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 The Choices Terms and Conditions cannot be superseded or changed, except in writing from United Airlines, or any of its affiliates, (collectively, "United").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)
Aug 5, 2020, 7:17 am
#31
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 would just remind you that everyone's experience is a little different. I will never use miles to book my own travel because of the specifics of my job. I will book revenue tickets 99.9% of the time. Given my GS benefits I often have better luck in ensuring that my MM wife is up front with me by purchasing a revenue ticket for her as well (which I do have to pay for), so the ability to just offset that cost 1-for-1, have her earn more miles which we can use for her parents and my Mom a few times a year, is just better for me. I'm not really trying to maximize award yield, I'm trying to ensure that no one in our group ever flies in steerage and that I am out of pocket as few $s as possible net-net. I have probably converted ~$25-30K in choices to offset statement charges in the last 8 years just based on looking at my e-mail archive.
Aug 5, 2020, 8:55 am
#32
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,419
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.
LIH's reply pretty much nails the value proposition for Choices: limited flexibility and (I'm guessing) limited notice when travel is required. (Although, that said, I'd think that the GS benefit of being able to force a saver award /or upgrade provided that J > 2 would be more useful).
Aug 5, 2020, 6:17 pm
#33
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Delaware
Programs: UA Mileage Plus, Amtrak Guest Rewards
Posts: 1,396
It's mostly a matter of patience and flexibility. If you've been getting the exact flights that you wanted, without having to check frequently over a long period of time, then you probably did get lucky, or there's something about your travel patterns that keeps cash fares high even when demand is low. However, my guess is that you're either flexible (on date, time of day, destination, or carrier), patient (checking repeatedly over a long period of time to get your flights), or both.
LIH's reply pretty much nails the value proposition for Choices: limited flexibility and (I'm guessing) limited notice when travel is required. (Although, that said, I'd think that the GS benefit of being able to force a saver award /or upgrade provided that J > 2 would be more useful).
LIH's reply pretty much nails the value proposition for Choices: limited flexibility and (I'm guessing) limited notice when travel is required. (Although, that said, I'd think that the GS benefit of being able to force a saver award /or upgrade provided that J > 2 would be more useful).
Sep 22, 2020, 2:43 pm
#34
Join Date: Apr 2016
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA Gold, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 695
For this to work, Chase says to reference the transaction number found online but I think Chase may have changed their website as transactions aren't showing any reference numbers.
Sep 22, 2020, 3:12 pm
#35
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: 66,859
It is available on online but not easy to find
Go to account online
Scroll down to "Recent Activity" and select the desired card
Select "See all activity", brings up a new window "Account Activity"
Now select the statement time frame you need
Find the item you are looking for and click on ">" on the far right
That brings up more detail on the item including the reference number
Works going back to the June statement
Go to account online
Scroll down to "Recent Activity" and select the desired card
Select "See all activity", brings up a new window "Account Activity"
Now select the statement time frame you need
Find the item you are looking for and click on ">" on the far right
That brings up more detail on the item including the reference number
Works going back to the June statement
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Sep 22, 2020 at 3:20 pm
Sep 22, 2020, 8:22 pm
#36
Join Date: Apr 2016
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA Gold, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 695
It is available on online but not easy to find
Go to account online
Scroll down to "Recent Activity" and select the desired card
Select "See all activity", brings up a new window "Account Activity"
Now select the statement time frame you need
Find the item you are looking for and click on ">" on the far right
That brings up more detail on the item including the reference number
Works going back to the June statement
Go to account online
Scroll down to "Recent Activity" and select the desired card
Select "See all activity", brings up a new window "Account Activity"
Now select the statement time frame you need
Find the item you are looking for and click on ">" on the far right
That brings up more detail on the item including the reference number
Works going back to the June statement
DescriptionUNITED 016**********
Also known asUnited Airlines
Card number(...1***)
CategoryTravel
Plus some info on posted dates, transaction dates and merchant phone numbers. Logged in with business account.
Sep 22, 2020, 8:48 pm
#37
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: 66,859
I have a personal card, not a business card and have not purchased a United ticket in 6 months, so I can not be of much more help.
Does the reference number show for other purchases in the same statement?
Does the reference number show for other purchases in the same statement?
Sep 22, 2020, 9:16 pm
#38
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Hiding under the trees in Denver, CO
Programs: UA 1K 2.5MM, Marriott Lifetime Titanium Elite, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 4,306
If the reference number really doesn't appear in your online statement, you can call Chase and have the agent read the reference number to you. It's a bit tedious to write down the long string of numbers, but it gets the job done.
Sep 23, 2020, 11:54 pm
#39
Join Date: Apr 2016
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA Gold, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 695
I used Choice miles yesterday to pay for a ticket that appeared on my September 2020 statement. I was able to see the "Reference Number" (a long string of digits that started with a 245) when I expanded the transaction details, as described by WineCountryUA.
If the reference number really doesn't appear in your online statement, you can call Chase and have the agent read the reference number to you. It's a bit tedious to write down the long string of numbers, but it gets the job done.
If the reference number really doesn't appear in your online statement, you can call Chase and have the agent read the reference number to you. It's a bit tedious to write down the long string of numbers, but it gets the job done.
Sep 24, 2020, 12:01 am
#40
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: 66,859
Oct 21, 2020, 8:28 pm
#41
Join Date: Apr 2016
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA Gold, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 695
Been a week after asking in secure message with no response. Also gave reps a phone call and they had no clue about the transaction reference number and only would repeat back the description and the 016... number.
Dec 28, 2020, 10:34 pm
#42
Join Date: Apr 2016
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA Gold, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 695
They might require some prodding but they should know exactly what the transaction reference number is especially if you give them an example. Some agents are unwilling to give it as it’s “internal and has no use” so it might require a supervisor or a HUCA. 1 agent gave it immediately and the phone call took 3 minutes. Another call took slightly longer since they kept citing “internal” but a supervisor was able to read it back without an issue.
Feb 14, 2021, 1:46 pm
#43
Join Date: Aug 2002
Programs: UA 1K & 1MM/AA Gold & 1MM/HH Gold/Marriott Titanium
Posts: 2,928
Looks like this program is going away unfortunately. I just received mail that my card will switch to the Quest Card on March 21. Will really miss Choices, loved having the ability to offset $$$ with miles. Paid for many upgrades! 
Feb 14, 2021, 2:21 pm
#44
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: 66,859
Why do you draw this conclusion, Choice Points work with all the Chase UA MP cards.
Feb 14, 2021, 2:25 pm
#45
Join Date: Aug 2002
Programs: UA 1K & 1MM/AA Gold & 1MM/HH Gold/Marriott Titanium
Posts: 2,928