Jan 27, 2024, 11:28 pm
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]
Jun 7, 2018, 12:32 pm
#1291
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Posts: 1,277
Amazon has stopped selling electronic gift cards everywhere except amazon.com. Can still buy physical cards other places, but not e-gift cards.
Jun 7, 2018, 1:23 pm
#1292
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Upcountry Maui, HI
Posts: 13,303
Probably a smart move on their part, but sad for us.
So what's the next best play for amazon? (Other than flying Jetblue and making purchases in flight, for those lucky enough to be able to do that, should be stackable with anything else.)
Their credit card?
If/when amazon shows up as a Chase Freedom bonus category?
You can still get 2% rebates for reloading via your checking account I guess, but I'm not likely to do that. (and there's numerous other 2% cash back plays I suppose.)
Anything else?
I don't have Chase Freedom so my base is 1.5x UR using Freedom Unlimited.
-David
Jun 7, 2018, 3:29 pm
#1293
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 482
Probably a smart move on their part, but sad for us.
So what's the next best play for amazon? (Other than flying Jetblue and making purchases in flight, for those lucky enough to be able to do that, should be stackable with anything else.)
Their credit card?
If/when amazon shows up as a Chase Freedom bonus category?
You can still get 2% rebates for reloading via your checking account I guess, but I'm not likely to do that. (and there's numerous other 2% cash back plays I suppose.)
Anything else?
I don't have Chase Freedom so my base is 1.5x UR using Freedom Unlimited.
-David
So what's the next best play for amazon? (Other than flying Jetblue and making purchases in flight, for those lucky enough to be able to do that, should be stackable with anything else.)
Their credit card?
If/when amazon shows up as a Chase Freedom bonus category?
You can still get 2% rebates for reloading via your checking account I guess, but I'm not likely to do that. (and there's numerous other 2% cash back plays I suppose.)
Anything else?
I don't have Chase Freedom so my base is 1.5x UR using Freedom Unlimited.
-David
Jun 7, 2018, 3:31 pm
#1294
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Upcountry Maui, HI
Posts: 13,303
Thanks for the reminder.
-David
Jun 7, 2018, 8:36 pm
#1296
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Posts: 1,277
Probably a smart move on their part, but sad for us.
So what's the next best play for amazon? (Other than flying Jetblue and making purchases in flight, for those lucky enough to be able to do that, should be stackable with anything else.)
Their credit card?
If/when amazon shows up as a Chase Freedom bonus category?
You can still get 2% rebates for reloading via your checking account I guess, but I'm not likely to do that. (and there's numerous other 2% cash back plays I suppose.)
Anything else?
I don't have Chase Freedom so my base is 1.5x UR using Freedom Unlimited.
-David
So what's the next best play for amazon? (Other than flying Jetblue and making purchases in flight, for those lucky enough to be able to do that, should be stackable with anything else.)
Their credit card?
If/when amazon shows up as a Chase Freedom bonus category?
You can still get 2% rebates for reloading via your checking account I guess, but I'm not likely to do that. (and there's numerous other 2% cash back plays I suppose.)
Anything else?
I don't have Chase Freedom so my base is 1.5x UR using Freedom Unlimited.
-David
Right now, Amex business cards have 10% back at Staples and Lowes up to $100 back offers on them. Not sure if Lowes still sells them, but they definitely used to. So that's 10% back on up to $2000 per Amex business card, since these offers seem to be on all cards and not targeted.
Jun 8, 2018, 2:53 am
#1297
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: New England
Programs: American Gold, Marriott Gold, Hilton Silver
Posts: 5,636
Amazon gift cards can be acquired at supermarkets if you're not in a hurry.
Cards such as Discover will pay 5% cash back (current quarter) at Supermarkets, and most if not all supermarkets run the charge coded as groceries/supermarket. The 4th quarter this year is 5% cash back on Amazon.
American Express Blue Cash preferred pays 6% cash back at supermarkets, Blue Cash Everyday pays 3%.
I'm sure you can pair it with ordering while onboard a JetBlue flight for 3x points on top of that, or if your purchase happens to fall into one of the rotating categories for the affiliate program, you can click through a cashback portal to earn a little more as well.
Cards such as Discover will pay 5% cash back (current quarter) at Supermarkets, and most if not all supermarkets run the charge coded as groceries/supermarket. The 4th quarter this year is 5% cash back on Amazon.
American Express Blue Cash preferred pays 6% cash back at supermarkets, Blue Cash Everyday pays 3%.
I'm sure you can pair it with ordering while onboard a JetBlue flight for 3x points on top of that, or if your purchase happens to fall into one of the rotating categories for the affiliate program, you can click through a cashback portal to earn a little more as well.
Jun 18, 2018, 10:00 am
#1298
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 24
Quite a while later, but I get the same error trying to log into the MPX app.
"The account information you entered is not valid"
No problem logging in to the normal website or the united app. Does anyone have any idea why?
EDIT:
Fixed. Anyone else with this error, use the new-style short MP number (starting with letters), instead of the long number.
"The account information you entered is not valid"
No problem logging in to the normal website or the united app. Does anyone have any idea why?
EDIT:
Fixed. Anyone else with this error, use the new-style short MP number (starting with letters), instead of the long number.
Last edited by jbxx; Jun 19, 2018 at 6:37 am
Jun 24, 2018, 5:34 pm
#1299
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 49
Help Needed!
I purchased two $500 Kohl's gift cards last Sunday. However, Kohl's blocked both gift cards when I try to use them in store on the same day. I contacted Kohl's, Kohl's said both card are inactive and placed on hold since they are large value cards. The need original purchaser to verify information with them (They claim MileagePlus X is the original purchaser, not me!). I emailed MileaglePlus X FIVE times since then, only got the replay saying both cards have been used ("0" balance) and refuse to refund. I have never used one penny from both cards. Now Kohl's refuse to unlock the gift cards, MileaglePlus X claim the balance are 0. Who's responsible for my situation? They're bouncing back and forth. How can I resolve the issue? Any suggestion/advice will be appreciated!
I purchased two $500 Kohl's gift cards last Sunday. However, Kohl's blocked both gift cards when I try to use them in store on the same day. I contacted Kohl's, Kohl's said both card are inactive and placed on hold since they are large value cards. The need original purchaser to verify information with them (They claim MileagePlus X is the original purchaser, not me!). I emailed MileaglePlus X FIVE times since then, only got the replay saying both cards have been used ("0" balance) and refuse to refund. I have never used one penny from both cards. Now Kohl's refuse to unlock the gift cards, MileaglePlus X claim the balance are 0. Who's responsible for my situation? They're bouncing back and forth. How can I resolve the issue? Any suggestion/advice will be appreciated!
Jun 24, 2018, 10:04 pm
#1300
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: SEA
Programs: Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 1,942
I would work with Kohl's management directly, avoiding interacting with Mileage Plus X. If that becomes a black hole--you should be able to tell this week--call your credit card company and cite "goods never delivered" as the reason for seeking to reverse the charges.
Jun 25, 2018, 8:13 am
#1301
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 49
thank you. Kohls refuse to take any further action on this for me. I have brought the receipt from MPX, my payment card and ID to store, and store associate help to call their gift card and fraud department. Both over the phone still claim I didnt purchase directly with kohls, Im not the original purchaser. they need person from MPX to verify this purchase with them. They even asked people from MPX to be physically shown in their store to verify with the store associate. What a joke! If they dont admit third party receipt, why they sold gift card on third party website! Before initiating chargeback, Im wondering if I have any other way to resolve the issue. This purchase is listed as Airline purchase in Amex, can I dispute? Anyone got experience before?
Jun 25, 2018, 8:18 am
#1302
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 7,896
I had a problem where a Kohl's gift card did not get issued, but I was charged. I worked with MPX to get it resolved and they refunded the charge. It's a little different from this case I guess.
Jun 25, 2018, 3:02 pm
#1303
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Upcountry Maui, HI
Posts: 13,303
Next time buy several smaller denomination cards I guess. I wonder what the cutoff is for "large value" at Kohls?
What a mess. I would persist with MP/X and if you can't get resolution there, you will be forced to dispute the charge I guess.
-David
What a mess. I would persist with MP/X and if you can't get resolution there, you will be forced to dispute the charge I guess.
-David
Jun 25, 2018, 5:21 pm
#1304
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 49
Is there anyone disputing the MPX charges with AMEX before? I see both of my purchases are coded as airline purchase. I'm not sure if I can dispute or not. Can someone share the experience with me? Thank you!
Jun 25, 2018, 5:36 pm
#1305
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Upcountry Maui, HI
Posts: 13,303
You can dispute the charge with Amex. You will have to write an explanation of why you are disputing the charge, you can explain everything there. Amex will process a chargeback to MP/X and they will have to justify the charge, that might force them to look into the problem based on the explanation you provide Amex. Success is not a guarantee, this is why it's better to keep trying to pursue it with MP/X if you can.
You might also give Kohl's another call and maybe ask to speak to a supervisor. Somebody there must realize they are selling these through United MP/X and that you are the purchaser of the virtual gift card. Or go in to your local Kohl's with the credit card used for the purchase and MP/X app on your phone with the gift card there, and try to get some help from customer service.
Ultimately, the chargeback through Amex should be your last resort, and you can include everything you tried to do to in your explanation of facts to Amex.
-David
You might also give Kohl's another call and maybe ask to speak to a supervisor. Somebody there must realize they are selling these through United MP/X and that you are the purchaser of the virtual gift card. Or go in to your local Kohl's with the credit card used for the purchase and MP/X app on your phone with the gift card there, and try to get some help from customer service.
Ultimately, the chargeback through Amex should be your last resort, and you can include everything you tried to do to in your explanation of facts to Amex.
-David
Last edited by LIH Prem; Jun 25, 2018 at 5:56 pm
