United has just announced an increase to the price of some of the most lucrative awards in its award chart effective for redemption on February 1, 2014 and later. Anything redeemed before then will be valid under the old, cheaper award chart, including travel that occurs after February 1, 2014. But any new ticketing or changes to tickets that take place after February 1, 2014 will incur the new, higher pricing.
Of note among Saver level awards:
Popular Lower 48 U.S., Mexico, and Caribbean awards are unchanged
Saver Hawaii Economy and all awards to Alaska increase (this is buried in the footnotes of the award chart)
Saver Business/First Class awards to Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa increase substantially
Partner flights are now priced substantially higher than United flights for many long haul Business / First Class awards. Note that an award with a United flight in Business / First Class connecting to a partner in a lower class like Economy will not incur the higher partner pricing.
Domestic stopovers for 10,000 extra miles are eliminated. Stopovers for domestic flights will now price as an additional one-way. So a domestic saver award with a stopover will require 25,000 + 12,500 = 37,500 miles.
International itineraries are limited to one stopover
Around the World tickets increase – about 30% for Business / First Class
More expensive Standard level awards also increased substantially in nearly all regions (see summary here).
Since United hasn’t been transparent about where the changes are taking place, below is an easy to read summary of the new Saver level award chart for travel to and from the United States and the changes, both in % change and number of miles.
All mileage figures are for round-trip travel. One-way travel is half the price of round-trip.
New Saver award charts (to/from U.S.)
United awards
Economy
Business
First
US
25,000
50,000
70,000
Alaska
35,000
60,000
80,000
Hawaii
45,000
80,000
100,000
Mexico
35,000
60,000
80,000
Central America
35,000
60,000
80,000
Caribbean
35,000
60,000
80,000
Northern South America
40,000
70,000
90,000
Southern South America
60,000
110,000
140,000
Europe
60,000
115,000
160,000
Northern Africa
80,000
140,000
170,000
Central/Southern Africa
80,000
140,000
170,000
Middle East
85,000
140,000
180,000
Central Asia
85,000
140,000
180,000
South Asia
80,000
140,000
160,000
North Asia
70,000
140,000
160,000
Japan
70,000
130,000
160,000
Oceania
70,000
130,000
160,000
Australia/New Zealand
80,000
140,000
160,000
Partner awards
Economy
Business
First
US
25,000
50,000
70,000
Alaska
35,000
60,000
80,000
Hawaii
45,000
80,000
100,000
Mexico
35,000
60,000
80,000
Central America
35,000
60,000
80,000
Caribbean
35,000
60,000
80,000
Northern South America
40,000
70,000
90,000
Southern South America
60,000
110,000
140,000
Europe
60,000
140,000
220,000
Northern Africa
80,000
160,000
260,000
Central/Southern Africa
80,000
160,000
260,000
Middle East
85,000
160,000
280,000
Central Asia
85,000
160,000
280,000
South Asia
80,000
160,000
260,000
North Asia
70,000
160,000
240,000
Japan
70,000
150,000
220,000
Oceania
70,000
150,000
220,000
Australia/New Zealand
80,000
160,000
260,000
Around the World
200,000
350,000
450,000
Award price increase (%)
United awards
Economy
Business
First
US
0%
0%
0%
Alaska
40%
20%
14%
Hawaii
13%
0%
0%
Mexico
0%
0%
0%
Central America
0%
0%
0%
Caribbean
0%
0%
0%
Northern South America
0%
0%
0%
Southern South America
0%
10%
4%
Europe
0%
15%
19%
Northern Africa
0%
17%
13%
Central/Southern Africa
0%
17%
13%
Middle East
6%
17%
20%
Central Asia
6%
17%
13%
South Asia
23%
17%
14%
North Asia
8%
17%
14%
Japan
8%
8%
19%
Oceania
0%
8%
7%
Australia/New Zealand
0%
4%
0%
Partner awards
Economy
Business
First
US
0%
0%
0%
Alaska
40%
20%
14%
Hawaii
13%
0%
0%
Mexico
0%
0%
0%
Central America
0%
0%
0%
Caribbean
0%
0%
0%
Northern South America
0%
0%
0%
Southern South America
0%
10%
4%
Europe
0%
40%
63%
Northern Africa
0%
33%
73%
Central/Southern Africa
0%
33%
73%
Middle East
6%
33%
87%
Central Asia
6%
33%
75%
South Asia
23%
33%
86%
North Asia
8%
33%
71%
Japan
8%
25%
63%
Oceania
0%
25%
47%
Australia/New Zealand
0%
19%
63%
Around the World
11%
35%
29%
Award price increase (miles)
United awards
Economy
Business
First
US
0
0
0
Alaska
10,000
10,000
10,000
Hawaii
5,000
0
0
Mexico
0
0
0
Central America
0
0
0
Caribbean
0
0
0
Northern South America
0
0
0
Southern South America
0
10,000
5,000
Europe
0
15,000
25,000
Northern Africa
0
20,000
20,000
Central/Southern Africa
0
20,000
20,000
Middle East
5,000
20,000
30,000
Central Asia
5,000
20,000
20,000
South Asia
15,000
20,000
20,000
North Asia
5,000
20,000
20,000
Japan
5,000
10,000
25,000
Oceania
0
10,000
10,000
Australia/New Zealand
0
5,000
0
Partner awards
Economy
Business
First
US
0
0
0
Alaska
10,000
10,000
10,000
Hawaii
5,000
0
0
Mexico
0
0
0
Central America
0
0
0
Caribbean
0
0
0
Northern South America
0
0
0
Southern South America
0
10,000
5,000
Europe
0
40,000
85,000
Northern Africa
0
40,000
110,000
Central/Southern Africa
0
40,000
110,000
Middle East
5,000
40,000
130,000
Central Asia
5,000
40,000
120,000
South Asia
15,000
40,000
120,000
North Asia
5,000
40,000
100,000
Japan
5,000
30,000
85,000
Oceania
0
30,000
70,000
Australia/New Zealand
0
25,000
100,000
Around the World
20,000
90,000
100,000
Source:
> New award chart from United.com
> Old award chart from United.com