Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
Part of United MileagePlus hub
COMPARISON
Upgrade certificates vs vouchers: rules, fees and limits
Upgrade certificates are account-held upgrade instruments that a loyalty programme issues and that a member applies to a booking to obtain a seat upgrade; in the United MileagePlus programme, certificates and PlusPoints sit in the same category of account benefit, cannot be transferred or assigned except as expressly permitted by United in writing, and do not constitute the member's property. [7]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- Certificates and PlusPoints are both account benefits under the United MileagePlus rules, and neither may be transferred or assigned except as expressly permitted by United in writing. [7]
- Those rules exclude upgrades on some fares and ticket types, including group rates, consolidation tickets, industry discounts and special promotional rates such as PassPlus. [7]
- Departure taxes, federal inspection fees, passenger facility charges and similar items may apply to a certificate or seat upgrade, and the person using it pays them. [7]
- Class-of-service bonus miles are credited on the fare paid rather than the cabin flown, and are not credited on an upgrade. [7]
Can you transfer or sell an upgrade certificate?
United's MileagePlus rules write the transfer and sale limits around mileage, benefits, certificates, PlusPoints, Premier Qualifying Credits, account numbers, status and awards together, so they reach whichever of those instruments a member holds. [7] None of those items may be transferred or assigned except as expressly permitted by United in writing, or under a programme that United fully authorises or sponsors. [7]
The rules add that awards and benefits, including certificates and PlusPoints, do not constitute property of the member and are not transferable except as set out in the rules themselves. [7]
Selling is treated separately and more bluntly: the sale, barter or other transfer of certificates, PlusPoints, awards, benefits or status is expressly prohibited, and any account or member involved in such a transfer may be subject to United's remedies. [7]
Where the rules deal with a member's death or divorce, the provision covers accrued mileage rather than certificates: United may credit all or part of that mileage to authorised persons at its discretion, on documentation it finds satisfactory and on payment of applicable fees. [7]
Which fares and tickets can an upgrade be used on?
Upgrades are not allowed on some fares or tickets, and the MileagePlus rules name several categories: special promotional accommodations, rentals, industry discounts, consolidation tickets, group rates and special promotional rates such as PassPlus. [7]
Separately, United reserves the right to set the means by which miles and Premier Qualifying Credits are earned and to exclude particular types of transaction or ticket from accrual, with or without notice. [7]
Flying in a higher cabin does not change how the trip is credited. Class-of-service bonus miles and Premier Qualifying Credits, where they apply, are credited according to the fare paid rather than the cabin flown, and are not credited on any upgrade. [7]
What does it cost to use a certificate or PlusPoints?
Award tickets, awards, certificates and seat upgrades may be subject to applicable departure taxes, federal inspection fees, passenger facility charges and other fees, charges or taxes, and the person using the certificate or upgrade is responsible for paying them. [7]
Cash can form part of the transaction as well, because United reserves the right to increase the mileage, the cash required, the applicable co-pays or the number of certificates needed for an award. [7]
Upgrade spending also counts on the earning side. The terms of the 2026 Premier Status Match Challenge count Premier qualifying points earned from MileagePlus Upgrade Award co-pays and from paid upgrades towards the challenge requirements, for flights operated by United or United Express that are posted to the member's MileagePlus account. [8]
How do PlusPoints compare with certificates?
PlusPoints are a separate balance inside the same family of account benefits, and they carry the same non-transfer and no-sale provisions as certificates. [7] Through the 2026 Premier Status Match Challenge, PlusPoints are awarded only when a member meets the published flight and point requirements for the higher levels, and they are credited within 7 to 10 business days. [8]
| Premier level reached through the challenge | PlusPoints awarded | Credited within |
|---|---|---|
| Premier Platinum | 20 | 7 to 10 business days |
| Premier 1K | 100 | 7 to 10 business days |
PlusPoints are not otherwise awarded for matched status or for status reached through the challenge. [8]
Exceptions and limits
- Audits and prohibited conduct. While an account is suspended, outstanding redemptions, certificates and benefits are subject to cancellation or suspension, and cancelled items must be surrendered to United on request. [7]
- Remedies. For prohibited conduct United may terminate a membership and remove or cancel accrued mileage, certificates, benefits and pending redemptions. [7]
- Erroneous balances. Members must notify United promptly of errors such as an erroneous certificate balance or PlusPoints balance, and using a balance that was credited in error is itself a breach of the rules. [7]
- Changes after issue. United may change the rules, benefits and conditions of participation at any time with or without notice, even where a change affects the value of certificates already accumulated, and may withdraw, limit, modify or cancel an award or regulate the transferability of benefits. [7]
- No vested rights. Accumulating certificates or PlusPoints does not give a member vested rights to any award or benefit. [7]
- Scope. These limits are MileagePlus rules; Delta Air Lines SkyMiles, American Airlines AAdvantage and Alaska-Hawaiian Atmos Rewards are not covered here. [7] [8]
Frequently asked questions
Can I give an upgrade certificate to a family member?
Under the MileagePlus rules, certificates and PlusPoints may not be transferred or assigned except as expressly permitted by United in writing. [7]
Can I sell PlusPoints or a certificate?
The sale, barter or other transfer of certificates, PlusPoints, awards, benefits or status is expressly prohibited, and accounts involved in such a transfer may face United's remedies. [7]
Do you earn bonus miles when you fly on an upgrade?
No: class-of-service bonus miles are credited according to the fare paid, not the cabin flown, and are not credited on any upgrade. [7]
Are taxes and fees charged when a certificate is used?
They may be: award tickets, awards, certificates and seat upgrades may carry departure taxes, federal inspection fees, passenger facility charges and other charges, and the user pays them. [7]
How many PlusPoints do Premier Platinum and Premier 1K members get through the 2026 Status Match Challenge?
Meeting the requirements for Premier Platinum through the challenge awards 20 PlusPoints, and meeting the Premier 1K requirements awards 100 PlusPoints, each credited within 7 to 10 business days. [8]
Sources
Sources checked on 18 October 2026. The certificate and upgrade rules cited here are those of the United MileagePlus programme and its 2026 Premier Status Match Challenge; Delta Air Lines SkyMiles, American Airlines AAdvantage and Alaska-Hawaiian Atmos Rewards are not covered.
- United MileagePlus rules, checked 18 October 2026
- MileagePlus Premier Status Match Challenge terms, 2026, checked 18 October 2026