United’s (Compromised) Surprise Adventure Week: Each Day, a New Path Awaits

Daily Update 1/12/24: Today, January 12, 2024, United Airlines wrapped up its week-long surprise adventure by revealing Brussels as the final destination. This unveiling follows the previous surprises in Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Paris, and London. However, the excitement of the final reveal has been tempered by social media leaks, that was supposed to characterize the entire week’s adventure. Oh Well!

Daily Update 1/11/24: Today, January 11, 2024, United Airlines officially reveals the fourth surprise destination in its week-long adventure – Frankfurt! It has now been confirmed as part of the surprise lineup, joining Amsterdam, Paris, and London. With the early reveals and the loss of the surprise element as a result of social media leaks, the anticipation for the final destination, scheduled for Friday, January 12, is gone.

Daily Updates 1/10/24: As of today, January 10, 2024, United Airlines has officially revealed the third secret international destination in its week-long surprise adventure – Amsterdam! The Dutch capital joins the previously disclosed destinations, Paris and London.

Daily Updates 1/9/24: This article is intended to be a living source of information. While the plan was to reveal a new destination each day until Friday, January 12, it appears that the surprise adventure was accidentally spoiled. The secret list has already been shared on social media using a URL tweak, as described in the DansDeals post. As a result, the element of surprise is lost. Nevertheless, United Airlines has announced their second surprise destination, which is Paris.

Daily Updates 1/8/24: This article is not intended to be read only once. Until Friday, January 12, it’ll keep getting new info as United Airlines reveals surprise destinations from Monday (Jan’ 08) to Friday (Jan’ 12). Look out for the latest updates on your possible next adventure.

Surprise Adventure Week Promotion

Last week, United Airlines created a stir with the unexpected announcement of their interesting Surprise Adventure Week promotion. This limited-time event, available exclusively to MileagePlus members booking with points, promises a new international destination for sale every day from January 8 to January 12, 2024. This offer applies to all members, regardless of Premier or Cardmember status. Act quickly, as each day’s deal expires after 24 hours. The promotion applies only to new award bookings, not to previously booked tickets. Tickets must be purchased on the same day as the announcement, necessitating immediate action for round-trip transactions. United Economy is the only eligible fare class. Basic Economy is not. Only roundtrip fares from the continental United States qualify (Alaska and Hawaii are not eligible).

First Destination for Monday, January 8 — London

United Airlines has revealed the initial surprise destination for Monday, January 8: London.

• Eligible travel dates: January 10 to March 20, 2024.
• Eligible fare class: United Economy only (Basic Economy not eligible).
• Origin: Only round-trip fares from the continental U.S. qualify (Alaska and Hawaii not eligible).
• Taxes and fees: Starting at $194.60 for award travel to and from London.

Analysis of London Deal

The deal for Monday, January 8 may not be particularly exciting in terms of value. A one-way trip to Europe is typically worth 30,000 to 40,000 mileageplus points. London is also one of the easiest places to fly into. While Monday may not be the best day, it is still worth paying attention. Simple math shows that, as of this writing, Google Flights displays non-stop round-trip flights for approximately $643 during weekdays around that time between IAD and LHR. With $194 in tax and fees, you’re looking at $449 for 50,000 points, which is less than 1 cent, or roughly 0.0089 cents, which isn’t great. It may be more cost-effective to pay in cash rather than using points on this transaction.

If you have a lot of United points and a large group to travel with, it may work, but it’s not a great deal in terms of point value. Even from the West Coast (LAS) on the same date, a nonstop flight costs around $601. Be aware of this when making your reservation.

Instead, look into the Flying Blue loyalty program, which recently underwent major changes to its award pricing structure. For one-way tickets, award pricing was standardized, with economy class starting at 20,000 miles, premium economy at 35,000 miles, and business class at 50,000 miles. These updates provide better value, making premium cabin travel more affordable. With these changes, Air France/KLM Flying Blue has become an even more appealing option for award travelers, offering an exciting opportunity for a comfortable flight. They also frequently offer monthly deals, so check here for January’s specials. Additionally, keep an eye out for the frequent bonus transfer miles offers from other programs to Flying Blue. All I’m saying is to be on the lookout for additional ways to maximize your travel benefits

Second Destination for Tuesday, January 9 — Paris

United Airlines has revealed the second surprise destination for Tuesday, January 9: Paris.

• Eligible travel dates: January 10 to March 20, 2024.
• Eligible fare class: United Economy only (Basic Economy not eligible).
• Origin: Only round-trip fares from the continental U.S. qualify (Alaska and Hawaii not eligible).
• Taxes and fees: Starting at $87.40 for award travel to and from Paris.

Analysis of Paris Deal

The analysis for Paris on the same date as London (2/6 ~ 2/13) reveals a round-trip fare of $802 via google flights. However, when using united miles, the cost remains the same at 50,000 points, with slightly lower taxes at $93.80. This results in a payment of approx. $708 for the exchange of 50,000 points, valuing each point at 0.014 cents. The comparison indicates that the value of a point for the Paris fare is better compared to the London fare. Before I move forward, I’ll look into other options. I’ll look around, consider Flying Blue, Virgin Atlantic and compare other programs to see if there’s a better value elsewhere.

Third Destination for Wednesday, January 10 — Amsterdam

United Airlines has revealed the third surprise destination for Wednesday, January 10: Amsterdam

• Eligible travel dates: January 10 to March 20, 2024.
• Eligible fare class: United Economy only (Basic Economy not eligible).
• Origin: Only round-trip fares from the continental U.S. qualify (Alaska and Hawaii not eligible).
• Taxes and fees: Starting at $90.50 for award travel to and from Amsterdam.

Analysis of Amsterdam Deal

In line with our previous analysis for Paris, let’s look at the cost-effectiveness of redeeming United Miles for a round-trip to Amsterdam. For a round-trip fare from Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) to Amsterdam (AMS), United Airlines offers this surprise destination at 50,000 miles plus $94.20 in taxes and fees.

Concurrently, a search on Google Flights reveals that a round-trip ticket on a United flight is priced at $954. Subtracting taxes and fees from the Google Flights fare yields $859.80. When divided by the number of United Miles required (50,000), the value per mile is approximately $0.0172. Thus, if you place a higher personal value on your United Miles, this redemption may not be the most cost-effective option. However, with a cost-per-mile value of $0.0172, it remains a reasonable price. Before making a decision, consider all available options to ensure the best return on your travel investment. Choose wisely, and may your trips be both enjoyable and economical!

Fourth Destination for Thursday, January 11 — Frankfurt

United Airlines has revealed the fourth surprise destination for Thursday, January 11: Frankfurt

• Eligible travel dates: January 11 to March 20, 2024.
• Eligible fare class: United Economy only (Basic Economy not eligible).
• Origin: Only round-trip fares from the continental U.S. qualify (Alaska and Hawaii not eligible).
• Taxes and fees: Starting at $141.30 for award travel to and from Frankfurt.

Analysis of Frankfurt Deal

As a continuation of our analysis, let’s now focus on the cost-effectiveness of redeeming United Miles for a round-trip to Frankfurt, aligning with our earlier examination for Amsterdam. Specifically, for a round-trip journey departing on February 6 and returning on February 13 from Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) to Frankfurt (FRA), United Airlines offers this route at a redemption cost of 50,000 miles, along with $141.40 in taxes and fees.

In parallel, a Google Flights search indicates that the regular round-trip fare on a United flight to Frankfurt for the exact same dates is $1,021 when booking with United. Subtracting the taxes and fees from the Google Flights fare results in a net cost of $879.60. When we compute the value per mile by dividing this amount by the number of United Miles needed (50,000), the resulting value is approximately $0.0176.

The analysis shows that using United Miles for a round-trip to Frankfurt on Feb 6 to Feb 13 costs approximately $0.0176 per mile, which is reasonable. Consider your own value for United Miles and compare options to make a wise and enjoyable travel choice!

Fifth/Last Destination for Friday, January 12 — Brussels

United Airlines has revealed the last destination for Friday, January 12: Frankfurt

• Eligible travel dates: January 12 to March 20, 2024.
• Eligible fare class: United Economy only (Basic Economy not eligible).
• Origin: Only round-trip fares from the continental U.S. qualify (Alaska and Hawaii not eligible).
• Taxes and fees: Starting at $66.00 for award travel to and from Brussels.

Analysis of Brussels Deal

For a round-trip from Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) to Brussels on the same consistent travel dates of February 6 to February 13, United Airlines offers the redemption at 50,000 miles with $66 in taxes and fees. The regular round-trip fare for the same flight, time, and airline is $946. After deducting the taxes and fees from this fare, we arrive at a net cost of $880.

When we calculate the value per mile by dividing the net cost ($880) by the number of United Miles needed (50,000), the resulting value is approximately $0.0176 per mile. This is consistent with the values obtained for Frankfurt and Amsterdam. As mentioned earlier, whether this is a favorable deal depends on your personal valuation of United Miles and other available options. Consider all factors to make an informed decision for your travel plans.

In a Nutshell

Stay tuned for daily destination announcements, despite the surprise element being revealed. Act promptly to evaluate the promotion and decide if it fits your preferences. However, it seems the options may not be groundbreaking, with the leaked list featuring London, Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, and Brussels—all priced at 50K miles round trip. While it appears there may not be particularly exciting choices, it’s still worth checking and assessing the opportunity cost to see if it aligns with your travel plans.