United is currently selling MileagePlus miles with up to a 100% bonus. This limited time promotion ends on January 31, 2021. When you max out the whole deal, you’ll get the 100% bonus when you buy MileagePlus miles, at a rate of 1.88 cent per point. However, is this a good deal? Let’s have a look.
100% Bonus when you Buy United MileagePlus Miles
After logging into my account, I found that I was targeted for a 100% bonus. You can click here to find out which bonus you are targeted for.
Buy Miles with up to a 100% Bonus
You will receive a:
- 30% bonus when you buy 5,000 miles or more
- 60% bonus when you buy 15,000 miles or more
- 100% bonus when you buy 40,000 miles or more
If you max out the promotion, you’ll buy miles at 1.88 cpp
A few things to note before you buy miles with this promotion:
- You can buy a maximum of 175,000 per account per calendar year
- Miles purchased do not count toward elite status
- Mileage purchases are not refundable
Should you buy Miles?
Now you may ask whether it makes sense to buy miles or points in advance, even when they’re sold at a discount. Here’s how I view that decision.
You should buy miles/points if you:
- Have an upcoming trip and you’re falling short by a few miles to book it
- Want to buy miles for a very specific trip that will give you outsized value. For example, I often purchase miles during promotional periods when I know I can book a business class ticket which will give me a value of over 5 cpp on miles purchased at 1.5-2 cpp
- Are ineligible for a credit card sign-up bonus for that points currency due to restrictions by the card issuer
You should not buy miles/points if you:
- Can easily transfer flexible points like Amex Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards to top up your balance to book an upcoming trip
- Are simply purchasing miles to increase your balance without any specific use on the horizon
- Can easily rack up enough miles or points via credit card sign-up bonuses
The Pundit’s Mantra
If you have an upcoming trip, then it may make sense to buy miles with this promotion. However, given how travel is shaping up, signing up for credit cards and obtaining welcome bonuses may be a better option.
For example, you can sign up for Chase’s credit cards and transfer miles to United at a 1:1 ratio. Currently, Chase’s Ink cards are offering some great limited time welcome bonus offers. You can earn a welcome bonus of 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points with the Chase Ink Business Preferred credit card. Similarly, the Chase Ink Cash and the Chase Ink Unlimited cards are also offering amazing welcome bonuses of 75,000 Ultimate Rewards points or $750 each. On the personal side, the Chase Sapphire Preferred continues to offer a decent welcome bonus offer of 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points.
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Disclosure: Our Advertising partners may pay us a small commission if you click on some of the links in this blog post, at no extra cost to you. The Points Pundit receives NO compensation from credit card affiliate partnerships. Support the blog by applying for a card through my personal referral links. This article is meant for information purposes only and doesn’t constitute personal finance, health or investment advice. Please consult a licensed professional for advice pertaining to your situation.
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