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Pooling points between family members or friends can be a very useful perk of an airline loyalty program. This way, should you have small amounts of miles scattered across members, you can combine them and make them more useful when looking to book an award. Several airlines have mileage pooling options, including United Airlines.
However, United previously allowed pooled miles to be used only for United or United Express-operated flights. This has now changed. United has amended its policy, now allowing pooled miles to be used on award flights operated by select parters.
Let's dive into this important distinction.
United Expands Mileage Pooling Benefit
United MileagePlus mile pooling allows up to five people — related or not — to enter into a pool for the purpose of combining points. There are other pooling restrictions, so be sure to check out our dedicated post on United's specifics.
Effective immediately, United is allowing pooled miles to be used for award flights on over 40 United partners. This is great news, considering United is part of the massive Star Alliance, and using United miles for partner booking is among its best uses.
For example, this flight to Zurich (ZRH) on SWISS Airlines can be booked with 44,000 pooled miles in economy and 88,000 in business class. Plus, United Premier elite status holders and MileagePlus credit card holders can get expanded award space as well as various award flight discounts — 9% off in the example below.
These discounts apply when booking with pooled miles as well, making booking United partner flights much more customer-friendly.
Related: Sweet Spots with United Airlines MileagePlus Awards
Bottom Line
By lifting this restriction, United is making its pooling feature more powerful. The ability to now book partner awards with pooled miles means those orphaned miles among friends and family can now be combined for a meaningful award flight redemption. Using those miles for flights on airlines like Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, and ANA — just to name a few — opens up more possibilities for those with United miles.
Looking for an easy way to earn more United miles to pool with others? Consider these credit card offers:
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $150Rates & Fees
- Earn at least 9X total miles on eligible United flights (excluding Basic Economy and other base fares)*
- 3X miles on all other eligible United purchases
- 2X miles on dining and direct hotel stays
- 1X on all other purchases
- 6x miles on the primary cardmember’s fare from United as a MileagePlus member
- 3x miles on United purchases with the United℠ Explorer Card
$350Rates & Fees
- Earn at least 10X total miles on eligible United flights (excluding Basic Economy and other base fares)*
- 5X miles on hotel stays at Renowned Hotels and Resorts
- 4X miles on eligible United purchases
- 2X miles on all other travel, select streaming services and dining
- 1X on all other purchases
- 6X miles on the primary cardmember’s fare from United as a MileagePlus member
- 4X miles on entire United purchases with the United Quest℠ Card
$150Rates & Fees
- Earn at least 8X total miles on eligible United flights (excluding Basic Economy and other base fares)*
- 2X miles on eligible United purchases
- 2X miles on dining and all other travel
- 1X on all other purchases
- 6X miles on the primary cardmember’s fare from United as a MileagePlus member
- 2X miles on entire United purchases with the United℠ Business Card
Page Contents
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: United℠ Explorer Card (Rates & Fees), United Quest℠ Card (Rates & Fees), and United℠ Business Card (Rates & Fees)
