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Living in a United Airlines hub means I redeem United MileagePlus miles frequently.
While I do have a co-branded United card, it's far from the only way to build a MileagePlus balance. Transferable points can offer more flexibility and, in some cases, provide additional options for booking United flights.
In this post, I’ll cover the programs that transfer to United directly, as well as a few workarounds for booking United flights with other programs.
Types of Points That Transfer to United Airlines
Like most major U.S. airlines, United has fewer transfer partners than many international carriers. That means your options for moving points directly into United MileagePlus are relatively limited.
Fortunately, that's only part of the story. While just a handful of programs transfer directly to United, there are several other ways to use transferable points for United flights. Understanding all of these options can make it easier to find award availability and book the flights you want.
Credit card transfer partners
Currently, only two major transferable points currencies transfer directly to United: Chase Ultimate Rewards and Bilt Rewards. Both transfer at a 1:1 ratio.
To transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to United, you'll need an eligible card such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. If you earn Ultimate Rewards from any other Chase card, you'll need to combine those points to an eligible card in order to transfer those rewards to United.
$95Rates & Fees
- 5X points on Lyft rides through September 2027
- 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide
- 3X points on eligible streaming services
- 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
- 2X points on all other travel
- 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases
$795Rates & Fees
- 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠
- 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly
- 3x points on dining worldwide
- 1x points on all other purchases
$95Rates & Fees
- 3X points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year
- 1X point per $1 on all other purchases
Bilt Rewards points also transfer to United. Bilt members can earn points through the Bilt Blue Card, Bilt Palladium Card, and Bilt Obsidian Card, as well as by spending with a linked card at eligible restaurants and neighborhood partners.
Hotel transfer partners
Several hotel loyalty programs also allow you to convert points into United MileagePlus miles. These include programs such as Marriott Bonvoy, IHG One Rewards, Wyndham Rewards, Choice Privileges, and Accor Live Limitless. In most cases, the conversion rates are poor, making hotel-to-airline transfers better suited for topping off a MileagePlus balance than building one from scratch.
Marriott Bonvoy is a notable exception. Marriott points generally transfer to airline programs at a 3:1 ratio, but transfers to United receive an additional bonus through the Marriott-United partnership. As a result, transferring 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points yields 30,000 United miles instead of the 20,000 miles you'd typically receive from a 3:1 transfer.
Transfer bonuses can also shift the math. I recently took advantage of a promotion that offered a 100% bonus on transfers from Wyndham Rewards to United. Since I had no upcoming use for the Wyndham points and I needed the United points, it made sense. These bonuses can make hotel-to-airline transfers more compelling in the right situation.
Other Ways To Use Credit Card Points for United Airlines Flights
While no other major bank rewards programs transfer directly to United, you still have several options for using transferable points to book United flights.
Travel portals
If you have a Chase Sapphire Reserve®, booking United flights through the Chase Travel portal can occasionally be an even better value than transferring your points. This is due to the card’s Points Boost feature, which can increase the value of your points when redeeming through the portal.
This perk can be hit or miss, but I was able to book Premium Economy tickets to Japan for fewer points than it would have been transfering points to United and booking using miles.
Other issuers offer travel portals but don’t offer a comparable feature. However, if your points are with Capital One, American Express, or Citi, their travel portals can still serve as a practical fallback when you need a United flight and don’t have access to direct transfer partners. The value will depend on the cash price of the ticket. In many cases, transferring points to a partner airline may provide a better return.
Partner airlines
While most transferable points programs don't transfer directly to United, many transfer to Star Alliance partner airlines that can book United-operated flights.
In many cases, partner programs charge fewer miles than United for the same flight, making them worth checking before transferring points directly to MileagePlus.
Two of the most useful options are Air Canada Aeroplan and Avianca LifeMiles. Both programs offer access to United award space, and most major transferable points currencies transfer to them at a 1:1 ratio.
Other notable partners are ANA Mileage Club and Singapore KrisFlyer, both of which can offer attractive redemption rates on certain United-operated flights.
A major caveat to consider is that United only releases a small number of Saver Awards bookable through partners. Before transferring points, confirm that your desired flight is available through the program you plan to use. Since points transfers are generally one way and irreversible, it's best to verify availability before initiating a transfer.
Final Thoughts
If you regularly fly United, transferable points can be one of the most versatile tools in your travel rewards arsenal. Whether you're transferring points directly to MileagePlus, redeeming through a travel portal, or booking United-operated flights through partners such as Air Canada Aeroplan or Avianca LifeMiles, understanding your options can help you find more award flights and maximize the value of your rewards.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees), Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Rates & Fees), and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (Rates & Fees)
