How to Book Award Flights with United Miles

Using your miles and points to book free flights is one of the most satisfying parts of participating in rewards programs.

Whether you’re heading out on a short trip to visit family or a big adventure to explore new destinations, rewards currencies like United MileagePlus miles are a great way to save money and travel further.

In this article, we’ll show you exactly how to redeem United MileagePlus miles for award flights so you can enjoy free or discounted travel to destinations around the world.

What is United MileagePlus?

United MileagePlus is the loyalty program for United Airlines. Members have the ability to earn miles on flights, co-branded credit cards, travel partners, and more.

Once you’ve accumulated some miles, you can redeem them for award flights around the world across United’s large network of destinations. You can also book award flights on routes with United’s Star Alliance partners (such as Air Canada) and many other partner airlines.

You can learn more about earning and redeeming miles on the United MileagePlus program page.

Redeem United Miles for Flights

How to Book an Award Flight with United Miles

The process to book an award flight with your United miles is very straightforward. Regardless of whether you’re looking to book a flight with United Airlines or with one of its many partner airlines, your first step is to head to the United Airlines website and sign in to your MileagePlus account.

Next, click on the « Book » tab and check the box for « Book with miles. » You then need to fill in your search criteria, including origin, destination, and preferred travel dates. Then click « Find flights. »

Réserver avec United - recherche de vols

On the next page, you’ll see the search results for the dates you selected, with the cost in points (+ taxes/fees). You’ll also see results for a few days before and a few days after your selected date.

You can also see the cost in Money + Miles, using the dropdown menu at the top of the page. However, this option is only available for select flights, so you may not always see it.

As you can see above, the price in points can fluctuate (thanks to United’s use of dynamic pricing). Given this, it can be helpful to see how the costs range across many days, especially if your travel dates are flexible.

To see more travel dates and prices, click on « Advanced search » at the top of the page, and then select « Flexible dates » checkbox. On this page, you can also adjust other variables to narrow down your search results further.

Within this results calendar, you can see that the lowest cost award flights are indicated in green. In this case, the cheapest flight is coming in at 40,000 United miles plus $113 in taxes and fees.

The available flights for any selected day will be listed on the same page, below the calendar graphic.

Once you find a flight that suits your search parameters, you can select the route and cabin class that you’d like. This will take you to the booking page, where you will add your traveller information and redeem your miles.

Other Considerations for United Award Flights

As you get ready to book your next United MileagePlus award flight, keep the following in mind:

Premier Status and eligible United MileagePlus credit card holders will typically enjoy lower prices and/or additional award flight seat inventory. Make sure you’re logged in to your MileagePlus account and have linked your credit card to unlock these benefits.
United Airlines uses dynamic pricing for its award chart, so prices can fluctuate drastically depending on the route, dates of travel, and seat availability. The lowest price available, also known as the Saver Level, will be available first, when the seat inventory is released, and then the prices will increase as more seats sell.
For eligible flights, United MileagePlus will let you combine Money + Miles to access award flights even if you don’t have enough miles in your account. However, this option is not available for all flights, so you’ll need to search first to see what your redemption options are.

Other Ways to Redeem United MileagePlus Miles

United MileagePlus Miles can also be redeemed for the following, though the value available through these options is notably lower than when you redeem your miles for flights:

Hotel stays, car rentals, and cruises
United Club memberships
Gift cards and merchandise
Charitable donations
and more

Best Ways to Earn United MileagePlus Miles in Canada

The best ways to earn United MileagePlus Miles in Canada are as follows:

Flying with United Airlines and partners: Earn miles on cash fares with United, United Express, and the many partner airlines. Just be sure to enter your MileagePlus membership number when you make your booking.
Co-branded credit cards: In Canada, United MileagePlus members can earn miles on all purchases with the United^® MileagePlus^® Neo World Elite^® Mastercard. This card is the only Canadian MileagePlus card, though there are many United MileagePlus credit cards additionally available in the US.
Transfer from other loyalty programs: Transfer points from Marriott Bonvoy to United MileagePlus at a ratio of 3:1. Plus, if you transfer 60,000 Bonvoy points, you get a 10,000-point bonus. You can also transfer to MileagePlus from other hotel loyalty programs, but the rates are not as favourable.
Purchase miles: If you only need a few miles in order to access a desired redemption, buying United MileagePlus miles directly can be a good option.

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United^® MileagePlus^® Neo World Elite^® Mastercard

Neo Financial United MileagePlus

Annual fee: $89
Our valuation: $400Milesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$400Total$400Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.; Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$400Total$400Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer: Up to 25,000 miles

The United^® MileagePlus^® Neo World Elite^® Mastercard^® is the only credit card in Canada that allows you to earn United MileagePlus miles while enjoying exclusive airline benefits directly on your credit card.

For a limited time, you can earn up to 20,000 MileagePlus miles as a welcome bonus:

5,000 MileagePlus miles on card activation and first transaction
15,000 additional MileagePlus miles when you spend $3,000 net of refunds within 3 months of application

And 5,000 miles per year when the account remains open and active with eligible spend within 365 days This is an approximate $90 value based on our valuation of MileagePlus miles.

With the United^® MileagePlus^® Neo World Elite^® Mastercard^®, you earn MileagePlus miles on every purchase:

1.25 miles per dollar on United and Star Alliance flights
1 mile per dollar on dining and groceries
0.75 miles per dollar everywhere else

You can also earn bonus miles at over 10,000 Neo merchant partners across the country.

When travelling with United, you benefit from a first checked bag free on all your flights, as well as Group 2 priority boarding for you and your family.

With the United^® MileagePlus^® Neo World Elite^® Mastercard, you automatically receive at least a 10% discount on award flights, and even 15% if you hold Premier MileagePlus status.

In addition, you gain access to exclusive availability on Saver Award fares, including premium-cabin seats such as Polaris^® business class, which are not always available to non-cardholders.

As a World Elite Mastercard, you also enjoy paid access to over 1,400 airport lounges worldwide through the Mastercard Travel Pass program provided by DragonPass, as well as comprehensive travel insurance coverage (insurance coverage not available in Quebec).

Finally, the card reimburses up to $120 USD every 5 years to cover your Nexus application or renewal fees — the expedited border crossing program between Canada and the U.S.

A secured version of the card is also available with a security deposit. It offers the exact same mile earn rates and travel benefits, while allowing you to build or rebuild your credit history in Canada.

Legal

Conditions Apply. Conditions apply. Limited one-time offer for new customers who have not opened a United Neo World Elite Mastercard before the date of application approval. Must (1) be the age of majority in your province or territory of residence; (2) be a Canadian resident; (3) have annual personal income of $80,000 CAD or annual household income of $150,000 CAD; and (4) for secured cards only, provide security funds. Initial 5,000 MileagePlus miles are issued once the card is activated. To earn additional 15,000 MileagePlus miles, minimum spend of $3,000 net of refunds must be completed within 3 months from application start date. Additional MileagePlus miles are issued 6–8 weeks after the qualifying spend period. MileagePlus^® miles may be limited and vary by perks, offer, and partner. Offer is subject to MileagePlus^® terms and conditions. MileagePlus^® is managed, administered, and serviced by MileagePlus Holdings, LLC. Neo Financial^™ and United MileagePlus^® reserve the right to amend or withdraw this offer at any time.
Neo Financial^™ and United MileagePlus reserve the right to modify or withdraw this offer at any time.

Annual fee

Primary card$89

Annual income required

Individual$80,000

Household$150,000

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

1.25xUnited flights
1xGroceries
1xRestaurants
0.75xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$719

2nd Year Value$355

Travel insurance

Travel MedicalUp to $1,000,000 / 14 days

Trip CancellationIncluded

Trip InterruptionIncluded

Lost BaggageIncluded

Travel AccidentIncluded

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionUp to $1,000 / 90 days

Extended Warranty+1 years

Auto Rental CollisionUp to $65,000 / 48 days

Bottom Line

Redeeming your miles for award flights through United MileagePlus is easy and opens the door to destinations across the globe.

Although United miles are not the easiest to earn in Canada, they can still play a role in your loyalty program strategy, especially thanks to the United^® MileagePlus^® Neo World Elite^® Mastercard.

Of course, you can also access award flights within United Airlines’ network using your Air Canada Aeroplan points, thanks to the Star Alliance partnership between these two carriers.

Check out the following Aeroplan guides to learn more about earning and redeeming this top travel currency:

FAQs

Do United MileagePlus miles expire?

No, United MileagePlus miles don’t expire. Any miles you earn will remain in your account for as long as it stays active, with no activity requirement to keep them valid.

Is there a United MileagePlus credit card available in Canada?

Yes! The United^® MileagePlus^® Neo World Elite^® Mastercard was released in early 2026 and lets Canadians earn MileagePlus miles on all their purchases.

The card also offers additional travel perks like free checked bags and priority boarding on United flights.

Can I redeem United miles to book flights on partner airlines?

Yes, you can redeem your United MileagePlus miles for award flights on many partner airlines, including Star Alliance members. You can find available redemptions the same way you search for United Airlines redemptions, just search on the United website with your MileagePlus account logged in.

FeaturedCompare

Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card

American Express Marriott Bonvoy

Annual fee: $120
Our valuation: $990Milesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$990Total$990Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.; Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$990Total$990Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer: Up to 110,000 points; Ends Sep 22, 2026

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on American Express's website

Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).

The Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card is the best credit card in Canada for free hotel nights.

New Cardmembers can earn up to 110,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® points with the current offer:

Earn 80,000 points after you spend $6,000 on your Card in your first 6 months of Cardmembership.
Plus, earn 30,000 points by making a purchase during your 15th month of Cardmembership.

This offer ends on September 22, 2026. The annual fee is $120, and there is no annual fee on Additional Cards, so you can add a partner or a family member at no extra cost.

Every year after your first Card anniversary, you receive an Annual Free Night Award good for a redemption of up to 35,000 points at eligible hotels and resorts worldwide. At a valuation of 0.9 cents per Marriott Bonvoy point, that certificate is worth roughly $315, which on its own more than covers the $120 annual fee. That is the main reason to keep this Card year after year instead of cancelling it.

To get the most out of the certificate, aim it at a night that would otherwise price close to the 35,000 point ceiling.

The Card also gives you 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year and automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status. Those credits count toward the next Elite tier, so you begin every year 15 nights ahead of where you would otherwise start.

You move up to Gold Elite status automatically when you reach $30,000 in purchases on the Card in a year, or when you combine 10 qualifying paid nights within one calendar year with the 15 Elite Night Credits from your Card.

Marriott Bonvoy points are generally valued at 0.9 cents each. On that basis, the 110,000 point welcome offer is worth about $990, and an Annual Free Night Award used at its full 35,000 point ceiling is worth about $315.

Marriott Bonvoy points pull their weight on free nights rather than on gift cards or merchandise, which is why this Card should be judged on the hotel stays it produces.

You earn 5 points per dollar on eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases. Points can be redeemed for free nights with no blackout dates at more than 7,000 hotels around the world.

The Card carries a solid package of coverages: $500,000 travel accident insurance, flight delay, baggage delay, lost or stolen baggage and hotel or motel burglary at $500 each, car rental theft and damage up to $85,000 for rentals of up to 48 days, Purchase Protection for 90 days and a one year Extended Warranty.

Two things to plan around: the 2.5% foreign transaction fee on purchases made in a foreign currency, and the 21.99% purchase interest rate, which makes this a Card to pay in full every month. Like all American Express Canada Cards, no minimum income is published for this Card, and you can see whether you would be approved before you apply, with no impact on your credit score.

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American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, we may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.