United Airlines Ends 2013 with Multiple Industry Honors

CHICAGO, Dec. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines, which launched its flyer-friendly brand campaign this year with a focus on creating user-friendly travel experiences for customers, ends 2013 with several awards. These honors recognize the airline for its investments in its MileagePlus loyalty program and customer service as well as its Boeing 787 Dreamliners and environmental achievements:

• For the 10^th consecutive year, readers of Global Traveler named MileagePlus the "Best Frequent-Flyer Program." United received a "Hall of Fame" honor for its decade of wins in this category of the "GT Tested Reader Survey" awards. Other categories United won:
  • "Best Frequent-Flyer Bonus Program"
  • "Best Credit Card" and "Best Credit Card Rewards Program," for the United MileagePlus Club Card from Chase
  • "Best Frequent-Flyer Affinity Credit Card Redemptions," for the United MileagePlus Explorer Card from Chase
• Readers of Business Traveler also named MileagePlus the "Best Frequent-Flyer Program" and ranked United the "Best Airline for North American Travel."
• Premier Traveler readers selected MileagePlus as the "Best Domestic Frequent-Flyer Program" and chose United for "Best 787 Layout." Last year, MileagePlus won the magazine's award for "Best Frequent-Flyer Program."
• Air Transport World magazine named United its "Gold Eco-Airline of the Year" winner, in recognition of the airline's commitment to environmental responsibility through its Eco-Skies program.
• Kiplinger's Personal Finance's 2013 "Best of Everything" list names MileagePlus the best domestic airline loyalty program.
• The USA Today-sponsored "10Best Readers' Choice Travel Awards" ranked United among the top airlines for best economy-class flight experience.
• For the ninth consecutive year, United won the category of "Best American Airline serving China" in the 2013 Business Traveller China Awards.
• This is the 13^th consecutive year United has won for "Best North American Airline" in the annual awards presented by Business Traveller's Asia-Pacific edition.
• For the seventh consecutive year, United was named "Best International Airline" at the Northern Ireland Travel and Tourism Awards 2013.

"These awards reflect the ever-increasing confidence that our customers are showing in United and MileagePlus, which is particularly gratifying as we invest in flyer-friendly improvements in every aspect of our business," said Tom O'Toole, United's senior vice president of marketing and loyalty and president of MileagePlus.

MileagePlus

MileagePlus is United's award-winning loyalty program. Along with a broad, diverse network of partners through which members may earn and redeem miles, MileagePlus offers the most "Saver" award-seat availability among the largest U.S. global airlines, according to the fourth annual Switchfly Reward Seat Availability Survey published by IdeaWorksCompany in May 2013. MileagePlus members earn award miles by flying United, United Express, Star Alliance airlines or other airline partners, and by purchasing products or services from various partners worldwide. Members may then use those award miles to pay for travel, hotel stays, car rentals, merchandise and other benefits.

This year, United debuted the MileagePlus Small Business Network, the first U.S. travel loyalty program that enables businesses to earn and redeem miles. In 2013, the airline also began a partnership with Mercedes-Benz USA that provides exclusive discounts and benefits for MileagePlus Premiers and teamed up with Marriott Rewards to launch RewardsPlus, which offers benefits for all MileagePlus members.

Product Investments

In addition, United is investing in other products and services for customer comfort and convenience. The airline offers:

• More extra-legroom economy seats than any other airline
• Satellite-fed Wi-Fi on more than 130 aircraft so far, with most of United's mainline fleet outfitted with Wi-Fi by the end of 2014
• The world's largest fleet of aircraft with live television
• An all-new mobile application for the iOS 7 platform, offering customers innovative new features, better functionality and an improved touch-friendly design
• Premium-cabin, flat-bed seats on every scheduled long-haul international flight from the continental United States and on every scheduled transcontinental flight between New York JFK and San Francisco and New York JFK and Los Angeles

About United

United Airlines and United Express operate an average of more than 5,300 flights a day to more than 360 airports across six continents. In 2012, United and United Express carried more passenger traffic than any other airline in the world and operated nearly two million flights carrying 140 million customers. United is investing in upgrading its onboard products and now offers more flat-bed seats in its premium cabins and more extra-legroom, economy-class seating than any airline in North America. In 2013, United became the first U.S.-based international carrier to offer satellite-based Wi-Fi on long-haul overseas routes. The airline also features DIRECTV® on more than 200 aircraft, offering customers more live television access than any other airline in the world. United operates nearly 700 mainline aircraft and has made large-scale investments in its fleet. In 2013, United continues to modernize its fleet by taking delivery of more than two dozen new Boeing aircraft. The company will have launched 14 new international and 19 new domestic routes, including the addition of seven new cities to its network, by the end of 2013. Business Traveler magazine awarded United Best Airline for North American Travel for 2013, and readers of Global Traveler magazine have voted United's MileagePlus program the Best Frequent-Flyer Program for 10 consecutive years. According to the 4^th annual Switchfly Reward Seat Availability Survey published by IdeaWorksCompany in May 2013, United has the most saver-style award-seat availability among the largest U.S. global airlines. Air Transport World named United as the Eco-Aviation Airline of the Year Gold Winner in 2013. United is a founding member of Star Alliance, which provides service to 195 countries via 28 member airlines. More than 85,000 United employees reside in every U.S. state and in countries around the world. For more information, visit united.com or follow United on Twitter and Facebook. The common stock of United's parent, United Continental Holdings, Inc., is traded on the NYSE under the symbol UAL.

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SOURCE United Airlines