US Airways Discounts Weekend Award Trips

After 20 years working in the travel industry, and 15 years writing about it, Tim Winship knows a thing or two about travel. Follow him on Twitter @twinship.

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Late last year, United introduced Weekend Saver Awards—discounted award flights for travel on select routes the next weekend.

The concept harkens back to American’s Net SAAver Weekend Getaways, Delta’s Weekly Web Fares, and United’s own E-Fares—last-minute discounts on paid tickets, promoted via email and booked online.

When extended to frequent flyer award tickets, such discounts are a win-win. Program members get a significant discount on award trips, and the airline dispenses with its mileage liability on flights with plenty of empty seats.

Apparently it wasn’t enough of a win for United, though, because the airline discontinued the Weekend Saver Awards without comment or explanation (although United’s website still includes the following: “Visit mileageplus.com again as Weekend Saver Awards may be back!”).

US Airways, however, is reviving the idea with its new Dividend Miles MileSaver awards.

Offer Details

Dividend Miles members can book award travel on select routes for 15,000 miles, instead of the 25,000 miles normally required, departing on February 25 or 26 (Friday or Saturday) and returning February 27 or 28 (Sunday or Monday).

Eligible routes:

From Charlotte to Kansas City, Chicago, St. Louis, Jackson, Cleveland
From Philadelphia to Kansas City, Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, Cleveland
From Phoenix to Memphis, Austin, Sacramento, Oakland, San Jose

Bookings must be made by February 26.

The normal $75 “quick ticketing” fee will be waived if eCertificate ES022111 is cited when booking.

Deal or No Deal

A 40 percent discount certainly warrants attention.

On the other hand, the limited routes and travel period seriously constrain the offer’s applicability.

Bottom line: For opportunistic travelers, traveling from Charlotte, Philadelphia, or Phoenix, this is a solid value—a chance to save big on a weekend trip.

Looking ahead, members of the Dividend Miles program should keep an eye out for similar deals on flights from their hometown airports.

Reader Reality Check

Does this offer work for you?

In general, would you take advantage of last-minute discounts on weekend award trips?

This article originally appeared on FrequentFlier.com.

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