Mileage Run Discussion - Just getting started - advice on "padding" flights?

Hello,

I'm just learning about MR (still don't really get how to use ITA right...) and was looking for a little help.
Before trying full-blown MR, I'd like to start with 'padding' existing trips, so I can get the most miles out of them.
I'm interested in earning primarily United, maybe AA, and almost always fly from IAH/HOU.

My current task is to get as many miles out of IAH-ATL, have all day Sat May 12 to do so.
Direct on united.com is $291, with the following restrictions:

A MAXIMUM OF 2 STOPOVERS PERMITTED AT FARE BREAK
POINTS.
MILEAGE OF THE OPEN SEGMENT MUST BE EQUAL/LESS THAN
MILEAGE OF THE SHORTEST FLOWN FARE COMPONENT.
-TO FORM 2-COMPONENT CIRCLE TRIPS
-TO FORM MULTI-COMPONENT CIRCLE TRIPS
A MAXIMUM OF 2 STOPOVERS PERMITTED AT FARE BREAK
POINTS.
OPEN JAWS/ROUND TRIPS/CIRCLE TRIPS NOTE -
THE MOST RESTRICTIVE CONDITION APPLIES WHEN
COMBINING HALF ROUND-TRIP FARES.
(Sorry for the caps)

I can bump to EWR or ORD, but it's 1500miles for $300 -> 20CPM...

Any suggestions on how to improve (and book!) a better deal?
Please be verbose - I'm not looking for a free TA, I'm hoping that with a "worked example" I can learn to do this in the future.

Thanks!
Alex

United's routing restrictions prohibit connections between IAH and ATL, so those fares through EWR/ORD are actually combinations of 2 separate fares (that's why the price is much higher).

usair conx via clt, but no 500 min iirc, so probably a non starter....

cll sometimes has decent fares.....

It's a lot harder to do that from a hub than a non-hub for your respective airport.

delete