United's 25% Hotel Points Transfer Bonus: Only One Is Worth It (Ends June 30)
United is adding a 25% bonus on hotel points converted to MileagePlus miles through June 30, 2026. Almost every transfer is bad value. Here's the one exception that actually makes sense from India.
United is running a promotion through June 30, 2026 that gives you 25% extra MileagePlus miles when you convert hotel points into miles. Eight hotel programs qualify, the bonus caps at 25,000 miles, and you have to register first. Sounds tempting if you've got a pile of hotel points sitting around.
Here's the honest version before you do anything: for seven of those eight programs, this is a bad deal even with the bonus. Hotel points are almost always worth more as hotel nights than as airline miles. The one real exception is Marriott Bonvoy, and only because United gives Marriott a special bonus that nothing else gets. If you have Bonvoy points and a specific Star Alliance trip in mind, this promo is genuinely good. For everything else, skip it.
What the deal actually is
From June 1 to June 30, 2026, United adds a 25% bonus on top of the standard miles you get when you convert hotel points to MileagePlus. A few things to know:
- You have to register. Sign up on United's official promo page, then log in to your hotel account and start the transfer. No registration, no bonus.
- The bonus caps at 25,000 miles. The 25% is calculated on your base miles, up to a maximum of 25,000 bonus miles. You'd need to convert enough hotel points to earn 100,000 base miles before you hit that ceiling, so most people won't get anywhere near it.
- Bonus miles post later. The base miles show up quickly, but the 25% bonus lands separately, on or before January 31, 2027. Don't panic when it isn't there the next day.
This is hotel points going into United, not the other way around. You can't send United miles to a hotel.
The eight hotel programs, and why most of them are a trap
Here are the conversion rates. Notice how much hotel currency you give up for very few miles.
| Hotel program | Base conversion | Minimum transfer | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marriott Bonvoy | 3:1 (plus a United-only bonus) | 3,000 pts | The only one worth it |
| Shangri-La Circle | 1:1 | 1,000 pts | Decent ratio, but Circle points are scarce |
| World of Hyatt | 2.5:1 | 5,000 pts | Worst value. Hyatt points are gold, don't waste them |
| Accor Live Limitless | 2:1 | Skip. ALL points are worth more as hotel credit | |
| Choice Privileges | 5:1 | 5,000 pts | Poor |
| IHG One Rewards | 5:1 | Poor | |
| Wyndham Rewards | 5:1 | Poor | |
| Hilton Honors | 10:1 | Terrible. 10,000 Hilton points for 1,000 miles |
Even with the 25% bonus, Hilton at 10:1 turns 10,000 points into 1,250 miles. Those same 10,000 Hilton points could be most of a free night at a mid-tier property. Hyatt is the most painful one to convert, because World of Hyatt points are the most valuable hotel currency going. Burning them for United miles is a small tragedy. The 25% doesn't fix any of this. It just makes a bad rate slightly less bad.
The exception: Marriott Bonvoy
Marriott is different because United and Marriott have a partnership (it used to be branded RewardsPlus) that nobody else gets. On top of the standard 3:1 rate, United hands Marriott transfers a 10,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Bonvoy points moved in one go. Every other airline gets 5,000 for the same transfer. United gives double.
So before this promo even existed, 60,000 Bonvoy points already became 30,000 United miles. Now add the 25% bonus on top of the base miles, and the math gets genuinely good:
| Bonvoy points | Base miles (3:1) | United partner bonus | 25% promo bonus | Total United miles | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60,000 | 20,000 | 10,000 | 5,000 | 35,000 | 1.71:1 |
| 120,000 | 40,000 | 20,000 | 10,000 | 70,000 | 1.71:1 |
| 180,000 | 60,000 | 30,000 | 15,000 | 105,000 | 1.71:1 |
| 300,000 | 100,000 | 50,000 | 25,000 (cap) | 175,000 | 1.71:1 |
An effective rate of 1.71 Bonvoy points per United mile is strong for a hotel-to-airline transfer. One thing to watch: the 25% promo bonus is calculated only on the base miles, not on the 10,000-per-60,000 partner bonus. And it caps at 25,000, which you'd hit at 300,000 Bonvoy points. Past that, you still get the base miles and the partner bonus, just no more 25%.
Always transfer in multiples of 60,000. Move 59,000 and you get zero partner bonus. Move 60,000 and you suddenly have 10,000 extra miles. The threshold matters more than almost anything else here.
How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points in India
This deal only helps if you actually have Bonvoy points, and they're easier to collect in India than people assume. The HDFC Marriott Bonvoy Credit Card earns points directly on every swipe. Amex transfers to Bonvoy at 1:1, and HDFC and Axis cards transfer at varying ratios depending on the card. Axis cardholders should note that Marriott sits in Group A, which has stricter annual caps, so plan ahead. And of course, paid stays at the hundreds of Marriott properties across India earn points too.
For the full picture of which airlines Bonvoy transfers to and how the bonus works across all 39 partners, we broke it down here: Every Airline You Can Transfer Marriott Bonvoy Points To.
What United miles get you from India
United is a Star Alliance carrier, so MileagePlus miles aren't just for flying United. You can book award seats on Air India, Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, Turkish, Thai, and the rest of the alliance. United also doesn't pass on fuel surcharges on most partner awards, which is a real advantage when you're flying out of India where surcharges can be brutal. The Excursionist Perk (a free one-way inside a round-trip booking) is another reason people hoard United miles.
If your goal is simply Star Alliance miles for award flights, and you don't already have Bonvoy points to convert, there's a more direct route. Air India is a Star Alliance member, and you can earn Air India Maharaja Club points through Mag Miles on the Magnify app, just by buying gift cards on everyday spending. No hotel stays, no premium credit card, no juggling transfer thresholds.
So should you do it?
Do it if you have a meaningful Bonvoy balance and a specific Star Alliance redemption you're targeting, and you've checked that the seats you want are actually available before you transfer. Transfers are one-way and irreversible, so converting points on a hunch is how balances die.
Skip it if your points are in Hilton, Hyatt, Accor, IHG, Choice, or Wyndham. You'll get more value redeeming those for hotel nights. And skip it if you're transferring Bonvoy with no plan, just because the bonus is live. A 25% bonus on points you'll never use is still zero value.
One more thing worth doing whatever your hotel balance looks like: if you collect points through Indian credit cards, the Magnify app shows every card you hold and where its points can transfer, with current ratios and any live transfer bonuses, all in one place. Ratios and promos change often, so it's the easiest way to see whether a better transfer is sitting right under your nose.
How to register and transfer
- Go to United's registration page (promo.united.com/offers/p2m) and sign up before you transfer. Registration is open from June 1 to 11:59pm EST on June 30, 2026. Without registering first, there's no bonus.
- Log in to your hotel loyalty account (Marriott Bonvoy, for the one transfer that makes sense).
- Start the transfer to United MileagePlus, in multiples of 60,000 Bonvoy points to capture the partner bonus.
- Watch your United account. Base miles and the partner bonus arrive fairly quickly. The 25% promo bonus posts separately, on or before January 31, 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does United's 25% hotel transfer bonus end?
The promotion runs from June 1 to June 30, 2026. You must register on United's promo page before you transfer, otherwise the 25% bonus won't apply. The bonus miles post separately, on or before January 31, 2027.
Is transferring hotel points to United worth it?
For most programs, no. Hotel points are usually worth more as hotel nights than as airline miles, and rates like Hilton's 10:1 or Hyatt's 2.5:1 are poor even with the 25% bonus. The clear exception is Marriott Bonvoy, which gets a special United-only bonus that makes the transfer genuinely good value.
How many United miles do 60,000 Marriott points get during the promo?
60,000 Bonvoy points convert to 35,000 United miles during this promotion. That's 20,000 base miles at the 3:1 rate, plus a 10,000-mile United partner bonus for the 60,000 threshold, plus 5,000 from the 25% promo bonus. The effective rate works out to about 1.71 Bonvoy points per United mile.
Can I earn Marriott Bonvoy points in India?
Yes. The HDFC Marriott Bonvoy Credit Card earns points on every spend. Amex transfers to Bonvoy at 1:1, and HDFC and Axis cards transfer at varying ratios. Paid stays at Marriott properties across India also earn points. Check the Magnify app to see which of your cards transfer to Marriott and at what rate.
What can I book with United miles from India?
United is a Star Alliance carrier, so MileagePlus miles book award seats on Air India, Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, Turkish, Thai, and other alliance members. United also doesn't pass on fuel surcharges on most partner awards, which saves a lot on flights out of India.
