United MileagePlus members can earn 2,500 bonus miles when you connect any United MileagePlus credit card from Chase to the Softcard app and make your first purchase. Softcard is an app exclusively for Android and Windows phones that allows you to make payments at merchants nationwide, add and store loyalty, membership and rewards cards and redeem special money saving offers at participating merchants. In addition to the 2,500 bonus miles for installing the app and making your first purchase, through Feb. 28, 2015, you can earn 500 MileagePlus bonus miles each subsequent month you make at least one purchase using the app.

The app is only available for select smartphones from AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon wireless. To determine if the app is available for your smartphone or to download the app, visit http://insideflyerus.wpengine.com/link/?11893

Once the app is on your phone, the process for loading your United MileagePlus credit card is fairly straightforward, but you must make sure to activate the card after it is loaded. After activating the card, you will be prompted to register your MileagePlus account number with Softcard.

Bottom line: Be sure to check the list of participating merchants before downloading the app to make sure that you can pay with Softcard in your area. In addition to the bonus miles, the Softcard app will display a variety of discount offers at available merchants.