I’ve been flying United Airlines for two decades, and during that time, I’ve flown more than 470 United segments, held the top Premier 1K frequent-flyer status for 10 consecutive years and redeemed hundreds of thousands of MileagePlus miles, for everything from short domestic hops to international business-class flights.
One thing I’ve learned is that not all United redemptions are created equal.
MileagePlus no longer publishes an award chart, which means prices fluctuate constantly based on demand. Add to that United’s recent loyalty program changes, with lower award prices and better mileage earning for many credit card holders and elite members, and the value of a redemption can vary dramatically depending on who’s logged into the account.
Today, I have the United Quest℠ Card because I think that of the United Airlines credit cards, it has the best balance between annual fee, benefits and ongoing value. It gives me expanded award availability, discounted pricing on many United-operated flights and solid earning rates without requiring the higher annual fee of the United Club℠ Card.
These are the MileagePlus redemptions I look for first.
