Quick Overview

  • United miles can be purchased directly through their Buy Points portal to top off your account.
  • United miles are priced at 3.5 cents per mile plus a 7.5% Tax Recovery Fee.
  • You can buy as few as 2,000 miles for $70 (plus tax) and up to 200,000 miles for $7,000 (plus tax).
  • You can purchase up to 200,000 United miles per calendar year, and any bonus miles count toward this annual limit.
  • Buying United miles can be worthwhile if you're just short of a redemption or can get more value from an award than the purchase cost.
  • United frequently offers miles sales throughout the year, making those times the best opportunity to buy.

Use our Buy United Miles calculator to find out how much it will cost you to buy United miles at the base rate. You can check the United's buy miles portal to see if there is an active promotion.

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How much do United miles cost?

United Miles cost 3.5 cents per mile, plus a 7.5% tax recovery fee, totaling approximately 3.76 cents per mile.

United Miles Cost
Miles Purchased Cost Per Mile
2,000 - 200,000 Miles 3.5 Cents

How many United miles can you buy?

You can buy between 2,000 and 200,000 United Miles per transaction, with prices ranging from $70 for 2,000 miles to $7,000 for 200,000 miles. The maximum purchase limit is 200,000 miles per calendar year.

Base Cost Per Mile 3.5 Cents
Taxes? 7.5% Tax Recovery Fee. GST/HST is charged to Canadian residents.
Min Purchase Per Transaction 2,000 Miles
Max Purchase Per Transaction 200,000 Miles
Max Purchase Limit Per Calendar Year 200,000 Miles

Do note that purchasing United Miles do not count towards elite status requirements and bonus miles earned during promotions counts towards the annual limit.

Buy United miles calculator

Use our Buy United Miles Calculator to find the cost of purchasing United Miles at the standard rate of 3.5 cents per mile, plus tax. Keep in mind that United Miles prices can vary, so double-check the current rate on the United website before completing your purchase.

Calculator: How much will it cost you to buy United miles?

Enter any amount of United Miles to calculate the estimated cost to purchase.
Miles
Cost of Miles $0
7.5% Tax Recover Fee $0
Total Cost $0

How to buy United miles

  1. Head over to United's Buy Miles page.
  2. Log into your United MileagePlus account.
  3. Select how many United Miles you want to purchase.
  4. Enter your payment information.
  5. Review the purchase details and agree to the terms and conditions.
  6. Click Purchase Now.

United Miles will usually post to your account immediately, but it can take up to 48 hours.

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