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United Explorer Credit Card

New: Earn up to 80K Miles on United Credit Cards!

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United and Chase just rolled out bigger, limited-time bonuses of up to 80,000 MileagePlus miles on their suite of co-branded credit cards.

From the no-annual-fee *united gateway* to the mid-tier *united quest*, you can currently get a big bonus on nearly the entire lineup on United co-branded cards.

While these aren't the largest sign-up bonus offers we have ever seen on these cards, they're all solid – much better than we've seen them in quite some time.

Just be warned: These United miles won't go nearly as far as they once did after the airline hiked many award rates by 20% to 35% or more. Over to Europe, for example, United economy flights that previously cost 30,000 miles each way at the lowest “saver” award rates now cost at least 40,000 miles.

But if it's United's elite status you're after, the airline just made some positive changes that mean spending on many of these United credit cards can help you get there even faster.

Let's take a closer look at these cards and see what each has to offer.

 

United℠ Explorer Card

  • bonus_miles_full
  • Earn 2x miles per dollar spent on dining, hotel stays, and United® purchases
  • Up to a $100 credit to cover enrollment in Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS
  • First checked bag free on United flights
  • Enjoy priority boarding privileges
  • Get two, one-time passes to the United Club each year on your cardmember anniversary
  • 25% back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights
  • One year of complimentary DashPass, a membership for both DoorDash and Caviar that provides unlimited deliveries with $0 delivery fees and lower service fees on eligible orders. After that, you are automatically enrolled in DashPass at the current monthly rate. Activate by Dec. 31, 2024
  • Earn up to 1,000 PQPs toward United Premier status by spending on your United Explorer Card
  • $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95 a year

 

*united explorer*

 

Learn more about the *united explorer*

 

United Quest℠ Card

  • bonus_miles_full
  • Earn 3x miles per dollar spent on United® purchases
  • Earn 2x miles per dollar spent on dining, select streaming services & all other travel
  • Up to a $100 credit to cover enrollment in Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS
  • Each year, receive a $125 credit on United® purchases
  • Two 5,000-mile anniversary award flight credits starting in your second year
  • First and second checked bags are free on United flights
  • Get priority boarding privileges on all United flights
  • 25% back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages, and Wi-Fi onboard United-operated flights
  • Earn up to 6,000 PQPs toward United Premier status by spending on your Quest Card
  • $250 Annual Fee

 

*united quest*
Learn more about the *united quest*

 

United Club℠ Infinite Card

  • bonus_miles_full
  • Earn 4x miles per dollar spent on United® purchases including tickets, Economy Plus, inflight food, beverages and Wi-Fi, and other United charges.
  • Earn 2x miles per dollar spent on all other travel
  • Earn 2x miles per dollar spent on dining
  • Complimentary United Club lounge membership
  • Up to a $100 credit to cover enrollment in Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS
  • First and second checked bags are free on United flights
  • Enjoy priority boarding privileges
  • 25% back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages, and Wi-Fi onboard United-operated flights
  • Starting in 2024, you'll be able to earn up to 10,000 PQPs toward United Premier Status by spending on your United Club Infinite Card (up from the previous cap of 8,000)
  • $525 Annual Fee

 

*united infinite*

 

Learn more about the *united club infinite*

 

United Gateway℠ Card

  • bonus_miles_full
  • Earn 2x miles per dollar spent on United® purchases
  • Earn 2x miles per dollar spent at gas stations
  • 25% back as a statement credit on United Inflight and Club premium drink purchases
  • No annual fee

 

*united gateway*

 

Learn more about the *united gateway*

 

New: Earn PQPs Faster with Credit Card Spend

Unlike Delta, United isn't drastically changing how travelers qualify for Premier status. In fact, they're making it a bit easier for travelers with one of these credit cards.

Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs) are the most critical building block of earning status with United … and with a threshold of 5,000 PQPs for even low-level Silver, you need a lot of them to earn status.

 

united status requirements

 

Spending money with United is the easiest way to rack them up, naturally. Spend $1 with United, you get 1 PQP.

But for years, United has made it possible to add to your stash of PQPs by spending on select United credit cards like the *united explorer*, *united quest*, or the top-tier *united club infinite*: Spend $12,000 on your card and you'll earn 500 PQPs. That system is changing.

Starting in 2024, you'll now earn 25 PQPs for every $500 you spend on select United co-branded cards. The no-annual-fee *united gateway* still will not earn PQPs from spending.

Under the old system, spending $12,000 on a top United card would net you 500 PQPs. With this change, you'd get 600 PQPs on that same spending.

It's a small improvement, but it could move the needle for travelers who are just a few hundred (or less) PQPs away from the next tier of Premier status. Plus, it's nice that you'll earn those PQP boosts by spending in significantly smaller spending increments.

United Club Infinite cardholders can also earn even more PQPs by spending on the card as the airline raises the cap from 8,000 to 10,000 PQPs per year.

Read next: Take That, Delta: United Status Requirements will Stay Flat Next Year

 

Another Benefit: Expanded United Award Availability

One of the best benefits of holding a United Airlines co-branded credit card is the increased access it provides to award seats on United Airlines flights.

This means that just for holding the card, you will see more saver-level award seats available when you search for ways to redeem your miles. Oftentimes, there is additional award availability during peak travel times and/or more popular routes. This ultimately means you have to use fewer miles when it comes time to use them.

Finally, United cardholders will get access to all Everyday awards. This means you can use your miles to book seats on any United Airlines flight, even if it’s the last seat on the plane. You may pay a small fortune in miles to do so, but that could come in handy.

Related reading: The 7 Best Deals We've Found for United MileagePlus Miles

 

Should You Apply?

It depends. There are plenty of considerations to keep in mind.

Like all Chase credit cards, the entire portfolio of United Airlines credit cards are subject to the Chase 5/24 rule. That means if you have been approved for five or more credit cards from any bank (not just Chase) in a 24-month period, you will automatically be declined for any of these cards regardless of your credit score or history with Chase bank.

That's the big reason we always suggest starting your travel rewards credit card journey with Chase credit cards. They are simply harder to get later on down the line. And that alone makes it important to consider these offers.

Assuming you already have a Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve and one of the Chase Freedom Cards, one of these United cards could make a ton of sense for filling a Chase 5/24 spot.

Chase does allow you to hold more than one of the United personal cards at the same time. But if you've earned a bonus on any of the United personal cards in the last 24 months, you won't be eligible. 

Read more: Master Guide to Credit Card Applications & All the Rules You Need to Know, Bank by Bank

 

Bottom Line

The entire suite of United airlines co-branded credit cards are offering bonuses of up to 80,000 MileagePlus miles, depending on which version of the card you choose.

 

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

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