flight_classUnited Upgrades
What's the difference between a PlusPoints upgrade and using miles or a cash upgrade offer?
Updated
6 min readThree separate systems
United gives you three distinct ways to move into a better cabin after you've already booked economy: request a PlusPoints upgrade, request a MileagePlus miles upgrade award, or purchase a cash upgrade offer. They aren't interchangeable and each has different eligibility rules.
PlusPoints
Only Premier Platinum and Premier 1K members have PlusPoints, earned by reaching those elite tiers. They're spent per segment based on United's cost chart, and for United-operated flights they aren't deducted from your account until the upgrade actually clears.
MileagePlus miles upgrade award
Any MileagePlus member with enough miles can request this kind of upgrade, no elite status required, though non-elite members typically clear the waitlist behind elite members. It draws from your regular miles balance rather than a separate PlusPoints allotment, and it shares the exact same waitlist priority logic as a PlusPoints request: fare class and status tier determine clearing order, not which currency you used.
Cash upgrade offer
This is a direct purchase, shown as a price at booking, check-in, or in Manage Trip, and it isn't a waitlist request. If the seat is shown as purchasable, paying for it confirms the upgrade right away. No elite status or points balance is required.
Comparing all three
PlusPoints vs miles upgrade award vs cash upgrade
| PlusPoints | Miles upgrade award | Cash upgrade offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who can use it | Premier Platinum and 1K only | Any MileagePlus member with enough miles | Anyone with an eligible fare |
| What it spends | PlusPoints balance | Regular MileagePlus miles | Money |
| Confirms instantly or waitlists | Either, depending on space | Either, depending on space | Instantly, if the offer is shown as available |
| Priority on waitlist | Same rules as miles awards | Same rules as PlusPoints | Not applicable, it's a purchase |
Common questions
Can I use both PlusPoints and miles on the same upgrade request?expand_more
No. You choose one currency per upgrade request. You can't split the cost between PlusPoints and miles on a single upgrade.
If I don't have status, is a cash upgrade my only option?expand_more
Mostly yes, unless you have enough MileagePlus miles to request a miles upgrade award, which doesn't require elite status but will generally clear behind elite members on the waitlist.
Is a cash upgrade always guaranteed if I pay for it?expand_more
If United shows it as a purchasable offer at a fixed price, yes, paying confirms it immediately since it isn't a waitlist request like PlusPoints or miles awards.
Do PlusPoints or miles upgrade awards get priority over each other?expand_more
No, they follow identical waitlist priority rules based on elite tier, fare class, and request time. Neither currency jumps ahead of the other.
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.
My PlusPoints upgrade is waitlisted. What determines whether it clears?
What actually moves a waitlisted PlusPoints upgrade to confirmed on United, including elite tier, fare class, and request timing.
How do United PlusPoints upgrades work?
PlusPoints are United's upgrade currency for Premier Platinum and Premier 1K members. Here is how you earn them, apply them, and what to watch for.
Can I use PlusPoints to upgrade an award ticket booked with miles?
As of February 2026, all United Premier members can apply PlusPoints to upgrade an award ticket, not just Global Services. Here's how it works.