From United: a 1,000-Mile Stocking-Stuffer for Mobile Check-Ins

After 20 years working in the travel industry, and 15 years writing about it, Tim Winship knows a thing or two about travel. Follow him on Twitter @twinship.

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‘Tis the season for stocking-stuffers, and here’s one from United: an easy 1,000 frequent flyer miles for sampling the latest check-in technology.

Offer Details

Through December 31, Mileage Plus members can earn 1,000 bonus miles for checking in for a United or United Express flight on a smartphone, using the airline’s new mobile check-in app.

The process, as described by United, is simple:

Use the smartphone or other mobile device’s web browser to access mobile.united.com.
Check in for your flight.
Have your boarding pass sent to your smartphone via email, where it can be scanned both at security checkpoints and at the boarding gate. (Most airports, but not all, are equipped to accept mobile boarding passes.)

United’s mobile app also allows travelers to check flight status, choose seats, and review their Mileage Plus accounts.

To earn the bonus, registration is required.

Deal or No Deal

This is the future of managing travel, just as online booking from a home computer was more than a decade ago. So you might as well get used to it.

Plus it’s very cool.

There’s no good reason not to earn a bonus for test-driving the new technology.

Reader Reality Check

Have you used a mobile device to check in for a flight?

Any issues with the airline’s scanners reading the boarding pass from your smartphone’s screen?

This article originally appeared on FrequentFlier.com.

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