United Airlines makes 3 changes to its MileagePlus program: How to check upgrade cost now?
United Airlines is making changes to its MileagePlus loyalty program by removing or adjusting three benefits.
These updates don’t affect the most popular parts of the program, but they will be disappointing to travelers who have used these perks for years.
The airline shared the news on Thursday through emails to customers and posted all the details on its "What's New with MileagePlus" webpage.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Excursionist perk is going away
Starting August 21, United will remove the Excursionist Perk for new award bookings.
This perk, introduced before the COVID-19 pandemic, let travelers add a free one-way flight (or stopover) to a multi-city award ticket.
Any award trips booked before August 21 will still include the perk. But if you change your trip after that date, United won’t honor it anymore.
This is one of the most valuable perks for frequent flyers. United hasn’t explained why it's removing it, but many see this as a downgrade to the program.
2. No more instant upgrades on expensive economy tickets
Also starting August 21, United will stop offering instant upgrades to eligible Premier members who buy full-fare economy tickets (Y, B, or M classes).
Before, if an upgrade was available at booking, travelers could confirm it right away without waiting.
Now, all upgrades (unless paid for with PlusPoints or miles) will go through United’s regular upgrade waitlist. If you buy a more expensive ticket, you’ll be higher on the list, but you’ll still have to wait.
For travelers who often book last-minute, high-priced tickets, this will be a tough change. Many liked getting an instant upgrade as a bonus — now, they’ll have to take their chances like everyone else.
3. MileagePlus upgrade chart is being removed
The third change is coming November 24. United is getting rid of the MileagePlus Upgrade Award chart and switching to dynamic pricing for these upgrades — just like it already does with award tickets.
Before, you could see exactly how many miles an upgrade would cost. Soon, the number of miles needed will vary based on demand and other factors.
To check upgrade costs:
If you're booking a flight, use the "upgrades, certificates, and promotion codes" option, then choose "MileagePlus Upgrade Awards."
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If you've already booked, click “upgrade cabin” when managing your reservation to see the miles required.
United didn’t explain how pricing or availability will change, but if it's like past updates, upgrades on busy flights will probably cost more.
These three changes won’t break the MileagePlus program, but they do make it less generous.
Ending the Excursionist Perk will make multi-city trips more expensive. And the upgrade changes mean it’ll be harder (and likely costlier) to fly in a better seat.
The good news? For now, United isn’t changing how PlusPoints work or other core parts of the program.
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