United Awards Now Available From 5,000 Miles One Way

Update 9/2/20: More of these are showing again. Dans Deals has a detailed post on the options available.

Update 8/7/20: These lower priced awards are showing up again. Hat tip to TPG

Original post (3/25/19): United has started offering some award flights from 5,000 miles one way. Previously the minimum a flight would cost is 10,000 miles one way. The new 5,000 mile pricing seems to be only affecting short haul flights that also have low cash prices (e.g $50-$60). Not all of these cheaper flights are pricing at 5,000 they are also pricing anywhere between 6,000 and 10,000. Some will see this as a good move, but this is just a further indication that United wants to move to a dynamic award system with no standard pricing.

Less transparency on how pricing works always ends up being worse for consumers, as this will allow United to devalue miles without the traditional backlash that occurs when award charts are devalued. For the record I don’t have an issue with dynamic pricing, in fact Southwest is one of my favorite programs because you know how much value you’ll get. The issue I have is dynamic pricing without any transparency on how flights are calculated and no transparency when changes are made or why.

Hat tip to TPG
    William Charles
  • On September 2, 2020, 17:54

View Comments (22)

  • That’s cool, especially since I never expect good things from United. Meanwhile, Delta certainly has not dropped redemption prices. Skypesos. Separately, I’m not seeing much good value going into this fall. Generally seems like operators are limiting supply, cutting routes, firing staff, and raising prices.

  • Got my hopes up DEN-LNK would fall into this, but still seeing 10k. Would come in handy but not a route I'd pay cash for as it's always crazy high.

  • 10k was not the previous floor. UA has offered 8k intra-Europe coach flights for some time.

    • Those were on partner airlines. This is now saying that United operated flights can go below 10K

  • Not all airlines will go to $=POINTS TYPE SYSTEM otherwise they will lose people’s interest. And credit cards/banks won’t pay United and delta 6.5 billion dollars a year for there Points because no one will want them. JMO

      • Southwest is compelling only because of its companion pass and ultimate in flexibility in flight bookings (point redemptions cancellable). Otherwise, the points are never enticing in the way that gambling is, because there are no outsized wins to get you to hold on to points. It’s a clear calculation of value. Thats positive because less wasted energy, but it also means less gravity to their program

        • right, perfectly describing a program for routine flights like intrastate (NorCal to SoCal, San Diego to SF, etc) and Vegas. Southwest will always have a place in the average traveler's arsenal, even to Hawaii at times.

    • That may be true in the long run, but recent changes to several frequent flyer programs indicate that the airlines are pushing the limits to see what they can get away with.

    • I'm looking for the same and the lowest I'm seeing is 12.5k. What dates are you choosing?

  • You can bet that every points system (airlines, banks, hotels) is eyeing dynamic pricing as a means to decimate the value of points.

  • using united for 1cpp is a terrible rate though. Now if these were pricing out at $90 then I could see it.

  • Noticed this last week pricing flights from Denver to Phoenix. I don't really understand the secret introduction of discounted mileage fares- AA web specials, United, Delta flash sales. I suppose it's eventually meant to be a sneaky deval, when you don't know how much something should cost you're less inclined to realize how much you're paying?

    • We strive to redeem at higher than breakeven (I hope), but when in need, just remember: don’t hoard points (and these are all corporate pseudo-currencies anyway).

      Another devaluation: airlines pulling back from certain airports, often leading to reduced competition and higher prices. For instance, DL and AA used to serve ASE, but now they’ve stopped, leaving just UA. Unless they reinstate those routes, it’ll be UA or a four hour drive from DEN.

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