"Are you willing to fly through a connecting airport to save money?" Popup
Dec 21, 2022, 8:42 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: UA 1K MM, AA Gold, SPG Plat, HH Gold
Posts: 991
"Are you willing to fly through a connecting airport to save money?" Popup
Has anyone seen this new "Are you willing to fly through a connecting airport to save money?" popup when using United.com for flight searches? It gives three options: "Yes", "No", and "Skip". Considering I live at an outstation, I'm always connecting so there's little logic to the popup. What is the purpose?
(Or is it some adware that I have installed in Chrome?)
(Or is it some adware that I have installed in Chrome?)
Dec 21, 2022, 9:01 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Floating around
Programs: UA 1K (1MM), DL Gold (1MM), Marriott LTT
Posts: 10,342
It's REALLY annoying and it's been happening for weeks now. For me it only happens if I search on a browser that I've never logged into United.com before on. I just hit ESC to get rid of it but I don't get the point of it. Will it actually filter non-stops if you say no to connecting? I haven't tried and can't be bothered. Pop ups are the most annoying thing known to mankind on the internet so why United is adding them in 2022 is beyond me.
-RM
-RM
Dec 21, 2022, 9:34 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: London & Sonoma CA
Programs: UA 1K, MM *G for life, BAEC Gold
Posts: 10,222
As you can filter for nonstops it seems pointless. Now, if I could exclude connections where you change airports (eg EWR to JFK), that could be useful.
Dec 21, 2022, 10:00 am
#7
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 4,216
Dec 21, 2022, 12:27 pm
#9
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: DCA
Programs: UA 1K; *G and *A Top 1000; HHonors Diamond; *$ Gold; Global Entry
Posts: 2,272
It doesn't add any value for me. I also wish it would go away. I already have a good sense of whether I'm going to need to connect when I start the search.
Dec 21, 2022, 1:31 pm
#10
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: SFO
Posts: 1,754
> search : SFO—> DTW
> website: Are you willing to fly through a connecting airport to save money?
> me: nahh, with the time change its already annoying, why add an extra 2ish hours or more.
> website : non-stop, non-redeye $850
> me: ZOMG ..., fine, Ill connect. Damn you, damn you all to hell.
> website: SFO-ORD-DTW total travel time 9 hours $350
> me: Gosh Darn Loch Ness Monster
> website: Are you willing to fly through a connecting airport to save money?
> me: nahh, with the time change its already annoying, why add an extra 2ish hours or more.
> website : non-stop, non-redeye $850
> me: ZOMG ..., fine, Ill connect. Damn you, damn you all to hell.
> website: SFO-ORD-DTW total travel time 9 hours $350
> me: Gosh Darn Loch Ness Monster
Dec 21, 2022, 4:39 pm
#11
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: MSP, WLG, or the forward most A seat in Y I can get
Programs: UA Plat (and all the derivatives on cars and hotels that implies)
Posts: 491
I got this, and living at an outstation and being on the quest for bonus BIS miles to continue scraping towards 1MM (covid dented my routine of European trips for work), I wanted a button for "Enthusiastic Yes" 
Dec 21, 2022, 6:03 pm
#12
Moderator, Omni, Omni/PR, Omni/Games, FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Between DCA and IAD
Programs: UA 1K MM; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 67,126
I haven't seen it, but given the higher PQF requirements for next year, I'm actively seeking added connections.
Last edited by exerda; Dec 21, 2022 at 8:05 pm
Dec 22, 2022, 5:41 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,884
I just got this as well, ex-SFO but looking to BLR. Since it seems they have officially taken the non-stop flight off the schedule (last time I checked, it was bookable as of ~April), Im not sure what the point of it was. If you are going to a place with no non-stop options, why even bother with this.
I can see this making sense if you are searching for a route where non-stops exist, though.
I can see this making sense if you are searching for a route where non-stops exist, though.