MSN Expedia and MaxMiles Join Forces to Save Travelers Time

REDMOND, Wash., March 22, 1999 — Todays typical traveler is enrolled in more than seven frequent-travel programs. To help these busy travelers save time and maximize their travel benefits, the MSN
™
Expedia
™
travel service ( http://expedia.MSN.com/ ) is announcing an agreement with MaxMiles Inc. to offer a free one-year subscription to MileageMiner
Ô
, an online service that conveniently consolidates and manages consumers frequent-travel programs in one online location (connect-time charges may apply).

In comparison to mailed statements that are often six to eight weeks out of date, MileageMiner is a personalized online service that tracks and updates frequent-travel accounts on a daily basis. As an exclusive benefit to users of Expedia, the annual $30 MileageMiner fee will be waived for the first year. Subscribers to the MileageMiner service will receive e-mail summary reports highlighting up-to-date account balances, expiration summaries, lists of account transactions in the past 90 days, alerts of potential missing miles and notices of special mileage offers.

“This offer with MaxMiles is a natural extension of the Expedia commitment to help travelers save time and money online,” said Mark Jamison, president and founder of MaxMiles Inc. “Expedia is the leader in offering online travel functionality for its users, so inclusion of our sophisticated new MileageMiner Internet technology is a natural fit for both of our organizations.”

Offer Details

To take advantage of this exclusive offer,* customers need to visit the Expedia Web site ( http://expedia.MSN.com/ ), connect to MileageMiner and supply their frequent travel membership numbers. The MileageMiner service then gathers a travelers frequency account information to provide an online consolidated statement customized for the travelers preferences.

About MSN Expedia Travel

MSN Expedia ( http://expedia.MSN.com/ ) is the place to go on the Web to easily plan travel, purchase tickets, and make hotel and car reservations. Part of the MSN network of Internet services, MSN Expedia also offers in-depth destination content and travel news as well as mapping services. MSN Expedia offers exceptional customer service with more than 200 travel agents available via a toll-free number to travelers 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to answer questions and provide assistance while they are en route. Since its inception in October 1996, MSN Expedia has become the Webs leading online travel agency, with weekly travel sales exceeding $11 million. In addition, MSN Expedia is ranked as one of the top 50 Web sites according to Media Metrix.

MSN Expedia (U.S. and Canadian versions only) offers a credit card guarantee to protect credit cards used on the Internet from fraud. With this service, after an initial purchase on Expedia, customers credit cards are protected from fraud liability up to $50 (U.S.) on any purchases made in the subsequent 12 months on or off the Internet. Since the programs introduction in June 1998, Microsoft is proud to state that, because of the top-level site security, the service remains unused.

About MaxMiles

MaxMiles Inc. ( http://www.maxmiles.com/ ) is the leading provider of technologies dedicated to helping travelers get the most out of their frequent-travel programs. Its unique MileageMiner technology leverages the Internet to give travelers consolidated frequency account information and promotional offers. Based in Chicago, MaxMiles Inc. is privately held.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

* Offer expires one year from initial sign-up.

Microsoft, MSN and Expedia are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on MSN Expedia, please visit http://expedia.MSN.com/daily/press/ . For more information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsofts corporate information pages.

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