CHICAGO -- Earn airline miles at the pump? Use airline miles to help pay for gas? A new program from BP and United Airlines allows members of their loyalty programs to do both.
The new offer gives members of the BP Driver Rewards and United MileagePlus programs the ability to earn and use airline miles on fuel purchases at participating BP sites in the United States. Members earn 200 bonus United MileagePlus award miles for joining the program and making their first fuel purchase with a linked credit or debit card. They earn one award mile for each gallon of fuel purchased; two miles when purchasing fuel with a payment card linked to their accounts; and three miles for each gallon of premium-grade gasoline purchased with a linked card.
“It’s the first time we have consumers able to earn and redeem air miles at the pump,” Jo Brecknock, the director of brand and communications for BP Fuels North America, the Chicago division of Houston-based BP, told CSP Daily News. “We have such great, loyal consumers who love United, and we’re happy to marry them up with our loyal consumers.” Point-of-purchase signage is being added to BP sites to highlight the new program.
Now the fine print: To earn the 200 bonus award miles for joining the program, BP Driver Rewards members must select United MileagePlus award miles as their reward type and have linked a form of payment to their account. They must then make a fuel transaction at a participating BP, and need to enter their Driver Rewards number or swipe a linked card at the pump. Members can earn miles on a maximum of 20 gallons per fuel purchase.
BP Driver Rewards and MileagePlus members can also use 60 award miles per gallon to save 50 cents per gallon on their fuel purchase. The maximum fuel purchase is 20 gallons, or $10 off the fuel purchase. To use miles toward fuel purchases, members must have a credit or debit card linked to their account and already have at least 1,200 miles in their MileagePlus account.
“This unique program demonstrates our commitment to providing MileagePlus members with an industry-leading experience,” said Luc Bondar, president of MileagePlus Holdings and vice president of loyalty for Chicago-based United Airlines, in a statement. “We want our members to have a variety of ways to earn and use miles, and they will be able to conveniently do so for fuel purchases with BP.”
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