United Continental Holdings announced new options for MileagePlus® and OnePass® members to earn and redeem miles, access personalized offers and give the gift of travel to organizations in their communities, as the company continues to innovate and redefine how members engage with loyalty programs. 

MileagePlus, voted best airline loyalty program by Global Traveler readers eight years in a row and the Frequent Traveler Award best elite program two years in a row, is offering members:

• Opportunities to share 10 million MileagePlus miles with their favorite charity this holiday season;

• Access to discounts and special offers when they check in at airports using Facebook and Foursquare;

• Access to new partnerships that offer members bonus miles for shopping, and the ability to redeem miles for stays at luxury resorts.

"Whether they fly with us frequently or only on occasion, our customers consistently tell us they want innovative ways to be recognized for their activity in the MileagePlus loyalty network," said Jeff Foland, president of Mileage Plus Holdings, LLC. "We are pleased to offer an expanding and attractive set of mileage-earning opportunities and rewards across our network, and look forward to giving customers new, unique ways to stay engaged with the MileagePlus program."

The Gift of Travel

Beginning today, United is encouraging MileagePlus and OnePass members to vote online for the charities that they would like to see share in a 10-million-mile contribution from the MileagePlus program.

Charitable organizations around the world  including more than 45 in the United States and 21 international organizations, such as American Red Cross, Make-A-Wish Foundation and Conservation International  will receive a portion of the 10-million-mile grant based on their percentage of votes. Each organization will receive at least 25,000 miles.

MileagePlus and OnePass members can visit 10millioncharitymiles.com through Dec. 31 to vote and to view ongoing voting results. Voting is also open to individuals who are not currently members of MileagePlus and OnePass. United encourages members to spread the word, particularly on their Facebook and Twitter profiles, about the holiday miles donations.

MileagePlus will announce the results in mid-January 2012.

Personalized Offers at Airports across the Country

MileagePlus members also have a new way to use their social networks to receive special offers from more than 10,000 restaurants participating in the MileagePlus Dining(SM) network, as well as hundreds of merchants at United's hub airports in Denver, Houston, New York/Newark and San Francisco. MileagePlus will add offers over the coming months. To get started, members should visit mileageplus.topguest.com or onepass.topguest.com. To receive special offers, members share their locations via Facebook and Foursquare as they visit participating airports. Members will receive 50 award miles with each daily check in.

New Partners, More Choices for Earning and Redeeming Miles

MileagePlus this month also is introducing exciting new options for members to earn and redeem miles. Two new partners will join more than 100 other companies in the MileagePlus loyalty network that offer special merchandise and travel opportunities to members.

• Gilt Groupe (Gilt, Gilt City, Jetsetter)  Members will receive 1,500 award miles when they join Gilt Groupe, which offers luxury shopping, local deals and premium travel options. In addition, members will earn five miles for every dollar spent at Gilt Groupe during the first six months of membership.

• Exclusive Resorts  Members will be able to redeem miles for stays at Exclusive Resorts, a leading private club for luxury global vacation experiences.  Members who join Exclusive Resorts may have the opportunity to upgrade their MileagePlus premier status  for example, from Premier to Premier Executive  by joining the award-winning Exclusive Resorts luxury destination club. Members may also redeem miles for stays at Exclusive Resorts, which offer luxury accommodations and world class amenities at more than 350 residences in 37 destinations around the globe.

In October, ezRez Software, Inc., announced MileagePlus would be the first loyalty program to integrate with a new product that enables loyalty program members the flexibility and value of using miles to pay for products and services across the Internet. Upon launch, MileagePlus will enable members to use miles to pay for products and services with select on-line merchants. The merchant will deliver the goods directly to the member, whose MileagePlus account will be debited the appropriate number of miles.