flight_classUnited Upgrades
How do United PlusPoints upgrades work?
Updated
7 min readWhat PlusPoints actually are
PlusPoints are not the same as the miles in your MileagePlus account. They're a separate currency that United hands out only to members who reach Premier Platinum or Premier 1K status, and they exist for one purpose: upgrading a ticket you've already paid for into a better cabin.
You can't buy PlusPoints directly and you can't earn them at lower elite tiers (Premier Silver and Premier Gold don't get any). They show up automatically in your account once you cross the Platinum or 1K threshold for the year, and 1K members keep earning more of them as they fly past the 1K line.
How you earn them
Reaching Premier Platinum status gets you 40 PlusPoints. Reaching Premier 1K gets you 280 PlusPoints, and 1K members continue to earn roughly 20 more PlusPoints for every 3,000 Premier qualifying points they rack up beyond what 1K required.
Starting January 1, 2026, spending on an eligible United cobranded credit card that earns Premier qualifying points also counts toward this extra PlusPoints earning for 1K members, a new pathway that didn't exist before.
What an upgrade costs
United publishes a fixed chart of how many PlusPoints each upgrade path costs, based on cabin and route length. A short domestic hop from economy to first or business typically runs 20 PlusPoints, while a domestic Premium Plus to business upgrade runs 10. Long international routes cost more, especially out of discounted economy fares.
Typical PlusPoints costs (current fixed chart)
| Upgrade path | Route type | PlusPoints |
|---|---|---|
| Economy to first or business | Domestic or short-haul | 20 |
| Premium Plus to business | Domestic premium flight | 10 |
| Economy to Premium Plus | Domestic or short-haul | 20 |
| Standard economy to Polaris business | International long-haul | 40 |
| Premium Plus to Polaris | International long-haul | 30 |
| Discounted economy to Polaris | International long-haul | 80 |
How you apply them
Log into your United account, go to My Trips, pick the reservation you want to upgrade, and select Manage Trip. From there choose Upgrade Cabin and pick PlusPoints as the currency. If seats are open in the higher cabin, the upgrade confirms right away. If not, you're placed on the upgrade waitlist and cleared in priority order as seats open up.
Where they don't work
Basic economy fares are never eligible for a PlusPoints upgrade. And as of February 1, 2026, all Premier members, not just Global Services, can apply PlusPoints to upgrade award tickets booked with miles, which used to be far more restricted.
Common questions
Do PlusPoints expire?expand_more
Yes. PlusPoints are valid through the year you earn them plus one more, expiring January 31 two years out. Points earned in 2026, for example, expire January 31, 2028.
Can I buy PlusPoints?expand_more
No. The only way to get PlusPoints is by earning Premier Platinum or Premier 1K status, then continuing to fly or spend on an eligible United credit card past the 1K threshold.
Are PlusPoints better than paying cash for an upgrade?expand_more
It depends on how much flying you already did to earn them and what the cash upgrade price is on your specific flight. See our guide comparing earning status versus buying upgrades for the full breakdown.
Can Premier Gold members use PlusPoints?expand_more
No. PlusPoints are earned only by reaching Premier Platinum or Premier 1K. Gold and Silver members don't receive them.
Keep reading
Is it better to earn status for PlusPoints or just buy upgrades?
Compare the real cost of earning Premier status for PlusPoints against simply paying cash for a United upgrade when you need one.
Can PlusPoints be applied to just one segment of a connecting itinerary?
How United prices a PlusPoints upgrade across a connecting itinerary, and what happens if one segment clears but the other doesn't.
What happens to my PlusPoints if my flight is canceled or rebooked?
What United does with a pending or confirmed PlusPoints upgrade request when your flight is changed, canceled, or you get rebooked.
How do I apply PlusPoints to an existing United booking?
Step by step where to click in your United account to request a PlusPoints upgrade on a booking you already made, and what confirmation to expect.