Many points and miles enthusiasts recommend searching for award flights when the booking window first opens—typically between 330 and 362 days in advance depending on the airline—and/or close to desired travel dates to secure better award availability and lower award rates. Let’s take a closer look at last-minute award availability.

Last-Minute Award Basics

Let’s start with a few key points related to what’s commonly referred to as last-minute or close-in award availability.

Close-In Award Timing

There isn’t a consistent number of days before travel when additional award space is released.

Given that United Airlines is one of the largest United States-based carriers, many travelers will have opportunities to fly on United and its partners and participate in the MileagePlus program. 

To get the most from the program, it’s important to understand how it works. Whether you’re new to points and miles entirely or just haven’t used the MileagePlus program, this guide should help you understand some program basics.

Earning points and miles is relatively straightforward, but the redemption side can be more challenging and complicated.

Most of us share the desire to obtain good value for our points and miles, but it’s hard to know what that means given constant changes in the points and miles environment.

Earning a free one-way flight may sound too good to be true. But with the Excursionist Perk from United Airlines, you can do exactly that. This is a hidden gem from United that’s actually not hidden at all. Redeeming your free flight is straightforward, as long as you familiarize yourself with the qualifying rules.

If you understand how United defines its rules, then you can even redeem a first-class one-way flight and only end up paying taxes.

Have you ever wondered whether you can upgrade your United Airlines flight cabin to premium economy or business class? Perhaps you want to enjoy its premium perks, such as extra legroom and comfort topped with complimentary beverages? You'll be surprised to know that you can get all these benefits using your United PlusPoints.

United modified its elite upgrade system to let you upgrade your cabin to premium economy, business or first class.

Editor's Note: Starting on August 21, 2025, United Airlines will no longer be offering the Excursionist Perk on award tickets for new bookings and any changes made to existing bookings.

It isn’t uncommon to book a trip with more than one destination. This is especially popular for travel to Europe. Who doesn’t want to visit Rome and Paris on the same trip? How about Madrid and Santorini? 

In order to do this, your travel plans will be multidimensional and not just round-trip so you’ll need to plan accordingly.

Many people, myself included, are finding themselves with a number of top-tier status with different hotel loyalty programs. Given the pandemic, most major hotels groups reduced the requirements for earning status.

The new Chase United Quest℠ Card is a new mid-tier card offering some unique new perks that you haven't seen before on other cards.

Most of the times when we’re updating you on the latest credit card developments, it is about refreshes to current cards.

I tweeted this deal first from @MileValueAlerts. Follow @MileValueAlerts on Twitter and follow these directions to get a text message every time I tweet from that account. I tweet from @MileValueAlerts only a few times a month because it is designed to be used only for the best and most limited-time deals–like mistake fares–so that you aren’t bombarded by text messages.

American Airlines and United are in a fare ware right now, both offering cheap roundtrip economy fares to Hawaii.

You can earn 1,000 United miles by signing up for an almost free ($1) two-month subscription to the Wall Street Journal online by 11:59 PM ET March 9, 2018.

I value United miles at 1.6 cents each. I don't particularly want a paid subscription to the Wall Street Journal, so paying $1 for a two month trial and getting 1,000 United miles to do so is basically like paying $1 to get $16.