United Overhauls MileagePlus Earn Rates Effective April 2026

United Airlines is implementing a significant overhaul of its MileagePlus loyalty program, fundamentally altering how members earn redeemable miles. Effective April 2, 2026, the changes will reduce mileage accrual for general members who do not hold a United co-branded credit card while substantially increasing earn rates for those who do. This strategic shift underscores a growing industry trend of prioritizing revenue from financial partnerships over traditional flight-based loyalty.

The new structure creates a distinct two-tier system within the MileagePlus program. It is designed to drive adoption of the airline's co-branded credit cards, transforming the loyalty program into a more powerful financial engine. For travelers, the value proposition of MileagePlus will now be heavily dependent on their engagement with United's financial products, not just their frequency of travel.

New MileagePlus Earn Rates

According to the official announcement from United Airlines, the core of the changes lies in the base mileage earning structure. General members without a United credit card will see their earn rate decrease from 5 miles to 3 miles per dollar spent on airfare. Conversely, general members who hold a co-branded card will see their base earn rate increase to 6 miles per dollar.

The adjustments extend throughout the elite status tiers. A Premier 1K (1K) member, the highest published elite status, who does not have a co-branded card will earn 9 miles per dollar, a reduction from the previous 11. However, a 1K member with a card will earn 12 miles per dollar, an increase from the same baseline. These changes directly incentivize even the airline's most frequent flyers to adopt a co-branded credit card to maximize their rewards.

In a further move targeting casual travelers, United will eliminate all mileage earning on Basic Economy tickets for any member who is not a cardholder. This aligns United with competitors who have already devalued their lowest fare classes for non-affiliated customers.

Enhanced Cardholder Benefits

Beyond the revised earn rates, the overhaul introduces new redemption benefits exclusively for cardholders. According to the airline, co-branded cardholders will receive a discount of at least 10% on all award flights. Premier elite members who also hold a card will receive a more substantial discount of at least 15% on award redemptions.

These discounts are part of a strategy to encourage mileage redemption within the United ecosystem and increase the perceived value of holding a co-branded card. The changes do not directly affect how members earn Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) or Premier Qualifying Flights (PQF), the metrics used to earn elite status, which remain primarily tied to spending and flight segments.

Andrew Nocella, United's Chief Commercial Officer, framed the changes as a reward for deeper engagement. "The most rewarding way to fly United is as a MileagePlus member, and the best way to get the most value from the MileagePlus program is to have one of our credit or debit cards," Nocella stated. "MileagePlus is designed to reward loyalty to United, and our best customers deserve the best benefits in the industry."

Financial and Industry Context

The strategic pivot reflects the immense financial value of loyalty programs. According to United's Q4 2025 earnings release, the airline's loyalty revenue grew 9% for the full year of 2025. This segment is a high-margin business that provides a stable revenue stream, independent of fluctuations in fuel costs and passenger demand. In 2025, United carried a record 181 million passengers, generating $59.1 billion in total operating revenue and $3.4 billion in net income.

The move is consistent with a broader industry trend where airlines view loyalty programs as distinct financial businesses. By creating a strong incentive for credit card adoption, airlines secure lucrative partnership fees from banks and build a customer base that is more deeply integrated into their brand ecosystem. This model shifts the focus from simply rewarding frequent flying to rewarding frequent spending, both on and off the aircraft. The full details of the program update are available on the United Airlines website.

Why This Matters

This overhaul solidifies the evolution of airline loyalty programs from marketing tools into sophisticated financial platforms. For passengers, it creates a clear decision point: engaging with an airline's co-branded credit card is becoming essential to maximizing travel rewards. The changes signal that airlines are increasingly willing to devalue their programs for casual flyers to enhance benefits for customers who generate high-margin revenue through financial partnerships.

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