Consumers with a Visa Signature credit card can participate in the Tixpress promotion. Fandango has also updated its iPhone and iPad app with a few new features.

“Tixpress was custom-developed with Visa Signature account-holders in mind, who are looking for time-saving ways to make their moviegoing decisions,” said Jessica Yi, chief product officer at Fandango, Los Angeles.

“Because Fandango is the definitive movie ticketer across all mobile platforms – including mobile Web and native apps – we are always looking for new ways to innovate on mobile with solutions for both consumers and advertisers, expanding to new platforms and delivery systems,” she said.

“This is a great example of how businesses with direct and indirect ties to moviegoing, including studios, financial services and restaurants can collaborate with Fandango to create solutions and forge relationships with Fandango’s highly engaged audience.”

Mobile magic
Fandango unveiled Tixpress recently at the Digital.Amplified. event.

Via the new Tixpress feature, consumers can sync up their Visa Signature cards to Fandango’s iPhone app.

The account information will then be used to let consumers express order tickets during check-out.

Once the Visa card is hooked up, consumers can view movies that are playing near them in the next two to three hours.

Additionally, the partnership lets Visa Signature cardmembers can also receive offers from Fandango through August.

For instance, one offer lets consumers receive free movie tickets for buying two or more tickets to a Friday show.

Users also receive discounts on Fandango Gift cards as an incentive for hooking up their cards to the Fandango app.

Consumers can also learn more about Visa Signature in the Fandango app through a link that directs users to Visa’s mobile site.

A call-to-action to promote Visa Signature is also included in the app via a link. When consumers tap on the link, they are redirected to Visa’s mobile site where they can learn more and sign up for the credit card.

Mobile update
Fandango has also rolled out a few additional updates to the company’s iPhone and iPad app.

IPad users can now scroll through photos and videos and view them in a full screen.

Additionally, both iPad and iPhone app users can sign into their Fandango account to manage their Facebook sharing.

Fandango has consistently been building up its mobile repertoire over the past few years.

Most recently, the company launched a digital video series that is accessible via the company’s Web and mobile platforms. The series lets consumers watch videos that feature the weekend’s top picks (see story).

Additionally, the company announced earlier this year that mobile ticket sales in 2012 increased 171 percent, representing Fandango’s best performing year in its 12-year history (see story).

Last year, Fandango became one of the first companies to equip its app with Apple’s Passbook. Via the technology, consumers can store their movie tickets as a QR code that can be scanned by employees at theaters that accept mobile tickets (see story).

“Mobile is responsible for roughly 40 percent of our ticket sales, and nearly half of our overall traffic,” Ms. Yi said.

“When moviegoers are untethered from their desktops, they take Fandango on the go with them,” she said.

“Previously, if you were at home or at the office, you had to decide which movie you wanted to see at that time – but thanks to mobile, you can make that moviegoing decision closer to the showtimes.  So we are always looking at new ways on mobile to help film fans easily check out the nearest theaters and soonest showtimes for the movies they want to see.”

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is associate reporter on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York