Miles for media

A new way to use your frequent flyer miles: United Airlines' Digital Media Storeoffers music & movies

United Airlines is the first to offer a store for digital media downloads.
Logo.Wikia.com
The store will add tracks and titles weekly, and downloads for TV shows willbegin in the fall.
United

Watch out iTunes: United Airlines is encroaching upon your hallowed territory with its MileagePlus Digital Media Store, the first of its kind in the airline industry.

Starting on Monday, the Chicago-headquartered airline offers music (current and classic — and some of it explicit, mind you) in its MP3 catalog and films from the 1930s through present on its 100-title (and growing) movie list. Television shows will be available for purchase this fall.

"The MileagePlus Digital Media Store offers the perfect complement to our other non-air award options such as hotel stays, car rentals, merchandise and once-in-a-lifetime experiences," said Krishnan Saranathan, managing director of United MileagePlus, in a statement. "This is one more example of our commitment to expanding the world's most rewarding loyalty program for our members."

CNBC reports that the "pricing varies based on a member's level of engagement with MileagePlus."

So where a MileagePlus traveler could book an economy-class, round-trip flight from the mainland United States to Mexico for between 35,000 and 70,000 award miles, that same passenger could elect to redeem 1,150 award miles for unlimited online streaming (broadband connection is required) of, say, Goodfellas.

Songs cost somewhere around 150 miles, and albums range from around 100 miles to more than 2,500, but CNBC reports that the "pricing varies based on a member's level of engagement with MileagePlus."

Do you want to purchase and rent music and movies using frequent flier points? Or do you already have a tried-and-true platform (Amazon, iTunes, Netflix) for purchasing and renting digital media on the go?

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Jolly Texas town makes list of best Christmas road trip destinations

Smithville Area Chamber of Commerce - Facebook

Smithville's annual Festival of Lights transforms downtown into a winter wonderland.

The December holiday season brings many opportunities for creating memories, such as visiting all of the spectacular light displays in the Houston area. But one twinkly town in Central Texas outshines the rest of the state.

The small, merry town of Smithville – located about 120 miles west of Houston – and its beloved Gingerbread Lane was just named one of the jolliest holiday road trips in the nation, according to a recent report by online classifieds site RVTrader.

Downtown Smithville completely transforms during the winter season in preparation for its annual Festival of Lights, which took place on Saturday, December 7. This year's festivities included an indoor arts and crafts show featuring local artisans, an array of outdoor vendors, complimentary rides on the Ann Powell Express train, a parade, and many more activities.

No winter extravaganza is complete without snow, and 40,000 pounds of real snow was blown during the morning of the festival to allow for snow tubing, snowball fights, and more. Santa even made an appearance to snap photos with children.

At the heart of the festival is the iconic Smitty gingerbread man, which broke the Guinness World Record for the World's Biggest Gingerbread Man in 2006, which was officially recognized two years later, according to Explore Bastrop County.

"In honor of being officially named the World’s Biggest Gingerbread Man, the Smithville Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Smithville retired the cookie sheet that was used to bake the giant gingerbread man and converted it into a monument to commemorate the record," the website says.

Smitty the gingerbread man in Smithville, Texas Smitty is a sizeable famous figure in Smithville.Smithville Area Chamber of Commerce - Facebook

If you missed the festivities this year, stay tuned for the 34th annual festival in 2025. But visitors can still check out all of the dazzling lights and meet Smitty throughout the winter season.

For visitors who want to turn a day trip into a weekend stay, RVTrader suggests camping at Buescher State Park, which is only two miles away from Smithville. The park offers a variety of RV campsites, screened shelters, and cabins. But for those who would prefer a hotel, there's always the historic Katy House Bed & Breakfast.

Smithville was the only Texas city to make it on RVTrader's list of top holiday road trip destinations. Several other holly jolly cities were chosen across every region in the country.

"The holiday season is the perfect time to hit the road and discover the magic of Christmas across the country," the report's author wrote. "Whether you’re visiting Gingerbread Lane in Texas, marveling at the lights of McAdenville, or exploring the Bavarian charm of Leavenworth, these holly, jolly holiday road trips promise unforgettable moments."

Other prominent holiday road trip destinations include:

Plant City, Florida
McAdenville, North Carolina
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Frankenmuth, Michigan
Branson, Missouri
Durango, Colorado
Fresno, California
Leavenworth, Washington
North Pole, Alaska

travel central texas holidays christmas road trip

Miles for media

A new way to use your frequent flyer miles: United Airlines' Digital Media Storeoffers music & movies

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Jolly Texas town makes list of best Christmas road trip destinations

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