How can I Upgrade United by using miles?

Are you a member of the United Airlines Mileage program? Do you know that you can earn and redeem miles on each trip and save money? Well, members can request a United upgrade with miles and make a flight journey more comfortable and flexible.

United Airlines let MileagePlus members use miles to upgrade on flights run by United or Star Alliance. Moreover, the membership gives access to amazing upgrade availability and extra upgrade benefits.

What are the Different Types of Flight Upgrades on United Airlines?

United Airlines features different types of upgrades, and one can secure an upgrade before or after a flight booking. Request a United upgrade with miles by using the airline’s expert mode to see if the seats are available for preferred upgrades.

MileagePlus upgrade awards
Complimentary upgrades
PlusPoints upgrades
Star Alliance upgrade awards
Instant upgrades

Does United Airlines Prioritize Upgrades and Decide Who Gets the Upgrade First?

Requesting a United upgrade with a miles chart from economy to a premium class seat depends on your Elite status level. Moreover, it also matters whether you are using miles for making upgrades or using earned PlusPoints.

United Airlines have different tiers of Elite status level, which decide the type of upgrade you can achieve.

Global Services

The special status is given to the airline’s best clients at the airline’s discretion.

United Premier 1 K

Premier 1K members can earn up to 280 PlusPoints on additional points when exceeding the qualification used for upgrades.

Premier Platinum

Platinum members can earn 40 PlusPoints on qualifications used for making upgrades. Also, they get free upgrades based on availability.

Premier Gold

Get complimentary upgrades depending on availability.

Silver Premier United Status

Receive free upgrades under the Silver Premier Elite class.

It doesn’t matter whether you have elite status; the airline will place you on a waiting list with other flyers.

Can You use United Miles to Upgrade?

MileagePlus upgrades are a great feature that can make your flight experience seamless. Members can use a United upgrade with miles chart for flights operated by United and United Express to upgrade desired seats.

The miles required for an upgrade are based on your route, seat type, fare class, and your Premium status. The airline will not charge a co-pay if you have booked a flight class ticket in O, B, or Y. But for most other fare classes, you will have to pay a co-pay.

How to Request a United Upgrade with Miles?

When considering how to request a United upgrade with miles, upgrade seats before or after a flight booking.

If you wish to request an upgrade during a flight booking, follow the below steps.

First, sign in to your MileagePlus account and select the “Advanced Search” options.
Second, fill in your search flight details and select the “MileagePlus upgrade Awards” for your ticket upgrade.
Now, if none of the flights in your itinerary have an upgrade availability, you can request upgrades later.

How to Apply for a United Mileage Upgrade after Making a Flight Booking?

Apart from making upgrades during a flight booking, members can also apply for a United mileage upgrade after ticket purchase. Moreover, there are three ways of doing that.

Members can sign in to their MileagePlus account and retrieve a flight booking to request an upgrade online.
They can also call on the United Airlines flight reservation phone number 1-800-UNITED-1 (1-800-864-8331). Otherwise, connect with the designated Premier service line.
Moreover, request an upgrade with miles at the check-in counter or at the gate within 24 hours of departure. When applying for upgrades, one can seek immediate travel assistance from the United flight representative.

Can you Upgrade on Lufthansa with United Miles?

You can use United miles to upgrade flights on Lufthansa Airlines based on the type of fare you have booked. Moreover, you have three options to apply for a ticket upgrade.

Book upgrades at a fixed price based on your current travel class and your flight route.
Make upgrades at the price you want by making an offer with the airline and paying the price.
Moreover, use miles to pay for making the desired upgrade to the tickets for extra comfort.

At some airports, flyers can secure an upgrade on short notice depending on the availability at a fixed price. Moreover, they can redeem miles at the check-in or drop-off counter, gate, and ticket desk.

What are the benefits of getting an upgrade for the 2022 program on United Airlines?

United Airlines has reduced the cost of Premier qualifying points and flights needed to get Premier status. Moreover, once you have achieved the 1K status, you will be entitled to earn PlusPoints and other exclusive benefits.

The membership will make it easy to earn more PlusPoints once a member reaches 1K status. Let’s learn about the United upgrade 2022 program.

Earn PlusPoints by reaching status – Members with a Platinum status can receive 40 PlusPoints, and members earning 1K status will get 280 reward points. Moreover, the points are enough to make upgrades up to seven times from United Economy to Polaris business class on a Basic Economy fare.

More PlusPoints opportunities – United still remains to be the only U.S leading airline, allowing members to earn additional upgrades after reaching the highest status. In addition, members who have the 1K status and earned 15,000 PQP are entitled to earn 20 PlusPoints. The points are earned for every 2000 PQP.

Extend your PlusPoints – PlusPoints expiring on July 31, 2022, or January 31, 2023, will get an extension of six months on United Airlines.

Can I upgrade my United Flights on Partner Airlines?

United Airlines lets frequent flyers make an upgrade on Star alliance and partner airlines. Moreover, the upgrade will be eligible from Economy to Business or First Class, depending on the seat’s availability on the plane.

The airline features around 20 Star Alliance partners, who can apply for an upgrade up to 331 days before departure. In addition, there will be four travelers on the same flight reservation.
Members can request an upgrade with miles by booking the flight tickets on the United Airlines official site. After that, you can apply for an upgrade under the “Redeem Upgrade” section.
Visit the airline’s site to read more about the guidelines about the upgrade policy with miles on partner airlines.

How to increase your chances of getting an upgrade with United Airlines?

On United Airlines, one can increase the chances of getting an upgrade and access to Elite status services. Moreover, the more miles you have, the better benefits you can avail of on your next trip.

Earn PlusPoints – You can receive PlusPoints with the Premier Platinum or United Premier 1K Elite Status. After that, you can redeem miles on making upgrading existing flight reservations.

Purchase a Y fare class ticket – Members can receive an instant upgrade on selected flights operated by United Airlines or partner airlines. Besides, one can also earn a discounted full-fare Basic Economy B fare.

You may check the discounted business class fares before applying for flight upgrades. Otherwise, use the miles or reward points to make upgrades.

The airline lets members choose an eligible flight to make modifications using the advanced search tool and the MUA option. Doing so allows one to navigate flights that are eligible for an upgrade with miles or reward points.

You can use United MileagePlus miles to reserve a business or first-class ticket.

Request for flight upgrades in advance – Requesting for an upgrade can help you redeem miles on making upgrades on partner airlines.

How much does it cost to make an upgrade with miles on United Airlines?

The total cost of making an upgrade with miles on United Airlines depends on several things, decided by miles and the co-pay. It includes fare class, requested seat type, Premier status, and the region of travel.

The best way to make upgrades and fly at a cheaper budget is by being flexible with any date and route. Moreover, you can search flights on the official page to see if the fare are more affordable or not.

For example, if you are flying from Los Angeles to Chicago, you may upgrade your flight from Economy to First class with 15,000 miles. Also, you may have to pay a $75 co-pay fee each way.

United Airlines FAQs

Can I upgrade my Economy Plus with United miles?

MileagePlus members can request a United economy plus upgrade with miles and experience the premium class facilities on board. Moreover, each Economy class provides different benefits, including standard economy seating. Don’t forget to check seat, baggage, fare, and checked luggage restrictions on making upgrades.

How to upgrade on Lufthansa with United miles?

United and Lufthansa Airlines are both members of the Star Alliance. Consequently, you can redeem miles to make an upgrade on Lufthansa and reserve your favorite seat on the plane. Furthermore, dial 1 (800) 645-3880 and connect with an executive who will check your latest points and help upgrade flights.

What are PlusPoints?

PlusPoints are a sort of perks available for United Platinum and 1K Premier Elite members after they secure a status. In addition, Elite class status is achieved on Premier Qualifying Points and qualifying Flights earned each year.

United upgrade with miles