United recently began offering travelers the ability to shop and order food from Apple iPads placed throughout Newark’s Liberty International Airport. As part of a $120 million renovation to United’s main terminal, the airline plans to have an iPad at every restaurant and gate seat in United’s terminal C in 2015.
United MileagePlus members can now use miles instead of money to purchase food and beverages in Newark. The exchange rate is about 143 miles per dollar, making a $2.99 bottle of water about 430 miles.
Members can also use the iPads to scan their boarding pass for flight updates and gate announcements as well as pay for their meals with miles. The option to pay with miles will soon be available at all of the terminal’s retail and duty-free shops and by 2016 travelers should be able to use miles for all purchases in Newark’s largest terminal.