Difference between saver and standard awards?
 

What is the difference between the two types? The Standard awards cost more points than the Saver awards. Why?

Standard awards are not capacity-controlled. If there's Y inventory available, you get a seat.

Saver awards are often tough to find, because UA severely limits such seats, especially to popular vacation destinations and/or on peak travel days. If you can't find a Saver award, spend the miles for a Standard award.

From the UA FAQ -

Standard award actually exist while saver awards are just a figment of our imagination.

I guess I am lucky. Last week I got SJC-DCA for the weekend 12/9-11 saver award. I think some time UA will open some saver award at the last minute.

If you are a 1K you have a special allocation of Y saver seats. In the past I have been able to book saver Y tickets to Europe in July and Hawaii in April.

Also note that Standard Awards allow you the travelling pax to sit in E+ if they otherwise couldn't. Good in that sense for non-status travellers. Also, they are fully flexible, unlike saver awards.

LOL! Thanks for the awsome explanation. :)

1Ks have special allocation of saver Y seats only on domestic flights

A lot of the responses here have been relating to Y. But they offer standard rewards in C and F, as well.

I just booked 5 Saver awards IAD-LAS for next July/August. Since we'll be in E- and have no direct service I may burn some Amex MR points and fly with -gulp- Southwest direct BWI-LAS. It would save me 125K UA miles for something bigger and better at some unknown point in the future!

The point though, is there are Saver awards. Call, don't rely on what United.com says is available.

I thought it was for all flights in Y.

Exclusive Saver Award inventory
As a 1K, you have access to an exclusive inventory of United Economy® Saver Award seats reserved solely for your redemption (subject to capacity control). The 1K Saver Award availability is reserved from the current Saver Award inventory allocations.

Where did you here it was just for domestic flights?

Savers do in fact exist!
Of course, book 'em early! Just booked a saver PIT-DEN-SBA round trip for a friend... in E+, no less.

Savers do exist, I second the motion.
Booked a Saver Award Ticket from BWI to MKE for Dec 21st returning Dec 27th.

I was flabbergasted that they actually had some available those dates.

Slightly OT, i've redeemed 25k miles from SQ KF twice this year for UA Metal SFO-BOS RTs for family members. On both occasions the pax was seated in E+. IDK, if SQ KF miles are treated as standard award or saver award under UA MP rules. Does anyone know?