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What happens to United miles when someone dies?

In the event of the death or divorce of a Member, United may, in its sole discretion, credit all or a portion of such Member's accrued mileage to authorized persons upon receipt of documentation satisfactory to United and payment of applicable fees.



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Some airlines may allow miles to be transferred to a beneficiary, others might close the account upon death, and still, others might allow miles to be used for a period following the account holder's death.

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Rewards points aren't considered property, so you're not legally entitled to have them transferred to anyone upon your death. That doesn't mean it's impossible to do so, but it's at the discretion of the company offering the travel rewards program, whether that's a credit card issuer, an airline, or a hotel.

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To request a free change or refund with the airline, you must provide official documentation. For death in the family: Airlines will accept an official death certificate for immediate family members. If the deceased relative does not share the same last name, proof of relationship will also be required.

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Focus on earning points that either partner can use Airline and hotel rewards credit cards can offer lucrative bonuses and cardholder perks. However, hotel points and airline miles generally can't be transferred to another member — at least without prohibitively expensive fees.

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While most airline and hotel points expire, there are a few exceptions. For example, points and miles within Best Western Rewards, Delta SkyMiles, Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles, JetBlue TrueBlue, Southwest Rapid Rewards, United MileagePlus and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club don't expire.

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How much are 10,000 United miles worth? 10,000 United miles are worth about $120.

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A parent or legal guardian can enroll a child under 18 by providing the child's information. If you're already a member, sign in or get sign-in help. Read our privacy policy.

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Even worse, points can expire completely. Often, hotel loyalty program points expire if your account is inactive for a period of time — typically one to two years.

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Even worse, points can expire completely. Often, hotel loyalty program points expire if your account is inactive for a period of time — typically one to two years.

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The biggest ancillary gains from airlines come from their loyalty programs. Frequent flyer programs, whether counted as points or miles, generate multiple income streams. Airlines earn revenue when credit card companies buy points or miles to issue branded cardholders.

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