As one of the most commonly flown airlines in the country, it comes as no surprise that United Airlines’ reward changes are resonating heavily with traveling consumers. Effective February 1st, the rewards system for United Airlines and their partners will be altered and required points to fly will increase. With these changes, many frequent flyers’ points budgets may be shifting dramatically, so it is important to understand just how much the rewards structure of the airline is shifting so you can plan your upcoming trips accordingly.
MileagePlus Changes
United’s own rewards system, MileagePlus, is seeing some big changes at the beginning of February. Domestic travel remains mostly unchanged as long as it is within the contiguous United States, but flights to Hawaii are looking at a 12% price increase for your miles. For international travel, you are looking at substantially larger changes. The lowest level booking tiers for Europe are increasing by 15-19%, while business-class tickets will run you 40% more, and first-class increasing in price by 63%. The largest change may be flights to South Asia, as these tickets will be increasing in price by 86%.
Star Alliance Changes
Star Alliance ChangesStar Alliance and other partner rewards programs are also seeing a huge overhaul in their points system. Like MileagePlus rewards, domestic travel is remaining largely the same, but flights to Hawaii are seeing an increase in Economy prices. Likewise, prices to Europe have skyrocketed as well, with almost a 50% increase for business-class tickets and nearing a 74% increase for first-class, shooting from 67,500 to 110,000.
With these alterations to the rewards program, it is good practice to use any remaining points by January 31st to guarantee you can maximize your points on the old program. If you are looking into traveling to Hawaiian timeshare resorts, such as the Grand Waikikian, Waikoloa Beach, or even Kaui Beach Club, you might want to book your flights as soon as possible. By booking via Selling Timeshares, Inc. you can take advantage of utilizing your points as well as always viewing competitive pricing on your travel. If you have any additional questions on these changes or on your ability to book with us, feel free to contact us to speak with a licensed agent who can assist you.
