Update 12/17/13: The 50k mile offer on the Lufthansa card is dead.

The 50k mile bonus offer is back on the Lufthansa card mentioned in this post until 6/30/14.

United and Delta have devalued their charts in the last few months, but American and US Airways, which close their merger tomorrow, have not devalued theirs recently.

I have made my own tables comparing the economy, business, and first class award prices on each of the big four US-based airlines' worst announced award chart.

For United, that is the chart for awards BOOKED February 1, 2014 and later. For Delta, that is the chart for awards FLOWN June 1, 2014 or later.

I just booked two clients of the MileValue Award Booking Service a roundtrip award in business class to Lusaka, Zambia and added on a free oneway to Alaska several months later.

The award cost 120k United miles + $118 in government taxes per person.

Roundtrip Award from Chicago to Lusaka in Red and Later Free Oneway to Anchorage in Blue.

I am writing an Anatomy of an Award on this particular booking to illustrate:

Considerations on bookings to Africa
How to book a free oneway on a United award
Trouble shooting "phantom" award space
Searching

United massively devalued its award chart two weeks ago, especially for premium cabin international awards on partner airlines, which have been the bulk of my United awards.

I caught some flak because it didn't bother me too much.

United has announced a 20% discount on economy class awards from the US to Europe:

Roundtrip awards booked between now an November 19, 2013
for flights flown between January 13 and March 11, 2014
on itineraries wholly operated by United and United Express flights
will cost only 48k miles roundtrip, a 20% discount on the normal 60k price.

United ran a nearly identical promotion last year, so maybe this is becoming a yearly occurrence.

I know many of us are trying to burn United miles because of its recent devaluation, so this promotion might be a good way to see

Update: I've booked myself Seoul to Frankfurt to Munich to Toronto to Los Angeles one way for 70k miles. The long legs are in Asiana First Class and Lufthansa First Class. I can check out the First Class Terminal in Frankfurt from whenever I get to the airport until 10 AM.

I believe the following only 20%, but it's a point of view to consider.

A reader emailed me a discount code for United flights flown before December 15, 2013.

He described it as a 13% discount, but I am only getting a 5% discount, capped at $60.

UA Insider posted news of the United miles devaluation on Halloween night. See my full coverage: United Massively Devalues Its Award Chart Starting February 1, 2014.

Don't Shoot the Messenger

UA Insider stuck around to answer some follow up questions people posted, and in doing so illuminated three ways to beat the upcoming United Miles Devaluation.

What are the three ways to beat the United MileagePlus devaluation coming in February 2014? What one announcement surprised me as particularly customer friendly?

1.