Instacart orders within eight weeks of that first order.
There’s one important eligibility restriction: This bonus is available only to new Instacart users or members who haven’t placed an Instacart order in the 12 months prior to their enrollment date.
The same order minimums from the first activity apply. Each of the four orders must have an item subtotal of at least $35 before taxes, tips, and fees, and all four must be placed and delivered within the eight-week window. Restaurant orders don’t count.
You must enroll by August 10, 2028, to be eligible, and all four orders must be completed no later than October 5, 2028. Miles are credited within 6-8 weeks after the fourth qualifying order. This bonus is limited to one redemption per MileagePlus account.
Activity 3: Earn 5,000 bonus miles after signing up for annual Instacart+
The third and final activity requires an upfront financial commitment but comes with solid benefits. After completing Activity 2, eligible members can earn an additional 5,000 MileagePlus miles by signing up for a paid annual Instacart+ membership through the promotion enrollment page and keeping it active for at least 30 days.
Instacart+ currently costs $99 per year and auto-renews, so you’ll be billed annually unless you cancel before renewal. An annual Instacart+ membership includes:
- $0 delivery fees on grocery and retail orders over $10, restaurant orders over $25, and Costco orders over $35
- A complimentary Peacock Premium subscription
- A one-year New York Times Cooking subscription
Miles are credited 6-8 weeks after you’ve maintained the paid membership for at least 30 consecutive days. You must enroll and sign up for the annual membership no later than September 5, 2028. Like the other activities, this offer can only be redeemed once per MileagePlus account.
Get $0 Delivery Fees Around Domestic United Flights With a Instacart+ Trial
Separate from the mileage bonus promotion above, United and Instacart also offer a travel-triggered perk for MileagePlus members with eligible domestic United flights. Each time you take a qualifying domestic flight, you can activate a complimentary 7-day Instacart+ trial that provides $0 delivery fees on qualifying orders.
You have a 21-day window to activate the trial, starting 7 days before departure and running through 14 days after landing. That makes it especially useful for restocking the fridge when you return from a trip.
A few things to keep in mind: “$0 delivery fees” doesn’t mean no fees at all. Service fees, taxes, and tips still apply. There are also order minimums you’ll need to meet to receive $0 delivery fees. Those minimums are:
- Grocery & Retail Orders: $10
- Restaurant Orders: $25
- Costco Orders: $35
If you’re also working toward the mileage bonuses above, orders placed during the 7-day trial can count as qualifying orders once your accounts are linked, allowing the two offers to work together.
Key terms
- You must activate your 7-day trial within a 21-day window — 7 days before departure and through 14 days after arrival
- Only flights operated by United within the U.S. are eligible
- This is a multi-use promotion, but you must re-activate the offer with each new qualifying flight
- This offer is valid through September 28, 2028, 11:59 pm PT.
Complimentary Instacart+ Membership for United Cardholders
Another major benefit of the United and Instacart partnership is a complimentary Instacart+ membership plus monthly credits for eligible United credit card holders. It’s similar to the free Instacart+ membership available to eligible Mastercard holders, but with better benefits. This offer also supersedes the seven-day Instacart+ trial tied to eligible United flights.
Use this link to claim your complimentary membership and up to $20 in monthly credits. You’ll need to enroll with one of the five eligible United cards. Once activated, your benefits will continue through December 31, 2027.
United℠ Explorer Card and United℠ Business Card
- Claim a complimentary three-month Instacart+ membership.
- After that, receive 25% off an annual membership through December 31, 2027.
- Receive up to $120 in Instacart credits each year, issued as one $10 credit per month.
- Earn 70,000 bonus miles
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150
- 2x miles on United® purchases, dining, and hotel stays when booked with the hotel
- Free first checked bag - a savings of up to $160 per roundtrip. Terms Apply.
- Priority boarding on United® flights
- 2 United Club one-time passes per year - over a $100 value
- Over $500 in partner credits each year
- Up to $120 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS fee credit
- Member FDIC
- 2X miles per $1 spent on purchases from United®
- 2X miles per $1 spent on dining and hotel stays when booked with the hotel
- 1X mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Earn 100,000 bonus miles and 2,000 PQP after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
- $150 Annual Fee.
- 2x miles on United® purchases, dining including eligible delivery services, at gas stations, office supply stores, and on local transit and commuting.
- 1x mile on all other purchases. Plus, employee cards at no additional cost - miles earned from their purchases accrue in your account so you can earn rewards faster.
- Receive a 5,000-mile "better together" bonus each anniversary when you have both the United℠ Business Card and a personal Chase United® credit card.
- Enjoy a free first checked bag - a savings of up to $160 per roundtrip (terms apply), 2 United Club℠ one-time passes per year, and priority boarding privileges.
- Receive a $125 United travel credit after making 5 United® flight purchases of $100 or more each calendar year with your United℠ Business Card.
- Member FDIC
- 2x on United® purchases
- 2x on local transit and commuting — including train tickets, taxicabs, mass transit, tolls and ride share services
- 2x at gas stations, restaurants and office supply stores
- 1x on all other purchases
United Quest℠ Card
- Claim a complimentary three-month Instacart+ membership.
- After that, receive 50% off an annual membership through December 31, 2027.
- Receive up to $180 in Instacart credits annually, issued as one $10 credit and one $5 credit per month.
- Earn 80,000 bonus miles and 3,000 PQP
- 3x miles on United® purchases
- 2x miles on dining, select streaming services, and all other travel
- 1x mile on all other purchases
- Get a jump start on earning Premier status with 1,000 Card Bonus PQP each year, awarded within 8 weeks of February 1, starting in the calendar year following your account open date.
- Free first and second checked bags--a savings of up to $360 per roundtrip (terms apply)
- Receive a $200 United® travel credit and 10,000-mile award flight discount on each account anniversary
- Earn a 10,000-mile eligible award flight discount after spending $20,000 each calendar year
- Member FDIC
- 5 miles per $1 spent at Renowned Hotels and Resorts
- 3 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases
- 2 miles per $1 spent on all other travel
- 2 miles per $1 spent at restaurants
- 2 miles per $1 spent on select streaming services
- 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
United Club℠ Card and United Club℠ Business Card
- Claim a complimentary Instacart+ membership for 12 months or through December 31, 2027, whichever is longer.
- Receive up to $240 in Instacart credits annually, issued as two $10 credits per month.
- Earn 90,000 bonus miles
- 4x miles on United® purchases
- 2x miles on dining and all other travel
- 1x mile on all other purchases
- United Club℠ card membership - at least a $750 value
- Free first and second checked bags - a savings of up to $360 per roundtrip (terms apply)
- Premier Access® travel services
- Earn up to 20,000-miles in award flight discounts annually
- Member FDIC
- Earn 4 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases
- Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on all other travel
- Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on dining
- Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
Bottom Line
This partnership is meaningfully more generous than earlier versions, with eligible MileagePlus members now able to earn up to 10,500 bonus miles after completing three activities with Instacart.
The key thing to understand is that each activity has its own enrollment deadline and eligibility requirements, and the four-order bonus is restricted to new or dormant Instacart users. Be sure to read the terms before assuming you qualify for the full bonus.
Beyond the miles, the recurring $0 delivery fee perk tied to domestic United flights is a useful ongoing benefit for frequent flyers. And for regular United flyers, eligible cardholders can unlock longer Instacart+ memberships and monthly credits that add up over time. If you already use grocery delivery or were considering Instacart+, there’s real value here.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: United℠ Explorer Card (Rates & Fees), United℠ Business Card (Rates & Fees), United Quest℠ Card (Rates & Fees), and United Club℠ Card (Rates & Fees)
