Programs / United MileagePlus
United MileagePlus
United MileagePlus is an airline program based in the Americas. In October 2026 (prices checked October 16–21), one United MileagePlus mile bought a median of 1.24¢ of travel across 6 priced searches on the same 3 flights checked every month; on the 6 searches priced in both September and October, its value rose 8.6%. One mile bought 1.16¢ in September and 1.40¢ in August.
| What 50,000 miles bought | $618 in October$578 in September · $699 in August |
|---|---|
| Change since September | +8.6%on the 6 searches priced in both months, each compared with itself |
| Change since August | +2.6%each month’s same-search change, chained over 3 months |
| Checks with a price | 18 of 18every search returned a price |
United MileagePlusValue of one mile
1.24¢Per mile · October 2026 · +8.6%
Nº UA·R3 · 3 flights
Table 1. About United MileagePlus · as of Aug 13, 2026
Did prices in miles change?Yes, on 3 of 3 itemsacross 18 mile prices seen
Need an account to see prices?YesYou must sign up before it shows an award price
Credit card points that transfer in2 card programsChase UR 1:1, Bilt 1:1
Notes from collection: “needed sign up for awards price”
Item by item
What one mile bought on each flight, every month. Each item is checked twice: about 60 days before travel and about 180 days before.
Booked ~60 days aheadBooked ~180 days ahead× no price that month
Chart 1. Chicago → Denver
ORD–DEN · Economy
Chart 2. San Francisco → Sydney
SFO–SYD · Economy
Chart 3. San Francisco → Sydney
SFO–SYD · Business
All 3 charts share one scale, so their heights compare directly.
Chart 4. Every check compared with published valuations · 18 checks
Each checkMiddle checkTPGNerdWalletCents per point.
0.6¢0.8¢1¢1.5¢2¢
Grey dots are individual checks. The white tick is the middle value. TPG and NerdWallet each publish one number per program; this index shows the whole range.
Every check, with its screenshot
Each row is one search. Click a thumbnail to open the screenshot it came from: “a” is the points search, “c” the cash search.
- Chicago → Denver · Economy0.75¢Aug (R1) · booked ~60 days ahead · travel Oct 1413,500 points + $5.60 · cash $107.00
- Chicago → Denver · Economy0.75¢Aug (R1) · booked ~180 days ahead · travel Feb 1013,500 points + $5.60 · cash $107.00
- San Francisco → Sydney · Business1.60¢Aug (R1) · booked ~60 days ahead · travel Oct 14300,000 points + $36.80 · cash $4,835.00
- San Francisco → Sydney · Business1.60¢Aug (R1) · booked ~180 days ahead · travel Feb 10300,000 points + $36.80 · cash $4,835.00
- San Francisco → Sydney · Economy1.40¢Aug (R1) · booked ~60 days ahead · travel Oct 1455,000 points + $36.80 · cash $806.00
- San Francisco → Sydney · Economy1.40¢Aug (R1) · booked ~180 days ahead · travel Feb 1055,000 points + $36.80 · cash $806.00
- Chicago → Denver · Economy0.76¢Sep (R2) · booked ~60 days ahead · travel Nov 414,400 points + $5.60 · cash $115.00
- Chicago → Denver · Economy0.76¢Sep (R2) · booked ~180 days ahead · travel Mar 314,400 points + $5.60 · cash $115.00
- San Francisco → Sydney · Business1.65¢Sep (R2) · booked ~60 days ahead · travel Nov 4300,000 points + $37.50 · cash $4,986.00“decoy effect present”
- San Francisco → Sydney · Business1.65¢Sep (R2) · booked ~180 days ahead · travel Mar 3300,000 points + $37.50 · cash $4,986.00
- San Francisco → Sydney · Economy1.40¢Sep (R2) · booked ~60 days ahead · travel Nov 455,000 points + $37.50 · cash $807.00
- San Francisco → Sydney · Economy0.91¢Sep (R2) · booked ~180 days ahead · travel Mar 384,200 points + $37.50 · cash $807.00
- Chicago → Denver · Economy0.68¢Oct (R3) · booked ~60 days ahead · travel Dec 1613,900 points + $5.60 · cash $100.00
- Chicago → Denver · Economy1.02¢Oct (R3) · booked ~180 days ahead · travel Apr 1415,000 points + $5.60 · cash $158.00
- San Francisco → Sydney · Business1.29¢Oct (R3) · booked ~60 days ahead · travel Dec 16500,000 points + $36.20 · cash $6,491.00
- San Francisco → Sydney · Business1.90¢Oct (R3) · booked ~180 days ahead · travel Apr 14300,000 points + $36.20 · cash $5,748.00
- San Francisco → Sydney · Economy1.18¢Oct (R3) · booked ~60 days ahead · travel Dec 16147,100 points + $36.20 · cash $1,776.00
- San Francisco → Sydney · Economy1.64¢Oct (R3) · booked ~180 days ahead · travel Apr 1455,000 points + $36.20 · cash $938.00
| Month | Item | Booked | Points | Plus cash | Cash price | One point | Screenshots | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug (R1) checked Aug 17 | Chicago → Denver · Economy | ~60 days Oct 14 · 58d | 13,500 | $5.60 | $107.00 | 0.75¢ | ||
| Aug (R1) checked Aug 17 | Chicago → Denver · Economy | ~180 days Feb 10 · 177d | 13,500 | $5.60 | $107.00 | 0.75¢ | ||
| Aug (R1) checked Aug 17 | San Francisco → Sydney · Business | ~60 days Oct 14 · 58d | 300,000 | $36.80 | $4,835.00 | 1.60¢ | ||
| Aug (R1) checked Aug 17 | San Francisco → Sydney · Business | ~180 days Feb 10 · 177d | 300,000 | $36.80 | $4,835.00 | 1.60¢ | ||
| Aug (R1) checked Aug 17 | San Francisco → Sydney · Economy | ~60 days Oct 14 · 58d | 55,000 | $36.80 | $806.00 | 1.40¢ | ||
| Aug (R1) checked Aug 17 | San Francisco → Sydney · Economy | ~180 days Feb 10 · 177d | 55,000 | $36.80 | $806.00 | 1.40¢ | ||
| Sep (R2) checked Sep 8 | Chicago → Denver · Economy | ~60 days Nov 4 · 57d | 14,400 | $5.60 | $115.00 | 0.76¢ | ||
| Sep (R2) checked Sep 8 | Chicago → Denver · Economy | ~180 days Mar 3 · 176d | 14,400 | $5.60 | $115.00 | 0.76¢ | ||
| Sep (R2) checked Sep 8 | San Francisco → Sydney · Business | ~60 days Nov 4 · 57d | 300,000 | $37.50 | $4,986.00 | 1.65¢ | decoy effect present | |
| Sep (R2) checked Sep 8 | San Francisco → Sydney · Business | ~180 days Mar 3 · 176d | 300,000 | $37.50 | $4,986.00 | 1.65¢ | ||
| Sep (R2) checked Sep 8 | San Francisco → Sydney · Economy | ~60 days Nov 4 · 57d | 55,000 | $37.50 | $807.00 | 1.40¢ | ||
| Sep (R2) checked Sep 8 | San Francisco → Sydney · Economy | ~180 days Mar 3 · 176d | 84,200 | $37.50 | $807.00 | 0.91¢ | ||
| Oct (R3) checked Oct 19 | Chicago → Denver · Economy | ~60 days Dec 16 · 58d | 13,900 | $5.60 | $100.00 | 0.68¢ | ||
| Oct (R3) checked Oct 19 | Chicago → Denver · Economy | ~180 days Apr 14 · 177d | 15,000 | $5.60 | $158.00 | 1.02¢ | ||
| Oct (R3) checked Oct 19 | San Francisco → Sydney · Business | ~60 days Dec 16 · 58d | 500,000 | $36.20 | $6,491.00 | 1.29¢ | ||
| Oct (R3) checked Oct 19 | San Francisco → Sydney · Business | ~180 days Apr 14 · 177d | 300,000 | $36.20 | $5,748.00 | 1.90¢ | ||
| Oct (R3) checked Oct 19 | San Francisco → Sydney · Economy | ~60 days Dec 16 · 58d | 147,100 | $36.20 | $1,776.00 | 1.18¢ | ||
| Oct (R3) checked Oct 19 | San Francisco → Sydney · Economy | ~180 days Apr 14 · 177d | 55,000 | $36.20 | $938.00 | 1.64¢ |