Some offers on this page are from advertisers who pay us, which may affect which products we write about, but not our recommendations. See our Advertiser Disclosure.

United Airlines is updating its MileagePlus rewards program — and giving frequent flyers even more reason to have a United card.

Starting this year, cardholders will earn more miles on United flights, while earning rates will decrease for flyers without a United credit card or debit card. You can still get boosted miles if you have Premier status within the MileagePlus program, but you’ll need a United card to score the best earning rates.

Here’s what to know about earning miles and other changes to United’s loyalty program before booking your next flight:

Read more: Best airline credit cards

Starting April 2, the number of miles you earn when booking eligible United flights will change. The new earning rates are based on both your MileagePlus Premier status and which United MileagePlus credit card you have (or don't have).

If you’re a MileagePlus member without a United credit card, the miles you’ll earn on each flight are decreasing. Today, non-Premier general members of the program can earn 5x miles per dollar on flights; that becomes 3x miles in April.

Here’s a look at how earning miles works starting April 2:

*(not using United MileagePlus card to purchase ticket)†(applies after spending $10,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year)

Say you’re a Premier Platinum status member with a United Explorer Card and you’re booking a United Airlines flight for $600. If you use your card to purchase the United flight, you’ll earn 13x miles per dollar you spend, or 7,800 miles on this flight. Even if you use another card to purchase your ticket, you’ll still earn 10x miles per dollar (6,000 for this flight).

If you book a Basic Economy ticket, the only ways to earn miles on your flight is with either a United MileagePlus card or Premier status. You won’t earn miles on Basic Economy tickets as a general MileagePlus member without a United card.

This is similar to other major airlines today; Delta Air Lines and American Airlines flyers don’t earn miles on Basic Economy tickets, either.

United MileagePlus Premier members without a United card can earn between 2x and 6x miles per dollar spent on Basic Economy tickets, depending on status level. If you do have a United card, you’ll earn between 3x miles and 9x miles on Basic Economy tickets, depending on your Premier status.

Award flights booked with your United miles are getting an overhaul, too. When you use your miles to book eligible United flights, you’ll get a discount on the redemption value if you have a United credit card. Cardholders with Premier status get an even higher discount:

United MileagePlus credit or debit cardholders: 10% off award flights

United MileagePlus cardholders with Premier status: 15% off award flights

For example, if you want to book an award flight that has a standard cost of 50,000 miles, you can pay as little as 42,500 miles if you’re both a Premier status member and a United cardholder.

United cardholders will also get increased access to premium seats with Saver Award fares. United previously offered discounted Saver Award fares for Polaris business class fares to Premier Platinum and Premier 1K members. With Saver Award fares, you can secure these premium seats on eligible flights for as low as 80,000 miles.

Now, United is expanding Saver Award fares to include United cardholders and other Premier members. You can also combine the 10% to 15% award flight savings with Saver Award fares to score Polaris seats at an even lower price.

Here’s a closer look at each United MileagePlus credit card available today:

Read our full United Gateway Card review.

Read our full United Explorer Card review.

Read more: Six things to know about the United Quest Card

Read our full United Club Card review.

The revamped United MileagePlus program no doubt incentivizes United cardholders, but you should look at your own spending habits and travel to decide if a United credit card is right for you.

If you travel with United Airlines often, you might get a lot of added value from a co-branded credit card. You’ll earn more on your United purchases. Depending on the card you choose, you’ll also get perks like priority boarding, free checked bags, United travel credits, access to United Club lounges, and more. A United credit card can also help you earn Premier status faster, with some offering Premier qualifying points based on your card spending.

But you shouldn’t rush to open a new United credit card if you don’t already prefer flying with United or you don’t travel much at all. You can still earn miles on your flights without a credit card or Premier status as long as you’re not flying Basic Economy — and if you don’t fly very often, you won’t be able to take advantage of many United credit card benefits anyway.

Another thing to keep in mind is how you typically spend money using credit cards. United cards do offer bonus rewards on non-United spending, but you’ll generally earn the most bonus miles when you use your card for United purchases. If you prefer more flexibility or want to earn rewards on flights booked with other airlines, you might get more value from a general travel credit card. These travel cards may also offer additional everyday bonus categories that better fit your spending.

Editorial Disclosure: The information in this article has not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. All opinions belong solely to Yahoo Finance and are not those of any other entity. The details on financial products, including card rates and fees, are accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information. This site doesn't include all currently available offers. Credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.

You can earn up to 110,000 United MileagePlus bonus miles — and earn more miles on United flights — with a new United credit card.

Here’s how you can use the United Explorer Card to boost your MileagePlus rewards toward a future trip — and get more benefits while flying.

For business owners who frequently fly United, the New United Business Card could be a valuable addition to your wallet.

Learn more about how you can gain access to airport lounges and boost your MileagePlus rewards with this airline credit card.

Even occasional United fliers can get good use out of this beginner travel card.

Earning elite airline status with credit cards is possible, albeit with some caveats based on the card you choose. Here's what you need to know.