Edited 12/19/16 because of this change.

United Free One Ways are now more powerful than ever. A few weeks ago, United tried to cripple free one ways, but has unintentionally made the new rule that you can add a free one way almost anywhere in the world onto your international awards.

First, a short history lesson.

On October 6, 2016, United drastically changed its stopover rules. Before you could basically book any three one way awards as a "roundtrip award," using your stopover to tack on a free one way or to make a Three One Ways award.

This is the second post in a series about how I used Singapore miles to book United BusinessFirst between San Francisco and Buenos Aires, as well as a review of the product and travel experience. 

Trip Report Part I: United Clubs in San Francisco and Houston
Trip Report Part II: United BusinessFirst Houston to Buenos Aires (this post)
Anatomy of an Award: Booking United BusinessFirst with Singapore Miles (future post)
Changing a Singapore Award (future post)

United Airlines Flight 819
Houston (IAH) – Buenos Aires (EZE)
Depart: 9:40 PM on Wednesday October 5, 2016
Arrive: 9:45 AM next

Through November 31, 2016, United MileagePlus is offering a transfer bonus when you move points over from a hotel loyalty program.

Transfer from most chain hotels earn a 25% bonus
Transfers from Club Carlson earn a 40% bonus
Transfers from Choice Privileges earn a 50% bonus

Since Marriott bought Starwood, one of the benefits the company has announced to members of both loyalty programs is the ability to transfer reward points between accounts.

This is the first post in a series about how I used Singapore miles to book United BusinessFirst between San Francisco and Buenos Aires, as well as a review of the product and travel experience. 

Trip Report Part I: United Clubs in San Francisco and Houston (this post)
Trip Report Part II: United BusinessFirst Houston to Buenos Aires
Anatomy of an Award: Booking United BusinessFirst with Singapore Miles
Changing a Singapore Award Last Minute

About two weeks ago I flew from San Francisco to Buenos Aires.

Last week I booked myself an award from Chicago to Buenos Aires in United economy for 30,000 United miles + $5.60. This award was very simple, but it illustrated three interesting concepts:

When will last second award space open up?
United's secret extra award space.
The trick to save $75 on last second United award bookings.

Last Second Award Space
I had been searching award space for months from Chicago to Buenos Aires, and there was never any on the inflexible date I wanted to fly.

To sum it up one sentence and rip off the Band-Aid: The results from a basic United award search now define all possible routing options if you want the flights to price as one award. Building your own itinerary if you don't like what the computer gives you has become considerably more expensive.

In the past, if you didn't like what United's award search tool displayed, you could search segment-by-segment and piece them together as one award as long as you followed United's award rules.

United is removing round-the-world awards, Free One Way awards, and Three One Ways awards on October 6, 2016. That means you have just five more days to book Free One Way awards and Three One Ways awards! You will still be able to book simple stopover awards under the new name "Excursionist Perk."

In addition to those negative changes, we get some positive and mixed changes.

Award space is wide open in Business Class on Austrian flights from Los Angeles to Vienna for Spring and Summer 2017 for 2-6 people per flight. Flat bed award space from the West Coast to Europe is rare, so hop on this now!
Product
Austrian Business Class features a staggered layout so that your bed's foot area is under the arm rest of the row in front.

Award space is wide open in Business Class on United flights to Brussels and Amsterdam for Summer 2017 for 2+ people. That means you can book your family flat beds to Europe for as little as 40,000 miles plus taxes with no fuel surcharges.
Product
United Business Class features a comfortable flat bed, but it isn't up to the standards of the absolute best products in the world because there are as many as eight narrow beds per row.

Only true aficionados will complain.

This contest is closed. We picked the winners and have emailed them requesting addresses, so if you entered check your inbox. Thanks to everyone for participating!

Generous reader Lien is donating four pairs of United Club passes that expire September 30, 2016–in one month–to four lucky winners (one pair to each winner.)

If you have a use for the passes between September 8th (to allow time for them to be mailed to you) and 30th of this month, comment on this post for a chance to win the passes.