Amex Perks Drive Premium Spend to United Airlines

United Airlines is capturing premium spend from its affluent customers through American Express perks, even though Amex doesn't co-brand a credit card with United. The airline's MileagePlus card is issued exclusively by Chase, but Amex has built a parallel system of benefits that encourages spending on United flights.

Cardholders of the Platinum Card and Business Platinum Card from American Express can designate United as their preferred airline, unlocking a $200 annual credit for items such as checked bags, United Club passes, and change fees. Additionally, Amex offers rotating promotions, including credits or bonus points for spending on airline platforms.

The numbers show that this strategy is working: new co-branded card accounts reached a second-quarter record, up 22% year over year, while card spend rose 14%, and MileagePlus enrollments climbed 9%. Loyalty revenue grew 11.3% for the quarter, with Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella noting that this number understates the real momentum.