5 'Big' Changes to United Airlines Rewards Program Have Begun
The airline industry is ever evolving, and on Thursday, April 2, United Airlines implemented several major changes to its policies for MileagePlus Rewards Program members.
The new regulations were officially announced back in February and heavily incentivize customers to use United's branded credit card.
What changes did United issue?
Overall, United has instituted five major modifications of its MileagePlus program:
MileagePlus members who do not have a United credit card will now earn less miles per dollar when booking (three miles per dollar instead of five for general MileagePlus, five miles per dollar instead of seven for Premier Silver members etc.), regardless of whether or not they have achieved elite status. However, if you do have a United card, your earning potential is actually increased ; for example, general MileagePlus members with a card can get six miles per dollar spent, with the figures increasing for each status tier.
According to The Points Guy's Sean Cudahy , United has also upped the number of miles rewards program members earn if they pay for their flights with a United card.
-
United℠ Explorer Card: 3 miles per dollar spent on eligible United purchases (up from 2 miles per dollar)
-
United Quest℠ Card: 4 miles per dollar spent on eligible United purchases (up from 3 miles per dollar)
-
United Club℠ Card: 5 miles per dollar spent on eligible United purchases (up from 4 miles per dollar)
United has also slashed the number of miles basic economy flyers can earn, especially if they don't have elite status or a United card, and is now offering notable, automatic award discounts to cardholders redeeming their miles.
Summing it all up
Here's a brief rundown of the five changes:
-
More miles earned per dollar if you have MileagePlus and a United credit card
-
Less miles earned if you don't have a card
-
You can earn more miles if you use a United card to pay for your flight
-
Cardholders redeeming their miles have deeper reward discounts
-
Basic economy travelers earn less miles, regardless of MileagePlus status, if they don't also have a United credit card
"These changes represent one of the most aggressive moves any U.S. airline has made to lean into its credit card portfolio by rewarding customers who carry a card and effectively penalizing those who don't," said Sean Cudahy of The Points Guy.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Apr 2, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
