LAST CALL: United Airlines Buy Miles 100% Bonus

United Airlines launched a Sale to buy MileagePlus miles at a 100% bonus that ends tomorrow (August 18, 2021).

United Airlines has promotions monthly for buying miles, but they all max out at a 100% bonus or a 50% discount (the same offer because United usually limits the number of miles one can purchase per year, including any possible bonuses up to 175K).

You can access and see your bonus on United’s website here.

Price at 100% bonus:

The cost of a mile under this offer is 1.88 cents each.

Does it make sense to purchase the United miles?

If you use them for international business or first-class tickets between expensive city pairs, the answer is likely yes.

Last year, United stopped publishing award charts but recently launched a website that featured award deals (read more here), and Star Alliance charts are now gone (read more here). In addition, many awards have become way overpriced in the number of MileagePlus miles required (read more here).

Conclusion

It can make sense to buy miles if you redeem them for an international premium cabin award, and you can always redeposit the miles (with or without a fee) if there are travel restrictions or bans in place or last-minute other changes.

This is the lowest price that United sells its miles. I would not buy, however, until you have an immediate use for them because future value without published award charts is unclear.

Here are the terms and conditions of this offer:

• Promotional offer valid until 11:59 p.m. CT on August 18, 2021.

• Bonus miles count toward the 175,000-mile annual limit per account.

• You may purchase up to 175,000 miles per account per calendar year.

• Bonus miles will generally be credited to the recipient’s MileagePlus account when the transaction is complete; provided that certain transactions may take up to 48 hours.

• Bonuses will be calculated on a per transaction basis only.

• The bonus amount applicable to a transaction is shown in the chart.

• Transactions may not be aggregated to calculate the bonus.

• The credit card used in the transaction will be billed immediately upon purchase.

• Mileage rates and other fees and offer terms are subject to change.

• Miles purchased are nonrefundable.

• Purchased miles do not count toward MileagePlus Premier® status.

• All MileagePlus Program rules and terms and conditions apply.

• GST/HST is charged to Canadian residents.

• QST is charged to Quebec residents.

• Powered by Points to purchase United MileagePlus miles. Transaction will appear as ‘Points United Miles’.

• Pricing is only available for purchases made through buymiles.mileageplus.com.