A New Way to Spend Your Miles - United Digital Media Store
Aug 6, 2012, 1:15 pm
#1
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: DCA
Programs: UA Gold
Posts: 1,653
A New Way to Spend Your Miles - United Digital Media Store
United Digital Media Store
http://digitalmediastore.mileageplus.com/
The prices are a bit on the high side, but a good way to spend any leftover miles.
http://digitalmediastore.mileageplus.com/
The prices are a bit on the high side, but a good way to spend any leftover miles.
Aug 6, 2012, 2:37 pm
#2
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: MEL
Programs: VAG
Posts: 1,865
What a bizarre idea. The overall effect would be much better achieved, of course, by letting me cash in miles for iTunes credit, which would save them the trouble of building this whole expensive infrastructure (using software engineers who would be much better off redeployed on fixing all their other infrastructure...)
I can only assume that this is part of a longer-term plan. Perhaps they're obtaining the rights to sell digital content now so they can sell you digital content on the aircraft later. Why fly another airline and get entertainment for free when you can fly United and pay for it?
I can only assume that this is part of a longer-term plan. Perhaps they're obtaining the rights to sell digital content now so they can sell you digital content on the aircraft later. Why fly another airline and get entertainment for free when you can fly United and pay for it?
Aug 6, 2012, 4:42 pm
#3
Join Date: Apr 2010
Programs: AA Platinum, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 731
1. This is a great redemption option for infrequent fliers - why keep making MP Shopping purchases just to keep your miles active.
2. I doubt UA actually built anything here. There is probably some web startup that is doing this for multiple parties. That being said, they obviously had to dedicate some engineering resources to do the integration.
2. I doubt UA actually built anything here. There is probably some web startup that is doing this for multiple parties. That being said, they obviously had to dedicate some engineering resources to do the integration.
Aug 6, 2012, 5:01 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
Programs: UA 1K1.75MM, Hyatt Globalist, abandoned Marriott LTT (RIP SPG), Hertz PC
Posts: 21,166
I'm sure it's just an easy revenue stream, might contribute a whopping ~0.00000001% of revenue next year? Just another distraction from fixing their core business.
Aug 6, 2012, 5:17 pm
#5
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Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: ORD / DUB / LHR
Programs: UA 1K MM; BA Silver; Marriott Plat
Posts: 8,243
Choose Digital, Inc.
It's hardly distracting them that much, is it? Unless you believe the same guy who is responsible for setting up 3rd party partnerships moonlights as a developer?
It's hardly distracting them that much, is it? Unless you believe the same guy who is responsible for setting up 3rd party partnerships moonlights as a developer?
Aug 6, 2012, 5:25 pm
#7
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
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Posts: 102,095
What a bizarre idea. The overall effect would be much better achieved, of course, by letting me cash in miles for iTunes credit, which would save them the trouble of building this whole expensive infrastructure (using software engineers who would be much better off redeployed on fixing all their other infrastructure...)
I can only assume that this is part of a longer-term plan. Perhaps they're obtaining the rights to sell digital content now so they can sell you digital content on the aircraft later. Why fly another airline and get entertainment for free when you can fly United and pay for it?
I can only assume that this is part of a longer-term plan. Perhaps they're obtaining the rights to sell digital content now so they can sell you digital content on the aircraft later. Why fly another airline and get entertainment for free when you can fly United and pay for it?
Aug 6, 2012, 7:59 pm
#8
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: MEL
Programs: VAG
Posts: 1,865
Well, realistically it's about 150 points for a song that'd be 99 cents on iTunes, so you're getting about 0.65 cents per mile, which is... uhh, not the worst possible redemption.
For infrequent flyers, who might have to fly for years and years in order to save up 25,000 miles for a return ticket to somewhere, this might seem like a good deal. For us, of course, it's rubbish.
For infrequent flyers, who might have to fly for years and years in order to save up 25,000 miles for a return ticket to somewhere, this might seem like a good deal. For us, of course, it's rubbish.
Aug 8, 2012, 12:23 pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1P-1MM, Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 3,930
MP digital download sales
Just got this email:
Looks like movie rentals run about 450 miles and purchase around 2500 miles.
Links in email send you to MP Digital Music Store
Introducing MileagePlus Digital Media Awards.
MileagePlus® is excited to bring you a new and innovative way to use your award miles. Digital Media Awards allows you to use miles to download your favorite music and movies at low mileage prices:
• Over one million songs are available
• Movie titles include box office hits like Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows and The King’s Speech
• New songs and movies are added each week
Check out the MileagePlus Digital Media Store and shop for your favorite digital entertainment today.
MileagePlus® is excited to bring you a new and innovative way to use your award miles. Digital Media Awards allows you to use miles to download your favorite music and movies at low mileage prices:
• Over one million songs are available
• Movie titles include box office hits like Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows and The King’s Speech
• New songs and movies are added each week
Check out the MileagePlus Digital Media Store and shop for your favorite digital entertainment today.
Links in email send you to MP Digital Music Store
Aug 9, 2012, 9:39 am
#10
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 2
MileagePlus Digital Media Store
I wanted to get some feedback and opinions on the recent launch of the MileagePlus Digital Media store from United Airlines... Has anyone tried it and do you feel as if you are getting fair value (selection of content seems sparse yet adequate) for your miles?
Aug 9, 2012, 3:14 pm
#11
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 3
Tried it to use up some ready-to-expire stray miles. Can't make it work, keep getting error message saying "you don't live in the US." We do, and the account profile even includes "United States" as part of our street address. Will post if we figure out a fix.
Update: No progress to report. United MP help is of no help so far, is not understanding problem. So far, still getting the "ineligible b/c you don't live in US."
Update: No progress to report. United MP help is of no help so far, is not understanding problem. So far, still getting the "ineligible b/c you don't live in US."
Last edited by TravelALott; Aug 10, 2012 at 10:30 am Reason: Updated info
Aug 10, 2012, 12:46 pm
#12
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Between EWR & PHL
Programs: UA MileagePlus dirt (former hard-way Silver); AS Mileage Plan MVP; Hilton Honors Silver
Posts: 1,586
I doubt the problem is the address on your file. You're probably being geoblocked because of an issue with your IP address. (That's why you can't use your US Netflix account in Canada, for instance.) If there's an option for online support for the MP Media Store, see if they can check whether your IP address range is being blocked.
Aug 11, 2012, 12:30 pm
#14
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 3
Digital Media Award/Store requires 1000+ MP points
One reason why you might get the "ineligible to purchase media - you do not live in the US" is this: program apparently requires 1000+ MileagePlus points. Too bad for my kids, who've been trying to (finally) use those stray few United miles. 
Aug 11, 2012, 12:58 pm
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Anywhere I need to be.
Programs: OW Emerald, *A Gold, NEXUS, GE, ABTC/APEC, South Korea SES, eIACS, PP, Hyatt Diamond
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Well, realistically it's about 150 points for a song that'd be 99 cents on iTunes, so you're getting about 0.65 cents per mile, which is... uhh, not the worst possible redemption.
For infrequent flyers, who might have to fly for years and years in order to save up 25,000 miles for a return ticket to somewhere, this might seem like a good deal. For us, of course, it's rubbish.
For infrequent flyers, who might have to fly for years and years in order to save up 25,000 miles for a return ticket to somewhere, this might seem like a good deal. For us, of course, it's rubbish.
