Among the many higher prices rolled out today on the United Airlines MileagePlus award chart comes one superb reprieve. Direct flights 800 miles or less outside North America now cost 8,000 miles in economy class. In many cases, that’s...
Bid for a 2018 Winter Olympics Package on United Airlines

The 2018 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games are just around the corner, now just 100 days away. Next year’s games will be in PyeongChang, South Korea (not to be confused with Pyongyang in the North). United Airlines has been the official...
Last Call: These Five United Awards Will Be More Expensive Tomorrow

In June United announced an award devaluation effective November 01, 2017. While a relatively modest devaluation as far as devaluations go, there are still five awards you should book today if you have no already done so. > Read...
United’s Party at LAX for Inaugural Singapore Flight

United Airlines rolled out quite the red carpet for its new Los Angeles to Singapore flight on Friday. At 8,700 miles the flight is currently the longest flight from the USA and third longest flight in the world. I...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: October 29, 2017

Hello from Singapore…where I’m laying in bed sick. I’ll keep this brief. You’ll find a review of the week’s top stories below. Let me stress: take care of yourself. Don’t overdo it. But at the same time, take every...
United Chasing The Wrong Incremental Spending

As the year comes to a close, some travelers have already re-qualified for status for the year while others find themselves coming up short. In the past, American, United and Delta have offer incentives to drive business and improve...
Next Stop: Singapore on United LAX-SIN Inaugural

Well, so much for my weekend at home… Tonight, United will launch its inaugural nonstop flight from Los Angeles to Singapore. It’s an important nonstop destination for LAX and underscores United’s commitment to Los Angeles as a hub. >...
Can You Cancel Basic Economy Fares Within 24 Hours?

American, Delta, and United all have some form of a 24-hour courtesy cancellation policy. But does this apply to no-frills “Basic Economy” tickets, which are explicitly non-changeable and non-refundable? In short, yes. But there are limits. Let’s review each...
Buy an Actual Piece of a United 747!

As United Airlines ramps up for the final 747-400 flight on November 07, 2017, it is offering you the chance to take home a piece of 747 history. You can now buy a number of 747 hardware pieces. A livery...
Lasagna: Alitalia vs. United Airlines

I’ve compared afternoon tea on British Airways and United. This week’s Meal of the Week compares lasagna lunches on United and Alitalia. #1: Alitalia (Madrid to Rome / August 2017) You’ll note the lasagna noodles are green. Usually that...
New 747 Amenity Kits on United Airlines

United Airlines is rolling out commemorative amenity kits in honor of the Boeing 747, which will be retired after a special final flight next month. The attractive tin amenity kits will contain the usual toiletries and skincare products, but...
Who is Luc Bondar, United’s New VP of Loyalty?

Yesterday, Luc Bondar was named Vice President of Loyalty at United. He will start his new job on November 01, 2017. But who is he? Does his background reveal anything about the future of MileagePlus? Bondar is Australian and...
United’s Latest Innovation Highlights Another Innovation Needed

Good news for United Airlines customers–if you’re connecting on a partner carrier you can now use your United app to retrieve those boarding passes. That may not sound like much, but marks a huge step forward for ease in...
This Billboard is an Inside Joke for United Flyers

This post is a little geeky, but I could not resist. I spent a couple days in Bangkok last week and everywhere I saw this ad– It’s apparently James Jirayu, who is a Justin Beiber-like figure in Thailand, as the...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: October 22, 2017

I’m back in LA after a fast-paced week around the world. My trip took another twist on the way to Ho Chi Minh City, which I will share tomorrow morning. As it was a relatively light news week, Live...
Drunk United Passenger Urinates on Seatmate…and FAs Ignore?

Another day, another chapter in Perils of Drinking and Flying. This story puts United Airlines back in the spotlight with a particularly unsavory drunk man on a transcontinental flight from Los Angeles to Newark. Daniel Card was flying home...
JetBlue-United Merger?

An “influential” Wall Street analyst is asserting that a merger between JetBlue and United is more likely than you might think. I am not convinced… In paywall-protected analysis, Hunter Keay of the Wolfe Research has opined– A few investors recently...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: October 15, 2017

Good evening from Los Angeles. I’m about to embark upon another adventure…I’ll share the details tomorrow. In the meantime, let’s review the top stories of the last week. The diplomatic spat between Turkey and the USA currently means no...
A Trio of Midnight Treats on United Airlines

United Airlines provides a hot snack on premium transcontinental red eye flights. Over the last couple years I’ve only been offered three variations, but all were tasty. For this week’s Meal of the Week I review a trio of...
A Tribute to the 747

United Airlines’ final 747 flight will take place next month. It will also mark the final day a 747 operates scheduled passenger service for a U.S. airline. In anticipation of the historic occasion, United has created a very nifty...