Disclaimer: The health of DansDeals readers is this website’s paramount concern. For your sake and the sake of those around you, the best way for society to make it through COVID-19 with the lowest mortality rate is by staying at home. That being said, some people still need to travel home, others need to travel for essential or emergency purposes, and people can try to book for after they think COVID-19 will no longer be a threat. Remember to travel responsibly and take precautions as suggested by your local authorities to avoid spreading the virus.
Airlines release saver award seats when they think they won’t sell their seats and United has opened the floodgates on saver award space in both economy and business class.
It’s not just for the near-term either, it’s for the whole year! Plus you can change your dates for free thanks to the current fee waivers in place.
Here is a look at just a couple of sample routes, but award space is wide open on hundreds of routes. Post a comment of routes that you find with wide-open award space!
Here’s Newark to London in July/August for example:
And Newark to London in September/October:
Here’s Newark to Tel Aviv for the rest of the year:
Here’s Tel Aviv to Newark for the rest of the year:
United’s Tel Aviv flights operate with Polaris seating that have direct aisle access for every business class seat. You can choose from solo seats or seats for people traveling together.
Business class seats include United’s newly launched Polaris business class service with Saks Fifth Avenue bedding and pillows. Savvy travelers will also request a Saks Fifth Avenue mattress pad, gel cooled pillow, slippers, and pajamas, as those are not proactively offered by flight attendants as there aren’t enough of them for everyone.
Upgrade awards between the US and Israel:
You can always waitlist for an upgrade award, but the dates above have flights that are confirmable now by calling United.
If you have a paid ticket, the cost of an upgrade varies based on your ticket’s fare class as follows:
In other words, it will cost 35K United miles plus $600 for a one-way upgrade from most discounted coach tickets to business class.
Business saver class award booking options between the US and Israel::
- You can transfer miles from Chase Ultimate Rewards to United (1:1 ratio) instantly. United charges 42.5K one-way in coach or 75K one-way in business class for United flights to Israel. United now also charges 1,500-3,000 extra miles for tickets bought close-in to the flight date. Awards can be cancelled for free within 24 hours. United never collects fuel surcharges. After 24 hours, non-elites will pay $75 to cancel awards more than 60 days before a flight or $125 within 60 days of a flight. Awards can be booked online.
- You can also redeem 75K United miles for business class even when there is only coach available. Read this post for how to do that via “Plan B”.
- Having a Chase United Consumer card or a Chase United Business card greatly expands the saver award space that you can book. United.com only shows the lowest available award rate when you’re logged in, so a cardholder may see a 42.5K rate while a non-cardholder will see the 95K standard rate. Cardholders also have the ability to book the last seat available in any class with Standard/Everyday awards.
- Learn more about rapidly accumulating Ultimate Rewards points here.
- Air Canada Aeroplan charges 40K in coach or 82.5K in business class one-way. There are no fuel surcharges for United flights. Points transfer instantly (1:1 ratio) from AMEX. Transfers from Marriott (60K:25K ratio) can take 2-20 days.
- Avianca Lifemiles charges 42.5K in coach or 78K in business class one-way. There are no fuel surcharges for any flights. Points transfer instantly (1:1 ratio) from AMEX, Capital One, or Citi. Transfers from Marriott (60K:25K ratio) can take 2-20 days.
- Aegean charges 35K miles in coach or 55K miles in business class one-way. They don’t charge fuel surcharges for United flights. Transfers from Marriott (60K:25K ratio) can take 2-20 days.
- Turkish charges a mere 32K miles in coach or 47K miles in business class one-way. They don’t charge fuel surcharges for United flights. Transfers from Citi (1:1 ratio) take about a day and transfers from Marriott (60K:25K ratio) can take 2-5 days. Note that it can be difficult for Turkish agents to find partner award space, so always call before transferring.
- Singapore charges 45K in coach or 76.5K in business class one-way. There are no fuel surcharges for United awards. You can transfer points from AMEX, Chase, or Citi at a 1:1 ratio, but it will take about day for points to show up. Transfers from Marriott (60K:25K ratio) can take 2-20 days.
- ANA charges 65K miles in coach or 104K miles in business class round-trip, one-way awards aren’t available. There are no fuel surcharges for United awards. It can take 1-3 days to transfer points from AMEX to ANA (1:1 ratio) and transfers from Marriott to ANA (60K:25K ratio) can take 2-20 days.
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I appreciate the warning, thanks for listening!
“In other words, it will cost 35K United miles plus $600 for a one-way upgrade from most discounted coach tickets to business class”
Isn’t this even more then it would cost to book just a business award for 75k? (Considering the economy amount paid , the 35k upgrade plus $600)
1. Upgrade space is typically more plentiful than saver award space.
2. Some people are on tickets paid for by their business, or want to earn elite status.
have you noticed anything for AA?
scratch that. Ive looked and its also wide open. Do you think that airlines willl drop prices or award prices to gain flyers?
how do you get the old united search results ?
@dan if I book a BC ticket somewhere now for the end of the year , can I later reschedule for next year , or it will be subject to the availability of when I want to reschedule it for ?
You will be subject to the new availability, unless your flight is cancelled.
thanks. if i have dan on the line, any clear info if green card holders are allowed into canada ?
American citizens were denied entry at the border today trying to enter Canada
first they closed all dates on points even in economy – why did they changed it now ?
Dan,
Want to personally say Thank you for your extent coverage. I was traveling last week and Dansdeals was EXTREMELY helpful and your personal replies too helped me navigate my way back home BH.
Thank you!
My pleasure, thanks for the feedback!
Hi dan…I’m looking at the March calendar..I see it starting on flights leaving tel Aviv to Newark starting the 23rd? Do u have any inside info on whether they’re still flying out on the 22?
They are. The calendar is for dates with saver award space.
If I book now and the flight isn’t cancelled then usual cancellation policy would apply? It’s only if the flight doesn’t operate that I would get the free cancellation (return or miles and taxes) ?
You can change dates and awards for free even if it’s not cancelled, but your flight will have to be cancelled to get miles back without penalty.
Dan is it confirmed that right now for the next two months the cancellation and redeposit of United miles is frre? Without fees? I’m just getting confused by the policy changes etc.thanks BG
I hope they do that with Delta
Southwest is doing the free-change-no-price-difference again.
What’s your travel date?
On June 10th, EWR-TLV I don’t see saving award only IN
Any thoughts on booking these flights using other mileage programs? What are the risks? (is it harder to deal with changes or cancelled flights with other airlines)?
Note how Lag Baomer and Succos are basically unavailable. Chutzpah
only if i still have money to travel by the end of this thing
Lol
@Dan,
Thank you soso much for all your posts. How do I book in business with miles for a 1 year old (Lap infant) ?
Book the child their own seat. Much more relaxing and safer.
What happens to points if United goes bankrupt
They won’t go bankrupt.
Trump tweeted today ““The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others…”
not going bankrupt
dan
Is the availability based on your 1k account?
Anyone find any flights to HNL?
Just booked Shavuos (one can always hope) and for mid August. Business direct 75k per flight. Strange that the fares haven’t come down. They were still $4,303. Had it been $2,800 possibly would’ve used cash. Thanks Dan!
Airlines still want to get full fare from the business type travellers, that is why they maintain high fares.
I would do the same thing, the question is what happens if there is a travel ban? Can we change our tickets to whatever day we want or only to dates that saver awards are available?
Thank you Dan!
So even with the free changes if the date I want to change to doesn’t have the same saver availability this wouldn’t help me? Like for example if I book Newark to London using the saver rate for the summer and if I want to change (or if the flight doesn’t take place) I’ll be stuck because if the saver award availability isn’t there I won’t be able to rebook the tickets, right? (I have no status and don’t have the United credit card).
Anyone know the answer?
Dan, please I’m about to book just have to clarify this one point. Thanks so much!
If the flight is cancelled you should be able to get your points back. Otherwise, you may be stuck though you can use the points for any other award as well.
Thank you Dan! You really are the Man!
Hopefully a condition for bailout money is forcing the airlines to close their frequent flyer programs. So much brain power has been wasted on “maximizing” points.
Imagine how much could be accomplished if this brain power was used for something useful like Torah and science.
You just wasted a minute writing shtus!
Do points have to be transferred to United? What if booking via the Chase portal and redeeming for 1.5 value having a Sapphire card? Won’t be cheaper?
You should always price it out both ways. But international business saver awards will almost always be much cheaper.
how do i find availability on turkish?
https://www.turkishairlines.com/en-us/miles-and-smiles/account/book-star-award-tickets/
thanks!!
still don’t see direct flights?!?
what is ANA refund policy for point bookings on United flights
anybody know ANA updated Corona policy on award mileage booking?
I see ewr to tlv, but how would I book it from cle to tlv?
Sorry. On ANA I see how to book EWR to TLV. But I dont see how to book it from CLE. Is there a way? Thanks!
Dan, is there a way to search for confirmed upgrade availability using PP/miles with a calendar? I only see a way to search for mileage award availability.
Someone please tell me. I’m a u.s citizen in Singapore. I need to be here for another three weeks and then try to fly home because my Visa for Singapore is expiring and no extensions are possible. I need to fly via a layover in Japan and there’s no way to know if Japan will close doors to foreigners like other countries have. What is the latest update on United policy during covid-19 regarding change and cancellation fees? For changes is it only one allowed per ticket or would they allow multiple for an unpredictable situation like what’s happening now? I’m very worried and nervous to book my award ticket not knowing if I’m throwing the miles and money away but need to book something soon but all the possible changes are totally unpredictable.
Dan?
Please DO NOT TRAVEL unless it’s an emergency and as a last resort
At this time and for the foreseeable it’s not worth putting yourself, your family, and others at risk
Hi Dan,
Thanks for all the posts. Question, I booked a tik (14 day farelock) for end of august from EWR to TLV on UA84. The problem is, only 1 tik was available for the Saver Award space, what are the chances of another one opening up?