CHICAGO, April 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines today announced its sponsorship of the Tribeca Film Festival, providing United customers exclusive onboard entertainment options and an opportunity to attend a special private screening on April 24 at the 13th annual Tribeca Film Festival in Lower Manhattan. United is the New York area's largest airline, offering more flights and more seats from the region to more destinations around the world than any other airline.

As the official airline of the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival, United offers customers special in-flight content curated by Tribeca, including independent feature films, documentaries, shorts and other Tribeca Film Festival-related content. Customers on United aircraft equipped with live television and seatback entertainment may choose from a variety of Tribeca-selected inflight content, which the airline will update regularly.

United also intends to include the Tribeca selections among the library of movies and television programs available as it introduces complimentary personal device entertainment on the carrier's Airbus A320 and A319 aircraft, Boeing 747 aircraft and some Boeing 757 and Boeing 777 aircraft. The service enables customers to access the content in-flight via their Wi-Fi-enabled laptop computers and mobile devices.

Additionally, United MileagePlus members may redeem award miles for tickets to attend this year's Tribeca Film Festival, including access to an invitation-only screening, where filmmakers, cast members and festival organizers will introduce the film and interact with attendees in a post-screening Q&A session. MileagePlus members can visit united.com/auctions to secure tickets while available.

"We are delighted to be the official airline of the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival and to offer United customers unique and compelling entertainment choices as we support aspiring filmmakers," said Tom O'Toole, United's senior vice president of marketing and loyalty and president of MileagePlus. "We are particularly pleased to offer MileagePlus members – who already enjoy the broadest suite of mileage-redemption choices – the opportunity to attend a premiere screening during one of the industry's most exciting festivals."

"We are thrilled to welcome United as our airline sponsor and each month bring a curated selection of feature and short films to customers on United flights," said Jon Patricof, Tribeca Enterprises' president and chief operating officer. "United's support helps us bring all of the filmmakers together to the Festival to engage with the audiences and experience their films together."

MileagePlus, which Global Traveler readers have ranked best frequent-flyer program for ten years, offers members innovative ways to earn and redeem award miles, from flights throughout the global network of United and its worldwide partners to hotel and car awards, once-in-a-lifetime experiences and merchandise.

United in New York

United and United Express offer more flights and more seats from the New York area to more cities around the world than any other airline. This summer, United and United Express will operate nearly 500 daily departures from the three major New York-area airports to more than 150 destinations – the most in North America, the most across the Atlantic, the most across the Pacific and the most to and from Latin America.

United also offers the most flat-bed seats and extra-legroom economy-class seating from the New York area. The airline offers frequent daily service from the New York-area airports to top business travel markets including Chicago, Houston, Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

About United

United Airlines and United Express operate an average of more than 5,300 flights a day to more than 360 airports across six continents. In 2013, United and United Express carried more passenger traffic than any other airline in the world and operated nearly two million flights carrying 139 million customers. United is delivering a more flyer-friendly experience, offering more premium-cabin flat-bed seats and extra-legroom, economy-class seating than any airline in North America. In 2013, United became the first U.S. global carrier to offer satellite-based Wi-Fi, including on long-haul overseas routes. The airline also features DIRECTV® on more than 200 aircraft, with more live television access than any airline in the world. United operates nearly 700 mainline aircraft and, in 2014, will take delivery of 35 new Boeing aircraft and welcome the E175 aircraft to United Express. Business Traveler magazine awarded United Best Airline for North American Travel for 2013, and readers of Global Traveler magazine have voted United's MileagePlus program the Best Frequent-Flyer program for 10 consecutive years. Air Transport World named United the Eco-Aviation Airline of the Year Gold Winner in 2013. United is a founding member of Star Alliance, which provides service to 195 countries via 26 member airlines. More than 85,000 United employees reside in every U.S. state and in countries around the world. For more information, visit united.com or follow United on Twitter and Facebook. The common stock of United's parent, United Continental Holdings, Inc., is traded on the NYSE under the symbol UAL.

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SOURCE United Airlines