I’ve got 76,000 United Mileage Plus miles that are due to expire at the end of September, so it’s time to figure out what to do with them. I’m looking to book a vacation trip for my wife and me, so it’d be two people traveling. United’s award flights are such that I can go anywhere in the US except Hawaii one way for either 25K or 35K miles per person, depending on restrictions.
I’m thinking about Las Vegas, but with so many discount fares and packages to Vegas, would it be worthwhile to spend these miles on a relatively inexpensive flight, or should I use the miles for first-class upgrades on a packaged deal?
Also, is it legal to sell or otherwise transfer these miles to someone else? I probably couldn’t get much since they expire in just a few months, right?
Hmm, I always thought you could go to Hawaii for 35K miles (but that’d be an economy seat).
I also never heard of United miles expiring. Heck, I’ll take them! (though I seem to remember trying to transfer miles from myself to my wife and being prohibited in doing so).
I don’t think upgrading already existing tickets would be enough to deplete that amount you have.
I’d say San Francisco, San Diego, Phoenix, Seattle, or Anchorage over Vegas (unless you’ve never been and are dying to go).
I don’t know for sure about transfering miles, but you can book someone else a ticket with your miles (I did it twice last month, once on Northwest and once on United airlines).
Double check your cost of using the miles. I know that Northwest and United are both trading 25,000 for a ROUND TRIP ticket inside the continental US, not a one way ticket.
I’ve always heard the rule of thumb that the value of frequent flier miles is measured in hundreds of miles.
For example, if you have 25,000 miles, and a round trip ticket to, say, Las Vegas, is $250, you’re “breaking even.”
That is kind of arbitrary, in my view, but one would certainly want to choose flights that tend to be more expensive to use with one’s miles, even if the planned trip might not be imminent would be a much better use. A flight between Boston and Bozeman, Montana, to see Yellowstone National Park next summer would easily cost $500 a seat. That’s a lot of cash compared to a trip to Las Vegas, which a lot of airlines would probably compete for lower fares.
If you are planning on coming to Phoenix, wait until at least the third week of October to fly out here. It’s hotter than the hinges of hell until then.
From the North America To Hawaii, Caribbean or Central America: 35,000 (Economy)
Within U.S. (excluding Hawaii) and Canada: 40,000 (Business)
These are round-trip tickets.
There used to be very strong language about not selling you miles-bought tickets, but I can’t find it on the new, redesigned web site. You can give a ticket away, but not miles.
The miles don’t expire if you take any flight on United or book any Mileage Plus flight–so don’t feel that you have to use them all at once.
(though I seem to remember trying to transfer miles from myself to my wife and being prohibited in doing so).