Loyalty Program Rewards Optimizer
Calculate boosted miles and discounts. Model United's 10% points discount for cardholders and non-cardholder penalties.
United's loyalty overhaul — 10% points discount for cardholders, penalties for non-cardholders. See your max rewards.
Run Your Own Simulation
Adjust the inputs below. Results update instantly. No signup, no data saved — everything runs in your browser.
How We Calculate Rewards
Base miles from flights, bonus miles from card spend, and cardholder discount on redemptions. All formulas are static — no APIs. You input the numbers; we show the value.
Core Logic
- Total miles = Flight miles + (Card spend × earn rate)
- Cardholder price = Redemption cost × 0.9 (10% off)
- Non-cardholder price = Full redemption cost
How does United’s 10% points discount work? Cardholders pay 90% of the points for the same award. A 50,000-mile ticket costs 45,000 with the card. Over a year, that can save 20,000+ miles — enough for another trip. Non-cardholders pay full price. The gap is real.
Max rewards scenarios
Stack flight miles, card spend, and cardholder status. The calculator shows your total earning potential and the effective dollar value of the 10% discount. Use it to decide: is the annual fee worth it? Usually yes, if you fly 2+ times per year.
The News Driving This Conversation
United’s loyalty overhaul — 10% points discount for co-branded cardholders on award redemptions. Non-cardholders pay full price. The change rewards loyalty to the card; everyone else pays a penalty. Model your scenario and see the gap.
Should I get a co-branded travel card? If you fly United (or the carrier you’re modeling) regularly, the math usually wins. The 10% discount on redemptions plus bonus earn on spend adds up fast. The calculator quantifies it.
Non-cardholder penalty
Without the card, you pay full price for awards. That’s not a “penalty” in name — but it’s a relative disadvantage. Over multiple redemptions per year, the gap can exceed the card’s annual fee many times over.
How to Interpret Your Results
Compare cardholder vs non-cardholder outcomes.
| Profile | Effective value |
|---|---|
| Cardholder, 2+ trips/year | 10% discount typically > annual fee |
| Cardholder, 1 trip/year | Marginal — depends on spend and awards |
| Non-cardholder | Paying full price; consider the card |
How do I maximize loyalty rewards? Combine flights, card spend, and cardholder status. Use the calculator to see total miles and effective savings. Then book strategically — the 10% off matters most on expensive awards.
Who Should Use This Calculator
Frequent flyers — quantify the value of cardholder status. Is the annual fee worth it?
Travel hackers — model United-style programs. See max rewards for different spend and travel levels.
Loyalty program managers — understand the gap between cardholder and non-cardholder. Use it for positioning and upgrades.
Finance-conscious travelers — make data-driven decisions. Don’t guess — calculate.
Understand the true value of cardholder status
One number: how much do you save per year with the 10% discount? If it’s more than the annual fee, the card pays for itself. The calculator gives you that number.
Elite tier and status perks
United and other carriers layer elite status on top of cardholder benefits. More miles per dollar, upgrades, lounge access. The calculator focuses on the 10% redemption discount — but elite status multiplies earn. Model cardholder value first; add status benefits in your head.
Redemption sweet spots
Not all awards are equal. Business class to Europe can be 2–3 cents per point; economy domestic might be 1 cent. The 10% discount applies to all — but it’s worth more on high-value redemptions. Use the calculator for total miles; then optimize where you spend them.
Frequently Asked Questions
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