United Airlines’ point program filled with ‘empty promises,’ customer says

Key Points:

• Marcia Leventhal, a long-time United Airlines customer turning 90, has been trying unsuccessfully for six months to redeem her 58,000 United Mileage Plus points for gift cards due to persistent technical issues on the airline's redemption website.
• Despite multiple attempts to get help via phone and email, Leventhal has encountered unhelpful customer service and broken promises, with no resolution or functional gift card redemption option available.
• United Airlines acknowledged the gift card redemption site is currently inaccessible as they rethink mileage redemption options, offering alternative ways to use miles but no clear timeline for restoring the gift card option.
• United representatives proposed options like pooling or gifting miles, but these were deemed unfavorable by Leventhal and her family, leaving her frustrated and uncertain about redeeming her points before her advanced age limits travel opportunities.
• The airline stated it is working directly with Leventhal to find a solution, but the lack of a clear fix highlights ongoing challenges for loyal customers trying to use their accumulated miles.