United MileagePlus Revamp Creates Two-Tier System with Major Advantages for Cardholders

United MileagePlus credit card and debit card customers will be eligible for some new benefits beginning April 2. These benefits include earning twice as many miles as travelers without United MileagePlus cards, getting at least 10% off on award tickets, and gaining access to lowest-priced award seats, according to a press release from United.

In addition to earning twice as many miles per dollar on United flights than travelers without United MileagePlus cards, cardholders earn extra rewards when they book United tickets.

“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” said Andrew Nocella, United’s Chief Commercial Officer.

“MileagePlus is designed to reward loyalty to United, and our best customers deserve the best benefits in the industry,” Nocella said.

United credit card and debit card customers now have access to award seats in business class that in the past were only available to United Platinum and 1K members. These award seats will be priced as low as 72,000 miles for general members with a United credit or debit card and as low as 68,000 miles for United cardholders with Premier status.

Travelers with United MileagePlus credit cards or debit cards earn double the miles than travelers without these cards.

For example, a MileagePlus Gold member buying a ticket using their United Quest card will now earn 13 total miles per dollar. This is more than double the miles earned compared to MileagePlus Gold members without a United credit card or debit card.

But there are fewer rewards for United travelers without a United credit card or debit card. These travelers earn fewer miles for their United flights. And general MileagePlus members must have a United credit card or debit card to earn any miles while traveling on a basic economy ticket from United. 

United cardholders earn discounts of at least 10% on every flight. For example, an award in United’s economy seating priced at 15,000 miles will now cost 13,500 miles. 

Premier members earn discounts of at least 15% when they book a flight. A United business class seat priced at 200,000 miles will now cost 170,000 miles for United cardholders with Premier status.

The changes to the MileagePlus frequent flyer program is the biggest shakeup in more than a decade, CNBC reports. 

The aim is to reward loyal customers who have United credit cards and debit cards. But United travelers without those cards will gain fewer miles for their United flights and no miles on economy tickets.

Matthew Goldman, founder of fintech consulting firm Totavi and author of the newsletter CardsFTW, wrote that United wants to do more than incentivize people to get a United credit card or debit card; they want to punish you if you don’t.

United credit card and debit card customers will have some new benefits coming this spring. These cardholders earn twice as many miles as travelers without these cards, get at least 10% off on award tickets, and gain access to new awards seating.

United travelers without United credit cards or debit cards are less lucky. They will earn half as many miles as travelers with United credit cards or debit cards, and they won’t earn any miles when they travel on an economy ticket.