Vivid Seats Inc. has entered into a partnership with United Airlines that lets MileagePlus members earn airline miles when they buy event tickets through a dedicated Vivid Seats site. All MileagePlus members receive two miles per dollar spent, while United Chase cardholders earn higher rates—three miles for Explorer cardholders, four miles for Quest cardholders, and five miles for United Club and United Club Business cardholders. The arrangement also embeds Vivid Seats content across United’s Kinective Media network and in‑flight map placements, giving the ticket‑seller brand visibility to more than 130 million frequent‑flyer members.
The partnership is part of Vivid Seats’ broader strategy to counter recent revenue and profitability headwinds. In Q3 2025 the company reported a 27 % decline in revenue to $136.4 million and a swing from a $9.2 million net income in Q3 2024 to a $19.7 million net loss, driven by intense competition and the loss of a large partner. Adjusted EBITDA fell from $34.1 million to $4.9 million, a 86 % drop, as the marketplace take rate slipped from 17.5 % to 17.0 %. CEO Lawrence Fey said the partnership “allows us to leverage our infrastructure and tap into exciting new audiences as we continue to focus on reaching and rewarding more live‑event fans around the world.” Earlier, CEO Stan Chia noted that demand remained robust but that concert‑supply constraints were a temporary headwind.
By tying ticket purchases to United’s frequent‑flyer program, Vivid Seats aims to attract new users from a large, high‑spending customer base and to deepen engagement with existing users through its Rewards program. The mileage‑earning structure is designed to drive repeat purchases, as members who earn miles are incentivized to buy more tickets to reach elite status or redeem rewards. While the partnership alone will not immediately reverse the company’s Q3 2025 losses, it creates a new revenue stream and a marketing channel that could offset declining marketplace take rates and help stabilize the business over the medium term.
The deal also signals Vivid Seats’ intent to diversify its growth levers beyond ticket sales. Embedding its platform in United’s in‑flight and media ecosystem increases brand exposure to a captive audience, potentially boosting ticket volume and average spend. Management’s emphasis on “strategic collaborations” reflects a shift toward partnerships that can accelerate customer acquisition without the capital intensity of traditional marketing campaigns.
Overall, the United Airlines partnership represents a strategic pivot to mitigate the company’s recent financial challenges. It offers a tangible path to new revenue and customer engagement, while the broader market reaction will likely focus on how quickly the partnership can translate into measurable growth amid ongoing competitive pressures.
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