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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.
Full benefits & perks
- 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
My thoughts
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.
How to use your points
Miles earned on this card go directly into your United MileagePlus account. Here's how to get the most out of them:
- Book United and other Star Alliance partners with no blackout dates, and miles never expire
- Use the 10,000-mile award flight discount after hitting $20K spend to stretch your miles further
- Use your miles on United's website to book flights with Star Alliance partners like ANA, Lufthansa, and Singapore for premium cabin redemptions — See Star Alliance partners
- Points can transfer from Chase if you need to top off
- Redeem for hotels, car rentals, and merchandise through the MileagePlus portal (but flights give the best value)
- Points transfer from Chase to United if you need to top off
Here's a quick summary of what you're getting with the United Explorer Card:
- $0 intro annual fee the first year, then $150
- Up to 80,000 bonus miles welcome offer
- 9x miles on eligible United flights
- Free first checked bag for you and a companion
- 2 United Club passes per year
- Priority boarding
- Over $500 in annual partner credits
- No foreign transaction fees
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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.