Is it worth it to transfer United miles?

United MileagePlus members can transfer their United miles to another family member, though it's normally not worth it because of the fees involved. This month, members will get a 20% discount and won't have to pay the $30 processing fee.



In 2026, it is almost never worth it to transfer United MileagePlus miles from one person's account to another. United charges a steep fee for this service—typically $15 per 1,000 miles plus a $30 processing fee. For example, transferring 30,000 miles could cost you nearly $480. Since the value of a United mile is generally estimated at 1.1 to 1.3 cents, you are essentially paying more in fees than the miles are worth. A much smarter, "worth it" alternative in 2026 is to simply book the flight for the other person using your miles. You can book a ticket for anyone using your MileagePlus account at no extra cost; you just enter their name and details at checkout. If you are looking to combine miles with family, United's "MileagePlus Miles Pooling" feature (re-introduced and expanded in 2024–2025) is the best way to go. It allows up to five members to pool their miles for free into a shared "pot" for award redemptions, making the paid "transfer" option completely obsolete for most savvy travelers.

People Also Ask

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

Timing plays an important part. Specifically, plane tickets usually don't get cheaper closer to the departure date. Instead, flights tend to be the most inexpensive when you book between four months and three weeks before your departure date.

MORE DETAILS

How much are United miles worth? United miles are worth 1.19 cents each, on average. That means 10,000 United miles have a value of roughly $119. United miles are less valuable than the average airline miles, which are worth 1.32 cents each, as a result.

MORE DETAILS

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.

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

  • Airport experience. Checked bag fees. You can now use miles to prepay for your bags before check-in on United and United Express flights within the U.S. Airport dining. ...
  • Subscriptions. Magazines. Subscribe to some of your favorite magazines. Newspapers. ...
  • Dining and more. FTD. Send flowers, gourmet gift baskets and more.


MORE DETAILS

You can earn and use MileagePlus miles on more than 35 airlines worldwide.

MORE DETAILS

At a million miles, you'll get Premier Gold for life. At two million miles, you'll receive Premier Platinum status for life. At three million miles, you'll get Premier 1K for life. At four million miles, you'll receive lifetime Global Services elite status.

MORE DETAILS

Miles earned in the United MileagePlus program are worth approximately 1.2 cents each, although the value you actually get will depend on how you redeem them.

MORE DETAILS

So, if you booked your tickets using your miles balance, you can easily cancel a flight, but the refund of miles will depend on the time left for the flight's departure. If your flight's scheduled departure is within 72 hours or less, you won't get any refund.

MORE DETAILS

Depending on the fare type (there are over 20 different kinds), you may need to pay a cancellation fee. Award tickets: If you redeemed MileagePlus miles for your flight and want to cancel, you'll be given the option to redeposit the miles or use the miles for another trip in the future.

MORE DETAILS

You must fly 54 PQF and earn 18,000 PQP or earn 24,000 PQP, exclusive of Flex PQP in order to qualify for Premier 1K status. The United Presidential Plus Card is no longer available to new applicants.

MORE DETAILS