United and Instacart Team Up to Bring Loyalty Members More Rewards and More Convenience, Including $0 Delivery Fees

Rhea-AI Summary

United (NASDAQ: UAL) and Instacart (NASDAQ: CART) launched a partnership on October 6, 2025, giving MileagePlus members new delivery and rewards perks.

Key benefits: $0 delivery fees for seven days on qualifying Instacart orders placed right before, during, or shortly after domestic U.S. United flights; a 5,000-mile bonus for new Instacart users who complete four orders of $35+ within eight weeks; 500 miles for existing Instacart users who link accounts and place a $35+ order within 60 days; and an additional 5,000 miles for enrolling in an annual Instacart+ membership and keeping it 30+ days.

Members enroll at Instacart.com/United. Service fees and minimums apply.

Insights

Loyalty and Partnerships Strategist

United's deal with Instacart offers members convenience and clear short‑term rewards that likely strengthen engagement and ancillary revenue.

United MileagePlus members gain a seven‑day $0 delivery fee window tied to booking a domestic flight, plus bonus miles: 5,000 miles after four orders of $35 within eight weeks, an extra 5,000 miles for enrolling in annual Instacart+ and 500 miles for linking accounts and placing a qualifying order. The program links travel moments to immediate retail convenience and measurable rewards, which can raise program usage during travel and broaden partner‑driven revenue streams.

Key dependencies and risks include enrollment uptake, redemption caps, and short promotional windows; service fees and order minimums apply (orders $10 and $35 minima noted). The benefit structure favors short‑term engagement over long‑term recurring revenue unless a material share convert to paid Instacart+ memberships.

Watch activation and conversion metrics over the next 30–90 days: enrollment rates from boarding‑pass prompts, the share of members completing four orders, and the percentage converting to annual Instacart+. Those metrics will indicate if the program drives meaningful loyalty engagement or remains a low‑cost promotional lift.

United MileagePlus® members get $0 delivery fees on orders placed right before, during or shortly after domestic flights – a simple and fast way to stock the fridge at a rental, add items that were forgotten or just place an order that's ready when you get home

MileagePlus members who are new to Instacart can also enjoy 5,000 bonus MileagePlus bonus miles when they sign up and complete four orders, and can earn an additional 5,000 miles if they enroll in an Instacart+ membership

CHICAGO and SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- United (NASDAQ: UAL) and Instacart (NASDAQ: CART), today launched a new collaboration that gives the airline's loyalty members even more ways to save time, earn rewards, and unlock exclusive benefits when they shop with Instacart. In a first for an airline, Instacart is offering United MileagePlus members $0 delivery fees* on orders placed right before, during or shortly after they take a domestic flight – making it effortless to replace forgotten items on the go or restock their fridge the moment they arrive home. Additionally, MileagePlus members who link their United MileagePlus and Instacart accounts can also enjoy mileage rewards across a variety of offers found at Instacart.com/United. This new suite of benefits builds on United's existing relationship with Instacart; earlier this year, United and Chase refreshed their portfolio of co-branded credit cards and announced Instacart benefits for eligible Chase United Cardmembers.

"With Instacart, travelers can spend less time running errands and more time enjoying the journey and the destination – and now, United MileagePlus members can enjoy added benefits when they link their account to Instacart," said Ryan Hamburger, Vice President, Commercial Partnerships for Instacart. "We're excited to make the convenience of Instacart – whether shopping at home or while traveling – even more rewarding for United MileagePlus members. This partnership solidifies Instacart's position as a critical piece of the journey, ensuring our customers have everything they need, wherever they are."

"We're always looking for new ways to make our loyalty program even more valuable for our members and the partners we choose go a long way towards making travel –and life—easier and more rewarding," said Richard Nunn, CEO of United MileagePlus. "This Instacart collaboration gives members the peace of mind to know they can add groceries and other essentials at just about any stage of their trip – from making sure that order is waiting for them when they check into their rental property to stocking up at home so they can hit the ground running when they return. All while earning miles along the way."

Unbeatable Benefits and Rewards: Exclusive Perks for Every Journey

Starting today, United MileagePlus members can effortlessly earn miles and unlock special offers when they use Instacart, making it easier than ever to enjoy the convenience of online grocery delivery at home or on the road. With the Instacart collaboration, United MileagePlus members can access benefits like:

• $0 Delivery Fees with Instacart, Every Time You Travel: MileagePlus members who book a domestic U.S. United flight can enroll in a $0 delivery fee* offer to make it easier to get last-minute essentials before a trip, snacks and forgotten items at a destination, or have groceries waiting at the door when returning home.
  • Once activated, United MileagePlus members receive seven days of $0 delivery fees.
• Miles Just for Getting Started: MileagePlus members who are new to Instacart, can earn 5,000 miles when placing four grocery orders of $35+ each within eight weeks.** 
  • Members who already have Instacart accounts will also receive 500 additional miles when they link their United MileagePlus and Instacart accounts and place an order $35+ within 60 days. 
• Even Bigger Rewards: After completing the Getting Started offer, MileagePlus members can earn an additional 5,000 miles if they enroll in a paid, annual Instacart+ membership and maintain the membership for at least 30 days. 
  • When United MileagePlus members become annual Instacart+ members through the United offer, they'll unlock even more benefits, making it easier to save time and money at home, on the road, and everywhere in between.

Instacart and United are both focused on making travel and daily life easier for millions of consumers. As the leading online grocery marketplace, Instacart connects consumers to over 1,800 retail partners and nearly 100,000 stores across the U.S. and Canada. United Airlines rewards travelers across the globe through MileagePlus, the airline's free to join loyalty program with millions of members, and makes travel easier for customers through the United app, one of the most-used airline apps in the world. Together, Instacart and United are delivering meaningful benefits to U.S. travelers: more miles, more convenience, and more reasons to stock their fridge with Instacart, whether they're at home or on the road.

Members can start earning today by enrolling at Instacart.com/United. See offer details and terms for enrollment windows and expiration dates, which vary by offer.

Kinective Media and Instacart

Instacart is also working closely with Kinective Media^SM by United Airlines to reach MileagePlus members throughout their travel journey with targeted messaging across United's channels like the United app, in-flight entertainment and more. Travelers can expect to see offers from Instacart during timely moments such as on their mobile boarding pass in the United app and on seatback screens as they're traveling to and from their destination.

*On orders of $10+. Service fees apply. $35 minimum for Costco. Instacart users who are not existing Instacart+ members will get the $0 delivery fee benefit through a 7-day complimentary Instacart+ membership.

**Please see here for full offer details and terms. Only one MileagePlus account may be linked to each Instacart account. Select offers (including the First Order Bonus and Qualifying Orders Offers) are limited to a one-time redemption per account. 

About United
At United, Good Leads The Way. With U.S. hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates the most comprehensive global route network among North American carriers, and is now the largest airline in the world as measured by available seat miles. For more about how to join the United team, please visit www.united.com/careers and more information about the company is at www.united.com. United Airlines Holdings, Inc., the parent company of United Airlines, Inc., is traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol "UAL".

About Instacart
Instacart, the leading grocery technology company in North America, works with grocers and retailers to transform how people shop. The company partners with more than 1,800 national, regional, and local retail banners to facilitate online shopping, delivery and pickup services from nearly 100,000 stores across North America on the Instacart Marketplace. Instacart makes it possible for millions of people to get the groceries they need from the retailers they love, and for approximately 600,000 Instacart shoppers to earn by picking, packing and delivering orders on their own flexible schedule. The Instacart Platform offers retailers a suite of enterprise-grade technology products and services to power their e-commerce experiences, fulfill orders, digitize brick-and-mortar stores, provide advertising services, and glean insights. With Instacart Ads, thousands of CPG brands – from category leaders to emerging brands – partner with the company to connect directly with consumers online, right at the point of purchase. With Instacart Health, the company is providing tools to increase nutrition security, make healthy choices easier for consumers, and expand the role that food can play in improving health outcomes. For more information, visit www.instacart.com/company, and to start shopping, visit www.instacart.com. Maplebear Inc. is the registered corporate name of Instacart.

 

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SOURCE United Airlines

FAQ

How do United MileagePlus members get $0 delivery fees with UAL and Instacart?

Book a domestic U.S. United flight, link accounts, then enroll to receive seven days of $0 delivery fees on qualifying Instacart orders.

What is the miles offer for new Instacart users linked to United MileagePlus (UAL)?

New Instacart users earn 5,000 MileagePlus miles after completing four orders of $35+ within eight weeks.

Can existing Instacart users linked to United (UAL) earn miles, and how much?

Yes — existing Instacart users receive 500 miles after linking accounts and placing one $35+ order within 60 days.

How can MileagePlus members earn the extra 5,000 miles with Instacart+ through UAL?

Enroll in an annual Instacart+ membership via the United offer and maintain it for at least 30 days to earn 5,000 miles.

Where do MileagePlus members enroll for the United-Instacart offers (UAL)?

Members enroll and view terms at Instacart.com/United.