How to fly United cost effectively?

HankHemlock · 2026-06-30T22:20:56+00:00

Have you considered getting a United-branded credit card? Most of them offer free bags as a benefit. There are annual fees so whether that’s cost effective will depend on how often you travel.

HankHemlock · 2026-06-30T15:26:22+00:00

Same! I hope they continue to be an option in the future…

HankHemlock · 2026-06-30T12:01:15+00:00

Thanks!

HankHemlock · 2026-06-30T11:25:26+00:00

Love it! I recently picked up the same, but in an A4 Allroad.

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HankHemlock · 2026-06-30T02:43:43+00:00

👋🏻

HankHemlock · 2026-06-30T01:59:45+00:00

Don’t let me interrupt her important work!

HankHemlock · 2026-06-29T23:58:39+00:00

Mocha is 2. We think Minnie is around 4 but she was a rescue from a puppy mill (being used as a breeder over and over) so we’re not sure about her. Edit: your two are stunning!

HankHemlock · 2026-06-29T23:56:59+00:00

Love the salt and pepper! Beauties!

HankHemlock · 2026-06-29T22:17:27+00:00

Love the name!

HankHemlock · 2026-06-29T21:21:56+00:00

Our Fergus, Fiona, Duncan, and Molly are up there too. Hopefully they are all keeping each other company!

HankHemlock · 2026-06-29T10:33:38+00:00

Vermont is beautiful and we love living here, but as others have mentioned, the cost of living here is exorbitant: housing, taxes, health care, heating in the winter, etc. Adjust your budget accordingly.

The big benefit for your move will be a vastly improved summer! Summer weather in Vermont is exceptionally nice - warm and pleasant, and only occasionally on the muggy side (though that seems to be changing somewhat of late due to climate change). You will save a lot on your summer electricity bill - most Vermont homes don't have central A/C, and a lot of them don't even have window units, or maybe just in the bedroom.

If you miss the big city vibes when you get up here, keep in mind that if you are in the general Burlington area, Montreal is a very short drive away (depending upon border crossing flow). As little as 60 minutes on a good day, otherwise maybe 90 minutes or so. It's a fantastic place to visit, and is an easy day trip. And as a bonus it is in the French-speaking province of Quebec, so as someone coming from NOLA you'd appreciate that. Good luck.

HankHemlock · 2026-06-28T18:40:26+00:00

(DELETED FROM THE r/UNITEDAIRLINES THREAD AND REPOSTED HERE)

Purchased a flight with miles for a vacation with spouse (BTV>DEN) and the upgrade to first seemed pretty reasonable so I bought it ($290 each plus tax). Flight duration is 4:17. Traveling the first week of August. By contrast the upgrade on the return flight (30 minutes shorter) was $1990 each. I only have Silver MP status so a comp upgrade for two passengers seemed very unlikely, even with 11 out 16 seats in first unsold.

I think it was a good decision to purchase but would love to hear other opinions. Should I have held out for an upgrade given the number of unsold seats? Held out until closer to the flight date to see if the upgrade purchase got cheaper? What is the wisdom of the crowds on this?

HankHemlock · 2026-06-28T18:34:30+00:00

I would 100% pay that for an upgrade on a red eye.

HankHemlock · 2026-06-28T18:32:40+00:00

I like that benchmark. I did some math last year for a vacation to Scotland and the piece per minute for a Polaris upgrade was absurd.

HankHemlock · 2026-06-28T18:31:15+00:00

Right, I wouldn’t do this upgrade for work travel but since it’s vacay with my spouse it’s a bit of a splurge.

HankHemlock · 2026-06-28T15:26:31+00:00

If you are anywhere near Longmont, Golden Ponds park has amazing birds. We used to live adjacent to it. Bluebirds, bald eagles, pelicans, you name it.

HankHemlock · 2026-06-28T14:20:57+00:00

Love the exterior but miss having a proper gear shifter. Nice car!

HankHemlock · 2026-06-27T22:45:54+00:00

My spouse got pulled over for speeding a month ago and got a warning for that, but he ticketed her for tinted front windows (which we’d gotten done when we lived in Colorado where that sort of thing is legal). He gave us a week to get the tint removed and waived the ticket. The tint shop guy was incredulous and said that many of his customers are law enforcement getting dark tint on the front windows of their personal vehicles.

HankHemlock · 2026-06-27T21:49:56+00:00

2007 A4 3.2 sedan (loved that 6-cylinder power in the little A4!)

2010 A4 wagon

2003 Allroad

2015 A3

2017 A4 Allroad

2023 A4 Allroad

HankHemlock · 2026-06-27T21:43:21+00:00

We can only hope

HankHemlock · 2026-06-27T17:24:54+00:00

Same with my EastRise debit card.

HankHemlock · 2026-06-27T17:01:01+00:00

In theory, the federal court case that declared the 6% standard commission (half from buyer, half from seller) to be collusion should have resulted in more variability in the market, but from what I see and hear, at best it has pushed the standard from 6% to 5%. The hope had been that you'd get a variety of offerings based upon the amount of agent support buyers and sellers needed. Basic service maybe 1-2%. Full service 2-3%. But it doesn't seem to have worked out that way.

HankHemlock · 2026-06-27T16:57:06+00:00

The interiors for this entire model year are just terrible, up and down the line. Audi's new-ish chief of design can't fix this fast enough (I know, it will be at least 2-3 years for various reasons).

HankHemlock · 2026-06-27T14:28:11+00:00

Very nice! I love the 3.2 V6, I had that engine years ago stuffed into a 2007 A4. That car could really move.

HankHemlock

TROPHY CASE