With the United devaluation looming, I hope everyone’s ducks are in a row when it comes to booking awards. I’ve been busy booking awards for friends, family, and clients who definitely want to use their United miles before they become worth a lot less.

As I detailed before, the biggest hit comes to the best part of the United MileagePlus program – premium cabins on partner airlines. Some awards are going up as much as 80%!

Should you burn your United miles?

Yes… but only if you have somewhere you’d actually like to go! If you’re planning a trip in 2014, definitely figure out if you can utilize your United miles for it before February 1. Consider this your last minute push to start planning a trip.

If you primarily redeem your miles for Economy travel, I wouldn’t worry so much. Most coach travel will remain unchanged. The ones that do increase only do so by 5-15K miles; nothing outrageous.

Here is the differences in the current and future award chart in Google doc form.

Am I burning my own United miles?

Not exactly. While I have just booked 3-4 awards out of my own United account (for my parents), they were in Economy. As I said before, most Economy awards are either staying the same or going up a reasonable 5,000 miles round trip.

However, the North America to South Asia coach award is going up 15K miles round trip.

Since my parents travel to the Philippines often, this would be a problem. That’s why I booked a few trips for them while the award only cost me 65K round trip. Saving 15K miles per trip is definitely a reason to burn miles!

In Closing

So long to some of the greatest travel experiences I’ve had in First Class thanks to United miles! No need to sulk; it’s just time to hustle harder and find the next big way to game the system!

Thai Airways First Class – Seat 2A

Royal Orchid Spa

Swiss First Class. Notice those sweet lamps

Laurent-Perrier champagne

All the first courses