What happens to MileagePlus miles when the owner dies
United Airlines has a formal process for transferring miles after an account holder dies
MileagePlus Customer Service (Estate Requests)
No published processing timeline. Contact the MileagePlus Service Center at 1-800-421-4655 for current estimates. Because MileagePlus award miles do not expire, there is no urgency related to expiration while the request is under review.
MileagePlus miles do not constitute property of the member. Per the MileagePlus program rules: "In the event of the death or divorce of a Member, United may, in its sole discretion, credit all or a portion of such Member's accrued mileage to authorized persons upon receipt of documentation satisfactory to United and payment of applicable fees." Transfer at death is not guaranteed and depends entirely on United's discretion and the documentation provided.
How to request a transfer
Follow these steps to initiate a transfer of MileagePlus miles after the account holder's death:
- •Certified copy of the death certificate
- •Signed and notarized affidavit attesting that you are the executor or administrator of the estate
- •Copy of Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if available)
- •MileagePlus account number(s) of the designated recipient(s) for the miles transfer
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Signed and notarized affidavit from the executor or administrator of the estate
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if available)
- MileagePlus account number(s) of the designated recipient(s)
- Government-issued photo ID of the person submitting the request
Timeline
No published processing timeline. Contact the MileagePlus Service Center at 1-800-421-4655 for current estimates. Because MileagePlus award miles do not expire, there is no urgency related to expiration while the request is under review.
Frequently asked questions
No. Under MileagePlus program rules, accrued miles do not constitute property of the member. Miles are not transferable by operation of law, will, or intestate succession. Any transfer after death is entirely at United's discretion.
United may, in its sole discretion, credit all or a portion of accrued miles to authorized persons. This requires a certified death certificate and a signed, notarized affidavit from the executor or administrator of the estate. The executor can designate one or more recipients who must have their own MileagePlus accounts.
The MileagePlus program rules state that "applicable fees" may apply to post-death mile transfers. The specific fee structure for estate transfers is not publicly disclosed. Contact MileagePlus customer service at 1-800-421-4655 for current fee information.
Miles earned through a United co-branded credit card are credited to the cardholder's MileagePlus account and become subject to the same MileagePlus program rules. They do not constitute property and are subject to the same discretionary transfer process. Contact both the credit card issuer and MileagePlus separately to address each account.
After the transfer is complete, the recipient can use the miles according to the program's standard terms. Document the deceased account holder's details to make this process easier for your executor or family.
Sources
Data sourced from United Airlines primary sources (7 pages reviewed). How we research.
MileagePlus Customer Service (Estate Requests)
No published processing timeline. Contact the MileagePlus Service Center at 1-800-421-4655 for current estimates. Because MileagePlus award miles do not expire, there is no urgency related to expiration while the request is under review.
