United Launches Mile Sharing for MileagePlus Members

United Airlines introduces a new feature for MileagePlus members, allowing them to pool miles with family and friends for easier award travel, a first among major U.S. carriers.

United Airlines has revolutionized the way families and friends travel by becoming the first major U.S. airline to introduce a miles pooling feature for its loyalty program, MileagePlus. This innovative feature allows up to five members to combine their miles into a single account, simplifying the process of using miles for award travel. The announcement comes just in time for summer travel, making it more convenient for groups of any size and relation to plan their trips together.

Luc Bondar, the Chief Operating Officer of MileagePlus, emphasized the airline's commitment to adding value for its members, stating, "We are proud to be the first major U.S. airline to allow our members to pool their miles with their loved ones and friends. MileagePlus miles pooling further reinforces United's position as the leader in family and group travel."

This initiative addresses concerns about travel affordability, highlighted by a 2023 U.S. Family Travel Survey that reported 81% of parents planning to travel with their children within the next year. The survey also found that nearly 60% of parents are concerned about the cost of travel, underscoring the timely nature of United's miles pooling feature.

To create a miles pool, any MileagePlus member over the age of 18 can become a pool leader and invite up to four family members, friends, or close travel companions with an active MileagePlus account to join. There is no minimum age requirement to participate, allowing even the youngest family members to contribute to the pool.

The process is straightforward: members log into their account on United.com to both contribute to and redeem miles from the pool for award flights on United and United Express. Notably, contributing miles to a pool does not affect a member's Premier status, and pooled miles can be used for booking tickets directly on United's website or mobile app.

United's introduction of miles pooling is part of its broader effort to offer flexible and valuable travel options for its customers. With no expiration on miles and various ways to earn, MileagePlus continues to be a leader in rewarding loyal travelers. While the new feature currently excludes the combination of money and miles for bookings, it represents a significant step forward in making travel more accessible and enjoyable for United's passengers.