United Airlines is currently offering a targeted mileage sale to select MileagePlus members, with discounts of up to 50% on miles purchases. The sale runs until February 24, 2024, and offers different discounts depending on the number of miles purchased. The prices are fixed within each promotional band, with the cost per mile being approximately 1.88 cents.
While this sale may be a good opportunity for some to top up their mileage accounts, it’s important to consider whether buying miles is the right decision for your individual travel needs. If you don’t have an immediate use for the miles or if you can’t find award availability that suits your schedule, it may not be worth purchasing miles at this time.
However, for those who have specific travel plans in mind, buying miles could potentially save them a considerable amount of money. United Airlines no longer publishes award charts, but on a good day, it’s possible to find international round-trip Business Class saver awards for around 120,000 to 130,000 miles. At the cheapest rate offered in this promotion (1.88 cents per mile), this would translate to a cost of $2,256 to $2,444 for the award ticket, excluding taxes. While this may not be a fantastic deal, it can still provide value compared to the cash price of a Business Class fare.
It’s important to note that award availability is limited and you may not be able to find flights that suit your preferred travel dates. Additionally, booking an award ticket means forgoing the redeemable miles and elite qualifying credits that you would earn with a cash ticket. These factors should be considered when evaluating the value proposition of an award booking versus a cash booking.
If you decide to purchase miles in this sale, it’s worth using a United co-branded credit card to earn additional miles. While purchases through Points.com typically do not earn bonus points, United’s terms and conditions state that buying miles with a United MileagePlus card counts as a United purchase and earns miles for every dollar spent. This is great news for cardholders, especially those with the card_name, which earns 4 miles per dollar spent directly with United Airlines.
In conclusion, the United Airlines mileage sale can be a good opportunity for select MileagePlus members to purchase miles at a discounted rate. However, it’s important to carefully consider your travel plans and the value proposition of an award booking versus a cash booking before making a purchase. Using a United co-branded credit card can also help maximize the miles earned from the transaction.