The cheapest United flights usually come from searching flexible dates, checking nearby airports and booking directly with United, then using MileagePlus miles when the award price beats the cash fare. These ten tips cover how to do each, in the order most travelers can use them.
1. Join United MileagePlus
MileagePlus is United's loyalty program, and you earn miles on flights and through partners. United prices award tickets dynamically and publishes no award chart, so the miles price changes from flight to flight. Having an account lets you see it, and you need one to see award prices on united.com at all.
2. Search With Flexible Dates
The date you fly changes the fare more than almost anything else. United's booking page has a "My dates are flexible" option, so use it and compare the days around your trip. Moving a departure by a day or two can change the price a lot.
3. Set Price Alerts
Fares move, and tracking them by hand is tedious. Price-alert tools and apps notify you when a fare on your route drops, so you can book when it does. Set one when you first search, not the week before you leave.
4. Book Early or Wait for a Sale
Booking early gives you more flight choices, and it often gets you a lower fare. Waiting can work for flexible travelers on routes with plenty of flights, but it's a gamble. Decide how much you'd lose if the price rises, and book now if the number is already fine.
5. Use Your MileagePlus Miles
Compare the miles price with the cash fare on the same flight before you decide. If the cash fare is low, save your miles for a flight where it is high. United has also run cardholder award sales, which we explain in our guide to how United MileagePlus award sales work. United cardholders can get free checked bags on eligible flights, with rules we cover in our United card checked bag guide.
6. Try Alternate Airports and Routes
A nearby airport or a connecting route can cost less than the nonstop from your home airport. Search a few airports within driving distance. Price the connection against the nonstop, and count the cost of getting to the farther airport.
7. Bundle With United Vacations
Bundling flights with a hotel or car through United Vacations can lower the total price compared with booking each piece alone. Compare the package with the same pieces booked separately before you commit. Our guide to scoring deals on United Vacations has more.
8. Watch for Fare Sales
United posts fare sales on its deals pages, and it announces offers on its social accounts, including Facebook. Check the deals pages before you book a trip that isn't tied to a date. Read the sale's dates and travel window, because they often limit when you can fly.
9. Ask About Military and Other Discounts
Some groups, such as military members, may qualify for United fares or perks. We couldn't confirm the current terms from United's own pages on October 17, 2026, so check United's pages for military and other groups before you rely on one, and read the eligibility rules and exclusions.
10. Book Directly With United
Booking with United avoids a third party between you and the airline. If your plans change, you deal with United directly instead of with an agency. A co-brand card can also help: see our guide to the best airline credit cards for beginners.
Start with the flexible-dates search, set one price alert and compare the cash fare with the miles price. Book when the number works for your trip.
Updated October 17, 2026: fare tips.
