Incredible one-day deal: 29 amazing summer routes available for just 4,000 United miles each way

When I spotted the news this morning about United offering round-trip flights for 8,000 miles for summer travel, I was doubtful.

I've encountered numerous marketing tricks over the years, and this promotion celebrating MileagePlus's 40th anniversary seemed like it could be one of those disappointing offers—boasting a big headline but featuring only a few lower-tier routes on off-peak days. After all, I've seen many 20,000 mile one-way flights for straightforward routes from my home airport of Washington-Dulles during the pandemic.

However, as I began to explore further, my perspective shifted. This sale is genuinely valid and worth your attention.

First, let’s cover some details of the offer, then I’ll highlight a few gems from nearly every United hub:

• These tickets must be booked today (May 6, 2021).
• No clear indication of when "today" ends based on time zones, but I wouldn't recommend pushing the boundaries to find out.
• A round-trip flight purchase is required.
• Travel must be completed between June 1, 2021, and August 31, 2021.
• A Saturday stay is mandatory.

You can view the complete list of city pairs on the United website, which also includes some international destinations on sale.

If you're planning to fly this summer and haven't made any bookings yet, today could be the day to jump on your computer and secure a deal. I suggest checking mileage pricing in a 30-day calendar view to find the cheapest days to fly.

For my search, I only included cities where I confirmed round-trip availability at the time of publication. Most of these are nonstop flights, although sometimes a connection is necessary to access the lowest fares. Additionally, it appears that those holding a MileagePlus credit card, such as the United Quest Card, tend to find more availability at lower rates. Lastly, many of the dates I checked showed four or more seats available, which is fantastic for family travel!

Keep in mind that Chase Ultimate Rewards points from cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred usually transfer instantly to United at a 1:1 ratio if you need to shift some miles to make a booking.

Here are some of the top options I discovered for just 4,000 miles each way, with a round-trip purchase required:

Washington DC (IAD)

While this may not be the first in alphabetical order, it's my home airport, so we'll begin here. Although this origin didn’t offer the best results, there were some intriguing options, including a route I didn’t even know United operated from Dulles:

From IAD, you can fly for 8,000 miles round trip to:

• Hilton Head, SC
• Savannah, GA
• Fort Myers, FL
• Presque Isle, ME

For those unfamiliar with Presque Isle, it's located quite far north in Maine, close to the Canadian border.

It’s nearly a three-hour drive from Bangor and about six hours from Boston. Award flights to PQI don’t seem to drop in price very often right now, and Maine is a stunning place to visit during the summer months.

Hilton Head and Savannah make excellent weekend getaways, while Fort Myers boasts some lovely hotels with beaches and pools if that suits your preference.

Newark (EWR)

I discovered plenty of availability for 8,000 mile round trips to three of the same cities as Dulles:

• Fort Myers, FL
• Presque Isle, ME
• Savannah, GA

There were flight options available in June, July, and August. Additionally, some reasonable connections through IAD opened up more dates for planning your getaway.

Chicago (ORD)

Chicago offers a selection of cities I wish we could explore from Dulles. You can essentially find 8,000-mile round-trip options to every Canadian destination they serve. Unfortunately, most Americans can’t cross the border at the moment, at least not without significant hurdles... for now.

Residents of Chicago can still plan weekend getaways on several weekends to:

• Charleston, SC
• Fort Myers, FL
• Pensacola, FL
• Savannah, GA

Houston (IAH)

A great variety of exciting destinations from Houston, with plenty of nonstop flight options available:

• Aspen, CO
• Bozeman, MT
• Charleston, SC
• Fort Lauderdale, FL
• Fort Myers, FL
• Jackson, WY
• New Orleans, LA
• Pensacola, FL

Houston is also one of the hubs where certain destinations, like Fort Lauderdale, have several options available at 4,000 miles per flight:

Additionally, Houston serves as another example of a hub where flight times are quite reasonable.

We often see fare sales where flights depart at 6 a.m. or 9 p.m. to avoid busy travel times for business passengers. However, if you have the vacation days, this itinerary to Bozeman could offer some fantastic weather for exploring Montana in July:

Los Angeles (LAX)

Los Angeles proved to be one of the more challenging hubs to discover appealing destinations with ample availability. The top three options I found were:

• Aspen, CO
• Jackson Hole, WY
• Seattle, WA

Accommodations can be quite expensive in Aspen and Jackson Hole, but you can always make good use of hotel points. Summer in Seattle can be fantastic if you plan your visit wisely.

Denver (DEN)

Denver takes the prize for the most intriguing flight (and perhaps destination) on this list.

• Devils Lake, ND
• West Yellowstone, MT
• Los Angeles, CA

Devils Lake wasn't previously on my radar for exploration, but it might just be now. Plus, the aviation enthusiast in me wouldn't mind a 36-minute layover in Jamestown, North Dakota. Who knew that would be a connecting point? Not me!

San Francisco (SFO)

San Francisco offers a diverse array of cities with good availability based on your preferences:

• Aspen, CO
• Los Angeles, CA
• Sun Valley, ID
• Tucson, AZ

Some people call Sun Valley the "affordable Jackson Hole." While prices have risen slightly over the years, it's still a gorgeous destination to discover. Just a two-hour flight from SFO makes it a perfect weekend escape.

Key Takeaway

The best advice we can offer regarding this award sale is if you're considering one of these trips, secure your booking now.

This fare sale is only available until today, May 6th. It's unlikely we'll see such a wide selection of cities on sale for as many summer dates as we have right now. Before the pandemic, you would have had a full 24 hours to adjust itineraries like this. However, United changed its policy last year, and now you can modify domestic award tickets without any fees.

Additionally, if you cancel 30 days in advance, you can redeposit your miles at no extra cost. So, if you're ready to travel, there's really no reason not to book a trip and keep the option to change your plans later.