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United for Business Rewards is the name of United Airlines’ upcoming replacement for PerksPlus, its small-and-midsize-business travel rewards program. It has not launched yet – United says it plans to roll it out in the second half of 2026 – but the transition news is already changing what current PerksPlus members should plan around, including a real extension to how long existing points stay usable.
The PerksPlus Deadline Just Got Longer
United confirmed directly on the PerksPlus site that it has pushed back the point-usage deadline: “All PerksPlus accounts will be able to use their points until December 31st, 2026 (extended from June 30th, 2026).” If you had June 30 marked as a deadline to spend down a PerksPlus balance, that pressure is off for now – you have an extra six months.
One geographic nuance worth flagging: United also notes that “customers based in Latin America may have access to points after December 31st, based on launch timing” – so the December 31 cutoff is explicitly a U.S.-anchored date, and Latin American companies could see a slightly different timeline depending on when United for Business Rewards actually goes live in their market.
What United for Business Rewards Actually Is
United’s own description is intentionally brief at this stage: “a new program with more redemption options and enhanced functionality to replace PerksPlus for U.S. and Latin customers.” That is essentially all United has confirmed publicly so far. There is no released earning chart, no confirmed redemption catalog, and no enrollment page yet – United says to “stay on the lookout for emails… with more program details and an official launch date.”
Treat any specific earning rate or redemption value you see for “United for Business Rewards” right now as speculation, not confirmed fact, until United publishes its own program details.
How PerksPlus Works Today (Still Active)
Since United for Business Rewards has not replaced it yet, PerksPlus is still the live program – and understanding it is useful context for what a successor program would need to improve on. PerksPlus is built around a small business booking paid airfare through a travel agency, then earning points based on a multiplier applied to the fare paid:
- Points are generated only from paid airfare booked through a travel agency – not from direct United.com bookings.
- Earning uses a multiplier tied to fare class and route (hub vs. non-hub), applied to the base fare paid, excluding taxes and fees.
- Redemption options include travel certificates, conversion to MileagePlus Premier Silver or Premier Gold status, United Club memberships or single-visit passes, beverage vouchers, and conversion to MileagePlus miles.
- A $2,500 business-fare ticket has been cited as generating in the range of 10,000 PerksPlus points, though your actual multiplier depends on fare class and whether the route touches a United hub.
What This Timeline Means in Practice
- Through December 31, 2026: PerksPlus keeps working as normal – keep booking through your travel agency and earning points as you always have.
- Second half of 2026: United for Business Rewards is expected to launch, with United promising to email PerksPlus members directly with enrollment details and an official date.
- After launch: Expect a transition period where PerksPlus balances need to be used, converted, or migrated – United has not yet detailed exactly how that will work, so this is the detail worth watching for most closely.
- Latin American businesses: May see a later effective date than December 31, depending on when the new program actually launches in that market.
Practical Tips
- Do not rush to burn down a PerksPlus balance before June 30, 2026 – that deadline no longer applies. December 31, 2026 is the current date to plan around.
- Make sure your company’s PerksPlus contact email is current, since United says program details and the launch date will come via email rather than a public announcement first.
- If your business is deciding whether to book more paid airfare through PerksPlus’s travel-agency requirement before the transition, remember any points earned now are still subject to the same December 31, 2026 usage window as existing balances.
- Watch for how United for Business Rewards treats status and Club-membership redemptions specifically – those tend to be the highest-value uses of PerksPlus points today, and it is not yet confirmed whether the new program will match them.
Part of a Bigger Pattern of United Program Changes
This is not the only United loyalty change on the calendar for 2026 – MileagePlus itself has its own set of updates taking effect around the same period, covered in Changes to the United MileagePlus Program. If your company also has employees earning personal MileagePlus miles and status alongside a PerksPlus account, it is worth tracking both timelines together rather than assuming they move in sync.
The Bottom Line
United for Business Rewards is confirmed to be coming – replacing PerksPlus for U.S. and Latin American customers sometime in the second half of 2026 – but the program itself is not live, and United has not published earning rates, redemption options, or an enrollment process yet. What is concrete right now is the deadline relief: PerksPlus points are usable through December 31, 2026, six months later than originally planned. Until United sends the promised launch emails, there is nothing to sign up for and no reason to rush a decision.