United Airlines Provides Latest Update on Operations and Relief Efforts with Hurricane Irma

United will provide bonus miles to customers who contribute to designated relief organizations

Airline to match first $100,000 raised to support those in need

Added over 1,500 extra seats to help more customers leave southern Florida

Flew Boeing 777 to San Juan for humanitarian efforts and more customer options

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Sep 09, 2017, 09:06 ET

CHICAGO, Sept. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines is providing bonus miles, matching funds raised for relief, and added extra flights out of South Florida in preparation of Hurricane Irma's impact on the mainland. The airline also flew a Boeing 777 aircraft yesterday into San Juan, Puerto Rico to provide more options to customers and humanitarian resources to the region.

United is partnering with leading disaster relief organizations to provide aid to those impacted by Hurricane Irma. Beginning yesterday, United started its campaign to provide bonus miles to MileagePlus members who donate to the organizations. United will also match the first $100,000 raised.

United has resumed service in and out of San Juan, including flying a Boeing 777 to the island to provide more options to customers and humanitarian resources to the region. That flight contained supplies including water, amenity kits and food along with volunteers. On Thursday and Friday, United added 11 total flights into the southern Florida region, totaling more than 1,500 seats to help Floridians travel out of the state. Those seats were sold at an average price of $285. Additionally, we capped fares at $399 and further extended our travel waiver to help our customers and provide more options and flexibility. More information on the waiver can be found at United.com.

"My heart, and that of the entire United family, is with everyone that is suffering in the wake of Hurricane Irma and who remains in her path," said United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz. "We will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them for all of the tomorrows required to rebuild and recover what was lost and to ensure the future remains as bright as ever."

MileagePlus members who give to the American Red Cross, AmeriCares, Airlink, Humane Society International or Operation USA through United's fundraising page can receive up to 1,000 bonus miles by entering their MileagePlus number at the time of their donation. Each of these organizations has teams deployed throughout the impacted areas to provide shelter, supplies, health care, and other much needed support to people in need.

United will award members miles based on the size of their donation:

Donate $50-$99 – Earn 250 bonus miles
Donate $100-$249 – Earn 500 bonus miles
Donate $250 or more – Earn 1,000 bonus miles

United will award bonus miles to customers on a first-come, first-served basis based on contributions made through the airline's fundraising page through 11:59 p.m. CDT on September 30, 2017. United customers have raised more than $8 million in the last 5 years for previous disaster relief campaigns. For more information and to make a donation, visit https://fundraising.crowdrise.com/ua-hurricane-relief

We suspended operations in South Florida (Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers and Palm Beach) Friday afternoon. Additionally, we plan to suspend operations at our other Florida airports (Tampa, Orlando and Jacksonville) beginning late afternoon Saturday. We will continue to assess the situation as we move through the weekend and ask that customers check united.com or our mobile app for the latest updates and developments.

About United

United Airlines and United Express operate approximately 4,500 flights a day to 338 airports across five continents. In 2016, United and United Express operated more than 1.6 million flights carrying more than 143 million customers. United is proud to have the world's most comprehensive route network, including U.S. mainland hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark/New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. United operates 748 mainline aircraft and the airline's United Express carriers operate 475 regional aircraft. The airline is a founding member of Star Alliance, which provides service to more than 190 countries via 28 member airlines. For more information, visit united.com, follow @United on Twitter or connect on Facebook. The common stock of United's parent, United Continental Holdings, Inc., is traded on the NYSE under the symbol "UAL".

SOURCE United Airlines