United MileagePlus Miles Earned Calculator
Estimate the number of award miles you'll earn on your next United Airlines flight based on your ticket's base fare and your MileagePlus status.
Understanding United MileagePlus Miles Earning
United Airlines' MileagePlus program is one of the most popular frequent flyer programs globally. For most flights, the number of award miles you earn is primarily based on the ticket's base fare and your MileagePlus elite status, rather than the distance flown. This revenue-based earning structure means that the more you pay for your ticket, the more miles you'll accumulate.
How Miles Are Calculated
When you fly with United, your award miles are calculated by multiplying the eligible ticket base fare (which includes carrier-imposed surcharges but excludes government-imposed taxes and fees) by a multiplier determined by your MileagePlus status level. Here's a breakdown of the earning rates:
- General Member: Earns 5 award miles per U.S. dollar spent on the base fare.
- Premier Silver: Earns 7 award miles per U.S. dollar spent on the base fare.
- Premier Gold: Earns 8 award miles per U.S. dollar spent on the base fare.
- Premier Platinum: Earns 9 award miles per U.S. dollar spent on the base fare.
- Premier 1K: Earns 11 award miles per U.S. dollar spent on the base fare.
What is "Ticket Base Fare"?
It's crucial to understand that "Ticket Base Fare" refers to the portion of your ticket price that United considers eligible for mileage earning. This typically includes the base fare and any carrier-imposed surcharges. It explicitly excludes government-imposed taxes, fees, and other charges. When you look at your ticket receipt, you'll often see a breakdown of these components. Only the sum of the base fare and carrier surcharges should be used in this calculator.
Why Use This Calculator?
This United MileagePlus Miles Earned Calculator helps you quickly estimate how many valuable award miles you'll add to your account for a specific flight. Knowing your potential earnings can assist in planning future redemptions, understanding the value of your elite status, and making informed decisions about your travel bookings.
Example Calculation:
Let's say you purchase a United Airlines ticket with a Ticket Base Fare of $750 USD. You hold Premier Gold status.
- Your status multiplier is 8 miles per dollar.
- Calculation: $750 (Base Fare) × 8 (Miles per Dollar) = 6,000 Award Miles.
If you were a General Member with the same ticket, you would earn $750 × 5 = 3,750 Award Miles. This clearly illustrates the benefit of elite status.