United Mileage Plus members can now shop to earn miles in the same way that they earn miles with Mileage Plus Dining. When you register a credit or debit card in the Mileage Plus Shopping program, you will automatically earn miles with purchases at the online mall and at participating retail stores and catalogs. Members can earn award miles with more than 500 retailers including Barnes & Noble.com (2.5 miles per $1), Jos. A. Bank (6.5 miles per $1), Staples (2.5 miles per $1), Sally Beauty (2 miles per $1) and Sears (2.5 miles per $1). Members can also earn miles for buying gift cards and can earn 60 miles when booking dining reservations via OpenTable at more than 10,000 restaurants.
Your first purchase through the Mileage Plus Shopping Web site will earn 250 bonus miles. United also announced that members who participate in this new Mileage Plus Shopping program may receive exclusive offers and discounts for purchases. United Mileage Plus Visa credit card holders will automatically earn award miles anytime the card is used to pay at participating retail stores and catalogs. To learn more, visit http://www.mileageplusshopping.com
Bottom line: Just in time for holiday shopping, this is a different approach to online shopping and adds a brick and mortar option to earn miles along with the ability to peruse retail catalogs and earn miles for spends there, as long as the merchant participates in the program. To earn miles with most merchants, you will still need to make your purchases through the Mileage Plus Shopping Web site as very few brick and mortar merchants are participating.
