MORE LIKE THISTravel InsuranceCredit CardsTravel Rewards Credit CardsAirline Credit Cards
United Airlines offers four co-branded credit cards with annual fees that vary.
All four cards earn MileagePlus miles, which you can redeem toward free flights or seat upgrades on United. And the more you pay, the more you get in terms of perks.
The four cards include:
The United Gateway℠ Card: $0.
The United℠ Explorer Card: $0 intro for the first year, then $95 annual fee.
The United Quest℠ Card: $250 annual fee.
The United Club℠ Infinite Card: $525 annual fee.
🤓Nerdy Tip
NerdWallet values United miles at 1.2 cents each. This is a baseline value, drawn from real-world data on hundreds of economy routes, not a maximized value. In other words, you should aim for award redemptions that offer 1.2 cents or more in value from your United miles.
Top United credit card benefits
1. Solid ongoing rewards rates and welcome offers
Each United credit card gives you extra rewards on spending with the airline itself:
United Gateway℠ Card
NerdWallet Rating
3.3
Annual fee
$0
United Gateway℠ Card
Welcome bonus: Earn 30,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
2 miles per $1 spent on United Airlines purchases.
2 miles per $1 spent at gas stations.
2 miles per $1 spent on local transit and commuting.
1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases.
United℠ Explorer Card
NerdWallet Rating
5.0
Annual fee
$0 intro for the first year, then $95
United℠ Explorer Card
Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
2 miles per $1 spent on eligible United purchases.
2 miles per $1 spent at restaurants.
2 miles per $1 spent on hotel purchases directly from the hotel.
1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases.
United Quest℠ Card
NerdWallet Rating
4.6
Annual fee
$250
United Quest℠ Card
Welcome bonus: Earn 70,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
3miles per $1 spent onUnited purchases.
2 miles per $1 spent on all other travel, dining and select streaming services.
1 mileper $1 spenton all other purchases.
Anniversary rewards: On your first anniversary, get up to a $125 United purchase credit and 5,000 miles back in your MileagePlus® account after you take a United or United Express-operated flight booked with your miles (up to two times every anniversary year).
United Club℠ Infinite Card
NerdWallet Rating
4.5
Annual fee
$525
United Club℠ Infinite Card
Welcome bonus: Earn 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
4 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases.
2 miles per $1 spent on all other traveland dining.
1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases.
» MORE: NerdWallet's best airline credit cards
2. Convenient perks you can use at the airport
Baggage, boarding, lounge benefits and more
The United Gateway℠ Card does not offer free checked bags, early boarding or access to the airline's United Club airport lounges, but the cards with annual fees do.
United℠ Explorer Card
First checked bag free for the primary cardholder and a companion traveling on the same reservation.
Up to $100 in statement credit for a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee every four years when charged with the card.
Priority boarding.
Two free airport lounge passes each year. Day passes cost $59 apiece, so this benefit is worth $118 a year.
United Quest℠ Card
A $125 annual United travel purchase credit.
Two free checked bags apiece for the primary cardholder and a companion traveling on the same reservation.
Up to $100 in statement credit for a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee every four years when charged with the card.
Priority boarding.
United Club℠ Infinite Card
Two free checked bags apiece for the primary cardholder and a companion traveling on the same reservation.
Up to $100 in statement credit for a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee every four years when charged with the card.
Priority boarding.
Unlimited lounge access. A stand-alone lounge membership costs $650 a year.
10% United Economy Saver Award discount within the continental U.S. and Canada.
» SEE: Best credit cards for Star Alliance airlines
Read about the benefits of other popular credit cards
Benefits of the Alaska Airlines credit card
Benefits of the American Express Gold Card
Benefits of the American Express Green Card
Benefits of the American Express Platinum Card
Benefits of the Bank of America Travel Rewards card
Benefits of the Capital One Savor cards
Benefits of the Capital One Venture card
Benefits of the Capital One Quicksilver card
Benefits of the Capital One Platinum card
Benefits of the Chase Freedom Flex and Freedom Unlimited cards
Benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Benefits of the Chase Sapphire Reserve card
Benefits of the Citi Costco credit card
Benefits of the Citi Custom Cash Card
Benefits of Citi Double Cash Card
Benefits of Delta Air Lines credit cards
Benefits of the Discover it Cash Back and Balance Transfer cards
Benefits of Marriott Bonvoy credit cards
Benefits of Southwest Airlines credit cards
Benefits of United Airlines credit cards
Benefits of the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card
3. No foreign transaction fees
United's credit cards also come with an array of protections and benefits that can be handy when traveling.
United Airlines credit cards are a great travel companion abroad since they don't add a foreign exchange surcharge on your spending.
» MORE: Best no-foreign-transaction-fee credit cards
4. 25% back on United in-flight purchases
Get 25% back as a statement credit on food, beverages and Wi-Fi purchases made with a United Airlines credit card.
» Learn more: Is the United Quest℠ Card worth its annual fee?
5. Travel protections
Trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance. If your trip is canceled or cut short by covered situations like sickness or injury, you can get reimbursed.
Auto rental collision damage waiver. Decline the rental company's collision insurance and charge the entire rental cost to your United card and receive primary coverage for theft and collision damage for most cars in the U.S. and abroad. Coverage in the U.S. on the United Gateway℠ Card is secondary to your personal insurance.
6. No blackout dates
United cardholders don’t have to worry about blackout dates when using miles to book a flight. Miles can be applied to any United-operated flight for any travel date as long as there is availability. Award bookings may have limited availability based on capacity controls.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024, including those best for:
Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express
Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
