United Discounts Award Travel to 4 Hot Spots

United Airlines hasn’t exactly been killing it when it comes to generating loyalty and respect. Passengers unceremoniously bumped from flights. Dodgy Wi-Fi. A loyalty program that often seems to consciously emulate the worst features of American and Delta’s.

Against that rather bleak backdrop, a sale on award flights is like a balmy summer day in the middle of February.

Offer Details

Through March 2, MileagePlus members can book roundtrip award flights to Singapore and Sydney for 64,000 miles, and to Reykjavik and Porto (Portugal) for 48,000 miles. Both prices represent a 20 percent discount.

Taxes and fees range from $55 to $125.

Discounted travel to Singapore, Sydney, and Porto must take place between May 4 and June 17. Reykjavik travel must be completed between May 23 and June 17.

Deal or No Deal

A 20 percent discount is significant. And the four destinations are all visit-worthy, albeit in very different ways.

This award sale’s major negative is the travel periods: less than a month for Reykjavik, and just over a month for the other three destinations.

This probably doesn’t foretell a wholesale shift in United’s relationship with its customers. But it’s a great way for MileagePlus members to get the most utility from their miles, while they wait for the seasons to change.

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After 20 years working in the travel industry, and 15 years writing about it, Tim Winship knows a thing or two about travel. Follow him on Twitter @twinship.