Aug 25, 2015, 6:19 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
January 2024 -- Moved to Chase.com and renamed Pay Your Self Back
Noted -- The Chase Annual Fee had moved in 2011, now the flight reimbursement has moved and UA Choices site closed.
The Choices Points program was started in 2006 and is a method for using Chase MP branded earned miles (RDMs) to "pay" for a UA ticket charged to the credit card. These tickets are normal paid tickets and fully earn miles and elite credit. Statement credit redemption is at 1 cpm. (minimums applied, maximum is ticket cost)
Additionally, you can "pay" your Chase annual card fee. (rate varies, in 2020/2021 it has been increased to 1.5 cpm)
Note flight miles and miles from other sources are not eligible. Signup bonuses have qualified in the past.
There were other features originally, such as purchasing EQMs, but that has been discontinued.
To redeem or see balance, go to www.united.com/Choices
Original pre-merger thread on Choice Points
Noted -- The Chase Annual Fee had moved in 2011, now the flight reimbursement has moved and UA Choices site closed.
- Sign into your account here
- Click on "More" on the top right corner of your account page
- Select "Rewards dashboard" from the menu
- Choose "Use MileagePlus miles with Pay Yourself Back" on the top navigation bar
Additionally, you can "pay" your Chase annual card fee. (rate varies, in 2020/2021 it has been increased to 1.5 cpm)
Note flight miles and miles from other sources are not eligible. Signup bonuses have qualified in the past.
There were other features originally, such as purchasing EQMs, but that has been discontinued.
To redeem or see balance, go to www.united.com/Choices
MileagePlus Choices® Terms and Conditions Aug 2021
Important: Your participation in MileagePlus Choices® ("Choices") is governed by (i) the following terms and conditions and (ii) the MileagePlus® Program Rules found on united.com and expressly incorporated herein by reference (collectively the "Choices Terms and Conditions"). It is your responsibility to read and understand all of them. The Choices Terms and Conditions cannot be superseded or changed, except in writing from United Airlines, or any of its affiliates, (collectively, "United").
General conditions
Choices is offered at the discretion of United and United has the right to terminate Choices, in whole or in part, or to change the Choices Terms and Conditions, benefits and conditions of participation, in whole or in part, at any time, with or without notice, even though changes may affect the value of benefits already accumulated.
"You" and "your" means the primary Cardmember on the MileagePlus credit card account and whose MileagePlus account number is associated with the account ("Cardmember"). "MileagePlus credit card" includes United branded credit cards issued by Chase Bank USA, N.A. ("Chase") that accrue MileagePlus award miles.
Award miles accrued with your MileagePlus credit card and transferred to your MileagePlus account based on eligible card activity, including, but not limited to, credit card purchases, Chase promotional offers, and anniversary renewals, are available for use in Choices. Award miles earned (i) for flight activity, (ii) through MileagePlus partners, (iii) for Chase non-credit card activity including, but not limited to, debit/check card purchases or home equity advances, and (iv) for activity that is rewarded by third parties as bonuses associated with use of the MileagePlus credit card will be credited to your MileagePlus award miles balance but are not eligible for use in Choices. Your Choices balance is a subset of your MileagePlus award miles balance and not a separate balance. Your Choices balance can be found by visiting www.united.com/choices. You must have previously earned award miles with your MileagePlus credit card and be a current Cardmember to be able to login. Also, if you close your MileagePlus credit card account, you will forfeit your Choices balance.
Award miles accrued with your MileagePlus credit card will continue to be reflected in your award miles balance. In addition to the options available to MileagePlus members, Choices offers more ways to use miles that are exclusive to Cardmembers. Any Choices activity using award miles will result in a reduction of your MileagePlus award miles balance. You cannot have a greater Choices balance than your MileagePlus award miles balance.
The MileagePlus account number used for both Choices and the credit card account where the MileagePlus award miles were earned must be the same. You must be the primary Cardmember to use Choices. You cannot use your award miles through Choices for a statement credit on another person's MileagePlus credit card account.
Choices Airfare Statement Credit
To use Choices for an airfare statement credit, purchase any United ticket on united.com with your MileagePlus credit card. Flights purchased through any other source, such as United General Reservations, United Vacations, travel agencies or other travel websites, are not eligible. When the purchase posts to your credit card account, login at www.united.com/chase to use award miles earned with your MileagePlus credit card for an airfare statement credit against that charge.
No blackouts means any flight available on united.com can be purchased for Choices any day of the year. No inventory restriction indicates that any open seat on any available flight on united.com is eligible for Choices. Award miles earned with your MileagePlus credit card can be used against a ticket purchased on united.com through Choices for an airfare statement credit up to the full cost of the ticket.
Airfare statement credit requested may not exceed the ticket purchase amount charged to your MileagePlus credit card. Partial statement credits are allowed with a minimum of 5,000 award miles. However, only one statement credit request can be made per unique transaction.
You must submit your request within 90 days of the ticket purchase date.
Award miles are deducted at time of request. Please allow 5-7 days for the credit to appear on your credit card account. Since award miles earned with your MileagePlus credit card are reflected in your MileagePlus account balance, any activity through Choices will result in a reduction in your MileagePlus account balance. Use of award miles through Choices for an airfare statement credit made on or near the end of your monthly billing cycle may take up to one billing cycle to appear on your monthly billing statement. You are responsible for making your monthly credit card payment according to the terms and conditions of your account to avoid any late fees or finance charges.
For rejected requests, award miles initially deducted will be reversed.
E-mail confirmation will be sent to you to indicate a successful redemption and statement credit posting to your credit card account.
The MileagePlus account number used for both Choices and the credit card account where the MileagePlus award miles were earned must be the same. You must be the primary MileagePlus Cardmember to use Choices. You cannot use your award miles through Choices for an airfare statement credit on another person's MileagePlus credit card account.
Airline ticket changes, cancellations and refunds are subject to the rules of the airline ticket.
Award miles used in Choices cannot be returned or re-deposited by you.
MileagePlus and Chase reserve the right to reverse Choices air statement credits where the original ticket purchase is refunded. Award miles used will be re-deposited in your account and the Choices airfare statement credit will be reversed on your MileagePlus credit card account. In the event a reversal is required, an administrative fee of 2,500 award miles may be deducted from your MileagePlus account and will appear on your MileagePlus statement as an adjustment.
The number of award miles required depends upon the cost of the airline ticket including all taxes and fees and the amount of the airfare statement credit requested. You are responsible for all associated taxes, airport security charges, baggage fees, fuel surcharges and other usage fees required for travel. These charges will be included in the overall calculation to determine the number of award miles required for the airfare statement credit. The number of award miles required is subject to change at any time without notice.
Annual Membership Fee Reimbursement
Current Cardmembers may apply award miles through Choices towards one Annual Membership Fee Reimbursement per MileagePlus credit card account per 12-month period ("Annual Membership Fee Reimbursement"). Award miles used for an Annual Membership Fee Reimbursement cannot be returned or re-deposited.
Cardmember must submit an Annual Membership Fee Reimbursement request within 90 days of the annual membership fee transaction date on your credit card account.
The amount of the Annual Membership Fee Reimbursement requested may not exceed the annual membership fee billed to your monthly billing statement. One Annual Membership Fee Reimbursement request (full or partial) per 12 month period is allowed per credit card account.
Award miles are deducted from your MileagePlus account at the time you make your request. Please allow 5-7 days for the Annual Membership Fee Reimbursement to appear on your credit card account. Requests for an Annual Membership Fee Reimbursement made on or near the end of your monthly billing cycle may take up to one billing cycle to appear on your monthly billing statement. You are still responsible for making your monthly credit card payment according to the terms and conditions of your account to avoid any late fees or finance charges.
For rejected requests, award miles initially deducted will be reversed.
E-mail confirmation will be sent to you to indicate a successful redemption and statement credit posting to your credit card account.
Important: Your participation in MileagePlus Choices® ("Choices") is governed by (i) the following terms and conditions and (ii) the MileagePlus® Program Rules found on united.com and expressly incorporated herein by reference (collectively the "Choices Terms and Conditions"). It is your responsibility to read and understand all of them. The Choices Terms and Conditions cannot be superseded or changed, except in writing from United Airlines, or any of its affiliates, (collectively, "United").
General conditions
Choices is offered at the discretion of United and United has the right to terminate Choices, in whole or in part, or to change the Choices Terms and Conditions, benefits and conditions of participation, in whole or in part, at any time, with or without notice, even though changes may affect the value of benefits already accumulated.
"You" and "your" means the primary Cardmember on the MileagePlus credit card account and whose MileagePlus account number is associated with the account ("Cardmember"). "MileagePlus credit card" includes United branded credit cards issued by Chase Bank USA, N.A. ("Chase") that accrue MileagePlus award miles.
Award miles accrued with your MileagePlus credit card and transferred to your MileagePlus account based on eligible card activity, including, but not limited to, credit card purchases, Chase promotional offers, and anniversary renewals, are available for use in Choices. Award miles earned (i) for flight activity, (ii) through MileagePlus partners, (iii) for Chase non-credit card activity including, but not limited to, debit/check card purchases or home equity advances, and (iv) for activity that is rewarded by third parties as bonuses associated with use of the MileagePlus credit card will be credited to your MileagePlus award miles balance but are not eligible for use in Choices. Your Choices balance is a subset of your MileagePlus award miles balance and not a separate balance. Your Choices balance can be found by visiting www.united.com/choices. You must have previously earned award miles with your MileagePlus credit card and be a current Cardmember to be able to login. Also, if you close your MileagePlus credit card account, you will forfeit your Choices balance.
Award miles accrued with your MileagePlus credit card will continue to be reflected in your award miles balance. In addition to the options available to MileagePlus members, Choices offers more ways to use miles that are exclusive to Cardmembers. Any Choices activity using award miles will result in a reduction of your MileagePlus award miles balance. You cannot have a greater Choices balance than your MileagePlus award miles balance.
The MileagePlus account number used for both Choices and the credit card account where the MileagePlus award miles were earned must be the same. You must be the primary Cardmember to use Choices. You cannot use your award miles through Choices for a statement credit on another person's MileagePlus credit card account.
Choices Airfare Statement Credit
To use Choices for an airfare statement credit, purchase any United ticket on united.com with your MileagePlus credit card. Flights purchased through any other source, such as United General Reservations, United Vacations, travel agencies or other travel websites, are not eligible. When the purchase posts to your credit card account, login at www.united.com/chase to use award miles earned with your MileagePlus credit card for an airfare statement credit against that charge.
No blackouts means any flight available on united.com can be purchased for Choices any day of the year. No inventory restriction indicates that any open seat on any available flight on united.com is eligible for Choices. Award miles earned with your MileagePlus credit card can be used against a ticket purchased on united.com through Choices for an airfare statement credit up to the full cost of the ticket.
Airfare statement credit requested may not exceed the ticket purchase amount charged to your MileagePlus credit card. Partial statement credits are allowed with a minimum of 5,000 award miles. However, only one statement credit request can be made per unique transaction.
You must submit your request within 90 days of the ticket purchase date.
Award miles are deducted at time of request. Please allow 5-7 days for the credit to appear on your credit card account. Since award miles earned with your MileagePlus credit card are reflected in your MileagePlus account balance, any activity through Choices will result in a reduction in your MileagePlus account balance. Use of award miles through Choices for an airfare statement credit made on or near the end of your monthly billing cycle may take up to one billing cycle to appear on your monthly billing statement. You are responsible for making your monthly credit card payment according to the terms and conditions of your account to avoid any late fees or finance charges.
For rejected requests, award miles initially deducted will be reversed.
E-mail confirmation will be sent to you to indicate a successful redemption and statement credit posting to your credit card account.
The MileagePlus account number used for both Choices and the credit card account where the MileagePlus award miles were earned must be the same. You must be the primary MileagePlus Cardmember to use Choices. You cannot use your award miles through Choices for an airfare statement credit on another person's MileagePlus credit card account.
Airline ticket changes, cancellations and refunds are subject to the rules of the airline ticket.
Award miles used in Choices cannot be returned or re-deposited by you.
MileagePlus and Chase reserve the right to reverse Choices air statement credits where the original ticket purchase is refunded. Award miles used will be re-deposited in your account and the Choices airfare statement credit will be reversed on your MileagePlus credit card account. In the event a reversal is required, an administrative fee of 2,500 award miles may be deducted from your MileagePlus account and will appear on your MileagePlus statement as an adjustment.
The number of award miles required depends upon the cost of the airline ticket including all taxes and fees and the amount of the airfare statement credit requested. You are responsible for all associated taxes, airport security charges, baggage fees, fuel surcharges and other usage fees required for travel. These charges will be included in the overall calculation to determine the number of award miles required for the airfare statement credit. The number of award miles required is subject to change at any time without notice.
Annual Membership Fee Reimbursement
Current Cardmembers may apply award miles through Choices towards one Annual Membership Fee Reimbursement per MileagePlus credit card account per 12-month period ("Annual Membership Fee Reimbursement"). Award miles used for an Annual Membership Fee Reimbursement cannot be returned or re-deposited.
Cardmember must submit an Annual Membership Fee Reimbursement request within 90 days of the annual membership fee transaction date on your credit card account.
The amount of the Annual Membership Fee Reimbursement requested may not exceed the annual membership fee billed to your monthly billing statement. One Annual Membership Fee Reimbursement request (full or partial) per 12 month period is allowed per credit card account.
Award miles are deducted from your MileagePlus account at the time you make your request. Please allow 5-7 days for the Annual Membership Fee Reimbursement to appear on your credit card account. Requests for an Annual Membership Fee Reimbursement made on or near the end of your monthly billing cycle may take up to one billing cycle to appear on your monthly billing statement. You are still responsible for making your monthly credit card payment according to the terms and conditions of your account to avoid any late fees or finance charges.
For rejected requests, award miles initially deducted will be reversed.
E-mail confirmation will be sent to you to indicate a successful redemption and statement credit posting to your credit card account.
MP Choice Points Q&A [Consolidated] (Moved to Chase.com, renamed Pay Yourself Back)
Jun 22, 2016, 10:28 am
#17
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.997MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,861
The Choices statement credit is for tickets you have separately purchased united.com using MP miles earned from credit card purchases (not flight miles). You can convert these MP miles to dollars at 1 cpm as form of payment. You still earn purchase mileage credit and PQMs. While I have not seen a specific report, I see no reason not to earn PQDs.
For more on this payment approach, see the older http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...es-primer.html
Jul 8, 2016, 8:56 pm
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Posts: 10,909
I have never used these choices miles redemption. I understand how it works for 1 ticket. But what if I buy 2 tickets on same PNR for me and my wife. I am the primary card holder and will buy on United.com with the Chase Club card. Can I submit for a statement credit for the full amount of both tickets or only the one for me? I read all the T&C's and it makes no mention of it either way. Does anyone have any experience with this? I want us both to earn PQM/PQD/PQS and RDM's on the flight but my wife doesn't want to use money to pay for the tickets. Me because I need them to qualify for status higher than my MM gives me and my wife so her miles expiration gets reset. Figured this would satisfy both of us.
Jul 8, 2016, 9:34 pm
#19
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,140
Jul 8, 2016, 10:25 pm
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,891
I have never used these choices miles redemption. I understand how it works for 1 ticket. But what if I buy 2 tickets on same PNR for me and my wife. I am the primary card holder and will buy on United.com with the Chase Club card. Can I submit for a statement credit for the full amount of both tickets or only the one for me? I read all the T&C's and it makes no mention of it either way. Does anyone have any experience with this? I want us both to earn PQM/PQD/PQS and RDM's on the flight but my wife doesn't want to use money to pay for the tickets. Me because I need them to qualify for status higher than my MM gives me and my wife so her miles expiration gets reset. Figured this would satisfy both of us.
You should be able to redeem choices for any ticket paid for with the card..doesn't matter who it's for. In fact, Chase won't know who any ticket is for. You hair go to the choices redemption site and follow the instructions to redeem. Since each ticket is a separate charge, you'll need to do one for each charge.
Note that choices aren't the best redemption value at 1 cpm. However, it does allow you flexibility (to cover a portion of the ticket vs. all of it), and also allows you to earn RDM/PQM/PQS/PQD on tickets that you essentially don't pay for.
Nov 15, 2016, 6:39 am
#22
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: ORD | LGA | 2E
Programs: UA GS 1.6MM UC | AA CK 0.7MM AC | Bonvoy Ambassador | Hyatt Globalist | Hertz PC
Posts: 1,054
I have a random question that I am really hoping someone here can help answer. If I re-fare an existing ticket say from a coach class to A, is that charge technically an "airfare" charge and then eligible for a Choices redemption/credit to offset the charge. Has anyone ever done that? I have only ever used Choices to offset original reservations charges.
May 27, 2019, 2:31 pm
#23
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: UA GS; Marriott Titanium / LT Plat
Posts: 658
Does anyone know what the redemption rates are if I use Miles to pay for a ticket that I bought using my MP Explorer Card?
E.g. I buy a ticket TPA-YYZ, charge the ticket to my explorer card and then use miles to get a statement credit t cover the cost of the flight. I can’t seem to find this online anywhere!
E.g. I buy a ticket TPA-YYZ, charge the ticket to my explorer card and then use miles to get a statement credit t cover the cost of the flight. I can’t seem to find this online anywhere!
Last edited by WineCountryUA; May 27, 2019 at 3:07 pm Reason: moved to existing thread
May 27, 2019, 3:14 pm
#24
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.997MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,861
Only credit card miles can be used not flight miles.
If your card offers 1.5 miles per dollar purchase (or 2 miles for UA flight purchases), you are getting 1.5 (or 2) % cash credit per dollar credit card purchase
Links to details in the wiki
May 27, 2019, 4:29 pm
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,891
Does anyone know what the redemption rates are if I use Miles to pay for a ticket that I bought using my MP Explorer Card?
E.g. I buy a ticket TPA-YYZ, charge the ticket to my explorer card and then use miles to get a statement credit t cover the cost of the flight. I can’t seem to find this online anywhere!
E.g. I buy a ticket TPA-YYZ, charge the ticket to my explorer card and then use miles to get a statement credit t cover the cost of the flight. I can’t seem to find this online anywhere!
When you login, there’s a place for the reference number and amount you want to reimburse. It is .01/mile, but it will confirm the total in a review before you confirm the transaction.
You can also use Choices to cover your annual fee.
May 27, 2019, 4:36 pm
#26
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: UA GS; Marriott Titanium / LT Plat
Posts: 658
Each mile can be converted to $0.01 statement credit for flight purchase.
Only credit card miles can be used not flight miles.
If your card offers 1.5 miles per dollar purchase (or 2 miles for UA flight purchases), you are getting 1.5 (or 2) % cash credit per dollar credit card purchase
Links to details in the wiki
Only credit card miles can be used not flight miles.
If your card offers 1.5 miles per dollar purchase (or 2 miles for UA flight purchases), you are getting 1.5 (or 2) % cash credit per dollar credit card purchase
Links to details in the wiki
Aug 4, 2020, 10:24 pm
#27
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Delaware
Programs: UA Mileage Plus, Amtrak Guest Rewards
Posts: 1,397
One thing I don't understand is why this would be benefical to do this. While there is the advantage of earning status points by doing this, I would think that the redemtion rate, being so low, would outweigh FF benefits. Most of our award flights have had a redeption rate in the area of 1.8-2.4 cpm. At a redemtion rate of 1.0 cpm, anything over paying 50% of it in miles would cost more miles + the cash than just redemng a reward trip.
Example: A TPAC round trip is 200,000 miles each direction (400,000 miles round trip) at the standard rate and $8,000 cash.
Option 1 - 200,000 miles and $6,000 cash - With Status Awards
Option 2 - 400,000 miles and $4,000 cash - With Status Awards
Option 3 - 600,000 miles and $2,000 cash - With Status Awards
Option 4 - 800,000 miles and $0 - With Status Awards
Option 5 - 400,000 miles with no Status Awards.
If I really needed status, I would save the cash and do a MileageRun or use it for another trip, but that's just my opinion. YMMV
Example: A TPAC round trip is 200,000 miles each direction (400,000 miles round trip) at the standard rate and $8,000 cash.
Option 1 - 200,000 miles and $6,000 cash - With Status Awards
Option 2 - 400,000 miles and $4,000 cash - With Status Awards
Option 3 - 600,000 miles and $2,000 cash - With Status Awards
Option 4 - 800,000 miles and $0 - With Status Awards
Option 5 - 400,000 miles with no Status Awards.
If I really needed status, I would save the cash and do a MileageRun or use it for another trip, but that's just my opinion. YMMV
Aug 4, 2020, 10:49 pm
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,422
It's not always possible to get 1.8-2.4 cents per mile in redemption value; at least this provides a floor.
Aug 4, 2020, 11:01 pm
#29
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Delaware
Programs: UA Mileage Plus, Amtrak Guest Rewards
Posts: 1,397
Well, obviously you wouldn't do it at that price point. But TPACs don't always cost $8000, and there's no longer a cap on what UA might decide to charge for an award trip. If there were a sale fare for $2000, on a date that there's no I availability, suddenly the calculus changes considerably.
It's not always possible to get 1.8-2.4 cents per mile in redemption value; at least this provides a floor.
It's not always possible to get 1.8-2.4 cents per mile in redemption value; at least this provides a floor.
Aug 5, 2020, 5:50 am
#30
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Programs: United Gold
Posts: 2,047
Agreed but our experience has been that we've found them often enough that we've never had to use them for something less. Given that we fly 1-2X yearly at most, I assumed that most people who have a UA card would have had even more opportunities. Maybe we just got lucky.