Earn up to 40,000 bonus miles after qualifying activities. 30,000 miles after spending $1,000 in the first three months, plus an additional 10,000 miles after adding an authorized user in the first three months.
- 25% back as a statement credit on United inflight food, beverages, and Wi-Fi
- 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases, then variable APR applies
- Spend $10,000 on purchases in a calendar year and get 10% off all United award flights
- No foreign transaction fees
- Secondary rental car coverage, trip cancellation, and purchase protection benefits
The Gateway is a solid starter card for anyone dipping their toes into the United world without wanting to pay an annual fee. It won't blow you away with perks, but the 25% back on inflight purchases is a nice touch, and the $0 fee means you can hold it long-term to keep your MileagePlus account active and build credit history. If you fly United only occasionally, this is a low-commitment way to keep earning miles. Most frequent United flyers will eventually want to upgrade to a higher card for the checked bag and boarding benefits.
Earn up to 80,000 bonus miles — 70,000 after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months, plus 10,000 after adding an authorized user in the first 3 months.
- Free first checked bag for the cardholder and one companion
- 2 United Club one-time passes per year (a $100+ value)
- Priority boarding for you and companions on the same reservation
- Save at least 10% when booking award flights with miles
- Earn a 10,000-mile award flight discount after spending $20,000 in a calendar year
- Up to $120 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS fee credit every 4 years
- 25% back as a statement credit on United inflight food, beverages, and Wi-Fi
- Up to $100 United travel credit after spending $10,000 in a calendar year
- Up to $100 in United Hotels credits annually
- Up to $120 in Instacart credits per year ($10/month)
- Up to $60 in rideshare credits per year ($5/month, enrollment required)
- Up to $100 in JSX flight credits annually
- Up to $50 in Avis or Budget car rental credits annually
- No foreign transaction fees
- Trip cancellation/interruption insurance, baggage delay, and auto rental coverage
The United Explorer is the sweet spot for anyone who flies United but doesn't need a premium lounge card. The first year is free, and after that the $150 fee is easy to justify, especially once you factor in the free checked bag perk plus the partner credits. The 9x on United flights is a recent upgrade that makes this card even more compelling for booking directly if you're paying cash for flights. If you're a MileagePlus member who flies United even a few times a year, this one is worth a serious look.
Earn up to 100,000 bonus miles + 3,000 Premier Qualifying Points — 90,000 miles + 3,000 PQP after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months, plus 10,000 miles after adding an authorized user in the first 3 months.
- $200 United travel credit annually
- Up to $150 credit toward prepaid hotels booked through Renowned Hotels and Resorts for United® Cardmembers
- Up to $100 in credits each calendar year on rideshare purchases
- Up to $120 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS fee credit every 4 years
- Annual 10,000-mile award flight discount
- 2 free checked bags for you and one companion
- Priority boarding for you and companions on the same reservation
- Save at least 10% when booking award flights with miles
- 1,000 Card Bonus Premier qualifying points (PQP) each year after February 1
- 25% back on United inflight food, beverages, and Wi-Fi
- No foreign transaction fees
- Trip cancellation/interruption insurance, baggage delay, and auto rental coverage
The United Quest sits in an interesting middle ground. It has more perks than the United℠ Explorer Card, but without the lounge access of the United Club℠ Infinite Card. The $200 annual travel credit goes a long way toward offsetting the $350 fee, and the automatic 10,000-mile award discount each year is useful if you book award travel regularly. The two free checked bags can be beneficial for families or frequent travelers. If you fly United 3+ times a year and want to accelerate toward Premier status, this card makes a lot of sense.
Earn up to 110,000 bonus miles + 3,000 Premier Qualifying Points after qualifying activities. Earn 100,000 bonus miles + 3,000 Premier Qualifying Points after spending $5,000 in the first three months, plus an additional 10,000 miles after adding an authorized user in the first three months.
- Full United Club membership — unlimited access for you and all dependent children under 18
- 2 free checked bags for you and one companion
- Premier Access travel services (priority check-in, security, and boarding)
- Earn 4 United Club℠ one-time passes on each account anniversary
- Up to $200 in United Hotels credits annually on prepaid stays booked through Renowned Hotels and Resorts for United Cardmembers
- Up to $150 in rideshare credits each calendar year (enrollment required)
- Up to $100 in Avis or Budget car rental credits annually when booked through cars.united.com
- Up to $240 in Instacart credits each calendar year ($20/month)
- Up to $200 in JSX flight credits annually on flights purchased directly through JSX
- Save at least 10% when booking award flights with miles
- Earn up to 10,000 Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) per year from card purchases
- Up to $120 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS fee credit every 4 years
- 25% back on United inflight food, beverages, and Wi-Fi
- No foreign transaction fees
- Comprehensive travel protections such as trip delay, trip cancellation, and auto rental coverage
The United Club Infinite is for the traveler who has already decided United is their airline and wants the best experience possible at the airport. The full United Club membership alone is worth $650+/year, which nearly justifies the $695 fee on its own. Add in two free checked bags, Premier Access for streamlined check-in and boarding, and over $875 in partner credits, and this card starts looking very reasonable for frequent United flyers.
Earn up to 110,000 bonus miles + 2,000 Premier Qualifying Points — 100,000 miles + 2,000 PQP after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months, plus 10,000 miles after adding an employee card in the first 3 months.
- Free first checked bag for you and one companion
- 2 United Club one-time passes per year
- Priority boarding for you and companions on the same reservation
- 5,000-mile anniversary bonus when you also hold a personal United credit card
- $125 United travel credit after making 5 United flight purchases of $100+ in a calendar year
- Up to $100 in United Hotels credits annually
- Up to $100 in rideshare credits per year
- Up to $50 in Avis or Budget car rental credits annually
- Up to $120 in Instacart credits per year ($10/month)
- Up to $100 in JSX flight credits annually
- Earn up to 3,000 Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) per year from card purchases
- Save at least 10% when booking award flights with miles
- No foreign transaction fees
- Trip cancellation/interruption insurance, baggage delay, and auto rental coverage
The United Business Card is a surprisingly strong option for business owners who fly United. This is the United card I have! At $150/year, it mirrors the personal Explorer in price but adds some business-friendly bonus categories like office supply stores and gas stations. The $125 United travel credit (after 5 qualifying flights) helps offset the fee nicely, and the two loung epasses are a nice perk. It's a solid choice if you're wanting to earn United miles without adding to your 5/24 number number.
Earn up to 110,000 bonus miles + 2,000 Premier Qualifying Points — 100,000 miles + 2,000 PQP after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months, plus 10,000 miles after adding an employee card in the first 3 months.
- Full United Club membership — unlimited access for you and all dependent children under 18
- 2 free checked bags for you and one companion — save up to $320 per roundtrip
- Premier Access travel services (priority check-in, security, and boarding)
- Up to $200 in United Hotels credits annually on prepaid stays booked through Renowned Hotels and Resorts for United Cardmembers
- Up to $150 in rideshare credits each calendar year (enrollment required)
- Up to $100 in Avis or Budget car rental credits annually when booked through cars.united.com
- Up to $240 in Instacart credits each calendar year ($20/month)
- Up to $200 in JSX flight credits annually on flights purchased directly through JSX
- Up to $50 in FareLock credits annually on United and United Express-operated flights
- Save at least 10% when booking award flights with miles
- Earn up to 10,000 Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) per year from card purchases
- Up to $120 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS fee credit every 4 years
- 25% back on United inflight food, beverages, and Wi-Fi
- No foreign transaction fees
- Comprehensive travel protections: trip delay, trip cancellation, and auto rental coverage
The United Club Business Card is the premium option for business travelers who are all-in on United. Like its personal counterpart, the full United Club membership nearly covers the $695 annual fee on its own, and this version adds even more in partner credits than the personal United Club℠ Card . The business-specific bonus categories like gas and office supplies are a nice addition. If you're already paying for lounge access separately and flying United for business, this card consolidates a lot of value in one place.
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Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.