United MileagePlus is often praised as one of the best airline loyalty programs, but is it really the smartest way to redeem miles in 2025? With rising award costs and unpredictable pricing, some travelers argue that MileagePlus isn’t as rewarding as it used to be. However, for those who know where to look, there are still plenty of valuable sweet spots that make it possible to stretch your miles further than you might expect.

From hidden award routes to strategic stopovers using the Excursionist Perk, advanced travelers can still find ways to beat United’s dynamic pricing and book high-value flights at a fraction of the usual cost. If you’re tired of seeing sky-high redemption rates, this guide will help you uncover the MileagePlus sweet spots that airlines don’t advertise—and show you how to maximize every mile in 2025.

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Why We Love MileagePlus

Here are just a few reasons why we love MileagePlus. With a little planning, you can use your miles to book some amazing travel experiences.

  • The Excursionist Perk: This perk allows you to add a free stopover on any award ticket that includes two or more flights. This is a great way to see more of a destination or to connect with a connecting flight on a partner airlines.
  • Transcontinental Flights: United offers some great deals on transcontinental flights, with economy class awards starting at 15,000 miles and Business Class awards starting at 30,000 miles.
  • Flights to Northern South America: United charges just 20,000 miles for economy class awards and 35,000 miles for business class awards from the U.S. to Northern South America, including destinations like Lima, Peru, Quito, Ecuador, and Bogotá, Colombia.
  • Flights to Oceania: United charges just 35,000 miles for economy class awards and 70,000 miles for business class awards to Oceania, including destinations like Sydney, Australia, Auckland, New Zealand, and Honolulu, Hawaii.
  • Intra-Asia and Intra-Japan flights: United charges just 5,500 miles for economy class awards and 11,000 miles for business class awards on intra-Japan flights, which is a great way to explore the country.

United MileagePlus Sweet Spots (Our Top Picks)

Here are our top United MileagePus redemptions, and how to find them using AwardFares (click to search).

1. Chicago (ORD) to Barcelona (BCN)

On United Airlines, Economy class awards start at 35,000 miles, and business class awards start at 70,000 miles. A one-way Business Class ticket from the United States to Europe on a Star Alliance partner costs 77,000 MileagePlus miles. This offers access to top-tier airlines like Lufthansa, Swiss, and Austrian, all of which offer excellent Business Class products.

Chicago to Barcelona using United MileagePlus miles (AwardFares).

Chicago to Barcelona using United MileagePlus miles (AwardFares).

2. Los Angeles (LAX) to Sydney (SYD)

This is a long-haul route that offers a great opportunity to see two amazing cities. Economy class awards start at 50,000 miles, and business class awards start at 100,000 miles.

Los Angeles to Sydney using United MileagePlus miles (AwardFares).

3. Chicago (ORD) to Honolulu (HNL)

This is a great way to escape the cold winter weather and enjoy the beaches of Hawaii. Economy class awards start at 25,000 miles, and business class awards start at 50,000 miles.

Chicago to Honolulu using United MileagePlus miles (AwardFares).

4. Frankfurt (FRA) to Buenos Aires (EZE)

There are options with Lufthansa on their non-stop flight, but also with United via Houston (IAH).

Frankfurt to Buenos Aires using United MileagePlus miles (AwardFares).

5. San Francisco (SFO) to London (LHR)

This is a popular route for business travelers and leisure travelers alike. Economy class awards start at 35,000 miles, and business class awards start at 70,000 miles.

San Francisco to London using United MileagePlus miles (AwardFares).

5. Tokyo (NRT) to Singapore (SIN)

This is a great way to experience two of the most vibrant cities in Asia. Economy class awards start at 35,000 miles, and business class awards start at 70,000 miles.

Tokyo to Singapore using United MileagePlus miles (AwardFares).

Tokyo to Singapore using United MileagePlus miles (AwardFares).

6. Seoul (ICN) to Taipei (TPE)

This is a short-haul route that is perfect for a weekend getaway. Economy class awards start at 10,000 miles, and business class awards start at 20,000 miles.

Seoul to Taipei using United MileagePlus miles (AwardFares).

7. London (LHR) to Frankfurt (FRA)

This is a popular route for connecting flights to other parts of Europe. Economy class awards start at 25,000 miles, and business class awards start at 50,000 miles (roud-trip). There’s plenty of options with a number of airlines such as Lufthansa, Austrian, and SAS.

London to Frankfurt using United MileagePlus miles (AwardFares).

8. United Polaris Business Class to Africa

United offers non-stop flights from the U.S. to African destinations such as Cape Town (CPT), Johannesburg (JNB), Accra (ACC), and Lagos (LOS).

  • Economy Class: From 45,000 miles
  • Business Class: Starts at 190,000 miles one-way

United Polaris Business Class from the United States to Africa.

Bonus United Sweet Spots and Tricks In 2025

Utilizing the Excursionist Perk for Multi-City Travel

The Excursionist Perk allows you to add a free one-way segment within a multi-city itinerary, enabling exploration of additional destinations without extra mileage costs.

Example:

  • Newark (EWR) → London (LHR)
  • London (LHR) → Berlin (BER) [FREE using Excursionist Perk]
  • Berlin (BER) → Newark (EWR)

This is a great way to stretch your miles further.

Expanded Award Availability on Copa Airlines

United elites and co-branded credit cardholders often have access to expanded award availability, especially on partner airlines like Copa Airlines, which serves many destinations in Central and South America.

If struggling to find saver awards on United, searching for Copa flights might increase availability.

IN and XN Class Saver Awards

United offers special fare classes with increased saver award availability:

  • IN Class: Polaris business class saver awards available exclusively to Premier elites.
  • XN Class: Economy saver awards accessible to United co-branded credit cardholders and elites.

Mileage Upgrade Awards

MileagePlus members can use miles to upgrade from economy to a higher class of service on paid tickets. This is a really cost-effective way to experience premium cabins without redeeming miles for a full award ticket.

How To Find United MileagePlus Sweet Spots

Check our Utimate Guide on United Award Search for MileagePlus Members for a complete walkthrough on how to find the best sweet spots and get the most value out of your MileagPlus miles.

How To Find United Saver Award Flights in 2025: Utimate Guide To MileagePlus

Maximize Your United Miles

With AwardFares, finding the best MileagePlus award flights takes just seconds, plus you can get 3x-12x the value from your miles compared to standard redemptions. Try it for free and see how easy it is! For access to even more powerful features like unlimited daily searches, alerts, seat maps, and flight schedules, explore our Gold and Diamond membership tiers.

Our guides have all the information you need to be a pro travel hacker and explore the world on points. Here are some related posts you might enjoy: