Vivid Seats announced a partnership with United Airlines that lets MileagePlus members earn miles when they purchase event tickets through a dedicated Vivid Seats site. All MileagePlus members receive two miles per dollar spent, while United Explorer Cardholders earn three miles, Quest Cardholders four miles, and Club and Club Business Cardholders five miles per dollar. The deal gives Vivid Seats access to United’s 130 million MileagePlus members, creating a new customer‑acquisition channel and a potential revenue stream from increased ticket sales.
The partnership fits into Vivid Seats’ strategy to drive accretive volume in a market where its Marketplace Gross Order Value (GOV) and revenues have fallen sharply. In Q3 2025, the company reported a 27% year‑over‑year decline in revenue to $136.4 million and a net loss of $19.7 million, while Marketplace GOV fell 29%. By tying ticket purchases to miles, Vivid Seats aims to incentivize spending among a large, loyal travel audience and offset the competitive pressure from rivals such as StubHub and SeatGeek.
Vivid Seats will also deliver personalized content through United’s Kinective Media network, including placements on the in‑flight 3D map and other touchpoints throughout the travel journey. This integration allows the company to embed its marketplace into United’s travel ecosystem, reaching consumers at multiple stages—from booking to boarding—thereby increasing brand exposure and purchase intent.
CEO Lawrence Fey said the collaboration would help Vivid Seats reach more live‑event fans and strengthen loyalty through United’s large loyalty program. He added that “strategic collaborations like these allow 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.” The comment underscores the company’s intent to use the partnership as a counter‑measure to the intense marketing competition and consumer spending pressures that have driven recent financial headwinds.
While the partnership offers a promising growth lever, Vivid Seats must still navigate a challenging environment. The company’s declining GOV, revenue, and profitability signal ongoing competitive and market‑share losses. The partnership’s success will depend on how effectively Vivid Seats can convert MileagePlus members into ticket buyers and whether the added media exposure translates into measurable sales lift.
The deal represents a strategic effort to diversify Vivid Seats’ revenue base and broaden its customer reach, but the company’s near‑term performance will hinge on the partnership’s ability to generate incremental ticket sales and offset the broader market headwinds it faces.
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