With flight prices continuously rising, and rising, and rising, it makes sense that frequent travelers and wanderlust enthusiasts would want to make the most out of their budget by looking into tips and strategies to successfully book the cheapest flights out there. From hunting for mid-week fares to using incognito browser windows, signing up for alerts, and booking well in advance, flyers are always on the lookout for the next “great hack” — all with the hope of making air travel just a little more affordable.
That said, while a lot of these strategies are typically just flight booking myths that don’t affect ticket prices, there are still ways out there to get the most bang for your buck when it comes to planning a trip. This is especially true if you’re a frequent flyer with United Airlines who has collected miles over the years. Enter: the Excursionist Perk.
Available through the airline’s MileagePlus loyalty program, United’s little-known Excursionist Perk lets you add an extra flight segment to your trip without using up any extra miles. Basically, think of it as a free one-way flight within your already-planned longer journey that allows you to visit more destinations while, at the same time, keeping all of those pesky flight costs down. Better yet, unlike some complicated airline rules filled with restrictions and exclusions, United’s Excursionist Perk is actually pretty easy to use as long as you meet the conditions.
How United’s Excursionist Perk works
The benefits of signing up for United’s MileagePlus program
Overall, United’s Excursionist Perk is a great way to travel more for less while helping you make the most out of your airline miles — which might otherwise sit in your account untouched for however long. Plus, the best part about the entire process is that you don’t even need any special codes or booking platforms to snag the deal. Conveniently, United’s website will automatically apply the discount when you book directly through their website using the multi-city search option. Just make sure you tick the “book with miles” box before you enter your desired routes.
Along with the Excursionist Perk, United Airline’s MileagePlus program also has several other benefits going for it. This includes features like miles that never expire, no fuel surcharges on mile-bought tickets, access to members-only sales events, and premium cabin redemptions to help make long-haul trips a little more comfortable. This ultimately means that, by signing up, you have plenty of options when it comes to maximizing your rewards beyond just getting a free flight every now and then. Although, let’s be honest: That’s already a fantastic deal on its own.
