Loading Page...

Do points expire with United?

United Airlines miles never expire, so you can freely earn miles and redeem the miles at anytime. You no longer have to worry about having qualifying activity every 18 months in order to keep your miles from expiring. For more miles and points news, deals and analysis sign-up for our newsletter here.



In 2026, United MileagePlus miles never expire. United Airlines made the passenger-friendly decision to remove expiration dates from their miles in 2019, ensuring that members can save their rewards indefinitely regardless of how often they fly. This policy applies to all MileagePlus members, and there are no "activity requirements" (like earning or spending miles every 18 months) to keep the account active. This makes United's program one of the most reliable for casual travelers who may only fly once every few years. While the miles themselves stay valid, it is important to note that Premier elite status is earned on a yearly basis and does expire at the end of the program year (January 31st) if the required Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) and Flights (PQF) are not met. For "Million Milers," the lifetime status granted remains permanent. This "no-expiration" rule for miles allows for long-term planning, such as "pooling" miles with family members to book a major international award flight without the stress of a looming deadline.

People Also Ask

?Request flight credit Requests may be submitted up to one year after the date of your flight. For United-operated flights, you only need to enter the 13-digit ticket number. If you have more than four flight segments on your itinerary, you need to enter each ticket number.

MORE DETAILS

But if you forgot, it's OK. Most airlines, Keyes said, allow travelers to request miles three to 14 days after booking and within 12 months of travel.

MORE DETAILS

You're automatically eligible for a Complimentary Premier Upgrade as long as you are a Premier member (the higher your status, the earlier you become eligible for Complimentary Premier Upgrades and are flying on an eligible ticket on any eligible United-operated flight.

MORE DETAILS

Here's the catch. Air Miles themselves do not expire. But, if your account “expires” by being “dormant” (or inactive) for 24 consecutive months, then the points on it will disappear. An account is considered inactive if there are no points transactions within that period.

MORE DETAILS

Yes, United miles can be transferred to others, however not only will you pay to do the transfer, but you'll have to pay a processing fee as well. United charges $7.50 per 500 miles transferred plus a $30 processing fee. So, if you wanted to transfer 50,000 miles, you would have to pay $780.

MORE DETAILS

United award flight prices vary substantially based on the cabin class and when you're flying. Example: Economy Saver Award prices for the short hop from San Francisco to Los Angeles run as low as 5,100 miles, while a first-class Everyday Award for the same hop costs around 30,000 miles.

MORE DETAILS

You're automatically eligible for a Complimentary Premier Upgrade as long as you are a Premier member (the higher your status, the earlier you become eligible for Complimentary Premier Upgrades and are flying on an eligible ticket on any eligible United-operated flight.

MORE DETAILS

In other words, for 70,000 miles you could fly round trip between San Francisco and Tahiti in economy on the trip of a lifetime. The 80,000 miles on offer with the United Club Infinite Card will get you there.

MORE DETAILS