Starting this week, United Airlines' MileagePlus members will receive complimentary access to a Timeshifter jet lag plan while Premier 1K members will receive a free subscription with unlimited plans.
The Chicago-based carrier announced a first-of-its-kind partnership with Timeshifter on Wednesday. The app assists users by breaking down the best time to see and avoid light, sleep and consume caffeine to quickly adjust to a new time zone.
Developed by top researchers in sleep and circadian neuroscience, Timeshifter targets travelers crossing three or more time zones. The app generates customized plans for users based on several key factors such as normal sleep pattern, flight details and individual preferences.
Each personalized jet lag alleviation plan includes instructions for when travelers should prioritize exposure to bright light or avoid it; a sleep and napping schedule based on personal sleep preferences; a plan to optimize caffeine intake for alertness and sleep and optional timing for consuming melatonin if travelers choose to take it.
MileagePlus members will receive a free jet lag plan for a flight plan of their choosing on top of the complimentary trial Timeshifter offers, giving them a total of two free flight plans.
Meanwhile, MileagePlus Premier 1K members can sign up for complimentary annual subscriptions for unlimited access to jet lag plans when they travel. Individual plans for the app retail at $9.99 for a roundtrip plan while yearly memberships cost $24.99.
"We want to do everything we can to help improve the experience of traveling across time zones, whether it's a business trip to Tel Aviv or a vacation to Tahiti, our customers should arrive feeling fresh and ready to hit the ground running," said Vice President of Loyalty and President of MileagePlus, Luc Bondar, in a statement. "Timeshifter takes all the guesswork out of avoiding jet lag and instead uses science and algorithms to design a customized, step-by-step trip across time zones. I was a believer the first time I used the app and I think our customers will love it too."
The partnership should come in handy for United's loyalty program members as the carrier's network includes the two longest flights operated by a U.S. carrier in nonstop service between Houston and Sydney and between San Francisco and Singapore.
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