How to Book United With Amex Points

Which program to transfer into

MileagePlus is United's own program. The banks that list it are Chase Ultimate Rewards and Bilt Rewards. Amex is not in that sentence. The two Amex partners this site publishes for a United seat are book United with Aeroplan and book United with LifeMiles.

Those ratios are read from the transfer list. The full directory is the transfer partners page. Amex can send points to 20 partners.

This directory row for Aeroplan and for LifeMiles does not set a block size, a minimum, or an official transfer time. The Flying Blue row is a different partner, and its timing does not apply here. Read the block and the time on Amex's transfer screen.

Amex's Flying Blue terms say Amex charges an excise tax offset fee only for points transferred to a U.S. airline frequent flyer program. That sentence is about a U.S. airline program. Aeroplan and LifeMiles are not United. Confirm the fee line on the Aeroplan or LifeMiles transfer before you send points. Source: [American Express Membership Rewards terms (April 2026)](https://www.americanexpress.com/content/dam/amex/us/rewards/membership-rewards/mr-terms-conditions-april-2026.pdf).

How to book United with Aeroplan

Air Canada says you can redeem Aeroplan points for travel on United. On aircanada.com, a partner flight is marked operated by that airline. Source: [Air Canada, airline partners](https://www.aircanada.com/us/en/aco/home/book/routes-and-partners/star-alliance-and-other-airline-partners.html), checked November 9, 2026.

1. Find the United flight and note the flight number and the date.
2. Search that flight with Aeroplan. The partner page records the booking fee and the rule that the flight has to show as operated by United.
3. If the seat is there, transfer Amex points to Air Canada Aeroplan at 1:1.
4. Book on Air Canada. The Aeroplan guide has the stopover rule and the change rules. This page does not restate them as if they were Amex rules.

Aeroplan charges a $39 CAD partner booking fee per ticket when the reward includes a flight operated by an airline other than Air Canada, Air Canada Express, Air Canada Rouge, or a Landline bus. Taxes, fees and charges are due when the ticket is issued. The policy does not say a United flight has no carrier surcharge. Source: [Aeroplan flight reward policy](https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/aeroplan/legal/aeroplan-flight-reward-policy.html), checked November 9, 2026.

You can change or cancel up to 2 hours before departure. Miss that window and the ticket is forfeited, with no points back. On aircanada.com, an Economy Standard reward is $75 CAD to change per direction per ticket and $150 CAD to cancel per ticket. Economy Flex has no online change fee and a $75 CAD cancellation fee. Fees are in Canadian dollars and may be waived for eligible Elite members. A name change is not allowed once the ticket is issued. Source: [Aeroplan flight reward policy](https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/aeroplan/legal/aeroplan-flight-reward-policy.html), checked November 9, 2026.

Aeroplan's shortest North America economy band for partners other than Air Canada is 6,000 points one way, from Air Canada's chart. A United flight uses the band for its distance. The chart does not print the word United on that row. There is no Amex to Aeroplan transfer guide on this site. Capital One's guide is a different bank: how to transfer Capital One miles to Air Canada.

How to book United with LifeMiles

LifeMiles says you redeem miles online for avianca and for its air partners, and it names Star Alliance among those partners. The redemption help pages checked on November 9, 2026 do not name United or a United award price. If United is not on the LifeMiles screen, do not transfer. Source: [LifeMiles help center, miles redemption](https://helpcenter.lifemiles.com/hc/en-us/categories/15668703041691-Miles-Redemption), checked November 9, 2026.

1. Find the United flight and note the flight number and the date.
2. Search that flight with LifeMiles. If United is not the operating carrier on the screen, do not transfer.
3. If the seat is there, transfer Amex points to Avianca LifeMiles at 1:1.
4. Book, then check the flight number. The name correction rule is on how to book United with LifeMiles.

The LifeMiles redemption help pages checked on November 9, 2026 do not list a United surcharge or a partner booking fee. Read the cash amount on the redemption screen before you move miles. Source: [LifeMiles help center, partner redemption](https://helpcenter.lifemiles.com/hc/en-us/articles/15775783299355-Miles-redemption-for-Flights-with-avianca-and-Air-Partners), checked November 9, 2026.

LifeMiles says the name on a partner ticket, including Star Alliance, cannot be corrected. You request a refund and book again, and the new fare's rules apply. That help page does not list a dollar penalty for the refund. Source: [LifeMiles help center, partner name corrections](https://helpcenter.lifemiles.com/hc/en-us/articles/20949572563099-Name-correction-in-reservations-with-air-partners), checked November 9, 2026.

LifeMiles did not publish a United award price on the help pages checked for that guide. This page does not add one.

When Aeroplan or LifeMiles is the better route

Price the same United-operated flight in Aeroplan and in LifeMiles. Keep the points, the cash, and the partner booking fee where one is charged. We value an Amex point at 2.0 cents per point, an Aeroplan point at 1.45 cents per point, and a LifeMile at 1.65 cents per point (The Points Guy, November 2026).

Aeroplan's listed value is below an Amex point, so the award has to beat 2.0¢ per point after the cash and the partner booking fee.

LifeMiles' listed value is below an Amex point, so that screen has to beat 2.0¢ per point after cash.

MileagePlus is the better program when you already hold the miles, or when the bank you are moving is one of Chase Ultimate Rewards and Bilt Rewards. How to book United with Chase points is the Chase path, because Chase does list United. An Amex balance cannot open MileagePlus.

Use Aeroplan when the distance band plus the partner booking fee beats the LifeMiles result, and the screen says United operates the flight. Use LifeMiles when United shows as the operating carrier and the cash on that screen is the one you will pay. If neither screen shows the seat, leave the points in Amex.

Run your own balance through the points value calculator.

A business class seat is a strong redemption when the points and the cash still beat paying cash. If the seat is not there, do not transfer on the hope that it appears.

Learn this properly

Lesson 11: Transfer Partners & When to Use Them explains why Amex points can book another airline's seats. Points values prices Amex points against Aeroplan and LifeMiles. The best ways to use United miles ranks MileagePlus redemptions, which this transfer does not create.

Frequently asked questions

Can I transfer Amex points to United MileagePlus?

No. Amex's transfer list has no MileagePlus row. The Amex routes to a United seat are Aeroplan at 1:1 and LifeMiles at 1:1.

Which Amex partners book a United flight?

Air Canada Aeroplan and Avianca LifeMiles. The steps are on book United with Aeroplan and book United with LifeMiles. The full map is how to book United with miles.

Should I use Aeroplan or LifeMiles?

Search the same United-operated flight in both. Aeroplan publishes a distance band and charges a partner booking fee. LifeMiles did not publish a United price on the pages we checked, so the LifeMiles screen is the price. Keep the result that beats 2.0 cents per point after cash (The Points Guy, November 2026).

Does Amex charge a fee to transfer to Aeroplan or LifeMiles?

Amex's terms, quoted on the Flying Blue transfer, say Amex charges an excise tax offset fee only for points transferred to a U.S. airline frequent flyer program. Confirm the fee line on the Aeroplan or LifeMiles transfer screen. This directory does not record a separate no-fee statement for those two partners.