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Features of United Airlines MileagePlus Programme

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Different Airlines have their loyalty programs which are beneficial especially for those who frequently fly with a particular airline. These […]

What is the United Airlines Policy on Unaccompanied Minors?

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The unaccompanied minor policy on United Airlines is standard. So, for both price and perks offered for the unaccompanied minor […]

Different Airlines have their loyalty programs which are beneficial especially for those who frequently fly with a particular airline. These types of programs are highly rewarding for frequent travellers and are launched by the Airlines with the motive of rewarding their frequent travellers and retaining the existing customers. So, loyalty programmes present a win-win situation in which both the airline as well as the customers get benefits.

In this article, we will be talking about the United Airlines’ MileagePlus Programme. If you are a frequent flyer of United Airlines, then you ought to know about this programme because it could be very advantageous for you. This article is a complete guide to what exactly is the United Airlines’ MileagePlus Programme and what are the benefits associated with it. In this article, we have covered topics like earning United Miles, United Elite status, Using United Miles etc.

So without any further ado, let’s start knowing about United Airlines’ MileagePlus Programme.

What is United MileagePlus Programme?

United MileagePlus is the frequent flyer programme of United Airlines which is worth it for those travellers who fly via United Airlines or partner airlines. What makes it different from the other frequent flyer programmes is that it is beneficial even for those who are not frequent travellers. This loyalty program is free to join and you can start earning miles from day one. The United MileagePlus is known for covering a wide range of award travel destinations, incredibly amazing economy award availability and a variety of ways through which the members can earn and redeem miles. United Airlines is a member of Star Alliance, it flies to more than 210 US destinations and 120 international destinations, and has more than 35 partner airlines. If you become a member of United MileagePlus, then you can get free flights, complimentary checked bags, club lounge access and some upgrades which could make your travelling experience a lot more amazing.

The flexibility and wonderful perks of this programme make the membership very rewarding. United Airlines operates out of 8 hubs and serves numerous countries around the world.

If you become a member of this programme, there are four levels of elite status which you can reach to earn more miles for every dollar you spend on United Airlines to receive amazing perks when you fly. Available at different levels of status, these benefits include:

Free checked bags

Flight Upgrades

Flight changes on the same day without having to pay any fees

Easy reward redemptions

Here are some quick facts about United MileagePlus:

Countries served: 48

Airline Alliance: Star Alliance

Number of miles required for a free flight: About 5,500 miles or even more

Value of United Miles: 1.2 cents

Hub Airports in the US: Denver, Chicago, Guam, Houston, Newark, Los Angeles, Washington DC, and San Francisco.

Air Lounges: More than 45 United Club locations along with access to participating Star Alliance lounges

Pros:

Covers a wide range of US and international destinations

No fuel fees are charged on award flights.

Elite status gives excellent value at middle and higher tiers.

Free one-way flights are provided on some multi-city award flights.

Cons:

Elite status of the lowest tier might not be worth it.

Clear award charts are no longer available which made award redemption easy.

Mile value is below average when compared to other airlines.

What is the worth of United Miles?

The value of United Miles is 1.2 cents per mile. Remember that eventually, your choice of any frequent flyer programme is not just limited to miles. It also depends on various factors like where you are living, where you are flying, what value the elite status gives etc.

What makes United MileagePlus a good choice is that it does not impose fuel surcharges. Many partner airlines charge hundreds of dollars for this, but United Airlines does not.

Remember that United Airlines does not pass these charges along. This means that for some of the partner airlines of United Airlines, you can save a significant amount of money by booking an award flight on these airlines through United’s Star Alliance and MileagePlus airline partners.

Is United MileagePlus worth it?

Even if you travel with United Airlines or its partners occasionally, you can join the United MileagePlus Programme. You should consider joining it especially if you live in or nearby a United Hub. For someone who is a frequent flyer of United Airlines, the United MileagePlus is worth it. MileagePlus offers little value to infrequent flyers but it does offer a lot of value to frequent and very frequent flyers.

The best part is that it is free to join and you can start earning miles as soon as you sign up for membership in this programme.

Some of you must have this doubt in mind: should we run after earning United Elite status? Well, the value of United MileagePlus’ elite status depends on majorly two factors: travelling habits and the level of status you can reach.

Advantages and Disadvantages of United MileagePlus

The United MileagePlus offers excellent value for those travellers who travel frequently and very frequently, those who are United loyalists, live close to a United hub city and also fly through other Star Alliance airlines.

The United MileagePlus undoubtedly provides a variety of advantages to its members but it has certain disadvantages as well which you must know before opting for its membership.

Let’s first look at the advantages and then we will see the disadvantages.

United MileagePlus Advantages

Easy miles redemption process: The United Airlines MileagePlus Programme provides a variety of ways to redeem miles. This programme is known to be better than the other ones in terms of miles redemption. The easy miles redemption is one of the very lucrative advantages which is why people choose to be members of United MileagePlus.

Amazing perks for higher-level elite members: If you are a lower or top-level elite member, then the programme will provide some very amazing perks to you. The MileagePlus programme offers top value to the higher-level elite members. So, if you are also one of the higher-level elite members, then you should consider becoming a member of this programme.

Star Alliance Partnership: We mentioned before that United Airlines is a member of Star Alliance. This means that you can earn United Miles on partner airlines and redeem them for high-value awards like luxurious first-class flights on any partner airline and a lot more.

Excursionist Perk: One of the many benefits of United MileagePlus is the Excursionist Perk. As per this benefit, you can get a free one-way flight on your multi-city award ticket bookings.

Worldwide flight network: Award ticket redemption becomes easier with the widely spread worldwide network that the airline has. United and its partners have a very widely spread worldwide network which gives travellers a lot of award ticket redemption options.

No fuel surcharges: United Airlines is one of the very few airlines which do not impose fuel surcharges on award bookings.

Now, let’s look at some of the disadvantages of the MileagePlus programme.

Below-average mile value: The very big disadvantage which restricts a lot of people to become a member of the MileagePlus programme is the below-average value of the miles. Although 1.2 cents per mile is a decent value, it is still a lot less than the other mile values which are being offered by other airlines.

Modest benefits for the people of the lowest elite tier: The benefits are not very lucrative when it comes to the people of the lowest elite tier. So, if you are someone who is not after getting the United Elite status, then you can also have the same advantages by just opening a United Credit card account.

So, you have both advantages as well as disadvantages. You can read about everything in detail on the official website of the airline as well and then make your decision whether getting a membership of the United MileagePlus programme will be beneficial for you or not.

How to earn United Miles?

There are a plethora of ways to earn United Miles so that you can use these miles to get free flights and avail of other rewards. Here are the ways to earn United miles:

Buying plane tickets for United Flights: Buying flight tickets for United Airlines is one of the most common and easiest ways to earn miles. The miles you receive by purchasing plane tickets for the flights which are operated by United Airlines are based on the dollar amount of the flight ticket charges and the tier of your United Elite status.

Members of the entry-level MileagePlus get 5 miles for $1 on their spending on United flights. If you are someone with elite status, then you can earn an additional 2-6 miles for every dollar you spend based on your level.

Here are the details of how many miles you will earn for every dollar based on your status:

None – $5 per mile

Premier Silver – $7 per mile

Premier Gold – $8 per mile

Premier Platinum – $9 per mile

Premier 1K – $11 per mile

Star Alliance partners:

This is another very easy and quick way to earn miles. Here are the two conditions in this case regarding how you can earn miles.

If you purchase a ticket for a flight operated by a partner airline but ticketed by United Airlines, then you will receive miles based on your care just like you would while buying a ticket for a United flight.

If you purchase a flight ticket for a flight which is operated by a partner airline and is not ticketed by United Airlines, then you will be receiving miles based on flight distance as well as the fare class you have booked yourself in.

Credit Cards:

This is another very widely used way of earning United miles. It is the fastest way of earning United miles after buying a flight ticket. When you purchase a credit card, you not only get a very generous signup bonus which can get you a free flight instantly, but you can also earn United miles for your everyday spending. Moreover, even if you fly only a few times a year, the amount you save on United Baggage fees itself can make it worth having a United Credit Card. Here are some of the best United Airlines Credit Cards:

United Gateway Card

United Explorer Card

United Quest Card

United Club Infinite Card

United Business Card

MileagePlus X app

The MileagePlus X app enables you to quickly collect miles. All you have to do is download the app and log in with your credentials and search for offers which allow you to earn as much as 12 miles for every dollar or even more, by shopping or dining at numerous merchants. Also, we would like to mention here that United Credit Card holders also receive a 25% bonus. Here is what you are supposed to do to earn miles through the app:

Every time you are using the app, you will have to click on the name of the merchant you are purchasing from in the application and then, buy an e-gift card from the merchant in the exact amount of the total amount you have to pay.

To make the payment, you have to use the barcode or gift card number along with the PIN which you have received to pay.

This is a great way to earn miles which allows you to earn United Miles while shopping both, through the app as well as through the credit card which is linked to your account to pay for your purchase.

MileagePlus Dining

Yes, you can earn miles while dining at your favourite restaurants as well! MileagePlus Dining is probably the most delicious way to earn miles. You just have to join the United MileagePlus Dining, link a credit card, search for restaurants which are a part of the programme, eat delectable meals at those restaurants and make the payment with your linked card.

New members get to earn bonus miles. When you are doing it for the first time, you receive 1500 bonus United Miles and 500 miles for the next three times you dine. There are three levels of earnings with MileagePlus Dining which are based on whether you prefer to receive emails from the programme and on the number of transactions you make:

Basic Members: The first level is the basic members. In this level, 1 mile is given for every 2 dollars that you spend when you choose not to receive the MileagePlus Dining emails.

Select Members: The second level is the select members. In this level, 3 miles are given for every dollar you spend when you agree to get the MileagePlus Dining emails.

VIP Members: The third level is the VIP members. In this level, 5 miles are given for every dollar you spend when you become a select member and complete 11 eligible transactions within the year.

As soon as you finish off with the specified number of transactions, you will automatically start earning miles at the VIP level.

United MileagePlus shopping portal

Earning miles through the United MileagePlus shopping portal is an attractive option for those who spend less time travelling and spend more time shopping. Here are the different options available for using this:

You just have to go to the MileagePlus Shopping portal and sign in with your credentials. You now have to browse through more than 900 online stores and services, select an offer, click on it and select the option “shop now” to be directed to the store’s site. Then you just have to shop and earn extra miles on your purchase.

You also have the option to link offers to your card and purchase in person to receive attractive deals.

If you are using Google Chrome, then you can also choose to install the MileagePlus Shopping button on your browser and use it to apply miles and discounts to your transactions at the time of checkout with a participating merchant.

Travel partners:

You can earn miles by choosing to fly with the travel partners of United Airlines as well. For instance, you earn the following miles on hotel stays:

Earn 2 miles for every dollar you spend when you make a hotel reservation through United Hotels.

Earn 3 miles for every dollar you spend when you book a vacation rental stay via Vrbo or through Villas of Distinction.

Earn bonus miles via several other United hotel partners.

You have the opportunity to earn even more miles while booking a rental car through United. For more details, you can go through the website.

United Vacations:

Booking through United Vacations can help you in earning bonus miles after earning the miles you get for the United flights. United Vacations offers its travellers attractive vacation packages to more than 250,000 resorts in more than 400 destinations with about 10,000 amazing activities. These packages are inclusive of airport transportation and some other services to make your vacation a more amazing experience.

United Cruises

You don’t always have to travel by air to earn miles. You can choose to travel by sea as well. When you are booking through United Cruises, you get an opportunity to earn up to 4 United Miles for every dollar you spend depending on which category of room your book

Buy Miles

This is the very last option that you have to get miles. United Airlines allows you to purchase miles as well. You can purchase 1000 United miles for $35 along with fees and taxes. There is a minimum purchase amount of 2000 miles. You can either buy miles for yourself or for someone else who is a MileagePlus member. This is usually not a recommended option because it’s not worth it. However, if you are in a situation where you need just a few more miles to get an award ticket, then it may be worth the cost to purchase miles.

How to use United Miles?

There are various ways to use United Miles for availing of free flights, hotel stays, cruises and more. Read on to know about the ways through which you can use the United Miles to get the best value for your money.

Using United airlines miles to make flight reservations:

This is one of the best ways to use United Miles. You can use your miles to book free flights on United Airlines and its Star Alliance airlines partners. You just have to go to the official website of United Airlines and enter details like your origin, destination, and date of travel to know what the price of an award ticket is. United Airlines’ website has a good award search which gives plenty of results in addition to avoiding the $25 phone booking fee that is charged to everyone except the members of the two highest levels of elite status.

United Airlines has two levels of awards for every cabin class, namely, Saver and every day. Let’s know about each one of them.

Saver Awards are less expensive, but at this level, availability is very limited.

Contrary to this is the Everyday awards. In these awards, there are plenty of seats, but the per-mile value is very less.

Apart from these factors, there is no difference between these awards.

The award flight prices of United Airlines vary significantly, depending on your cabin class and your time of flying.

Book flights on partner airlines:

As we have mentioned, United Airlines is a part of the Star Alliance Network. You can use your miles to make reservations for any of the partner airlines as well. Making flight reservations on Star Alliance Partners can provide you with some of the greatest value United Award redemptions, specifically when you book yourself in Business class or First class.

Upgrade on United Airlines:

This is another very good way to use your United Miles. With the help of miles, you can upgrade your travel class and make your flying experience more comfortable and elite. Here are the ways through which you can get an upgrade with United Miles:

Get an upgrade during booking: Travellers have the option to request a United Upgrade award during booking. To do this, you have to sign in to your United MileagePlus account with your credentials and click on Award Search Options. You then have to search for your flight and click on MileagePlus Upgrade awards. In case, no flights are showing upgrade availability, then you can book and request an upgrade later on.

Get an upgrade after booking: Travellers can request an upgrade after booking as well. There are various ways to do this. You can sign in to your United MileagePlus account and open up your reservation to make an online request. You also have the option to give a call on the dedicated Premier Elite Service line or call United Reservations or talk to a United Airlines representative at the check-in counter or the gate within 24 hours of the scheduled departure of your flight.

Choose a PlusPoints upgrade: Travellers also have the option to get a PlusPoints upgrade during or after booking a flight on United Airlines or partner airlines. For this, at the time of booking your flight, you have to go to the Advanced search options and select PlusPoints Upgrades, from the drop-down menu of upgrade types. In case of an existing reservation, you have the option to request a PlusPoints Upgrade at the website of the airline or through the mobile app by clicking on the “Upgrade Reservation” link or by giving a call to the dedicated Premier service line.

<Get a Star Alliance Upgrade: Travellers also have the option to use their United miles to purchase a one-cabin upgrade on flights which are eligible on some Star Alliance partner airlines. Travellers can request these upgrades for up to four people per reservation, even if you are not going to travel with them. You can get these upgrades up to 24 hours before the scheduled departure of your flight.

Other miles redemption options at United Airlines:

Although award flights are the best ways to redeem your miles, there are some other redemption options available as well if you don’t want to book flights. Here is a list of other options available for the redemption of miles:

Car rentals– Travellers have the option to use miles to book a rental car with Avis and Budget with the help of the MileagePlus Car Awards booking portal. So you can save some bucks on car rentals.

Cruises– You can also redeem your United miles for cruises to several destinations. So, if you have always wanted to travel via a cruise, you can do that now without putting a burden on your pocket.

Experiences and events– You can also use your miles to book events and experiences, to make your trip more adventurous and full of exciting moments.

Hotel stays- You can use your miles to book stays at hotels and resorts around the world with the help of the United Hotels booking portal. So with the help of miles, you can save money on your hotel stays as well.

In-flight Wi-Fi– This might be an important use of miles for some people who want to stay connected to the internet while they are flying. You can use your miles to pay for in-flight Wi-Fi on United flights which allows you to have access to uninterrupted internet.

Magazine subscriptions– If you are an avid reader who loves to read while travelling, then you can use your United miles to subscribe to your favourite magazine or give a subscription as a gift to someone fond of reading magazines.

Gift cards – You can use your United miles to purchase electronic gift cards from several retailers and restaurants, like Apple, Starbucks and Walmart to name a few.

Merchandise – You can utilise your MileagePlus Merchandise Awards portal to shop with United miles for merchandise, from electronics and luggage to jewellery and sports equipment, from different retailers. So getting some cool merchandise on a budget with the help of miles is another very good way to spend them.

TSA Precheck – Travellers can use their United miles to give themselves the gift of a speedy and more convenient trip through airport security. This is another very lucrative way to spend your miles wisely.

United Club membership – You can redeem United miles for an airport lounge membership so that you can have space to rest or work between flights. This is best if you need time to rest or have some important work to finish off, in between flights.

United Star Alliance Partners

United is one of the founding members of the Star Alliance network. Apart from the Star Alliance Network, the airline also has several partner airlines. This long list of partner airlines makes United Airlines more valuable and significant.

Star Alliance partners with United Airlines

Here is a list of the Star Alliance partners of United Airlines:

Aegean

Air Canada

Air China

Air India

Air New Zealand

ANA

Asiana Airlines

Austrian

Avianca

Brussels Airlines

Copa Airlines

Croatia Airlines

Egyptair

Ethiopian

EVA Air

LOT Polish Airlines

Lufthansa

SAS

Shenzhen Airlines

Singapore Airlines

South African Airways

SWISS

TAP Air Portugal

Thai

Turkish Airlines

Here are the names of some other United Partners

Aer Lingus

Aeromar

Air Dolomiti

Azul Airlines

Boutique Air

Cape Air

Edelweiss

Eurowings

Hawaiian Airlines

Olympic Air

Silver Airways

Vistara

United Airlines Excursionist Perk

This is another very significant factor which raises the value of United Miles. The Excursionist Perk allows travellers a free one-way flight in a multi-city award ticket, thus enabling you to visit two or more cities while you pay for the price of one.

But, there are certain restrictions which you need to know:

Your trip must begin and end in the same award region which has been specified by United Airlines.

The free one-way ticket you receive by using this Excursionist Perk has to have an origin and destination in the same award region as defined by United Airlines.

The service cabin and award inventory of the free one-way ticket is the same or even lower in comparison to the preceding one-way award. Speaking in simpler terms, if your first one-way ticket is in business class, you will get your free one-way flight either in business class or in economy class. You will not get your free one-way flight in first class.

In case, more than one award is eligible for qualifying as an excursionist perk based on the above criteria, then only the first one of all these awards will be free. You will be able to ticket extra segments into a multi-city itinerary, but you are not permitted to use the Excursionist Perk more than once on one ticket.

If you are desirous of visiting more cities, then you can add them after the Excursionist Perk, but then, you will have to pay the regular price for a one-way award.

This is not just it. You can do a lot more with the United Excursionist Perk. You are also allowed to add as many breaks in your segment as you would like to. The Excursionist Perk segment does not even have to be in the same destination zone as the first qualifying one-way award. To explore what more you can do with the Excursionist Perk, you can go to the official website of the airline and go to the multi-city award search.

United Elite Status

In this section, we will know all about the United Elite Status. There are four levels of United Elite Status and to attain each level, there are different requirements. Travellers are granted elite status based on the number of Premier Qualifying Flights they take and/or the number of Premier Qualifying Points they earn.

Let us discuss in detail what the terms Premier Qualifying Points and Premier Qualifying Flights mean.

Premier Qualifying Flight: According to United Airlines, QPF has been defined as a take-off and landing. PQFs can be accrued by travellers with all types of United tickets except the Basic Economy and award tickets.

Premier Qualifying Point: You receive 1 PQP for every eligible dollar you spend with United Airlines. This also includes the purchase of a basic economy ticket. PQPs can only be earned on the base fare and this is not inclusive of any taxes and fees. Expenses that lead to accruing PQPs include ticket fares, Economy Plus seating or subscriptions, preferred seat purchases, MileagePlus upgrade award copays, flights which are ticketed and operated by Star Alliance partners and the paid upgrades on flights which are operated by United and United Express.

You receive the status based on the combination of the number of flights you take and the money you spend on those flights. The status you get also depends on the combination of PQFs and PQPs or is only based on PQPs. For more exact details, you can visit the website.

Benefits of United Elite Status:

Having a United Elite Status comes with very lucrative benefits. The MileagePlus perks are incredibly amazing which makes flying a more delightful experience. The MileagePlus perks include:

You get to earn bonus miles on United flights if you have United Elite Status.

No charges have to be paid by you for checked bags. Checked bags are free for travellers with United Elite Status.

People with United Elite Status get free access to Economy Plus seating for themselves as well as their travel companions.

People with the United Elite Status get to change or cancel a flight without a fee on the day of departure.

Travellers with United Elite Status get a free snack and drink in the economy.

People with United Elite Status also get free upgrades on United when space is available for MileagePlus Premier members.

FAQs Related to united Airlines MileagePlus

Q1. What do the terms PQP and PQF mean in United Airlines?

Ans. PQP is short for Premier Qualifying Point and PQF is short for Premier Qualifying Flight. Both the terms have been described below:

Premier Qualifying Flight: According to United Airlines, PQF has been defined as a take-off and landing. PQFs can be accrued by travellers with all types of United tickets except the Basic Economy and award tickets.

Premier Qualifying Point: You receive 1 PQP for every eligible dollar you spend with United Airlines. This also includes the purchase of a basic economy ticket. PQPs can only be earned on the base fare and this is not inclusive of any taxes and fees. Expenses that lead to accruing PQPs include ticket fares, Economy Plus seating or subscriptions, preferred seat purchases, MileagePlus upgrade award copays, flights which are ticketed and operated by Star Alliance partners and the paid upgrades on flights which are operated by United and United Express.

Q2. Are there any charges for joining United MileagePlus?

Ans. No, there are no charges for joining United MileagePlus. Signing up for United MileagePlus is free. However, you will have to spend money with United and its partner airlines or sign-up for a United credit card to earn miles and redeem them for amazing benefits.

Q3. How can I sign up for United MileagePlus?

Ans. To sign up for United MileagePlus, you just have to fill out an online enrollment form. You have to give in details like name, date of birth, address, gender, mobile number and email address. You have to choose 5 security questions and answers, and a password. After you are done signing up, you get a frequent flyer number and you can then start earning miles. Signing up for this programme is just a matter of minutes.

Q4. Is United MileagePlus a credit card?

Ans. No, United MileagePlus is a frequent flyer programme and not a credit card. You can, however, open a United Airlines co-branded credit card that will enable you to earn United miles by making everyday purchases. These credit cards also give welcome bonuses and perks like free checked bags.

Q5. How can I add a previous flight to United MileagePlus?

Ans. You have the option to submit requests for credit for a previous flight up to 12 months after the date of the flight. You will have to log in to your account and fill in a mileage request form. For this, you will need to enter a 13-digit ticket number. In case the flight was operated by a partner airline and United is not able to find the flight in their system, then they may ask you to give additional information to get the credit for the flight.

Q6. How can I add a family member to United MileagePlus?

And. To add a family member to United MileagePlus, you can merge two MileagePlus accounts only if they belong to the same person. If you are a MileagePlus member and one of your family members is also desirous to join, then they will have to create their account. If you want to add one of your children who is under 18, then you can sign them up for an account.

Q7. What are the levels of earnings with MileagePlus Dining?

Ans. There are three levels of earnings with MileagePlus Dining which are dependent on whether you prefer to receive emails from the programme and on the number of transactions you make:

Basic Members: The first level is the basic members. In this level, 1 mile is given for every 2 dollars that you spend when you choose not to receive the MileagePlus Dining emails.
Select Members: The second level is the select members. In this level, 3 miles are given for every dollar you spend when you agree to get the MileagePlus Dining emails.
VIP Members: The third level is the VIP members. In this level, 5 miles are given for every dollar you spend when you become a select member and complete 11 eligible transactions within the year.

Q8. I want to change my name on United MileagePlus. How can I do it?

Ans. To change your name on United MileagePlus, you will first have to log in to your account. Then, you have to go to the option “Profile & Preferences,” select “Personal Information” from the drop-down menu and select the option “About Me” to edit your information. Change your name and save the changes.

Q9. Are there any documents required for a name change?

Ans. Yes, you need to submit certain documents for a name change. After making the request, you will have to give any one of the documents to verify the name change. The document could be a marriage licence, divorce decree, legal name change document or government-issued IDs with your current and former names. If you are not able to provide one of these documents, then you can fill out a name change affidavit and submit it with a copy of your ID. You will need to get the affidavit notarized and submit it through the mail.

Q10. What benefits do I get under the United Elite Status?

Ans. If you have the United Elite status, then you get the following benefits:
You get to earn bonus miles on United flights if you have United Elite Status.
No charges have to be paid by you for checked bags. Checked bags are free for travellers with United Elite Status.
People with United Elite Status get free access to Economy Plus seating for themselves as well as their travel companions.
People with the United Elite Status get to change or cancel a flight without a fee on the day of departure.
Travellers with United Elite Status get a free snack and drink in the economy.
People with United Elite Status also get free upgrades on United when space is available for MileagePlus Premier Members

The unaccompanied minor policy on United Airlines is standard. So, for both price and perks offered for the unaccompanied minor service, you’ll want to evaluate and contrast this package with others.

What is the United Airlines Policy on Unaccompanied Minors?

united airlines unaccompanied minors

✅ To use United Airline minor policy, children between the ages of five and fourteen must be travelling without an adult (someone over the age of 18).

✅ The United unaccompanied minor service ensures that the child is always looked after by professional ground employees and onboard flight attendants.

✅ The service begins at check-in and continues until an adult, such as a legal guardian or parent, picks up the unaccompanied kid.

United Airlines Age Policy:  Unaccompanied Minor Service age limits

✅ Both domestic and foreign flights are subject to the following restrictions:

✅ Children under the age of 5 arenot permitted to travel unless accompanied by an adult of at least 18 years of age.

✅Unaccompanied Minors are children aged 5 to 14 years (inclusive) who are allowed to travel alone under certain circumstances. The special service for unaccompanied minors is necessary.

✅ For children aged 15 to 17, the Unaccompanied Minor Service is also offered (inclusive).

✅ When two or more children travel together, the more stringent age restriction will apply, for example, Even if a 10-year-old and a 16-year-old travel together, the younger traveller is still deemed an Unaccompanied Minor.

What are the flight limitations for the United Minor Policy

✅ Only United and United Express nonstop flights are eligible for the Unaccompanied Minor Service.

✅ For connecting flights, code share flights, and other flights operated by partner airlines, United does not provide Unaccompanied Minor Service as per the United Minor Policy.

United Airlines Unaccompanied Minor Fee

United airlines unaccompanied minor fee is based on a child pair rather than a single child. For both domestic and international flights, United charges the following costs for unaccompanied minors:

Roundtrip feeOne-way feeNumber of kids traveling
$900$4505-6
$600$3003-4
$300$1501-2

✅ Traveling with 1 to 2 children costs $150 each trip.

✅ Traveling with 3 to 4 children costs $300 each way.

✅ Traveling with 5 to 6 children costs $450 each trip.

✅ It would be double if the unaccompanied minor(s) had roundtrip tickets. As a result, two children going on a roundtrip schedule will pay $300 rather than $150 on a one-way itinerary.

United Airlines Age Policy For Unaccompanied Minors

✅ Unaccompanied minors, as defined by United, must be between the ages of five and fourteen.

✅ Unaccompanied minors are children under the age of five who travel without an adult who is at least 18 years old.

✅ A 14-year-old travelling alone without an adult over the age of 18 is in the age limitations.

✅ Travelers between the ages of 15 and 17 are allowed to travel alone, although they cannot be the guardian of a traveller under the age of 14.

✅ Anyone over the age of 18 can fly with a child aged five to fourteen, since they will not require United’s unaccompanied minor service.

✅ Unaccompanied minors must travel with a parent, legal guardian, or someone who is at least 18 years old if they are four years old or less.

✅ Passengers from 15 to 17 years old are also unable to travel as unaccompanied minors and must fly alone.

✅ Unaccompanied minors will not be escorted by United on any flights connecting with other airlines.

✅ Only United or United Express flights are available for unaccompanied kids. In addition, unaccompanied minors are not permitted to fly on United’s partner airlines’ codeshare flights or other aircraft.

✅ Unaccompanied minors are not permitted on United’s direct flights (a flight that makes a stop but does not change aircraft).

Seating Arrangements for united airlines age policy

✅ United wants complete control over the seat selection of unaccompanied youngsters, so they cannot make a prior seat selection as given in the United Airlines age policy.

✅ Only 48 hours before departure will you know where the unaccompanied youngster will be seated.

Separate Reservations Of Children And Adults Travelling Together

The youngster and the adult may be on the same aircraft, but they have separate reservations. If this is the case, United unaccompanied minor service will not be required for the youngster under the age of 14. To link the individual reservations, the adult only needs to call on United Airlines unaccompanied minor phone numbers

How To Book A United Unaccompanied Minor Tickets

united airlines unaccompanied minor policy

✅ When you enter your flight information and the number of passengers, you’ll see a variety of options for passenger age. Select the number of passengers in the appropriate age group and then press the search button.

✅ When you click “search,” you’ll be taken to the following page, which will show you United’s information on unaccompanied minors. It will next request that you verify the passengers’ ages. If the passengers are between the ages of five and fourteen, a united unaccompanied minor fee will be charged based on the number of passengers who are unaccompanied children.

✅ The United unaccompanied minor fee will be added to the total once you’ve chosen your flights.

✅ You’ll need to add two people to pick up the unaccompanied minor at both the departure and arrival airports when filling out the passenger and payment details.

✅ If the adult who will be dropping off or picking up the unaccompanied minor changes, you must call United Customer Service to update the appropriate details for the unaccompanied minor.

United Minor Policy – Leaving An Unaccompanied Minor Unescorted At The Airport

As per the united minor policy, Adding 30 minutes to United advised check-in and airport processing hours is recommended. That means that if you regularly arrive at the airport two hours before your flight, you need to allow an additional 30 minutes for an unaccompanied minor. When dropping off an unaccompanied minor, the adult must account for the following:

✅ Automobile parking.

✅ Using counters to check in.

✅ Document submission and verification.

✅ Obtaining wristbands for escorts.

✅ Passing through airport security.

✅ Getting to the airport in time for pre-boarding.

The adult accompanying the unaccompanied minor must present the following documents at the time of check-in:

✅ Photo identification is required (License, passport, etc.)

✅ Contact information (phone number and address)

✅ The adult who will meet the unaccompanied child at the location, including their name, address, and phone number.

United Airlines Minor Policy International Flights

An adult cannot accompany an unaccompanied minor to the gate on international flights departing from the United States. In this instance, you and the unaccompanied minor will be greeted by a uniformed united representative at the check-in counter. The representative will then accompany the unaccompanied minor all the way to the gate, passing through security and customs.

When travelling for some international destinations, you may be required to present supplementary papers for the child. For instance, you may be asked to provide a notarized letter including certain information such as:

✅ Names of the parents

✅ Name of the child and anyone accompanying him or her on the trip

✅ The absent parent’s notarized signature

✅ Dates of travel Destinations Airline

✅ Describe the purpose of your trip in a few words.

You may also be required to provide a copy of their birth certificate as well as a copy of their parent’s or legal guardian’s identification. As a result, it’s a good idea to receive the most up-to-date information on these unique requirements by contacting the nearest embassy or consulate.

Boarding of an Unaccompanied Minor

In most circumstances, the unaccompanied minor will be accompanied by an adult all the way to the gate. Adults must remain at the gate or at the airport until the aeroplane takes off.

✅ During the pre-boarding process, flight attendants will personally meet the unaccompanied kid.

✅ The flight attendants will also aim to make the flight as exciting as possible while simultaneously making it as frightening as feasible.

They will show the unaccompanied minor to their seat and assist with carry-on luggage, brief the unaccompanied minor on the aircraft’s safety features, point out the restrooms, and possibly invite the unaccompanied minor to the flight deck to meet the captain.

United Airlines Minor Policy During the Flight in the Air

✅ The fantastic part about united airlines minor policy is that the unaccompanied youngster is entitled to one free meal from the in-flight menu throughout the flight. 

✅ This implies that the unaccompanied minor will have one complimentary premium food option from the menu to choose from throughout the flight.

✅ During the flight, a flight attendant will keep an eye on the child, but they will not be constantly monitored. 

✅ As a result, you should make sure that your child is comfortable being left alone for a short period of time before allowing them to fly alone.

Pick-up of Unaccompanied Minor

The person picking up the kid must check in at the United ticket counter to receive an escort pass that will allow them to pass through security. This person must be at least 18 years old and have a government-issued photo ID.

Parents or guardians picking up an unaccompanied youngster should arrive at the gate 30 minutes before the scheduled arrival time, according to United.

United Airlines Manage Booking for Accompanied Minor

There may be some cases where you will be required to make changes or even cancel your United Airlines accompanied minor booking. Some points needs to be consider to manage your booking:

✅ There will be no refund of united unaccompanied minor fee.

✅ Some amount of united airlines cancellation fee will be applicable on all unaccompanied minor tickets.

✅ You can always make united airlines flight change using the United Airlines unaccompanied minor phone number.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the United Airlines age policy for minimum age of an unaccompanied minor in the United States?

If they are not accompanied by someone over the age of 18, United requires youngsters ages 5 to 14 to travel as unaccompanied minors.

What is united unaccompanied minor fee

What is United Airlines unaccompanied minor phone number?

Is it possible for an unaccompanied minor to choose his or her own seat?

What information is required to book a ticket for an unaccompanied minor?

Is it necessary for me to arrive at the airport early?

Is it possible for me to accompany the unaccompanied minor on an overseas flight?

Is it possible for an unaccompanied minor to travel internationally?

Do unaccompanied minors get priority boarding?

United Airlines seat upgrade is not a very cumbersome task. The entire process has been kept very easy to ensure absolute convenience for the MileagePlus account. The upgrade not only means that you won’t have to struggle for overhead space, but it also means that you get to board the plane beforehand and have a spacious seat. You also get to receive better dining options and free drinks in most cases. The flight attendants are also most likely to cater to your needs.

Under the United airlines upgrade policy, there are various ways through which the travellers can become available for an upgrade. The airline also has certain rules under the United Airlines upgrade seat policy to prioritise who receives the upgrade first.

This article covers everything about the United upgrade priority, United Airlines upgrade seat, United upgrade priority order, United Airlines upgrade chart and other such topics.

Types of upgrades in United Airlines

There are different types of upgrade options available in United Airlines. There are various ways through which you can receive an upgrade through United Airlines. They are as follows:

Complimentary upgrades

PlusPoints upgrades

Upgrade a new booking with miles

Upgrade an existing booking with miles

Upgrade with United’s partner airlines

How to check if United Airlines has upgrades available?

A lot of people don’t know how to check if the airline has upgrades available. If you are also someone who wants to know about the procedure to check if United Airlines has an upgrade available, then we are here to help.

Before knowing how to get a United Airlines upgrade seat if you have made reservations under United Airlines booking, you first need to check whether upgrades are available on your flight or not. The most convenient way to do this is by turning on the United’s Expert Mode, which enables experienced travellers to check fare class availability.

Here are the steps that you need to follow to turn on United’s Expert Mode:

You first have to log in to your United MileagePlus account on United’s official website on the browser of your choice.

The next step is to click “View account” which is located near your name.

Next step is to open “Profile & preferences” which is located under “My Account” and select “Preferences and settings”.

After this, you have to open “Special preferences and accommodations” from the list of toggles.

Now, all you have to do is scroll to the bottom and check “Enable expert mode” which is located just above the “Save” button.

The last step is to click “Save”.

Once the expert mode has been enabled, all you need to do is enter your reservation details. You will then notice that you are now required to click on “Details” which is located on the booking page. After this, you will be able to see the available United fare classes.

After this, you will see numbers next to the various United fare classes. These numbers indicate the number of upgrades that are available. To make this more clear, let us understand this by an example. For instance, R10 means that there are 10 upgrades available from economy to business or United first class on domestic flights.

United Airlines Upgrade Chart

Speaking in simple terms, United Airlines Upgrade Chart has been divided into four separate groups or what we call fare classes:

PN – Upgrades from full fare Y, B or M fare class tickets to first or business class, plus all Global Services upgrades.

ON – Upgrades from business class to first class.

RN – Upgrades from Y or B fare class tickets to business class by Platinum, Gold or Silver Premier members.

R/PZ – Upgrades from economy to business class or first class on domestic flights.

Here we would like to give you a word of caution that although upgrades might be available, you might still not get one because there is a priority order to how upgrades are allocated.

Also, it is in United Airlines’ best interest to sell tickets whenever they can. So whenever it is possible for you to be upgraded, a purchased ticket will take precedence if you for some reason were not able to confirm for an upgrade by the time your flight departs.

How can you become a MileagePlus Premier member?

If you are interested to become a MileagePlus Premier member and become eligible for complimentary upgrades, then you have to reach out to the required number of combined Premier qualifying points (PQPs) and Premier qualifying flights (PQFs), or a higher necessity of just Premier qualifying points (PQPs).

United’s Premier status program has four different levels:

First is Premier Silver level under which PQP and PQF requirement is 8 PQFs and 3,000 PQPs and Higher PQP requirement is 3,500 PQPs.

Second one is Premier Gold level under which PQP and PQF requirement is 16 PQFs and 6,000 PQPs and Higher PQP requirement is 7,000 PQPs.

Third level is Premier Platinum level under which PQP and PQF requirement is 24 PQFs and 9,000 PQPs and Higher PQP requirement is 10,000 PQPs.

Fourth level is Premier 1K level under which PQP and PQF requirement is 36 PQFs and 13,500 PQPs and Higher PQP requirement is 15,000 PQPs.

Listed below are some more things which you need to know about United Airlines Premier status requirements:

Unlike the loyalty programs of other airlines, the United Premier status program does not have any distance requirements.

PQPs which have been earned with a United MileagePlus credit card which includes the United℠ Explorer Card will be counted towards Premier 1K status.

Who gets priority in getting upgraded first on United Airlines?

Although anyone who has a United Premier status is eligible for receiving an upgrade, someone who has a higher status stands a better chance at getting a complimentary upgrade or any kind of upgrade. The upgrade happens differently for Premier Silver members, Premier Gold members, Premier Platinum members and Premier 1K members.

Also, you need to know that United Airlines cannot just upgrade people on the basis of their status. Travellers who have a higher status can also be skipped from being upgraded because upgradation depends on who made a request first.

How to upgrade an existing booking with United Airlines?

If you are someone who has already purchased an airline ticket, then you have three alternatives available to upgrade your existing booking:

The first option is that you can upgrade online through United Airlines’ official website.

You can also upgrade by calling the United Airlines’ number.

The last option is to upgrade at the gate.

If you are planning to upgrade online, then all you have to do is sign in to your MileagePlus account with your credentials and go to your existing reservation. As you sign in, you will see an option which says redeem an upgrade. You will have various options displayed in front of you.

Although, you also have the option to upgrade at the gate as you have ‘United airlines booking, but we don’t recommend doing that because as the date of flight arrives, other customers would have most likely upgraded their seats already which
might leave less or no availability for you.

Just like the upgradation policy, the United Airlines manage booking, United Airlines flight cancellation, United Airlines change flight are also very simple processes which cause no inconvenience to the travellers.

All the modifications and changes can be made very easily through the official website, but if you encounter any problem or have doubts regarding something then you can always reach out to the customer support team of the airlines. The customer support team will patiently listen to your problems and will help you in resolving them and will also guide you through the entire process if you are not able to do something on your own.

We have come to the end of this article now. We hope that we were successful in explaining the upgradation process to you and also expect that this article must have resolved a lot of your queries which you had in mind for a very long time. If, still, there is something that leaves you in doubt, you know that you can either visit the website or contact the customer support team. Also united airlines provide low fare calender to book flight at low cost.

Just like all the other airlines, Finnair is also trying its best to provide the finest customer support to its customers. The Finnair customer service is undoubtedly remarkable and is well appreciated by its customers. The round the clock availability, fast response and all round assistance are some of the features of the Finnair customer service which make it one of the best. 

DepartmentContact Info
Finnair customer service number
Official websitehttps://www.finnair.com/
FAQs Related To Pessenger Querieshttps://www.finnair.com/us-en/frequently-asked-questions
Finnair New York Number
Los Angeles
Finnair Plus program enquiries358 300871161 (€1.70/answered call + local network charge)
Finnair Lost And Damagehttps://www.finnair.com/us-en/baggage-on-finnair-flights/lost–delayed-or-damaged-baggage
Finnair Canada Number1 647 946 9431
UK customer service
Norway Number47 2396 3051
Mexico Finnair sales representative52 55 5629 0345

How do I talk to a Finnair representative?

Finnair customer service is the customer support facility by Finnair the objective of which is to provide assistance to its customers regarding any issue that they face like problem while making Finnair reservations, inquiring about Finnair flight cancellations, clearing any doubts regarding any of the policies etc. Customers can give a call on Finnair phone number and talk to the customer support executive to ask for help. There are various ways to reach out to the Finnair customer service. We have discussed all of those methods in the sections below. 

How to get in touch with Finnair Customer Service? 

When you are caught up anywhere because of any problem or any doubt then you can reach out to the Finnair customer service by visiting the official website and then going to the customer support page. There are various options through which you can connect to the Finnair customer service. You can get in touch with Finnair customer service by: 

  • getting in touch with a live person by calling the Finnair contact number. 
  • chatting with a Finnair customer service representative
  • sending an email to Finnair customer service
  • visiting the airport
  • Let us know about all these methods of reaching out to the Finnair customer service in detail.

Availing the Finnair customer service by calling

You can avail the Finnair customer service by calling the Finnair contact number and getting in touch with a live person. Here is the entire process that you need to follow to for getting in touch with a live person: 

  • The first step is to call on the Finnair customer service phone number or +1 802 200 9500(OTA). 
  • As you dial the number, you will be asked to press 1 or 2 to choose the preferred language for IVR.
  • Then you need to carefully follow the IVR instructions mentioned below to talk to the live person. 
  • You will be asked to press 1 to inquire about booking, prices or other such information. 
  • You will have to press 2, for Finnair Plus. 
  • If you are a travel agent, or you belong to a travel agency, then you will have to press 3.
  • You can proceed after selecting the number as per your requirement. 
  • Next, on the ohone menu, you will need to say talk to a live person at Finnair, and then wait for the call to be directed. 
  • Your call will be connected to a live agent, and you can speak to him. You can talk about all your doubts and the problems that you are facing. 

Avail Finnair customer service via email

Finnair customer service is available on email as well. You can reach out to the Finnair customer support team through their email address. If you want to share any concerns, give feedback, complain about anything, or you want to compliment the airline, you can do this through the email. 

To reach out to the Finnair customer service via email, you need to follow the following steps: 

  • Visit the official website of the email on the web browser of your choice. 
  • Next, you have to scroll down to the page and locate the contact form link, which you will find under the customer support at the bottom.
  • You then have to click on the contact form link and then choose the department you need to connect to. 
  • For any department you choose, you will get further options topic wise. 
  • Next, you can select the subtopic and follow the on-screen instructions to receive the contact form.
  • You then have to fill out the form, and after you are done doing it, you have to click on send button to submit it.
  • The form wilm reach to the Finnair team for review. The team will review your form and get in touch with you with a prompt response.
  • You can send email to the Finnair team anytime. On an average, the response time is 24-48 hours. So after submitting the form, you patiently have to wait for a day or two and the Finnair customer service team will reach out to you. 

Finnair customer service via chat

For instant assistance, customers also have the facility to contact the Finnair customer service via live chat. Getting in touch via live chat is the quickest way to get help from the Finnair customer service team. Here is how you can connect to the Finnair customer service team via live chat: 

  • Open the official website of the airline on any browser.
  • You then have to locate the customer support link, which you will find at the bottom of the page.
  • Scroll down, and you will find the chat link at the bottom right.
  • You then have to click on the link.
  • As you click on that link, you will see that a new page will open up. 
  • On that page, you will need to provide your first name, your family name, email address and the thing you need help with. You will also need to give your booking reference number. 
  • The next step is to click on the start chat link. 
  • As you click on that link, a chat box will open in front of you. 
  • The chat box will list out some queries for you. You can choose from among them. 
  • You then just have to follow the on-screen instructions to start chatting with the Finnair customer service representative. 

Finnair customer service by visiting the airport

If you want, you have the option to visit the airport as well to avail Finnair customer support service. For this, you are required to follow the below-mentioned steps: 

  • You have to go to the airport and ask the security personnel to direct you to the customer support desk of the airline. 
  • You will be directed to the customer support desk. 
  • As you reach the customer support desk, you will be greeted by the customer support team person. 
  • You can talk to him and let him know about the problem you are facing. If you have doubts regarding anything, then you can talk about that as well and get everything cleared. 

Is Finnair Customer Service Available 24/7?

As we mentioned before as well, the Finnair customer service is available round the clock.  You are free to contact them anytime which suits you. However, if you are desirous of connecting to its customer service, then it is open from 8 am -10 pm, Monday – Friday, and from 8 am – 8 pm, Saturday to Sunday. Here we would also like to mention that the timings differ from department to department. To have the exact details, you can see the Finnair customer service hours details from the customer support page of the official website of the airline. 

Reasons to connect with the customer support team of Finnair ;

You can connect with the Finnair customer service team for absolutely any type of assistance which you might require. The customer support team is available to help you with any problem that you face so that you have a seamless and comfortable experience with Finnair. If you want more clarity about the issues on which you can contact the ‘Finnair customer service, then go through the points below: 

Get live help: You can contact Finnair customer service to get live assistance on any problem which you might come across. You get an instant response and can ask your questions. The live agents will listen to your problem and will help you in solving your queries instantly. So, this is one of the reasons why you should contact the customer service of the airline. Instead of pestering yourself by looking for the answers here and there, just get in touch with the live person who will help you in solving your issues in no time! 

Instant assistance: Whenever you get stuck at any point, instead of wondering what you should do or looking for help here and there, you can just contact the customer support of the airline. The customer support team will give you instant assistance and your problems will be resolved instantly. Similarly, if you have any doubt or confusion regarding anything, then also you can contact the customer support of the airline for instant help. 

To know about best deals and offers: Another reason why reaching out to the customer support team should be the first thing on your mind is that you can talk to the live person and know about the best deals and offers which are available at the moment so that you can see if you are eligible for any offer or not. The customer support member can also explain to you the process of availing the benefits of these deals and offers if you are eligible for them. These offers and deals help in saving a significant amount of money on flight reservations. So, if you want to know genuine details of the ongoing offers, and have consultation about which offer will be suitable according to your preferences, then you can contact the customer support. 

Contact to make flight reservations: Finnair has several methods available for flight bookings. All the methods are very simple and involve no complex processes. But still, there are times when people are not able to make reservations on their own or encounter problems while making reservations. In such situations, they can contact the ‘Finnair customer service for assistance. The customer support team will be happy to make reservations on your behalf. You will be required to give the necessary details and make the payment. The team will do the reservation, and you will be receiving a confirmation email with your flight tickets and travel itinerary. 

Contact for any general queries: You can also contact the customer support service of the airline to make general inquiries. It’s not necessary that you can call the customer support service of the airline only when you have some specific reason. You can also call them for any general queries or to have any general information about the airline. The customer service is available for the assistance of the customers, and they are free to contact them for any issue that they face, no matter how minor it is. 

We hope that by now you must have been very clear about contacting the Finnair customer service. You can choose whichever option you like, depending on your requirements. If you have urgency, then you can opt for live chat because in that you will get instance assistance. Likewise, you can see what circumstances you are in and choose whichever option suits you. 

If you still have any doubts, you can visit the website and go through the customer support section. You can also contact the customer support team itself, to talk about how you can avail assistance from them and what are the things they can help you with.

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