Jan 19, 2017, 10:23 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
- No more free stopover - replaced with Excursionist Perk
- Agents no longer have the ability to find routings or build itineraries that do not show up on united.com
- Manually constructing trips using multi-city search results in multiple award fares being charged
- Changing any segment basically requires current availability for all existing Os&Ds in the PNR (as if a brand new booking is made)
- Singapore Airlines segments are priced separately (add-ons)
Useful Links
EveryDay Awards - UA MP award changes 1 Nov 2017 (Everyday award/dynamic price, No RTW, No Show fee,..)
principle change - Standard awards being replaced by "EveryDay Award" with variable pricing
What is the Excursionist Perk?
The Excursionist Perk is a free one-way award within select multi-city itineraries. Members who book an itinerary with three or more one-way awards will be eligible to receive one of those one-way awards for free, if it meets all of these conditions:
The Excursionist Perk cannot be in the MileagePlus defined region where your travel originates. (For example, if your journey begins in North America, you will only receive the Excursionist Perk if travel is within a region outside of North America.)
- Travel must end in the same MileagePlus defined region where travel originates.
- The origin and destination of the Excursionist Perk is within a single MileagePlus defined region.
- The cabin of service and award type of the free one-way award is the same or lower than the one-way award preceding it.
- If two or more one-way awards qualify for this benefit, only the first occurrence will be free.
Previous thread -- UA award booking,change questions/fees/issues/routing/excursionist problems {Archive}
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May 28, 2024, 3:08 pm
#436
PLS
Join Date: Apr 2024
Posts: 6
Originally Posted by aquanine
Christ UA's multi-city search involving mainland China is so screwed up when the rest of the excursionist perk does not include mainland China. I booked AAA-BBB, CKG-PEK on Air China, and CCC-DDD. Was initially rejected at the payment page, pressed again to confirm. Then realized I had booked the wrong dates, so cancelled and tried to rebook for the right days. Henceforth, UA search engine would not show any results involving CKG-PEK as the excursionist unless I tried the exact dates I had initially booked. Gave up, booked, tried to change dates, failed, I'm so done with this.
united.com also rejected any attempt to pair a f*ck-PVG leg as the first leg of any multi-city excursionist.
Have you tried calling, would an agent be able to book? I got similar issue with Shenzhen airline
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May 29, 2024, 12:25 am
#437
edelweiss
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 81
Originally Posted by Lesfilles
Hello All,
I am looking for ideas on how to get a excursionist stop over in Istanbul (2-3 days). Departing from Boston to Mauritius (via Istanbul assuming award availability of course). If necessary, I can do a round trip if I cannot use a throw away return leg. Economy/Saver is ok Eg Boston -- Istanbul -- Vienna -- Mtius -- Boston (Vienna being a filler city to get the excursionist perk)
I search BOS-MRU a fair bit and it seems UA has very little availability lately, esp via IST. Aeroplan seems to see a little more TK availability and would allow you to add a stopover for 5k, but Aeroplan's pricing isn't too competitive in economy (70k vs 110k in biz), although probably cheaper than booking BOS-IST and IST-MRU as jsloan suggested.
(dave, toi sa?)
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May 29, 2024, 1:27 am
#438
SPN Lifer
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Saipan, MP 96950 USA (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands = the CNMI)
Programs: UA Silver, Hilton Silver. Life: UA .59 MM, United & Admirals Clubs (spousal), Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,691
Originally Posted by fumje (Post # 1314)
Minor clarification: Japan is defined into its own region, so f*ck-PVG cannot be used as an excursionist flight.
The region delineations are as follows:
. . . . * . . . . * . . . . *
(UA refs: award redemptions, regions tool)
Is there a map of the UA regions somewhere?
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May 29, 2024, 7:08 am
#439
tth6133
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 732
Originally Posted by SPN Lifer
Is there a map of the UA regions somewhere?
Here's one of them:
https://travel-dealz.com/blog/united...erk-world-map/
SPN Lifer likes this.
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May 31, 2024, 12:55 pm
#440
JALsnipe
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: HPN, LAX, HNL, or somewhere in between
Programs: UA 1K, JetBlue Mosaic
Posts: 445
Originally Posted by cfischer
I would wait a few days. UA just ran some major changes and devaluations and I would not be surprised, if that hasn't messed up other things.
Still having this problem, this time with an itinerary from North America to Asia through Europe.
AC is showing EWR-WAW-NRT on LO in I the whole way on 8/22.
United refuses to price this itinerary O/D, but shows the I space in multi city search.
228k yeesh
Anyone have any luck pricing these types of itineraries out on United? I really hope they're not dead 
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May 31, 2024, 1:24 pm
#441
jsloan
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 22,364
Originally Posted by JALsnipe
Still having this problem, this time with an itinerary from North America to Asia through Europe.
You’re not going to Asia — you’re going to Japan. 
I don’t think North America - Europe - Japan has ever been a valid routing, although North America - Europe - South Asia and North America - Europe - North Asia both are, IIRC.
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May 31, 2024, 1:26 pm
#442
JALsnipe
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: HPN, LAX, HNL, or somewhere in between
Programs: UA 1K, JetBlue Mosaic
Posts: 445
Originally Posted by jsloan
Youre not going to Asia youre going to Japan. I dont think North America - Europe - Japan has ever been a valid routing, although North America - Europe - South Asia and North America - Europe - North Asia both are, IIRC.
Sure it has, you could price out NYC-ADD-ICN/PEK/NRT (with stops in LFW and ICN depending on routing) on ET or USA-FRA/MUC-HND on LH before the April deval.
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May 31, 2024, 1:37 pm
#443
WineCountryUA
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA LT Plat 2MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 68,159
Originally Posted by JALsnipe
Sure it has, you could price out NYC-ADD-ICN/PEK/NRT (with stops in LFW and ICN depending on routing) on ET
That is not NA-Europe-Japan
Originally Posted by JALsnipe
or USA-FRA/MUC-HND on LH before the April deval.
But that is NA-Europe-Japan
But also thought that has not been option for sometime.
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May 31, 2024, 1:46 pm
#444
JALsnipe
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: HPN, LAX, HNL, or somewhere in between
Programs: UA 1K, JetBlue Mosaic
Posts: 445
I hope you can understand what I mean but let me make it super clear.
I have observed you could book USA-Africa-Asia (including Korea, China, and Japan) on ET and USA-Europe-Japan on LH/LO as awards on united.com in an O/D search when award space space was available on all sectors.
I do not know when this all stopped, but I do know the Ethiopian routings were bookable as recently as April. I will go try to find screenshots. I am just looking for validation to see if others have run into this.
Edit: Here are some examples of itineraries that were bookable as recently as last month pre-deval
Last edited by JALsnipe; May 31, 2024 at 8:25 pm
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May 31, 2024, 1:58 pm
#445
jsloan
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 22,364
Originally Posted by JALsnipe
I have observed you could book USA-Africa-Asia (including Korea, China, and Japan) on ET and USA-Europe-Japan on LH/LO as awards on united.com in an O/D search when I or O space was available on all sectors.
I had never seen US-Europe-Japan, but I admit I didnt look that hard for it, and Im willing to take your word for it.
It may be that UA has decided to drop that routing, or it may just be a coincidence. Even prior to April, the search engine didnt return every single valid combination of flights.
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May 31, 2024, 2:05 pm
#446
JALsnipe
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: HPN, LAX, HNL, or somewhere in between
Programs: UA 1K, JetBlue Mosaic
Posts: 445
Originally Posted by jsloan
I had never seen US-Europe-Japan, but I admit I didn’t look that hard for it, and I’m willing to take your word for it.
Found an old screenshot from 4/23 to prove to myself I wasn't crazy 
I am just frustrated that UA is (seemingly) no longer allowing this routing.
jsloan, SPN Lifer, spamboymeister and 1 others like this.
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Jun 1, 2024, 4:59 pm
#447
hojaichung
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 3
Redeem miles to Hokkaido in 2025 mid/late Jan to early Feb (from Taiwan)
Currently (May) I see very limited award flight options from Taipei to CTS (Hokkaido) available for 2025 mid/late Jan to early Feb (CNY period) via UA reservation portal. I called the UA and the agent said more may become available in sep / oct but she seemed unsure.
Question: Does anyone know if there is a typical timeline on when star alliance partner airlines would release seats x months before travel dates? or there is simply very limited award flight options during CNY (peak) period.
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Jun 1, 2024, 9:39 pm
#448
jsloan
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 22,364
Originally Posted by hojaichung
Question: Does anyone know if there is a typical timeline on when star alliance partner airlines would release seats x months before travel dates?
These is not.
Originally Posted by hojaichung
or there is simply very limited award flight options during CNY (peak) period.
This. The airlines preference with award seats is to give those seats away that they dont expect to sell. Around CNY, to/from TPE, I imagine they expect to sell every seat.
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Jun 2, 2024, 7:13 am
#449
cfischer
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,994
Originally Posted by JALsnipe
Found an old screenshot from 4/23 to prove to myself I wasn't crazy
I am just frustrated that UA is (seemingly) no longer allowing this routing.
I have booked these and LH/LX/TK etc. offers these routings routinely and they are in principle available an awards - too bad if UA is blocking these now Has anyone tried to book them over the phone?
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Jun 2, 2024, 9:00 am
#450
Stgermainparis
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, MLife Gold, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Caesars Diamond, Amex Plat
Posts: 6,133
Originally Posted by frappant
So the saver award I booked is SFO-SYD-CNS and SYD-SFO.
I learned that January is the worst month for Cairns.
I tried changing the itinerary but when I do a search, the SFO-SYD saver no longer appears. Does that mean I would have to cancel and release it, then hope to be able to grab it again?
I recently canceled an award and it did NOT go back into inventory so I would not risk that. You could try calling to see if an agent can change that one leg. I dont think they will usually do it but upthread someone was successful.
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