Premier award travel benefits

Premier® members may take advantage of a range of benefits when using miles for upgrades and award travel. Learn more about Premier status.

Better award availability

Premier members have unrestricted access to United Everyday Awards when redeeming miles to book award travel on United- and United Express®-operated flights. If there's a United seat for sale, these members can get it with award miles, guaranteed, even if it's the last seat on the airplane.

Premier members also have better access to Saver Awards in United Economy®. Additionally, Premier Platinum and Premier 1K® members have better access to Saver Awards in United Business®, United Polaris® business class and United First® on two-cabin aircraft. To get the best award search results, Premier members should sign in to united.com with their MileagePlus number and password when searching for travel awards.

Priority waitlisting for award travel

Premier members may waitlist for United First, United Business or United Polaris business class on flights operated by United and United Express. As additional award seats become available, they will be allocated to Premier members first according to Premier status.

On most United Polaris business class flights, waitlists for premium cabin upgrades are not permitted within 24 hours prior to departure. Waitlisted segments not confirmed on these flights 24 hours prior to departure are automatically added to the airport standby list at check-in.

Standby for international awards

Premier members who have used miles for award travel in United Polaris business class, United First or United Business, but can only confirm seats on some segments in United Economy, may stand by for the higher cabin at the airport within two hours of departure. Premier members should simply notify the airport agent upon check-in. For unused United Polaris business class or United Business awards, the mileage difference between United Economy and the higher cabin may be re-deposited free of charge. This benefit only applies to United Airlines flights.

Co-pay waiver for MileagePlus Upgrade Awards on select flights

When requesting a MileagePlus Upgrade Award on certain United Economy or United Business tickets, members may have to supplement the miles for the premium cabin experience with a co-pay. However, if the miles are redeemed from a Premier member's MileagePlus account, the travelers are exempt from the co-pay when flying on certain routes. The waiver is based on the status of the redeeming account at the time when the upgrade is requested. See the Co-pay Exemptions section of the MileagePlus Upgrade Awards Pricing page for more information.

Travel benefits on award tickets

When traveling on an award ticket for United- and United Express®-operated flights, benefits including but not limited to complimentary Economy Plus seating, Premier priority travel services (such as Premier Access check-in and priority boarding), and checked baggage service charge waivers are determined by the traveler's own Premier status, even if another member's miles were used to purchase the award ticket. Customers traveling on the same reservation as a Premier member may receive the applicable companion benefits. Please visit the pages relating to specific Premier benefits for more information.