4 min read

All About United Airlines PassPlus

All About United Airlines PassPlus

United PassPlus is a prepaid discount program that gives small and midsize corporate or individual customers fare discounts in exchange for pre-funding their PassPlus account annually.

In this guide, you'll learn:

  • What United Airlines' PassPlus offers small businesses
  • The requirements for joining PassPlus
  • The differences between PassPlus Flex and PassPlus Secure
  • How your company can save with PassPlus
  • How you can sign your company up for PassPlus
  • The differences between United PerksPlus and PassPlus
  • How your company can get the most from PassPlus

What is United Airlines PassPlus?

United Airlines' PassPlus is a prepaid discount program that offers either discounts off United airfare or set United fares in exchange for pre-funding their PassPlus accounts annually. That's right: there are two flavors of PassPlus. PassPlus Flex offers percentage discounts off the lowest fare, while PassPlus Secure offers  fixed fares. Scroll down for more on each option.

PassPlus accounts also receive United service funds that can be used to purchase United MileagePlus Premier status, United Club Memberships, and Access to Economy Plus® seating (where available).

How does my company qualify for United Airlines PassPlus?

Accessing PassPlus discounts and benefits requires that customers prefund their PassPlus accounts annually with at least $50,000 (for corporate accounts with multiple travelers) or $10,000 (for individual traveler accounts). Funds can be added to your account once a year or in four payments spread throughout the year, accounts can be prefunded using a check, wire, personal credit cards or procurement cards.

What is United Airlines PassPlus Flex?

PassPlus Flex is a prepaid discount program that offers  discounts off United's lowest available airfares. Percentage discounts start at 3% off the lowest available fare and go up to 18%, depending on the region (domestic, short-haul international, etc.) and get bigger as the fare rises. PassPlus Flex fares are the same as any other fares with MileagePlus earnings, MileagePlus Premier benefits and more, just discounted. As with all PassPlus options, airfare is deducted from your PassPlus account, typically via your UATP card.

What is United Airlines PassPlus Secure?

PassPlus Secure is a prepaid discount program that offers set fares for each cabin and each market across United's global network. There are three advantages of set Secure fares: first, set fares mean you can confidently predict your travel costs for budgeting or quoting clients; second, these set fares can be cheaper than the lowest-available rate when fares are high, particularly for popular travel times (Monday mornings!) or close to departure; and third you can easily switch flights at no additional cost. PassPlus Secure fares earn MileagePlus miles, travelers are eligible for MileagePlus Premier benefits, and more. As with all PassPlus options, airfare is deducted from your PassPlus account, typically via your UATP card.

So which PassPlus option is right for you? Check with AmTrav, our Relationship Managers are experts at explaining these programs and helping you pick the program that's perfect for your company!

How much can I save with United Airlines PassPlus?

Some quick math shows that a company that selects PassPlus Secure, commits and spends the minimum $50,000 on United and gets the base 3% discount because they book low fares will save $1,500 per year, while a company that spends $200,000 and averages 5% discounts will save $10,000 a year. Savings for PassPlus Flex is a little harder to predict, though it should be at least better than Secure because Flex travelers are purchasing airfare closer to departure when fares are more expensive and discounts are bigger.

But that's not all: all PassPlus clients earn valuable United service funds for perks and more, read on!

What are United Airlines service funds?

United service funds (also referred to as amenities funds) are credits that can pay for seat and cabin upgrades (upgrade from Economy to Polaris on your next trans-Atlantic flight!), buy MileagePlus Premier status for your best travelers, buy United Club memberships and more!

How do I book with United PassPlus discounts?

Every time your team searches and books United flights with AmTrav, AmTrav automatically applies your PassPlus discounts to the flight results and to your bookings (along with your travel policies and pre-trip approvals), and allows bookers to pay for United flights with your PassPlus UATP card, enabling your team to save money effortlessly. AmTrav flags your discounted PassPlus fares in the flight results so your bookers can easily see your discounted rates, allows you to mark United as a preferred supplier for your company, and allows you to steer bookers to United by requiring that they book preferred suppliers like United in your travel policy.

Accessing your discounted rates is just one way you save with AmTrav, see all the ways AmTrav saves you time and money!

How do I sign up for PassPlus?

If you've determined that United PassPlus is the right program for your company, United has made it easy to reach out for a consultation with a United Account Manager. Head over to United for Business to request a consultation.

Not sure if United PassPlus is right for you? Check with AmTrav, an expert Relationship Manager will help you weigh your choices and pick the right programs for your company!

What's the difference between United PerksPlus and PassPlus?

United PerksPlus is a corporate rewards program that earns companies credits that can pay for United perks. PerksPlus users must book travel through a travel agency.  United PassPlus is a prepaid discount program requiring small and midsize corporate or individual customers to pre-fund an account annually in exchange for airfare discounts.

The PerksPlus corporate rewards program earns PerksPlus points for companies spending at least $5,000 annually on United. While PerksPlus does not include any discounts on United airfare, PerksPlus points can be redeemed for free tickets, for United MileagePlus Premier status for some of your travelers (which means access to free premium cabin upgrades, free extra-legroom United Economy Plus seats, priority check-in, priority security lanes, priority boarding, free checked bags and more), for United Club memberships for some of your travelers, or converted to MileagePlus points that can be redeemed for United award travel, cabin upgrades, other travel spending and much, much more.

Not ready to commit to pre-funding an airfare account but you want to earn valuable United perks? Check out United PerksPlus!

How can my company get the most from PassPlus?

Your team can book and save with PassPlus either directly with United on United.com and the United mobile app, or by utilizing a corporate travel agency. Ideally your corporate travel agency includes both a modern booking tool and expert human support, making it easy to book and earn credit for all your flights, hotels and car rentals.

Might we suggest AmTrav? With AmTrav, you and your whole team can:

  • Book everything you need online, accessing the lowest fares and saving 10% on airfare with unused tickets
  • Set travel policy to guide your team’s bookings, track every dollar spent and your travelers’ location in real time
  • Get expert support from AmTrav’s all-employee Travel Advisors who are ready to help 24x7 

See AmTrav in action for yourself:

Find out how AmTrav can help your business travel smarter

Schedule time to talk with one of our travel experts.

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About AmTrav: Through one simple technology and services platform, AmTrav helps travelers be more productive and connected, empowering companies and their people to go places, meet people and grow further. AmTrav customers enjoy integrated travel booking, travel spend reporting, traveler tracking, and 24x7 expert human support, reducing obstacles, complexity and cost so they get the full value of their business travel. Learn more or reach out for a one-on-one consultation today.

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