How to transfer credit card points to United MileagePlus

Last updated October 20, 2026 · By Kyle Burrows

A lot of people start with United MileagePlus. United flies from most big US cities, its miles don't expire, and you can use them on United and on Star Alliance partners like Lufthansa, Swiss, ANA and Air Canada.

The catch is that only two of the big US card programs send points to United: Chase and Bilt. If you came here trying to move Amex or Capital One points to United, you can't. Those points can still reach many of the same flights through Air Canada Aeroplan, which has its own guide.

Which bank points transfer to United

Bank points	Ratio	How long it takes
Chase Ultimate Rewards	1:1	Usually instant. Chase says allow up to 7 business days.
Bilt Points	1:1	Usually instant. Bilt says allow up to 48 hours.

Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One, Citi ThankYou and Wells Fargo don't transfer to United.

Banks sometimes run short transfer bonuses. They come and go, so check the transfer screen on the day you move points instead of trusting an old article.

Before you move any points

Open a free MileagePlus account at united.com if you don't have one. Your MileagePlus number is in the account menu.
Make the names match. The name on your bank account, your MileagePlus account and your passport should be the same, with no nicknames. A mismatch is the most common reason a transfer fails.
Find the flight first. Search united.com while logged in and confirm the seats and the price before you transfer. Transfers can't be undone. Once points are in United, they stay there.
Transfer only what you need. Points move in blocks of 1,000, so round up to the next thousand and stop.
Check whether you hold a United credit card. United gives primary cardmembers at least 10% off award flights on United and United Express, and at least 15% off if they also have Premier status. The lower price only shows on the primary cardmember's own MileagePlus account, and it doesn't apply to partner airlines.

How to transfer Chase points to United

Sign in at chase.com and open Ultimate Rewards. Pick your Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve or Ink Business Preferred. Only those cards can transfer to airlines. Points on a Freedom card or an Ink cash back card have to be combined into one of them first.
Find the option to transfer points to travel partners. Chase has moved this menu around, so look for the word Transfer.
Choose United MileagePlus.
The first time, enter your MileagePlus number. Chase lets you send points to your own account or to one household member who is an authorized user on your card.
Enter the amount in 1,000-point blocks, review the summary and submit.

How to transfer Bilt points to United

Open the Bilt app or bilt.com and sign in.
Go to the Rewards tab, then Travel rewards, and tap Transfer.
Choose United MileagePlus and link your account with your MileagePlus number.
Enter the amount in 1,000-point blocks. Members with Blue status have a 2,000-point minimum. Silver, Gold and Platinum members can send 1,000.

Check that the miles arrived

Log in at united.com and look at the balance in the account menu. If nothing has shown up after the time in the table above, check your bank's transfer history for the member number and name you used. Don't send a second transfer while the first one is still pending. That usually just leaves you with twice the miles you needed.

How to book the award on united.com

Sign in at united.com. If you have a United card, use the primary cardmember's account.
In the search box, tick Book with miles.
Enter your airports, dates and number of travelers. The flexible dates calendar is the quickest way to see which days cost less.
Pick your flights. Before you continue, check the cabin on every leg. A trip sold as business can include an economy connection, and the summary doesn't always make that obvious. Avoid Basic Economy awards unless you're sure they suit you; they have fewer perks.
Enter each traveler's name, date of birth and gender exactly as they appear on the passport. Add Known Traveler numbers if you have them.
Pay the taxes and fees by card. On a nonstop flight within the US that's usually $5.60 each way. International trips cost more.
Save the confirmation code and the 13-digit ticket number from the email.

Changes and cancellations

United doesn't charge a fee to change or cancel award tickets before departure. If you cancel, the miles go back to your account and the taxes go back to your card. If the new flight costs more miles, you pay the difference.

The one to avoid is a no-show. If you skip the flight without cancelling, United charges $125 per ticket to put the miles back. If plans change, cancel online before the flight leaves.

Mistakes I see most

Searching while logged out. You can miss cardmember pricing and see a less accurate picture.
Booking on the wrong account. The cardmember discount only applies on the primary cardmember's own account, not a spouse's.
Expecting the discount on partners. It covers United and United Express flights only.
Transferring for a partner seat that won't book. Some partner seats you see on other sites don't show on united.com. If a seat isn't bookable there, don't transfer for it.

Is United the right program for your trip?

United is easy to use and forgiving if your plans change. It isn't always the cheapest way to fly its partners, though. The same Lufthansa or Swiss seat often prices differently through Aeroplan, and Chase points go there too. Checking both before you transfer takes a few minutes and can save a lot of points.

Sources I checked

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