How to book
United awards.
How United prices award seats without a chart, what saver space is, the April 2026 cardmember discount, partner awards, and the fees that still apply.
United has no award chart: miles prices move with demand and the cash fare, and the cheapest are limited saver seats. Since April 2026 primary United cardmembers pay at least 10% fewer miles on United flights. Awards can be changed or canceled free before departure, and Star Alliance partners can be booked with the same miles.
- United has no award chart; prices move with demand and the cash fare.
- Saver seats (X, I) are the cheapest; Premier members and cardmembers also see XN and IN.
- Primary cardmembers save 10% or more on United awards, 15% or more with Premier status.
- Changes and cancellations are free before departure; a no-show redeposit costs $125.
- The Excursionist Perk ended for new bookings in August 2025.
On this page
How does United price award flights?
United publishes no award chart. The miles price for a seat moves with demand, the cash fare and the date, and can change between one search and the next. Underneath the dynamic prices sits saver inventory — a limited number of seats at the lowest miles price, booked in the X class in economy and I in premium cabins. Premier members and United cardmembers can also see expanded saver space, XN and IN, that other members can't.
Do cardmembers pay fewer miles?
Since April 2026, primary United cardmembers pay 10% or more fewer miles on United and United Express awards booked from their own MileagePlus account, and 15% or more if they also hold Premier status. The discount doesn't apply to partner flights or Money + Miles bookings.
Can you book partner airlines with United miles?
United miles also book Star Alliance and other partner airlines, and several can go on one ticket. Partner prices are dynamic too, and each partner decides how many seats it releases — United doesn't always see the same saver space that partners' own programs, such as Air Canada Aeroplan, do.
What are the change and cancellation rules?
Awards can be changed or canceled free before departure, and the miles go back to your account. Miss the flight and redepositing the miles costs $125. Most awards can't be held, so book once you have found the seat; booking by phone costs $25 unless you are Premier Platinum or 1K. The Excursionist Perk — a free extra one-way on some round trips — ended for new bookings in August 2025.
| Situation | Cost |
|---|---|
| Change or cancel before departure | Free; miles and taxes returned |
| No-show, then redeposit | $125 |
| Book by phone | $25, waived for Premier Platinum and 1K |
| Hold an award | Not possible on most awards |
| Excursionist Perk | Ended for new bookings, 21 August 2025 |
How do you top up United miles?
Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer to United at 1:1, so you can find the award first and transfer second. The rest of the ways in are in how to earn United miles, and Chase transfer partners lists everywhere else Chase points can go.
Booking United awards — common questions
No. United prices awards dynamically on its own and partner flights, so the miles needed move with demand and the cash fare. The lowest prices come from saver inventory, which is limited on each flight.
A limited block of seats at United's lowest miles price, booked in X (economy) or I (premium cabins). Premier members and United cardmembers can also see extra saver space, XN and IN, that other members can't book.
Yes, since April 2026: primary cardmembers pay 10% or more fewer miles on United and United Express awards booked from their own account, and 15% or more with Premier status. Partner flights and Money + Miles are excluded.
Yes, free, as long as you do it before departure — the miles and taxes come back. If you miss the flight without canceling, redepositing the miles costs $125.
Nanvero keeps your MileagePlus balance current from the emails United already sends, with no password, alongside your Chase points — so you can see whether an award is covered before you transfer. It's free to track up to five programs.
United publishes no chart, so this page states rules rather than prices. Each rule is dated below; the Excursionist Perk's end is taken from two 2025–26 sources over an older rules page that still describes it.
Where these numbers come from: AwardFares no published award chart for United or partner flights; saver classes X and I, with XN and IN expanded for Premier members and cardmembers; cardmembers save “10% or more” on United and United Express awards, 15% or more with Premier status, from April 2026; the Excursionist Perk “ended for new bookings on August 21, 2025” (7 August 2026); AwardWallet booking steps on united.com; prices “can change from day to day”; partner award pricing is dynamic too; Premier members and cardholders get award discounts of at least 10% (4 July 2026); One Mile at a Time “United MileagePlus doesn't have any change or redeposit fees on award tickets”; change or cancel before departure or the ticket is forfeited (10 September 2026); AwardWallet a $125 fee to redeposit miles after a no-show; most awards can't be held; $25 to book by phone, waived for Premier Platinum and 1K (7 December 2024); Upgraded Points United ended the Excursionist Perk for new bookings and changes from 21 August 2025 (August 2025). United changes award rules without much notice; the price and terms on united.com at booking are the ones that count.
How many Avios for a flight?
It depends on distance and cabin, not a fixed price. British Airways Club prices rewards in distance bands, so since the December 2025 repricing a short-haul economy reward starts at 10,000 Avios one-way, and business on the same routes runs roughly 16,500 to 26,750. Cash taxes and carrier charges are always extra.
What are Avios worth?
One Avios is typically worth about 1p, the working figure both the UK and US reference valuations settle near, so 10,000 Avios come to roughly £100. Weak via-hub economy redemptions land nearer 0.9p, while long-haul business can reach about 1.7p. The calculator converts any balance into pounds, dollars and euros.
What can my points do?
Add your Amex Membership Rewards to your Avios, since they transfer to British Airways at 1:1, and compare the total with off-peak reward prices. A New York–London economy return is 55,000 Avios and business 176,000. The tool sorts trips into within reach now, one transfer away and not yet in reach.
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