This United Perk Unlocks Hidden Award Availability

If you’ve ever searched for United award flights and thought, “Wow, there’s nothing left but 300k redemptions,” you’re not crazy.

Saver-level awards have become elusive… especially those dreamy long-haul premium routes.

But here’s the secret even seasoned pros often miss: United Airlines credit cardholders get access to expanded Saver award availability without needing elite MileagePlus status.

That means extra seats, lower mileage prices, and deals that non-cardholders can’t even see.

Here’s how it works, why it matters, and how you can use it to snag a business-class seat for a fraction of the miles others are paying.

What is “Expanded Saver Award Availability”?

Normally, United divides award tickets into two main types that you’d typically see during your searches:

• Saver Awards (X = economy, I = business or domestic first-class)— limited, lower-priced awards that can also be booked through partners like Aeroplan or Turkish.

• Everyday Economy (XN = economy, IN = business or domestic first-class) — more expensive seats that can only be booked through United.

However, United cardholders and elite members quietly get access to a hidden fare bucket called Expanded Saver Award space — XN (for economy) and IN (for business or domestic first-class).

United releases more seats to the XN and IN fares than to the X and I fares (the standard fare classes for economy-class and business-class or domestic first-class saver awards).

These expanded Saver awards are only visible when you’re signed in to your MileagePlus account with an eligible United credit card or if you have elite MileagePlus status.

So if you’re logged out or don’t hold status, you might think there’s no award space. But once you log in, suddenly… ✨seats appear.✨

Cardmember Pricing and Expanded Saver Space

If you’ve ever noticed the green “CARDMEMBERS SAVE” banners on United’s site next to miles or cash prices, pay attention.

Because I have a United Gateway℠ Card, I get access to both expanded Saver Award inventory and lower pricing. That’s how I uncovered deals like these while everyone else’s searches came up empty:

San Francisco → Paris for 40k in Economy or 80K in Business (Cardmembers save 60%):

Atlanta → Johannesburg for 88K in Business (Cardmembers save 69%):

Chicago → Dublin for 31.2K miles in Economy, or Business for 80k miles:

These little green tags are United’s way of saying, “Hey, thanks for being loyal.” 🙂

MileagePlus elites get similar access, but I’ve kept this perk for years just by holding my no-annual-fee United card. It’s one of the few airline credit card benefits that’s genuinely worth something.

Real Life Examples: How to Find Saver Space

When I was searching for premium seats to China recently, I struck out on my usual go-to partner sites — like Aeroplan, LifeMiles, all of them. Nada.

But when I checked directly on United’s site, logged in as a cardmember, I found:

San Francisco (SFO) → Hong Kong (HKG) in United Polaris business class for 100K miles + $5.60. Lie-flat, non-stop, yes, please.sa

And Beijing (PEK) → San Francisco (SFO) in Polaris for 110K miles + $37.83:

Those didn’t appear on any partner searches because they’re part of United’s XN/IN expanded availability.

Considering cash fares for those routes often hover around $5k to $7k round-trip, that’s roughly 4 to 5 cents per mile in value. Not bad for what started as a “just curious” search.

If your dates are flexible, use United’s 30-day calendar view to spot those hidden cardmember Saver awards. It’ll show you the lowest-priced dates, no finger-crossing required.

Which United Cards Unlock This Perk?

You don’t need elite status or a massive mileage stash. Any of these United MileagePlus credit cards will do the trick:

• United Gateway℠ Card — $0 Annual Fee, expanded award access, 2x miles on United, gas, and transit, plus 25% back (as a statement credit)on in-flight purchases.

  
  Perfect for: casual travelers who want hidden Saver awards without paying a dime in fees.
  

• United℠ Explorer Card — $0 intro annual fee in the first year, then $150, 2x on United, restaurants, and hotels (when booked with the hotel), plus a free first checked bag (terms apply)and 2 United Club passes yearly.
  
  Perfect for: travelers who want a taste of lounge life and free bags on every trip.
  

• United Quest℠ Card — $350 Annual Fee, up to $180 Instacart credits annually, and free first and second checked bags (terms apply).
  
  Perfect for: frequent flyers who love stacking award bookings and rebates.
  

• United Club℠ Card — $695 Annual Fee, full United Club access (no partner lounges), up to 9x miles on United purchases, free checked bags, and Premier Access.
  
  Perfect for: travelers chasing the full elite experience

Bottom Line

Even in a post-devaluation world, United’s MileagePlus program offers one of the most valuable perks out there: Cardmembers get more Saver awards, better prices, and first dibs on premium seats.

So before you sigh and say “there’s nothing left,” make sure you’re signed in.

And if you’re not yet a cardholder, it might be time to grab one. Because the difference between a 300k “Everyday Award” and a United Polaris seat to Asia could be sitting right in your wallet.