United Airlines
From SmarterTravel
As the world's fourth largest passenger carrier, United Airlines provides customers with a wide selection of international destinations. United's primary hub is Chicago's O'Hare Airport. With multiclass service and a large frequent flyer program, United is positioned to cater toward frequent transcontinental passengers. And as a member in the Star Alliance, United offers passengers award and point-earning options for points around the globe.
Airports with Service
United is the world's fourth largest airline by passengers. Its main hub is at Chicago O'Hare, with other large hubs at Denver International and Washington Dulles. United is the main US carrier to Hawaii, Asia, and Australia. In addition, it has sizable U.S. services, focused on the western and mid-western states, as well as being a major provider of transcontinental flights.
Frequent transcontinental service between New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles is branded as p.s. (for premium service). Premium service flights are in a three-cabin arrangement, with the lowest class of service being premium economy. The brand is intended to be upmarket.
Planes Flown
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Frequent Flyer Program
Name: Mileage Plus
Contact: 1-800-421-4655
Program Link: http://united.com/page/middlepage/0,6823,1136,00.html
Partners
Mileage Plus members may earn and redeem miles with a wide range of participating companies, including other airlines, hotels, rental car companies, retailers, financial services firms, etc.
Awards
Mileage Plus members may redeem their miles for free flights and upgrades on United and its airline partners. The most-requested award is a free capacity-controlled coach ticket for round-trip travel within the Continental U.S., available for 25,000 Mileage Plus miles.
Other award options: airport lounge memberships, magazine subscriptions, charitable donations, etc.
In addition to the above, elite members may redeem miles for hotel stays, car rentals, and merchandise.
Elite Program
Mileage Plus has three elite tiers: Premier, Premier Executive, and 1K. To qualify, members fly the following on United or selected airline partners during a calendar year: 25,000 miles or 30 segments for Premier; 50,000 miles or 60 segments for Premier Executive; 100,000 miles or 100 segments for 1K. Elite benefits (upgrades, bonus miles, etc.) vary according to tier.
United Airlines has a Global Services program for its top customers. The program is by invitation, and the qualification requirements are not published. Qualification is believed to be based on "customer spend" where at least $30,000 of full or premium fare travel is spent in a single year.
United rewards Million Mile fliers with Premier Executive status for life. United only counts actual miles flown on United airplanes for this award. Credit cards, bonus miles, or codeshare flights do not count.
Mileage Expiration Policy
Mileage Plus miles expire after 18 months if there is no account activity during that time. Any account transaction -- either earning or redeeming miles -- extends the life of all miles in the account for another 18 months.
On-Time and Safety Statistics
Carry-On and Baggage Rules
For domestic economy travel (including Canada, Puerto Rico, and the USVI), the first checked bag is $15 and the second is $25. For international travel, two free checked bags are allowed. Bags must not exceed 50 pounds or 62 linear inches. United Mileage Plus or Star Alliance elite members are exempt from these baggage charges.
Standard carry-on baggage rules apply; bags must not exceed 45 linear inches.
What You Get in Each Class
Snacks are available for purchase on flights of three hours or more; meals are available for purchase of five hours or more. United is the first airline to suspend free meal service on international routes, though complimentary meals are still served on some international flights. Complimentary beverages are available on all flights.
For an additional fee based on flight duration, United offers Economy Plus at the front of its economy class with more legroom. All elite members purchasing economy tickets receive a free upgrade to economy plus. Alternatively, an annual pass entitling the owner to automatic economy plus upgrades on all United flights is available for $350.
Partners/Alliances
Established in 1997, Star Alliance travels to 795 destinations in 139 countries. It has a combined fleet of more than 2,000 aircraft and 21 member airlines.
- Air Canada
- Air New Zealand
- ANA - All Nippon Airways
- Andria
- Asiana Airlines
- Austrian Airlines
- Blue 1
- BMI British Midland
- Croatia Airlines
- LOT Polish Airlines
- Lufthansa
- German Airlines
- SAS - Scandinavian Airlines
- Singapore Airlines
- Spanair
- Swiss
- TAP Air Portugal
- Thai Airways
- United Airlines
- US Airways
- Varig Brazilian Airlines
Lounges
United's lounge network is called The Red Carpet Club and is available to travelers via a yearly membership or daily access fee. Travelers who have earned Premier status or higher receive a discount on the annual fee. Memberships that include a spouse are also available. A membership entitles the member and one guest access to the lounge when flying. Free non-alcoholic beverages and snacks are available along with telephones, desks, televisions, and staffed reservations desks.
Red Carpet Club members also enjoy access to other Star Alliance lounges when traveling with a Star Alliance carrier. Red Carpet Club members also may enjoy US Airways lounges when traveling on US Airways.
Premier Executive and 1K members may use the Red Carpet Club lounges when traveling internationally with United.
Taxes
Typically, advertised (or "published") airfares in the U.S. do not include government-imposed taxes. Put another way, the low price consumers first see is usually not what they will end up paying. See airline taxes for a current breakdown of domestic and international airfare taxes.
Fees
Many of the major U.S. airlines have instituted additional fees for booking tickets through their call centers, at airport reservations desks, or at city ticket offices. The fees range from $5 to $25 for most flights. Internet bookings on individual airline websites remain free of charge.
In addition, charges for optional services can sometimes raise the price you pay. These include $25 for a second checked bag, $100 for traveling with a pet, and $100 for an unaccompanied minor. See airline fees for an up-to-date list of fees for United.
Airline Mile-Earning Credit Cards
United's Mileage Credit and Debit Cards are via a partnership with Chase Bank. Links to sign-up are available on the United website.
Promo/Coupon Codes
United occasionally offers Mileage Plus promotions that could offer extra miles for flying between certain locations or for traveling during certain dates. Most promotions require signing up on the United website.
United does not offer coupon codes for travel, but they do offer e-certificates that can be used to discount fares.
Contests
Lower Price Refund Policy
If a passenger purchases a ticket through the United Airlines website and finds a fare at least $5 less each-way by midnight Central Time on the same dates for the same flight numbers on United or United Express, they will be refunded the difference between the two tickets plus an electronic certificate for $50 dollars.
Traveling with Pets
For $125 each way, pets may travel as either checked or carry-on luggage. Carry-on pets must be in a carrier which can fit beneath the seat; only dogs, cats, and birds are accepted as carry-on. Rabbits, hamsters, and guinea pigs, as well as cats, dogs, and birds, can be checked. Arrangements must be made with United before the day of travel if you plan to travel with a pet.
Contact Information
Website:
Telephone:
Mileage Plus Customer Service(U.S. and Canada)
- 1-800-421-4655
Mileage Plus (Domestic Award Travel)
- (U.S) 1-888-467-0507
Outside the U.S. (charges may apply): Please contact your local United Representative, visit United worldwide contacts or dial the international access code, then 1-605-399-2411.
Mail:
- United Mileage Plus Service Center
- P.O. Box 6120
- Rapid City, SD 57709-6120
External Links
- To check for the latest airfare deals offered by United Airlines, visit SmarterTravel.com's Deals by Airline.
- To see seating charts for the planes flown by United Airlines, and read reviews of the various seats by travelers, visit SeatGuru.
- To get more information, visit United Airlines.