Good value
2.60¢ per mile
An Excursionist Perk routed Star Alliance business class award to Asia, for example San Francisco to Tokyo for 88,000 miles against a $3,600 cash fare.
Free calculator
What is United MileagePlus worth?
As of September 2026, a United MileagePlus is worth about 1.35 US cents per mile. Enter your balance below to see the value in US dollars.
As of September 2026, a United MileagePlus is worth about 1.35 US cents per mile toward typical redemptions. That makes 50,000 miles worth roughly $675. This free calculator converts any United MileagePlus balance into its USD value. Actual value depends on how you redeem; premium-cabin awards often beat economy.
Last verified 2026-08-01
United MileagePlus miles to dollars
| Miles | Estimated USD value |
|---|---|
| 10,000 miles | $135 |
| 25,000 miles | $338 |
| 50,000 miles | $675 |
| 100,000 miles | $1,350 |
At 1.35¢ per mile, typical redemption value, not guaranteed.
Real United MileagePlus redemption examples
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What makes United MileagePlus different
MileagePlus keeps one feature almost no competitor offers outright: the Excursionist Perk, which adds a free extra one-way flight to certain multi-city Star Alliance award itineraries as long as the stopover sits between your outbound and return regions. A well-built itinerary can turn a single round-trip redemption into three flights for the price of two. Upgrades work on a separate currency, PlusPoints, earned through the co-brand card portfolio and elite status rather than through the general MileagePlus balance, so a large mileage balance alone does not guarantee a Polaris business class upgrade on a full flight the way it might on a programme that upgrades directly with miles. United also runs the broadest trans-Pacific network of any US carrier, anchored by hubs in Houston, San Francisco, and Guam, which routinely opens Star Alliance award space to Asia that American and Delta simply have fewer direct routes to sell in the first place.
United MileagePlus facts
- Expiry. MileagePlus miles do not expire. They stay in the account until redeemed or forfeited under the MileagePlus rules.
- Transfer partners. Transfer-in partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards and Bilt Rewards, and of Marriott Bonvoy at 3 to 1.
- Pooling. Miles pooling is free: any member aged 18 or over can start a pool as its leader, and a pool holds up to 5 MileagePlus members, family or friends, whose miles can be used for award bookings. (Source: MileagePlus miles pooling page)
Read more on the MileagePlus program rules.
Frequently asked questions
- How much is 50,000 United MileagePlus miles worth in dollars?
- At 1.35¢ per mile, 50,000 United MileagePlus miles are worth about $675 toward a typical redemption. Premium-cabin awards booked off-peak often deliver more.
- Do United MileagePlus miles expire?
- MileagePlus miles do not expire. They stay in the account until redeemed or forfeited under the MileagePlus rules.
- Are United MileagePlus miles worth more than American Airlines AAdvantage and Delta SkyMiles?
- It depends on how you redeem. Miles Mosaic published typical value for United MileagePlus is 1.35¢ per mile. Compare that against American Airlines AAdvantage and Delta SkyMiles on their own value-of-a-mile pages, since the best currency is the one that matches the redemption you actually want.
Sources
- Valuation: The Points Guy MileagePlus valuation (last verified 2026-08-01)
- Good redemption example: https://thepointsguy.com/guide/monthly-valuations/
- Typical redemption example: https://thepointsguy.com/guide/monthly-valuations/
- Poor redemption example: https://thepointsguy.com/guide/monthly-valuations/
- Programme source (transfer partners, expiry): MileagePlus program rules
- Programme source (pooling): MileagePlus miles pooling page
Published programme valuations
The cents-per-mile values below are drawn from The Points Guy monthly valuations and NerdWallet's Avios analysis. They represent typical redemption value, not a guaranteed rate. Actual value depends on the redemption you choose; premium-cabin awards often yield significantly more than economy redemptions. The blended valuations in the table below are anchored to The Points Guy's monthly valuations, an industry-standard aggregator, while the programme-specific mechanics discussed in this guide link directly to each programme's own terms.
| Programme | Unit | Typical value (cents per mile/point) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines AAdvantage | mile | 1.77¢ | The Points Guy AAdvantage valuation |
| Delta SkyMiles | mile | 1.20¢ | The Points Guy SkyMiles valuation |
| United MileagePlus | mile | 1.35¢ | The Points Guy MileagePlus valuation |
| Chase Ultimate Rewards | point | 2.00¢ | The Points Guy Ultimate Rewards valuation |
| American Express Membership Rewards | point | 2.00¢ | The Points Guy Membership Rewards valuation |
| Citi ThankYou Rewards | point | 1.80¢ | The Points Guy ThankYou Rewards valuation |
| Capital One Miles | mile | 1.85¢ | The Points Guy Capital One Miles valuation |
| Marriott Bonvoy | point | 0.84¢ | The Points Guy Bonvoy valuation |
| Hilton Honors | point | 0.60¢ | The Points Guy Hilton Honors valuation |
| World of Hyatt | point | 1.70¢ | The Points Guy Hyatt valuation |
| British Airways Executive Club Avios | Avios | 1.50¢ | NerdWallet Avios valuation |
| Air France/KLM Flying Blue | mile | 1.30¢ | The Points Guy Flying Blue valuation |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards | point | 1.40¢ | The Points Guy Southwest valuation |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | point | 1.45¢ | The Points Guy Aeroplan valuation |
| Bilt Rewards | point | 2.20¢ | The Points Guy Bilt Rewards valuation |
