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United Airlines has just rolled out two announcements, making it easier for MileagePlus members to earn award miles without even stepping on a plane. The airline has introduced the new MileagePlus Debit Rewards Card and a powerful partnership with the ride-sharing service Lyft.
These new initiatives are meant to bring more ways to earn miles through everyday activities like shopping, saving money, and getting a ride to the airport. Let’s break down what this news means for you and how you can use these new miles to book your next dream trip.
1. Earn Miles While You Spend and Save: The New Debit Card
United has launched the MileagePlus Debit Rewards Card, a new Visa card that lets you earn miles on your daily purchases and even for the money you keep in your account. This is a fantastic option for anyone who wants to earn travel rewards without opening a new credit card.
Here’s a simple look at how you can earn miles with the new debit card:
| Earning Method | Miles You Earn |
|---|---|
| Limited-Time Offer | Earn 10,000 bonus miles after spending $500 in the first four months. |
| Everyday Spending | 1 mile per $1 spent on United purchases and 1 mile per $2 spent on everything else. |
| Annual Bonus | Earn 2,500 bonus miles each year you spend $10,000 or more with the card. |
But the earning doesn’t stop there. You can also earn a big chunk of miles just by saving money in the account. The monthly fee is waived if you keep an average daily balance of $2,000 or more.
Here’s how you can earn miles based on your savings:
| Average Daily Balance | Annual Bonus Miles |
|---|---|
| $2,500 – $4,999 | 2,500 miles |
| $5,000 – $9,999 | 5,000 miles |
| $10,000 – $24,999 | 15,000 miles |
| $25,000 – $49,999 | 30,000 miles |
| $50,000+ | 70,000 miles |
This card is a completely new concept for earning miles on the ground, turning your daily budget into future flights.
2. Get More Miles on Your Rides: The New Lyft Partnership
United has also teamed up with Lyft to reward you for rides you’re already taking. By simply linking your MileagePlus and Lyft accounts, you can start earning miles every time you book a ride in the U.S. This partnership is to compete directly with similar ones from competitors such as Delta SkyMiles with Uber.
The earning rates are straightforward and generous, especially for airport travel:
| Type of Lyft Ride | Miles Earned Per Dollar |
|---|---|
| Pre-scheduled rides to/from the airport | 4 miles |
| Premium rides (Extra Comfort, Black, Black SUV) | 3 miles |
| Non-scheduled rides to/from the airport | 3 miles |
| Standard, Priority, and XL rides (Business Profile) | 2 miles |
| Standard, Priority, and XL rides (Personal Profile) | 1 mile |
Plus, if you’re new to Lyft, you can earn 1,000 bonus miles after you sign up, link your accounts, and take two rides within 30 days.
Looking ahead, United and Lyft plan to let members redeem miles directly for Lyft rides starting in early 2026, making the partnership even more valuable.
How to Use Your New Miles with AwardFares
Earning miles is the first step. The next is finding the best way to use them. AwardFares makes it easy to find amazing award flights for your hard-earned miles. Here’s how to search for flights once your MileagePlus balance is boosted.
1. Go to AwardFares
Creating an account is optional, but it’s also free, and it gives you access to more features. Make sure to sign up for one here.
2. Select the Frequent Flyer Program
In the Frequent Flyer Program picker, select United MileagePlus.
3. Add a Route(s)
In the From and To fields, enter your departure and arrival airports. In the example below, we search for flights between San Francisco (SFO) and London (LHR).
4. Explore Travel Dates
If you have a particular date in mind, tap on Calendar to add it. AwardFares will start searching for available seats on flights that day.
Alternatively, use the Timeline View to check availability across multiple days at the same time. This is the fastest way to see which dates have Saver availability without clicking day by day on United’s site.
5. Filter for Saver Awards
Use the quick toggle to exclude non-saver awards. This is the most crucial step to ensure you are only seeing the most economical options for your miles.
6. Book on United’s website
Once you find your desired flight, click the Book button to be redirected to United’s website to finalize your booking.
Ready to Boost Your MileagePlus Balance?
With the new MileagePlus Debit Card and Lyft partnership, earning United miles has never been easier. Whether you’re saving for a big trip or just want to get more value from your daily spending, these new options are a huge win for travelers. Once you start earning, let AwardFares help you redeem.
- ✈️ Find award seats on any United route worldwide
- 📆 Use the Timeline view to quickly pinpoint award seat availability
- 🗺 Browse real-time seat maps on all United aircraft
- 🔔 Set up alerts to be notified the moment award seats on your dream route become available
