United MileagePlus is a good program for those who want to fly to Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Members can earn and use their miles on flights with United and any of its 35 airline partners including Copa Airlines, Singapore Airlines, and ANA Airlines. Many of these airlines also happen to be part of the Star Alliance network, which has some perks in itself. When you’re a MileagePlus member, you’ll get Premier Qualifying Miles or PQMs, Premier Qualifying Segments or PQS, and Premier Qualifying Dollars or PQDs with each flight. All these will give you extra benefits.
Cruise vacations, train fares, and car rentals can net you some additional points as well. The same thing can be said for shopping and other transactions. The good news is that United partners with a lot of major hotels like Hilton, IHG, and Marriott, allowing you to earn points while booking accommodations from all over the world. These points can be used to redeem flights, hotel accommodations, cruise trips, and more. Make sure to use United’s accredited cards so you can earn more.
The good thing about United is that you get to fly to more than 1,000 destinations, so you won’t be limited if this airline will be your carrier of choice. What’s more is that it works with more than 35 participating airlines, allowing you to still earn points when you fly with any of these. You might have to get used to the program, though, since the rules can be quite complex. Meanwhile, make sure to make use of these points before they reach the 18-month expiry.