Last edit by: WineCountryUA
This is an archive thread, the active thread is MileagePlus X Shopping App to Earn Additional Award Miles
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]
Archived posts - MileagePlus X Shopping App to Earn Additional Award Miles [ARCHIVE]
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]
Archived posts - MileagePlus X Shopping App to Earn Additional Award Miles [ARCHIVE]
MileagePlus X Shopping App to Earn Additional Award Miles [ARCHIVE]
#1036
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: SFO
Posts: 1,746
Got it. I wasn't sure, and had a hard time finding a data point, so thought I'd share.
#1038
Join Date: Jul 2012
Programs: Delta Gold, Alaska Gold 75K, LATAM Black
Posts: 3,393
Just a headsup if you like Nike.. Great Quad Dip opportunity until this weekend if you use MPX and the Shopping portal. If you have an attached Mileage plus card the total bonus is 28 miles / dollar. (10 on mpx, 15 on portal, +25% bonus with attached united card, and 1-1.5miles for credit card spend)
svirf
svirf
#1039
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 243
Anyone else having problems recently? I can't get any amazon or dell cards to stick. Tried reinstalling and a different device. Always says the system is experiencing errors
#1040
Join Date: May 2016
Location: SLC
Programs: United Gold, Hilton Silver, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 768
#1041
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: CLE (mostly)
Programs: UA Plat, Hyatt Explorist, Mlife Gold, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 823
Had a problem this week with Starbucks card.
MPX Purchase completed successfully and posted the 100+25 miles immediately, but the SBux app and two different SBux stores said the gift card number was invalid.
Emailed CustomerCare and they refunded the purchase (and withdrew the 125 miles)
MPX Purchase completed successfully and posted the 100+25 miles immediately, but the SBux app and two different SBux stores said the gift card number was invalid.
Emailed CustomerCare and they refunded the purchase (and withdrew the 125 miles)
#1042
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Posts: 1,277
Sometimes they put a fraud hold on it and you have to wait 14 days. And they don't tell you. And each time you try extends it so you have to wait again. Email support to find out. It's pretty awful when that happens.
#1044
 
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Upcountry Maui, HI
Posts: 13,303
news to me that we could theoretically get 10x for OfficeMax. (5x MP*X + 5x UR).
I'm going to give it a try.
Are there limitations on what you can buy using MP*X at the office supply stores? I'm guessing you can't use MP*X to buy gift cards for example, but can use it for office supplies.
Thanks,
David
I'm going to give it a try.
Are there limitations on what you can buy using MP*X at the office supply stores? I'm guessing you can't use MP*X to buy gift cards for example, but can use it for office supplies.
Thanks,
David
#1045
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: SFO
Posts: 1,746
The catch being that you can't buy, say, an Amazon GC using the OfficeMax GC (so can't use the MPX app to pay for it). Has to be a non-GC purchase.
At least that's the case at my Office Depot.
At least that's the case at my Office Depot.
#1046
 
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Upcountry Maui, HI
Posts: 13,303
That's what I figured. Thanks.
-David
-David
#1047
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: New England
Programs: American Gold, Marriott Gold, Hilton Silver
Posts: 5,638
However, Best Buy, GameStop, and Sears may allow you to buy gift cards for other merchants with a gift card. YMMV.
#1048
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Anchorage, AK
Programs: United Mileage Plus Gold, HHonors, Priority Pass, Global entry/TSA Pre
Posts: 40
I use to do this when the app first came out. I made about 50k miles double dipping. I do a great amount of shopping on amazon since its normally cheaper and I plan things ahead so I never fully run out. I wish we could still do this.
#1049
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,135
Guys - dumb question. If I'm at an adidas store and decide to buy $234 worth of merchandise and buy the gift card off the app, how do I actually use it since I don't have the physical gift card? Is there something on the app itself that the cashier can scan?
Thanks
Thanks
#1050
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: United Platinum, Marriott/SPG Platinum
Posts: 40
Yes, there will be a gc for the rep to scan or enter on the app.