United MileagePlus points don't have a single set value — what they're worth depends entirely on how you redeem them. They stretch furthest on Business & First — Partner Airlines at 3¢ per point, and as little as 0.3¢ when used for Gift Cards & Merchandise. All 4 redemption options are broken down below.
Value per point varies by how you redeem. Best-value options first.
United MileagePlus is United Airlines' Star Alliance program — in Canada it's earned directly only through this co-branded card. United's own flights use fully dynamic pricing (no award chart), so they land around 1.2–1.3¢ per mile. The real value is booking premium cabins on Star Alliance partners like ANA, Lufthansa, Swiss, and Turkish at fixed, often-low mileage rates — ANA business class can reach 3–5¢ per mile — and United charges no fuel surcharges on partner awards. Note the Excursionist Perk (a free one-way on multi-city awards) ended in 2025. Gift cards and merchandise are very poor value.
