‘Tis the season for presents — and that features present playing cards. Sadly, you will have obtained some gift cards for the vacations that you just aren’t very enthusiastic about. If that is the case, we’ve got some excellent news: You may flip these undesirable present playing cards into United MileagePlus miles by way of United’s MileagePlus Present Card Trade. Here is the way it works.
Associated: What credit cards should you use to purchase gift cards?
Which present playing cards are eligible for United miles?
On the MileagePlus Gift Card Exchange landing page, there is a hyperlink to a “Present card retailer listing” on the backside. This listing at present contains over 30 retailers, similar to Greatest Purchase, Sears, Starbucks and Walmart.
Nevertheless, word that some retailers on this listing might not really be accessible for change on the web site. There are additionally some retailers accessible for change that are not on the listing, together with The North Face and HP.
Associated: Flights, credit cards and more: How to earn miles with the United MileagePlus program
Is it price exchanging present playing cards?
United has a chart itemizing the “Minimal award miles awarded,” which might make you suppose that some choices provide extra miles than these charges. However we checked dozens of various retailers, and the mileage provide was the identical for every one.
Regardless of the chart, you are not restricted to $25, $50 and $100 present playing cards. Based on the homepage, you may change present playing cards with at the least a $15 minimal stability. Nevertheless, there are larger minimal balances for some retailers, like $50 at The North Face. In case your stability is just too low, a purple field with the minimal will pop up whenever you click on “Get Mileage provide.”
From what we have gathered, the variety of miles supplied is the present card worth instances 26.6, rounded as much as the closest 10 miles. This comes out to between 3.70 and three.76 cents per mile, relying on what number of you are buying and selling in. For instance:
- $15 present playing cards equal 400 United miles (3.75 cents per mile)
- $20 present playing cards equal 540 United miles (3.70 cents per mile)
- $25 present playing cards equal 670 United miles (3.73 cents per mile)
- $30 present playing cards equal 800 United miles (3.75 cents per mile)
- $40 present playing cards equal 1,070 United miles (3.74 cents per mile)
- $50 present playing cards equal 1,330 United miles (3.76 cents per mile)
- $100 present playing cards equal 2,660 United miles (3.76 cents per mile)
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This price is way larger than TPG’s December 2024 valuation of 1.35 cents per United mile, that means you are not getting good worth out of your present playing cards. Nonetheless, in the event you’d moderately have the miles than the present card, this could possibly be a helpful strategy to offload them.
Additionally, at the least United is being constant. When United is not working a buy miles promotion, you should buy United miles at a price of $35 per 1,000 United miles. After taxes and costs, this comes out to three.76 cents per mile.
Associated: The best credit cards for buying points and miles
Limitations to the Present Card Trade
To promote present playing cards by way of the MileagePlus Present Card Trade, your MileagePlus account will need to have been open for at the least 90 days and have a optimistic account stability. This implies you may’t change your present playing cards for miles if there aren’t any miles in your account.
But when your account is empty, don’t fret: There are a number of straightforward methods to earn United miles with out flying, similar to by way of the MileagePlus shopping portal or the MileagePlus Dining program.
Though the positioning might offer you a quote for $10 present playing cards at some retailers, the phrases and situations state that “present playing cards accepted will need to have a $15 minimal stability on the cardboard and will have a most imposed.” It additionally seems that the change will solely settle for present playing cards as much as $100.
In case you determine to promote a present card by way of the MileagePlus Present Card Trade, the miles ought to arrive in your United account inside 5 enterprise days.
Associated: How to use points and miles to give gifts with zero out-of-pocket cost
Backside line
Whilst you’re not going to get the perfect worth from exchanging present playing cards for United miles, it is good to have the choice to swap an undesirable present card for one thing extra helpful. The MileagePlus Present Card Trade may turn out to be useful in the event you want United miles for an upcoming redemption, have tapped out your Bilt Rewards Factors and Chase Ultimate Rewards factors, and are holding a qualifying present card. In case your solely different choice is to purchase United miles, you may as nicely liquidate the present card — particularly if it is one you would not use quickly anyway.
However, if you do not have a United redemption in thoughts, it could be price checking on-line for one more present card change program (similar to CardCash) which will offer you a greater price.