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MileagePlus X – Shopping App to Earn Additional Award Miles

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Old Feb 6, 2015, 2:30 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
NEW as of 11/9/18:
App now includes MP Dining and MP Shopping in addition to eGift cards.

Dining: Once you log in and enable location sharing the app will tell you what MP Dining restaurant options are in your area. The app appears to know if you are a base or VIP dining member, and shows the appropriate earn rate you can expect (3 for base member or 5 miles per $ for VIP). Restaurants show in an incomplete "Nearby" list or are further visible under the "Cuisine Types" tab.

Shopping: You can browse the same list of stores you'd find on the main MileagePlus shopping website. There are tabs to show which stores are offering elevated offers as well as another with a searchable list of all stores who participated in the program. Tapping on the store will give you the option take you to that store's site so you can shop in your device's browser just as you would on a laptop or desktop.

Maximizing this app opp:
As per the app, you can double or triple dip. You get the UA miles from the app (+25% bonus if the app is attached to a MP acct), you get the miles (or CB, or whatever the deal is with your CC) from the CC attached to the app (via .bomb), and if you use the GC that is generated by the App and apply it online to a purchase via the MP shopping portal, you get the UA miles for that as well.
Ex: Buy $50 Staples MP-X credit with the app and get:
A. 2x on the app at Staples=100 UA (if you have a MP CC attached to the app, you get 25% more = 125 UA), PLUS
B. 2% CB with your BA+ card for example = $1 CB (but then no extra 25% bonus shown in A., above), PLUS
C. 1x on MP portal = 50 UA


Total would be 150 UA + $1CB in the example above (a UA double dip, e.g. A and C, but a non-UA dip added).

More scenarios:
-If you used a 1x UA MP card in the above example, it would be 125 UA+50 UA+50 UA=225 UA (a UA triple dip, e.g. A, B, and C).

-If you used a 5x INK card in the above example, it would be 100UA+*MAYBE 250UR+50UA = 150U+*MAYBE 250UR (a UA double dip, e.g. A and C, but a non-UA dip added and IMHO the best value: effectively 8x! *assuming the INK codes correctly as office supplies**).

**This is probably not the case, see post 513- no triple dipping

Conversions
Some MPX merchants allow for the purchase of a gift card with a gift card. This may allow you to use MPX to indirectly purchase a gift card to shop at a merchant otherwise not offered on MPX. As always, YMMV as you may encounter some merchants that may not allow this practice, rogue cashiers/managers who think it might not be allowed, or POS systems that are designed to not allow this (understandable as they make little to no money on the sale).

These merchants *may* include:

Best Buy - Does not allow purchase of Visa/Amex/MC gift cards, other merchant GCs OK.
GameStop
Sears

MPX Merchants that sell other merchants' GCs, but do not allow the purchase of GC with GC (MPX or otherwise):

Staples - Not allowed per policy, but may go through on their POS if cashier ignores prompt.
Barnes and Noble - No official policy - cashiers are trained that it's not allowed although it will go through on their POS
Office Depot
Lowes
eBay

Note: There appears to be a $3000.00 per 24 hours spend limit

MPX only works within the US - as per T&Cs! If you try to use the app outside the US, error code 126 will pop up.

Your MPX account name and password are the same as the united.com / MP account name and password. And your mile earned are locked to that MP account.
If using MPX to get a few miles to prevent mileage expiration, you need to be logged in as that account whose miles are approaching expiration.

In your account info is "Member since " date

customer service email address, [email protected]

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Old Jan 13, 2021, 5:56 pm
  #46  
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 1,153
Good info, thanks. I just managed to log in now successfully (had to go through extra security questions) since the app thought it was a new device).
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Old Mar 31, 2021, 1:02 pm
  #47  
 
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Will Chase Freedom earn 5x on MPX when buying Home Depot or Lowe's gift cards, starting tomorrow?
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Old Apr 18, 2021, 8:28 am
  #48  
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
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My own trick has failed me. I have been unable to purchase any gift cards with the MPX app for two weeks. Support said to make sure I am in the US, and then delete all cards from my United profile, uninstall the app, re-add cards via the United site, and then re-download MPX. Well, that didn’t work. My Location Settings switch toggle from previous issues is not helping.

They actually emailed me yesterday to say they are still looking into what the issue could be and will get back to me. I wonder if their tech side shows what is causing the failed purchases — I asked, but have yet to receive the answer.

Anyone else experiencing issues lately?
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Old Apr 18, 2021, 4:13 pm
  #49  
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: New England
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No issues here. I last used it on Friday the 16th when ordering pizza.
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Old Apr 18, 2021, 8:13 pm
  #50  
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Originally Posted by Micp3208
My own trick has failed me. I have been unable to purchase any gift cards with the MPX app for two weeks. Support said to make sure I am in the US, and then delete all cards from my United profile, uninstall the app, re-add cards via the United site, and then re-download MPX. Well, that didn’t work. My Location Settings switch toggle from previous issues is not helping.

They actually emailed me yesterday to say they are still looking into what the issue could be and will get back to me. I wonder if their tech side shows what is causing the failed purchases — I asked, but have yet to receive the answer.

Anyone else experiencing issues lately?
Yes, I had a problem buying a GC about a month ago. Although I live abroad, I've been able to buy GCs using MPX and a VPN (I wrote about how to do this much earlier in this thread), but it didn't work the last time. Using the VPN, you have to wait three days for GC delivery, but it has always worked. I'm not sure what the issue is this time. I'll have to try it again and report back.
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Old May 16, 2021, 9:03 pm
  #51  
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Tx
Programs: AA, UA, WN
Posts: 812
Just wondering if this issue has happened before. Bought mpx ebay gc....mpx issues me gc number and my credit card shows pending charge....go to ebay and it says gc has no value. Is this a delay in activation or issue that my gc was not activated at all?
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Old May 16, 2021, 11:53 pm
  #52  
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
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Originally Posted by Halo117
Just wondering if this issue has happened before. Bought mpx ebay gc....mpx issues me gc number and my credit card shows pending charge....go to ebay and it says gc has no value. Is this a delay in activation or issue that my gc was not activated at all?
I've never not had a GC work instantly anywhere either online or in person. And I use the app frequently. If your purchase went through and you were presented with a GC number/pin then its activated and ready to go. Are you sure you typed the correct number into the ebay checkout page?
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Old May 17, 2021, 3:11 am
  #53  
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Posts: 15,042
I just downloaded the MileagePlus X app.

While Amazon is mentioned in the thread wiki, when I search for Amazon in the app I get no results.

Is there a trick to using the app to buy from Amazon? I need to buy 5 quarts of motor oil.
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Old May 17, 2021, 3:29 am
  #54  
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP. Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,134
Amazon has been gone from the MPX app for about two years now. Wiki is out of date.
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Old May 17, 2021, 7:43 am
  #55  
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
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I'm not aware of Amazon currently being part of any shopping portal (United or otherwise). Amazon Prime users are usually best served by having the no annual fee Amazon visa for 5% back on everything from Amazon
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Old May 17, 2021, 8:01 am
  #56  
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Originally Posted by SPN Lifer
I just downloaded the MileagePlus X app.

While Amazon is mentioned in the thread wiki, when I search for Amazon in the app I get no results.

Is there a trick to using the app to buy from Amazon? I need to buy 5 quarts of motor oil.
I believe Amazon used to list on the app occasionally at 0.5 points per dollar, just like Walmart, but I haven't seen them in a while on MPX.
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Old May 17, 2021, 4:17 pm
  #57  
 
 
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Upcountry Maui, HI
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Originally Posted by SPN Lifer
While Amazon is mentioned in the thread wiki, when I search for Amazon in the app I get no results.
Now removed from the wiki.

-David
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Old May 17, 2021, 5:39 pm
  #58  
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Originally Posted by FlyingHighlander
I'm not aware of Amazon currently being part of any shopping portal (United or otherwise). Amazon Prime users are usually best served by having the no annual fee Amazon visa for 5% back on everything from Amazon
Do Amazon "subPrime" users still get the 5% back on that card?

Otherwise, I might prefer a United credit card to maximize UA miles, especially if Amazon ever returns to MileagePlus X — which admittedly seems unlikely.
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Old May 17, 2021, 9:25 pm
  #59  
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 1,153
Originally Posted by SPN Lifer
Do Amazon "subPrime" users still get the 5% back on that card?

Otherwise, I might prefer a United credit card to maximize UA miles, especially if Amazon ever returns to MileagePlus X — which admittedly seems unlikely.
3% for "subPrime" users.

5% is an easy decision for me to direct all Amazon spend to that card. I'd probably still do it for 3%, but realize at that point it's more of a decision for people juggling multiple other earning opportunities (such as me occasionally if I need more PQP I'll divert spend to my UA Club Visa).
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Old May 24, 2021, 8:24 pm
  #60  
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Join Date: Jan 2017
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Originally Posted by Micp3208
My own trick has failed me. I have been unable to purchase any gift cards with the MPX app for two weeks. Support said to make sure I am in the US, and then delete all cards from my United profile, uninstall the app, re-add cards via the United site, and then re-download MPX. Well, that didn’t work. My Location Settings switch toggle from previous issues is not helping.

They actually emailed me yesterday to say they are still looking into what the issue could be and will get back to me. I wonder if their tech side shows what is causing the failed purchases — I asked, but have yet to receive the answer.

Anyone else experiencing issues lately?
I'm not physically in the US but I have a US account address. I used to be able to buy GCs with the MPX app using a VPN but it took 3 days to receive them. Now, it doesn't work anymore. I emailed mileageplusx-agent as United requested. It took a few days to get a reply that said "MilagePlux X gift cards can only be purchased or redeemed when the user is physically located in the 50 United States (or District of Columbia). To process an online gift card purchase also requires a domestic US account address." It appears that United is now able to determine if you are using a VPN and will not let you purchase a GC if you use one. If you are physically located in the US, you shouldn't have a problem.
Nagasaki Joe is offline  


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