The Excursionist Perk is essentially a free one-way flight included in a multi-city award ticket. To use it effectively, you need to understand United’s three key routing rules:
Start and End in the Same Region: Your flight itinerary must begin and end in the same region (e.g., if your journey starts in the mainland U.S., it must end there too).
Use the Perk in a Different Region: The Excursionist Perk must be utilized in a region different from where your journey began (e.g., if you start in the mainland U.S., use the perk outside of it).
Perk Must Start and End in the Same Region: If you use your free one-way award in Europe, for example, both the start and end of this leg must be within Europe.
Example Booking
Let’s go through a hypothetical booking to see how this works in practice:
Scenario: A Trip from the U.S. to Europe
Booking Your Flights:
First Leg: New York (JFK) to Amsterdam (AMS).
This is your first paid leg. Let's say it costs 30,000 miles + $5.60 in taxes.
Second Leg (Excursionist Perk): Paris (CDG) to Athens (ATH).
This is your free leg under the Excursionist Perk. You pay 0 miles but cover taxes, say $34.60.
Third Leg: Istanbul (IST) to Los Angeles (LAX).
This is your final paid leg, costing another 30,000 miles + $42.47 in taxes.
How to Book:
Go to United’s website and choose the “Multi-City” option for booking.
Enter your flight legs as per your itinerary.
The system will automatically apply the Excursionist Perk to the eligible leg (in this case, Paris to Athens).
Maximizing the Perk:
Plan your itinerary so that the longest or most valuable segment falls under the Excursionist Perk.
Ensure all legs of your journey meet the regional criteria for the perk to apply.
Conclusion
The United Excursionist Perk offers a fantastic way to get more out of your miles. By understanding and strategically planning your itinerary, you can enjoy a free flight segment on your multi-city trips, adding significant value to your travel rewards. This perk is especially beneficial for international travel, where long-haul flights can be costly.
Remember, the key to making the most of the United Excursionist Perk is careful planning and adherence to United's routing rules. With this approach, you can turn an ordinary trip into an extraordinary journey with more destinations at no additional miles cost.
For help booking and advice how to leverage perks like this reach out to us at milehighpoints.com