How Do I Transfer or Give United Airlines Miles to Someone?

The process of transferring United Airlines miles between accounts or giving them away is simple and easy, however, the process can be costly. In addition to the high charges, you can only currently send miles to another MileagePlus account holder.

If you are giving the miles to someone booking a flight a good way to avoid having to pay the charges is to book the flight for them using the miles, as you will not need to pay the hefty transfer fees.

Transferring United Airlines Miles To Another Mileage Plus Member

1. Start your transaction by going to the website and clicking the menu item on the top menu bar, "Transfer Miles." Once the page opens, choose the "Transfer Miles" option.
2. When you click on "Transfer Miles," it will prompt you to log into your account. You must be a MileagePlus member in order to earn and transfer frequent flyer miles on United Airlines.
3. After signing in, you will see the MileagePlus transfer form. Enter your name, MileagePlus number and email address. Then, you must enter the name and MileagePlus number of the recipient.
4. After you click "Submit Transaction," you'll be requested to complete the payment for the transfer fees via online card payment. The fees are $7.50 for every 500 miles redeemed and $30 for the processing.
5. Your recipient should see the miles in their account almost immediately after transferring. However, it may take up to one business day for the transfer to process.

Purchasing a Flight For Someone Else

1. On United's website, sign in with your membership number and password. Before searching for flights, make sure you are logged in to get additional deals.
   
2. To find the best flights, select "Reservations" and then "Flight search." You need to enter the cities from and to which you are traveling, and then tick "Search for award travel."
3. Using the booking form, fill in the recipient's name and date of birth. After selecting flight options, you will be prompted to enter the booking information. You cannot change the recipient's flight information once it has been booked.
4. When you have entered the recipient's information, click "Continue." You will be directed to the payment page. Make sure that you are redeeming miles, and then book the flight. Send the recipient their itinerary.
   

If you are struggling to transfer your miles or purchase a ticket for someone else you can contact an agent at United Airlines seven days a week, 24 hours a day to discuss any problems you are having.