Have you ever searched for a MileagePlus partner award flight on United.com and come up empty-handed? If so, you’re not alone—but there’s a bizarre trick that might just unlock hidden award space, and it only takes one simple setting adjustment.
✈️ The United MileagePlus Mystery: More Partner Awards with a Location Tweak
In the ever-tightening world of frequent flyer programs, finding partner award availability has become increasingly difficult. Airlines are tightening award access, reserving more space for their own loyalty members. However, a strange phenomenon on United Airlines’ website suggests there’s a workaround—by changing your country setting on United.com to Canada, you may reveal more MileagePlus partner award options.
For instance, if you’re searching for award flights from New York (JFK) to Frankfurt (FRA) on May 18 via United’s U.S. website, you might find zero availability. But change your location from United States to Canada, and wow look —award seats, including Singapore Airlines (SQ) business class, appear out of nowhere.
And it’s not just a one-time fluke. Multiple users, including those at Upgraded Points, have replicated this trick across various dates and on different airlines like LOT Polish Airlines.
🕵️♂️ Glitch or Deliberate Filtering by United?
So, what’s going on here? Is this a glitch or a deliberate attempt by United to control inventory based on point-of-sale?
Historically, United has engaged in what’s known as StarNet blocking, filtering out partner award space—sometimes bookable only via a manual request through a phone agent. While that practice was officially discontinued, it’s unclear whether similar filtering is now happening based on your country setting.
Here’s why this might be intentional:
- Dynamic pricing logic: Airlines often charge more for business class tickets originating from the U.S., where consumers are seen as more willing to pay a premium.
- Managing liability: With a flood of MileagePlus miles in circulation, United might be managing its mileage liability by limiting award space to high-cost regions or settings.
This behavior suggests United may be restricting award access for U.S. users, intentionally hiding partner seats from users searching from U.S.-based IP addresses or settings.
🛫 How to Use This Trick
Want to test it out for yourself? Here’s how:
- Go to United.com.
- Scroll to the bottom and change your location from USA to Canada (or another country).
- Search for your preferred route and dates—try international partner routes like JFK–FRA or others served by Singapore Airlines or LOT Polish.
- Compare the award space results. You might be surprised.
🧭 Final Thoughts: A New Tool for Smart Travelers
This curious MileagePlus trick opens up a whole new layer of strategy for award travelers. While it remains unclear if this is a technical glitch or deliberate filtering, savvy travelers can potentially unlock premium cabin award space that would otherwise remain hidden.
🔍 Have You Tried This MileagePlus Hack?
Have you found similar results using this method? Did it work for other carriers or routes? Share your experiences in the comments!