Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
GUIDE
How to book partner award flights: online or by phone
Partner award booking channels are the routes a frequent flyer programme offers for spending miles on a flight operated by a partner airline. On United MileagePlus, United's partner pages say regular award flights on Virgin Australia, Turkish Airlines, Thai Airways International and TAP Air Portugal can be booked online or by calling the reservations line, and that award tickets cannot be issued at the airport. [4] [5] [6] [7]
Facts checked: 6 October 2026
Key takeaways
- MileagePlus members can use miles for regular award flights on a partner airline online or by calling United's reservations line. [4] [5] [6] [7]
- The airport is not an issuance channel: award tickets cannot be issued there, so the booking has to be completed online or through the reservations line. [4] [5] [6] [7]
- Service charges may apply, and United ties them to three things: the type of ticket, the travel dates and the member's MileagePlus status. [4] [5] [6] [7]
- Eligibility can turn on who operates the flight: on United's Turkish Airlines page, flights operated by AJet are not eligible for accrual or redemption. [5]
Where can you book a United partner award?
United's MileagePlus pages for four partner airlines name the same two routes for spending miles: booking the partner's flights online, or calling the reservations line. [4] [5] [6] [7] The partners described are Virgin Australia, which has hubs in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney and flies across Australia and to other countries in the region [4]; Turkish Airlines, the national airline of Turkey, with its main hub at Istanbul Airport [5]; Thai Airways International, the national carrier of Thailand, with a hub in Bangkok [6]; and TAP Air Portugal, the national airline of Portugal, serving dozens of countries from Lisbon [7].
| Partner | Online booking | Reservations line | Issuance at the airport | Service charges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virgin Australia [4] | Available | Available | Not possible | May apply, depending on ticket type, travel dates and status [4] |
| Turkish Airlines [5] | Available | Available | Not possible | May apply, depending on ticket type, travel dates and status [5] |
| Thai Airways International [6] | Available | Available | Not possible | May apply, depending on ticket type, travel dates and status [6] |
| TAP Air Portugal [7] | Available | Available | Not possible | May apply, depending on ticket type, travel dates and status [7] |
Across all four partners, the airport is ruled out as a place to create the award ticket: award tickets cannot be issued there. [4] [5] [6] [7] The named booking routes are online booking and the reservations line. [4] [5] [6] [7]
What service charges can apply to a partner award?
United's partner pages describe service charges as something that "may" apply rather than as a fixed amount, and link them to three variables: the type of ticket, the travel dates and the member's MileagePlus status. [4] [5] [6] [7]
What should you have ready before you call?
- Your MileagePlus account. The miles being spent are MileagePlus miles, and the pages describe MileagePlus members using miles to book. [4] [5] [6] [7]
- The operating carrier on each flight. Eligibility can depend on who operates the aircraft: on the Turkish Airlines page, flights operated by AJet are not eligible for redemption. [5]
- The type of ticket you want. Ticket type is one of the three factors United says can affect the service charge. [4] [5] [6] [7]
- Your travel dates. Travel dates are one of those three factors. [4] [5] [6] [7]
- Your MileagePlus status. MileagePlus status is one of the three factors the pages list. [4] [5] [6] [7]
- A booking channel other than the airport. Since award tickets cannot be issued at the airport, the booking needs to be made online or through the reservations line. [4] [5] [6] [7]
Which partner flights can be booked with miles?
United's partner pages describe the miles as usable for "regular award flights" on the partner airline, booked online or through the reservations line. [4] [5] [6] [7] One stated exclusion is on the Turkish Airlines page, where flights operated by AJet are not eligible for mileage accrual or redemption. [5]
Upgrades are described separately from award seats. For Turkish Airlines, Thai Airways International and TAP Air Portugal, the same pages also point to Star Alliance Upgrade Awards as a way to use miles to upgrade a ticket on those airlines. [5] [6] [7] The pages present upgrades separately from regular award flights. [5] [6] [7]
Exceptions and limits
- No airport issuance, on any of the four partners. The rule is stated for Virgin Australia, Turkish Airlines, Thai Airways International and TAP Air Portugal alike, so the airport is not a route to the ticket. [4] [5] [6] [7]
- Partner flights that are excluded outright. Flights operated by AJet are outside the Turkish Airlines arrangements for both accrual and redemption. [5]
- Charges are conditional, not automatic. United says there "may be" service charges, so a booking is not necessarily charged. [4] [5] [6] [7]
- Upgrades are described separately. Star Alliance Upgrade Awards, described for Turkish Airlines, Thai Airways International and TAP Air Portugal, are a way to use miles to upgrade a ticket. [5] [6] [7]
- Scope of this guide. Everything here describes United MileagePlus awards on those four partners; it does not describe another programme's channels, its own service charges or its own partner list. [4] [5] [6] [7]
Frequently asked questions
Can you book a United partner award at the airport?
No. United's pages for Virgin Australia, Turkish Airlines, Thai Airways International and TAP Air Portugal all state that award tickets cannot be issued at the airport. [4] [5] [6] [7]
Can you book a partner award online with MileagePlus miles?
Yes. Each of the four partner pages lists online booking alongside the reservations line as a way to use miles for regular award flights. [4] [5] [6] [7]
Do partner awards carry a service charge?
One may apply. United says there may be service charges depending on the type of ticket, the travel dates and your MileagePlus status. [4] [5] [6] [7]
Can you book an AJet flight with United miles?
No. On United's Turkish Airlines page, flights operated by AJet are not eligible for mileage accrual or redemption. [5]
Can you use miles to upgrade rather than book a partner award?
Star Alliance Upgrade Awards are described as a way to upgrade your ticket with miles on Turkish Airlines, Thai Airways International and TAP Air Portugal. [5] [6] [7]
Sources
Sources accessed on 6 October 2026. It covers United MileagePlus awards on Virgin Australia, Turkish Airlines, Thai Airways International and TAP Air Portugal; other programmes, including American AAdvantage, Delta SkyMiles, Air Canada Aeroplan, Flying Blue and The British Airways Club, are not covered here; see the glossary for related terms.
- United MileagePlus: earn and redeem on Virgin Australia, checked 6 October 2026
- United MileagePlus: earn and redeem on Turkish Airlines, checked 6 October 2026
- United MileagePlus: earn and redeem on Thai Airways International, checked 6 October 2026
- United MileagePlus: earn and redeem on TAP Air Portugal, checked 6 October 2026