United Airlines has launched its first Buy Miles Sale of 2025, allowing MileagePlus to buy miles at up to 100% bonus through January 31.
United Airlines has monthly promotions for buying miles, but they all max out at a 100% bonus or a 50% discount. United has increased the number of miles members can buy in a calendar year from 175,000 to 200,000, and you can sometimes buy even more, like now (up to 250,000).
You can access and see your bonus on United’s website here.
Price at 100% Bonus:
The cost of a mile under this offer is 1.88 cents each.
Buying Miles for the First Time?
Buying Airline Miles For The First Time
Does it make sense to purchase the United miles?
The answer is likely yes if you use them for international business or first-class tickets between expensive city pairs.
United’s award pricing has changed quite a few times recently. You should check how many miles your awards require and compare the price of buying the miles to the price of a cash ticket.
United Airlines Increases Some Intra-Asia Award Prices Again!
United Airlines Partially Walks Back Recent Award Massacre
United Mileage Plus Award Massacre Continues: Many Partner Redemptions Increase By Over 100%
United Airlines Mileage Plus: Sharp Increase Of Partner First Class Awards Without Notice
United Airlines Mileage Plus Award Massacre Returns Two Months After Being Walked Back
Conclusion
It can make sense to buy miles if you redeem them for international premium cabin awards or competitively priced short-haul ones. United has made it easy to change or cancel awards, usually without fees.
You can buy United miles throughout the year at either a 100% bonus or a 50% discount. If your bonus or discount is less, I would probably wait for a better sale to surface.
Terms and conditions of this sale:
Promotional offer valid between 8:00 a.m. CT on January 7, 2025, and 11:59 p.m. CT on January 31, 2025.
Promotional offer not applicable to past transactions.
Bonus miles count toward the 250,000-mile annual limit per account.
You may purchase up to 250,000 miles per account per calendar year.
Miles will generally be credited to the recipient’s MileagePlus account when the transaction is complete; provided that certain transactions may take up to 72 hours.
Bonuses will be calculated on a per transaction basis only.
The bonus amount applicable to a transaction is shown in the chart.
Transactions may not be aggregated to calculate the bonus.
The credit card used in the transaction will be billed immediately upon purchase.
Mileage rates and other fees and offer terms are subject to change.
Miles purchased are nonrefundable.
Purchased miles do not count toward MileagePlus Premier® status.
See here for all Terms and Conditions applicable to this transaction, which include United’s Privacy Policy and the MileagePlus Program Rules.
GST/HST is charged to Canadian residents. QST is charged to Quebec residents.
If you use Powered by Points to purchase United MileagePlus miles, the transaction will appear as ‘Points United Miles’.
Buying miles counts as a United® purchase when made with your United MileagePlus card. You’ll get the miles you buy, plus miles for every $1 spent.
Pricing is only available for purchases made through buymiles.mileageplus.com.
