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Bid United Miles for a Trip to London and a Spider-Man Appearance

June 13, 2018
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3 min read
Aerial View of London
Bid United Miles for a Trip to London and a Spider-Man Appearance
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While I tend to save up my miles for business and first-class award flights, many road warriors travel so frequently for work that the last thing they want to do is step foot on another plane. Instead, they'll redeem miles for gift cards, or experiences through programs like United's MileagePlus Exclusives.

Some of those redemptions would appeal to those who love to travel, too, such as a recent weekend with United's retired 747s and this latest auction, which includes a trip to London and the chance to appear as extras in the upcoming film, Spider-Man: Homecoming 2.

For the next 12 days, MileagePlus members can enter their bid to win this latest experiential package, which comes along with the following:

  • Round-trip economy airfare for two to London (Economy Plus and business upgrades aren't possible)
  • Two nights at the Sheraton Grand London Park Lane
  • Two nights at the Radisson Blu London Stansted Airport
  • $200 Uber credit
  • Opportunity to be join as an extra during the filming of Spider-Man: Homecoming 2 (appearance in the final film is not guaranteed)

The winners will fly to London on Saturday, June 30 and will return on Thursday, July 5. Bidding ends at 1pm ET on June 25, and the current high bid is 181,000 miles, though I expect the final amount to be quite a bit higher.

Economy award travel from the US to London runs 60,000 miles round-trip at the saver level, plus about $190, including the UK's awful Air Passenger Duty (APD). Considering our 1.4-cent valuation of United miles, plus the $380 in taxes, the flights alone are worth $2,060.

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Sheraton Grand Park Lane hotel exterior
(Photo courtesy of Sheraton Grand London Park Lane)

A two-night stay in a base room at the Sheraton Grand London Park Lane on the same dates, July 1-3, runs $910, including tax, while the Stansted Airport stay costs $325, bringing the total lodging value to $1,235. Add in the $200 Uber credit and we're at $1,435 for the ground portion of this giveaway.

Finally, while extras are typically paid to appear in a film, they're also usually working professionals. While I imagine some Spider-Man fans would pay a considerable amount for this opportunity, I'm going to leave it out of the calculations here.

So, in total, we're at a total package value of $3,495, if booking everything separately. Converted back to United miles, you're looking at 250,000 miles, again based on our 1.4-cent valuation. If you're willing to bid more than that, you better be a pretty big Spider-Man fan!

Featured image by Getty Images/iStockphoto

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Apply for American Express® Gold Card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

American Express® Gold Card

TPG Editor‘s Rating
4 / 5
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Rewards Rate

4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.