Donate to Charity, Earn United Elite Status

by Gary Leff

Milepoint, United, and KULA Causes are working together on an innovative charity auction.

There are four different auctions for elite status, you can choose to bid for your choice of which status you want from United — 1K, Platinum, Gold, or Silver.

The available statuses, which will last through January 2014, are:

  • 1x Premier 1K status
  • 2x Premier Platinum status
  • 2x Premier Gold status
  • 2x Premier Silver status

Here’s a piece that I think is really innovative. Instead of supporting a pre-designated charity, like Susan G. Komen or Livestrong, the funds will be directed by your fellow frequent flyers. Each person on next month’s Star MegaDO will receive a coupon for their pro-rated share of pooled charitable donations, and with the help of KULA Causes they will get to direct the organization that will receive the funds.

You can bid on one type of status or more than one status, when you submit your bid include what status you’re bidding for. If you win more than one, you are only obligated to the highest status you’ve won. If you win a 1K status and a Platinum, and don’t want both because you can’t be both at the same time, then you can take the 1K and the organzers will move down the list to the next highest bidder for Platinum.

The silent auction ends Friday October 19th at 2pm central. Anyone can participate and win, whether going on the Star MegaDO or not. Bids are placed through online message to tommy777 at Milepoint.

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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Comments

  1. Interesting thanks for the post
    Hmmm
    50k donation for Premier Silver status seems like a deal to me.I can then pay for the seat assignment of my choice
    After all this is United where award availability rules where partner & Saver Awards are indeed plentiful.And did I mention their award winning customer Service even if somewhere overseas
    United Rising………..
    Somthing very special in the Air;)

    Couldn’t resist sorry

  3. What are we supposed to bid?

    Cash? If cash, can we pay with credit cards or paypal?

    Or is it a bid in mileageplus miles?

  4. Oh, most important question. Do we get whatever we are bidding if we don’t win the auction or is that also considered a donation for the charity?

  5. 50k donation? Is the bidding in UA miles? (As I can’t imagine this is referring to $50,000 US)

  6. Answers to some of my own Qs. Bidding is in cash to be paid via credit cards only. Bidding is done in private cnversations and tommy will notify if you are outbid.

  7. I would love to see you implement something like that for your credit card referral fees.

    -David

  8. This would make more money if it had the option of extending an already renewed 1K (or whatever status) to 1/31/2015. Why on earth isn’t this included?

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