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- United’s raising welcome offer rewards by 10,000 MileagePlus miles apiece on four popular credit cards.
- The high-end United Club offers lounge access and 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
- The no-annual-fee Gateway has 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months, followed by 21.99% – 28.99% Variable.
If you’ve been thinking about getting a United credit card, now is the time to do it. United just boosted introductory offers on four popular credit cards, increasing each sign-up bonus by 10,000 additional United MileagePlus miles from its current rate.
Here’s what you can now earn on the following personal credit cards after approval and completing qualifying activities:
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United Club℠ Infinite Card: 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
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United Quest℠ Card: 70,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
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United℠ Explorer Card: 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open
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United Gateway℠ Card: 30,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
United Club℠ Infinite Card
Regular APR
21.99% – 28.99% Variable
Recommended Credit
Excellent
- Great intro bonus offer
- If you want United Club membership, this card gets you it for less than buying it outright
- Get two free checked bags on United
- Earns 4x miles on United® purchases
- Steep annual fee, especially for an airline credit card
- The non-United bonus categories (travel and dining) only earn 2x miles
Product Details
- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after qualifying purchases
- Earn 4 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases
- Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on all other travel and dining
- Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Free first and second checked bags – a savings of up to $320 per roundtrip (terms apply) – and Premier Access® travel services
- 10% United Economy Saver Award discount within the continental U.S. and Canada
- Earn up to 8,000 Premier qualifying points (500 PQP for every $12K you spend on purchases)
- Member FDIC
United Quest℠ Card
Regular APR
21.99% – 28.99% Variable
Earn 70,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points
Recommended Credit
Good to Excellent
- Substantial intro bonus offer
- A free first and second checked bag can save you and a companion up to $320 round-trip
- Up to $125 in annual credits toward United® purchases can offset half the annual fee
- 5,000-mile award flight credit can help you stretch your United miles
- High $250 annual fee
- Card doesn’t offer United Club lounge access or passes
Product Details
- Earn 70,000 bonus miles and 500 PQP after qualifying purchases
- Earn 3 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases
- Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on all other travel, dining and select streaming services
- Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Free first and second checked bags – a savings of up to $320 per roundtrip (terms apply) – and priority boarding
- Up to a $125 United® purchase credit and up to 10,000 miles in award flight credits each year – terms apply
- Earn up to 6,000 Premier qualifying points (500 PQP for every $12K you spend on purchases)
- Member FDIC
United℠ Explorer Card
Annual Fee
$0 intro for the first year, then $95
Regular APR
21.99% – 28.99% Variable
Recommended Credit
Good to Excellent
- Annual fee is waived the first year
- Earns bonus miles on several purchase categories, including dining
- Includes an application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
- Gets you a free checked bag on United when you pay with the card
- Not the most rewarding card for most non-United travel purchases
Product Details
- Earn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95.
- Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on dining, hotel stays, and United® purchases
- Up to $100 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS fee credit
- 25% back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights and on Club premium drinks when you pay with your Explorer Card
- Free first checked bag – a savings of up to $140 per roundtrip. Terms Apply.
- Enjoy priority boarding privileges and visit the United Club℠ with 2 one-time passes each year
- Member FDIC
United Gateway℠ Card
Intro APR
0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months
Regular APR
21.99% – 28.99% Variable
Recommended Credit
Good to Excellent
- No annual fee
- Good bonus categories (including gas stations and local transit/commuting)
- Access to expanded United award availability
- Other United credit cards have much higher welcome bonuses
- No free checked bag benefit like other United cards
- Few United perks other than 25% back on inflight purchases
Product Details
- Earn 30,000 bonus miles
- No annual fee
- Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases, at gas stations and on local transit and commuting
- Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases
- Earn 2 miles per $1 spent at gas stations, on local transit and commuting
- Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
- 25% back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights and on Club premium drinks when you pay with your Gateway Card
- Member FDIC
Here’s a quick overview of each card and its benefits, as well as the value of the increased sign-up bonus.
Choosing between the Club, Quest, Explorer and Gateway cards
United currently offers four credit cards for personal use, each with a specific benefit. Here’s a quick comparison table for easy reference:
What is the cash value of each bonus?
The value of United MileagePlus miles is 1.3 cents apiece on average, according to Insider calculations, with poorer redemptions averaging closer to 1.1 cents per mile and strong redemptions up to 1.6 cents per mile. This means that the current sign-up bonuses could get you anywhere from $390 to $1,170, depending on the sign-up bonus earned and the rate at which you redeem your miles.
Beyond the monetary value of each card, don’t forget to factor in the “soft” perks of each card. The United Club card offers strong benefits for frequent Star Alliance travelers, with worldwide access to the airline’s network of airport lounges, as well as expedited airport security benefits and free checked bags.
Meanwhile, the United Gateway doesn’t offer much by way of elevated spend categories or travel perks, but comes with a long intro APR period that could help you out of a financial pinch. The Quest card comes with a higher annual fee, but includes a $125 annual travel credit, plus free checked bags and flight credits that can easily offset the cost for the right traveler.
Finally, the tried-and-true United Explorer comes with two Club passes per year, one free checked bag per flight, and a few other lesser benefits to go with its modest $0 intro for the first year, then $95 annual fee.
