United MileagePlus Leadership Shakeup: What the Changes Mean for Your Miles

If you’ve got United MileagePlus miles sitting in your account, pay attention. United just made its biggest loyalty program leadership change in years, and the implications could be significant for anyone who earns or redeems MileagePlus miles.

Let me break down what happened, who the new players are, and what this likely means for your miles.

The Leadership Shakeup: Who’s In, Who’s Out

United Airlines announced major changes to MileagePlus leadership in January 2026. Here’s the quick summary:

Position	Out	In
MileagePlus CEO	Richard Nunn	(Position being restructured)
MileagePlus President	Luc Bondar	Jarad Fisher
Kinective Media (consultant)	—	Vasu Raja

This isn’t your typical executive reshuffling. Both Nunn and Bondar were pushed out, which signals that United’s leadership wasn’t happy with the direction of the program.

Who Is Jarad Fisher?

The new President of MileagePlus, Jarad Fisher, comes with a seriously impressive resume:

Apple Card Architect

Fisher was the visionary behind Apple Card at Apple. If you’ve seen how seamlessly Apple Card integrated into the iPhone experience, making credit cards feel like a tech product — that was Fisher’s work. Apple Card is widely considered one of the most successful credit card launches in history.

Delta SkyMiles Veteran

Before Apple, Fisher worked at Delta and was instrumental in reshaping their American Express partnership. Under his tenure, Delta launched award-winning loyalty programs that kept SkyMiles members engaged (even as redemption values… evolved).

The Startup Background

Fisher co-founded Travelguru.com, India’s first major travel portal, and even worked with TSA during its early days to design passenger security standards still in use today.

What this means: United is clearly trying to modernize MileagePlus and make it feel more like a tech product than a traditional airline loyalty program. Fisher’s Apple background suggests we might see innovation in how we interact with and earn MileagePlus miles.

Why Were Nunn and Bondar Pushed Out?

Richard Nunn (CEO)

Nunn joined United in 2023 from outside the airline industry, which was an unusual hire. He came with media experience but lacked airline or loyalty program background. Industry insiders suggest he wasn’t particularly well-liked or viewed as effective.

The lesson here: Hiring outside talent without airline experience doesn’t always work in loyalty programs. Understanding the nuances of award charts, elite status, and mile redemptions requires deep domain knowledge.

Luc Bondar (President)

Bondar was a longtime United executive who had been MileagePlus President since 2017. By most accounts, he was well-liked. His departure appears to be collateral damage — when you’re bringing in a new President (Fisher), the old President has to go.

The Vasu Raja Factor

Here’s where things get really interesting.

United hired Vasu Raja as a consultant for six months to oversee Kinective Media, United’s advertising and media network that leverages MileagePlus member data.

If that name sounds familiar, it should. Raja was the Chief Commercial Officer at American Airlines who was pushed out in 2024. He was the architect behind AA’s controversial strategy that cut corporate travel programs and expanded to smaller markets — a strategy that backfired spectacularly.

Why Would United Hire Raja?

There are two theories:

His expertise in data monetization — Despite his controversial tenure at American, Raja does have deep experience in commercial strategy and data analytics.
A message to American Airlines — United CEO Scott Kirby famously left American when he was passed over for the CEO role. Hiring Raja could be seen as rubbing salt in American’s wounds — essentially saying “your problem wasn’t Raja, it was how you used him.”

Either way, Raja’s presence suggests United is serious about turning MileagePlus into more than just a loyalty program. They want it to be a media company.

What This Means for Your MileagePlus Miles

Let’s get to what matters: how these changes might affect you.

The Good News

1. No Immediate Devaluation Announced

United has frozen elite qualification thresholds for 2026. They haven’t announced any immediate changes to award charts or redemption rates. For now, your miles are safe. (If you’re looking to secure elite status without more flying, our airline status match guide can help.)

2. Innovation Is Coming

Fisher’s background at Apple suggests we might see:

Better mobile app integration for earning/redeeming miles
More intuitive credit card partnerships
Potentially new ways to earn miles through everyday activities

3. Focus on Member Experience

The push-out of Nunn (who lacked airline experience) suggests United is refocusing on what members actually want, not just what looks good on paper.

The Concerning Signs

1. “Media Company” Direction

When an airline talks about turning its loyalty program into a media company, it often means they’re looking for new revenue streams. Historically, that can lead to:

More targeted advertising to members
Partner deals that benefit United more than members
Potential devaluation to fund other initiatives

2. Leadership Changes = Uncertainty

Whenever there’s a major leadership change, program changes often follow. The new team will want to make their mark, and that sometimes means restructuring how miles are earned or redeemed.

3. Dynamic Pricing Hints

United has been slowly moving toward dynamic award pricing. With new leadership focused on revenue optimization, we could see more aggressive dynamic pricing that makes sweet spot redemptions harder to find.

What You Should Do Right Now

Given the uncertainty, here’s my advice:

1. Don’t Hoard Miles

If you have a big MileagePlus balance and a trip you’ve been planning, consider booking it sooner rather than later. Award charts tend to get worse over time, not better. Need help planning? Check out our step-by-step guide to booking award flights.

2. Diversify Your Points Strategy

Don’t put all your eggs in the MileagePlus basket. Having flexible currencies like Chase Ultimate Rewards or Amex Membership Rewards gives you options if MileagePlus values change. (Not sure how transfer partners work? Check out our complete guide to transfer partners.)

3. Lock In Current Rates

If you see a good United award redemption at current rates, book it. You can always cancel if plans change (United allows free cancellations for MileagePlus bookings made more than 30 days in advance for Premier members).

4. Monitor Partner Transfers

United is a Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partner at a 1:1 ratio. If MileagePlus becomes less valuable, you might want to redirect future transfers to other partners. For current transfer bonuses that could help stretch your points, see our February 2026 transfer bonuses roundup.

5. Watch for Announcements

Major program changes are typically announced with 60-90 days notice. Keep an eye on United’s newsroom and travel blogs for updates.

Historical Context: What Past Changes Tell Us

Looking at how other airlines handled leadership transitions:

Airline	Leadership Change	What Followed
Delta	Various 2018-2021	Gradual dynamic pricing expansion
American	Vasu Raja era	Commercial strategy overhaul, then course correction
Southwest	2024 leadership shift	Seating changes, revenue focus

The pattern is clear: new leadership typically brings new priorities, and those priorities usually lean toward revenue optimization.

My Take: Cautiously Optimistic

Here’s my honest assessment:

The hire of Jarad Fisher is encouraging. His background suggests someone who understands that loyalty programs need to feel valuable to members, not just generate revenue. His Apple experience means he thinks about user experience, which could translate to a better MileagePlus product.

The Vasu Raja hire is concerning. While he’s only a consultant, his presence signals that United is serious about monetizing member data and turning MileagePlus into a broader media/advertising platform. That’s not inherently bad, but it shifts focus away from member value.

My prediction: We’ll see modest program changes in late 2026, likely around how miles are earned through credit card spending. I don’t expect a dramatic devaluation, but I do expect United to find new ways to extract value from the MileagePlus ecosystem. For now, if you’re considering a United card, see our credit card application strategy guide to maximize your chances of approval.

Bottom Line

United’s MileagePlus leadership shakeup is the biggest change to the program in years. The new President comes from Apple and Delta with a track record of innovation, while the controversial hiring of Vasu Raja as a consultant suggests United is serious about transforming MileagePlus into something bigger than a traditional loyalty program.

For now, your miles are safe. But this is a reminder that miles are a depreciating asset — they tend to lose value over time. If you have a trip you’ve been dreaming about, there’s no better time to start planning than now.

I’ll be watching these developments closely and will update you when United announces concrete program changes.

Have United miles you’re trying to use? Check out our guide to booking award flights step by step to find the best redemptions before any potential changes. And for a comparison of all major programs, see our Best Airline Frequent Flyer Programs ranking.