United Airlines became the first major airline in the United States to allow its MileagePlus® rewards members to pool miles with friends and family. The initiative is called MileagePlus miles pooling, and it allows up to five members of its loyalty program to combine their miles through a single linked account. The new feature was launched to enhance flexibility and convenience for travelers, especially for families and groups planning vacations together.
“We’re always looking for new ways to provide the most value to all of our loyalty members and are proud to be the first major U.S. airline to allow our members to pool their miles with their loved ones and friends,” said Luc Bondar, Chief Operating Officer of MileagePlus. He noted that MileagePlus miles pooling will give members more flexibility when using their miles.
According to the Family Travel Association’s 2023 U.S. Family Travel Survey, 81% of parents intend to travel with their kids within the next year, while almost 60% said they’re concerned about the ability to afford traveling. United’s MileagePlus program hopes to alleviate those concerns.
MileagePlus miles pooling is free, and there is no minimum age requirement for joining and pooling miles, although the pool leader must be over 18 to start a pool and invite up to four people to join. There is also no limit to how many miles can be pooled in a single account. Members can easily manage their pooled miles through their MileagePlus account on United.com, where they can contribute miles to the group pool and redeem them for award flights on United and United Express. Contributions of miles to a MileagePlus miles pool won’t impact a member’s Premier® status.
Moreover, members can earn and utilize miles through flight purchases, credit card spending on United’s Chase credit cards, and shopping through MileagePlus ShoppingSM. Members can choose to cover their trips in full with miles or combine miles and cash to conserve out-of-pocket costs.
Read about MileagePlus pooling here: https://www.united.com/en/us/mileageplus/miles-pooling
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