How You Can Be Better at Award Searching than United.com

United.com has one glaring flaw in the way that it was programmed that you can correct to become a better award searcher than united.com.

This is the ultimate trick when united.com tells you there is no Saver Award Availability on the route you want on the date you want.

How can you be better at award searching than united.com?

United.com's award searching program is just that, a computer program.

United’s Much Anticipated Announcement: Partnership with Marriott

United scared me on Friday, and I wrote about that fear on Sunday, by saying changes were coming to the MileagePlus program.

That fear was unfounded as United introduced unambiguously good changes to MileagePlus, though very minor changes from my perspective, in the form of a partnership with Marriott.

What does this mean for you?

Status Match

If you're United Gold or higher, you'll get Marriott Gold Status through January 2014.

United’s Much Anticipated Announcement: Partnership with Marriott

United scared me on Friday, and I wrote about that fear on Sunday, by saying changes were coming to the MileagePlus program.

That fear was unfounded as United introduced unambiguously good changes to MileagePlus, though very minor changes from my perspective, in the form of a partnership with Marriott.

What does this mean for you?

Status Match

If you're United Gold or higher, you'll get Marriott Gold Status through January 2014.

What I’d Least Like to See Changed about Each Frequent Flyer Program

United scared me a lot on Friday when it tweeted that changes were coming to MileagePlus.

United still hasn't told us what those changes are, but insists we'll like them.

It's very unlikely I'll like them much. It could be a minor enhancement, but there are very few things I would change about United MileagePlus that United would also change.

What I’d Least Like to See Changed about Each Frequent Flyer Program

United scared me a lot on Friday when it tweeted that changes were coming to MileagePlus.

United still hasn't told us what those changes are, but insists we'll like them.

It's very unlikely I'll like them much. It could be a minor enhancement, but there are very few things I would change about United MileagePlus that United would also change.

Don’t Miss Out: Luxurious Swiss Business Class Availability This Summer

Swiss Business Class is one of the nicest ways to cross the Atlantic in a fully-flat bed, and it's definitely a product I'm anxious to try.

Your United, US Airways, and Lufthansa Miles Options to Australia and New Zealand for the Next Year

I wanted to take a look at the options to use Star Alliance miles to Australia and New Zealand during their next summer (December 2013 to March 2014.) I went overboard though and looked up the options for the next 11 months on the five direct Star Alliance routes from North America to the Antipodes:

Los Angeles to Sydney* (United, three-cabin 747)
San Francisco to Sydney* (United, three-cabin 747)
Vancouver to Sydney (Air Canada, two-cabin 777)
Los Angeles to Auckland (Air New Zealand, two-cabin 777)
San Francisco to Auckland (Air New Zealand, two-cabin 777)

*Continuing Service to Melbourne

What's the

Your United, US Airways, and Lufthansa Miles Options to Australia and New Zealand for the Next Year

I wanted to take a look at the options to use Star Alliance miles to Australia and New Zealand during their next summer (December 2013 to March 2014.) I went overboard though and looked up the options for the next 11 months on the five direct Star Alliance routes from North America to the Antipodes:

Los Angeles to Sydney* (United, three-cabin 747)
San Francisco to Sydney* (United, three-cabin 747)
Vancouver to Sydney (Air Canada, two-cabin 777)
Los Angeles to Auckland (Air New Zealand, two-cabin 777)
San Francisco to Auckland (Air New Zealand, two-cabin 777)

*Continuing Service to Melbourne

What's the

How to See Seven Cities in Europe on One 12,500 Mile Award

Update: United has now instituted a four-flights-per-one-way-rule. That limits you to three 23-hour layovers.