You Could Win Free Flights For A Year With This Clutch Sweepstakes

Enjoying a hot vaxxed summer is about to get so wallet-friendly, thanks to United’s “Your Shot To Fly” sweepstakes. In addition to giving away free round-trip tickets and $7,700 checks to 30 people who’ve gotten the COVID-19 vaccine, the airline is gifting five vaccinated individuals (and their plus-ones) one year of free travel to any destination that United flies. The best part? It’s so easy to enter United's “Your Shot To Fly” free flights sweepstakes for vaccinated travelers.

For a few lucky wannabe travelers, acting on your wanderlust without spending a dime will be a reality this year. Until June 22, both new and existing United MileagePlus members can enter to win either a pair of round-trip tickets to a destination of their choice or, the grand prize: a year’s worth of free travel (aka 26 free round-trip flights for two) to any destinations that United currently offers flights to. Winners of either of these giveaways can bring a companion and choose which class of service they want from United’s list of options, including economy, premium economy, Polaris business class, and first class. While 30 people will be chosen for the round-trip tickets on a rolling basis throughout the month of June, the five grand-prize winners won’t be picked until July. Keep in mind that you can choose either a domestic or international destination, but all prize winners will need to complete their trips within a year from winning the sweepstakes.

Luckily, entering couldn’t be easier — as long as you’re vaccinated. To enter, you need to have gotten a dose of Johnson & Johnson, your first dose of Moderna or Pfizer, and have a valid COVID-19 vaccination card. In this case, your vaccine card is your ticket to travel, as you’ll need to upload a photo of the card to your MileagePlus account in order to take part. If you aren’t a MileagePlus member yet, you can join for free. If you enter the sweepstakes on United’s website, you’ll want to go to the “Profile and Preferences” page in your MileagePlus account, then tap “COVID-19 vaccination documentation” to find the option to “Upload vaccination record.” Once you fill out all necessary information and tap “submit,” you’ll be entered into the sweepstakes.

To enter via United’s mobile app, you’ll want to go to the My Account page then select “Add record to my profile.” From there, you can upload your vaccination record, enter in all required information, and then tap “submit.”

While many international destinations are currently closed to travelers outside their borders or have a high COVID-19 rating from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this giveaway is an extra incentive to get your vaccine if you haven’t already and start planning the trip (or trips) you’ve been dreaming about with an eye on re-openings. As of May 27, the CDC has designated wanderlust-worthy locations like Australia, New Zealand, and the Cayman Islands as some of the countries with the lowest level of risk. It’s also the perfect opportunity to explore a domestic destination in your own country, so start making your dreams of hiking the Grand Canyon or relaxing on a beach in San Diego a reality.

Remember that you have one whole year to use your free tickets once you win them, so it’s a good idea to keep up with international travel ratings from the CDC on its website when planning your overseas getaway or check out domestic COVID-19 ordinances when planning something closer to home.

The CDC recommends traveling only after you’re fully vaccinated and your vaccine has become fully effective. If you’re not fully vaccinated and must travel, check the CDC guidelines before you book. Check your destination’s vaccination and testing requirements before you depart.