Planning a getaway can enhance happiness, and United Airlines is sweetening the deal with extra miles.
Today marks National Plan for Vacation Day, which falls during the bleak and chilly days of winter. In an effort to uplift travelers and help them celebrate, United Airlines is introducing a special offer that provides bonus frequent flyer miles for those who reserve flights to certain international destinations.
The airline has teamed up with Laurie Santos, a cognitive scientist and the host of “The Happiness Lab” podcast, to delve into how travel can be a source of joy.
“Booking a trip can give you an unexpected boost in happiness because the experiences we have are often more valuable to our well-being than we realize,” Santos noted in a statement. “When you plan a vacation, you enjoy the anticipation of a positive experience. The happiness that comes from travel can last well beyond the time you purchase your ticket – from the joyful moments of looking forward to your escape, to enjoying the trip itself, and then reminiscing with friends about the highlights when you return home.”
A study conducted by YouGov and published by United between January 8-9 revealed that around 70% of the 1,323 Americans surveyed reported feeling happy after booking a vacation, with almost the same percentage indicating that January is a time when they particularly crave something enjoyable to anticipate.
United’s Vacation Promotion
When you book a United economy flight to or from specific cities on Tuesday, for travel from Wednesday until November 15, you’ll qualify for double bonus miles based on the fare of your eligible flights.
Here’s a list of the cities included in this promotion:
- Malaga, Spain
- Bilbao, Spain
- Cebu, Philippines
- Christchurch, New Zealand
- Dubrovnik, Croatia
- Dubai, U.A.E.
- Faro, Portugal
- Madeira, Portugal
- Nuuk, Greenland
- Hong Kong
- Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Osaka, Japan
- Melbourne, Australia
- Manila, Philippines
- Nagoya, Japan
- Porto, Portugal
- Ponta Delgada, Portugal
- Beijing, China
- Palma de Mallorca, Spain
- Palermo, Italy
- Puerto Escondido, Mexico
- Marrakesh, Morocco
- Singapore
- Tenerife, Spain
- Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
To be eligible for the bonus miles, flights must be operated by United Airlines or United Express and booked directly through the airline’s official website or app. Basic economy fares do not qualify for the bonus miles promotion. For more details, visit United’s website to read the full terms and conditions.
Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column . He is based in New York.
