United Airlines: A new vision that is redefining customer loyalty

As the aviation industry prepares to gather in Lisbon for the World Aviation Festival 2025, United Airlines is unveiling a bold new vision for loyalty. Mike Petrella, United Airlines' President of Strategic Alliances, will participate in the session "Traveler-Centric Loyalty: Creating Complete and Meaningful Journeys," part of the festival's loyalty program. The event will take place October 7-9, 2025, at the Feira Internacional de Lisboa (FIL) and will bring together more than 6,000 executives from around the world, 600 speakers, and 400 exhibitors.

In a recent interview for WAF's On-Demand series, Petrella shared how his AdTech experience is helping United rethink the traveler journey from the ground up. "I'm not an airline expert," he said. "So I started with a blank slate. For me, loyalty isn't just about the flight; it's about excitement, utility, and the feeling of being part of MileagePlus."

Petrella's approach focuses on personalizing the entire trip, from inspiration and planning to the return journey. "We're trying to understand what we can do to make the trip more immersive, more personal. Your trip, not just any passenger's," he explained.

One of the most exciting changes is United's initiative to integrate loyalty into everyday life, not just travel. "People are people, whether they're traveling or not," says Petrella. "Can you earn miles for a spin class? Can you use miles to buy concert tickets? We're exploring partnerships that reflect how people actually live: grocery delivery, ride-sharing, wellness. It's about creating value beyond the airport."

Personalization comes with complexity. Petrella is clear about the need to balance relevance with restraint. “We didn’t want the plane to look like Times Square,” he says. “These are native experiences, offers that feel like part of the booking process, not random ads. And sometimes, it’s best not to send any messages at all.”

United's strategy is based on collaboration on secure data and privacy, with a strong emphasis on trust. "We fully comply with global regulations and are proactive in protecting customer data," says Petrella. "Trust is key. We collaborate internally and externally in clean rooms, always with integrity."

Looking ahead to the Lisbon event, Petrella is eager to learn from his industry peers. “There are brilliant minds in this space. I’m looking forward to partnering, hearing new ideas, and bringing fresh ideas to United and MileagePlus.”

This year's World Aviation Festival will feature sixteen themes, including artificial intelligence, digital transformation, airline retail, and sustainability. The loyalty section will focus on how airlines are evolving their programs to meet changing consumer expectations.

Fuente: World Aviation Festival / United Airlines.