United Airlines has launched a new round of Mile Play promotions, which award bonus miles to targeted members after they complete specific tasks. Now’s a good time to check if you are eligible and register — even if you’re unsure about your upcoming travel plans.
Most TPG staff members have received targeted offers, all of which apply to trips booked and flown from the registration date through Sept. 20. Unless otherwise noted in your offer’s terms, only paid flights marketed and operated by United and United Express will count toward Mile Play offers.
To see if you’re eligible and to register, click here. Enter your MileagePlus number, check the box stating you aren’t a robot and click “Start Mile Play.”
Examples of offers
As is normal with these promotions, the offers vary widely from one member to another. United may not have targeted some members for this promotion. We checked around the TPG team and found varying offers.
I’m a Premier 1K elite member and received an offer for 5,000 bonus miles if I book and take three trips. The minimum fare for each trip to be eligible is $250. Based on TPG’s current valuations, 5,000 MileagePlus miles are worth $55.
TPG’s Summer Hull got a similar Mile Play offer as a Premier 1K elite member with the United Club Infinite Card and the United Business Card: 5,000 bonus miles after booking and taking three trips. For her offer, the minimum fare for each trip to be eligible is $200.
TPG’s Zach Griff is also a Premier 1K and has the United Club Infinite Card. He received a 5,000 bonus mile offer if he books and completes four trips, each with a minimum fare of $100.
TPG’s Clint Henderson, who has no status on United and doesn’t hold any United cards, received a 4,500-mile offer after booking and taking two trips with a minimum fare of $100 each.
TPG’s Nick Ewen — who has the United Explorer Card — got a slightly higher offer than Clint. If he books and takes two qualifying trips with a fare of at least $200, he’ll earn 5,200 bonus miles. Based on TPG’s valuations, 5,200 United miles are worth about $55.
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In addition to the offers above, other TPG staffers and their loved ones received the following offers:
- 2,500 bonus miles after you book and take two trips, each with a fare of $225 or more.
- 8,700 bonus miles after you book and take three trips, each with a fare of $275 or more.
- 3,100 bonus miles after you book and take two trips, each with a fare of $100 or more.
- 23,000 bonus miles after you book and take a trip three times, each with a fare of $200 or more.
Related: Flights, credit cards and more: How to earn miles with the United MileagePlus program
Best cards to use for United flights
Whether or not you’re targeted for this promotion, you can earn lots of bonus United miles by opening a new United credit card. Here’s a look at the sign-up bonuses on select United cards:
- United Explorer Card: Earn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open.
- United Quest Card: Earn 70,000 bonus miles + 500 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open.
- United Club Infinite Card: 80,000 bonus miles and 1,000 Premier qualifying points (PQP) after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
- United Gateway Card: Earn 30,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open.
- United Business Card: Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open.
Although United credit cards can help you earn United miles, you may earn more rewards when you book with one of the best cards for airfare purchases. For example, The Platinum Card® from American Express earns 5 points per dollar spent on airfare booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 of these purchases per calendar year).
Bottom line
Even if you don’t have any upcoming travel plans with United, it’s worth registering and considering whether it’s time to plan a trip. If you have any flights booked that are fully refundable — with United or other airlines — you should consider whether your Mile Play offer is compelling enough for you to cancel and rebook with United.
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Additional reporting by Benji Stawski and Katie Genter.