The Best Credit Cards for United Airlines Flyers of 2024 (2024)

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Personal Finance Credit Cards

Written by Jasmin Baron and Joseph Hostetler, CEPF; reviewed by Angela Fung

Updated

2024-02-13T01:27:24Z

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United flyers are spoiled for choice when it comes to airline credit cards. United's six co-branded Chase cards include perks like lounge access, free checked bags, and priority boarding, as well as earning bonus miles on everyday purchases.

Looking beyond just United-branded cards, the ability to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards® points to the United MileagePlus frequent flyer program means that cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card are also strong contenders thanks to great earning rates and travel protections.

Here are the best credit cards for United Airlines flyers to consider.

Best United Credit Cards

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best if you're not loyal to United
Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Best premium travel card if you're not loyal to United
United℠ Explorer Card: Best United credit card for non-elite flyers
United Quest℠ Card: Best for travelers who check bags
United℠ Business Card: Best United Airlines credit card for business travelers
United Club℠ Infinite Card: Best for United Club airport lounge access
United Gateway℠ Card: Best for budget travelers
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card: Best for road warriors
The Platinum Card® from American Express: Best for fancy flyers
Bilt Mastercard®: Best for renters

Compare the Best United Credit Cards

Best if you're not loyal to United

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Apply now

On Chase's website

Insider’s Rating

Insider's Ratings are decided by our editorial team. The rating system considers various factors and evaluates cards against others of the same type so you can pick a card that is a good fit for your goals.

4.4/5

Perks

Earn 5x points on all travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Earn 3x points on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out. Earn 3x points on select streaming services. Earn 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs). Earn 2x points on other travel. Earn 1x point per dollar on everything else.

Annual Fee

$95

Intro APR

N/A

Regular APR

21.49% - 28.49% Variable

Intro Offer

60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening

Earn 60,000 bonus points

Recommended Credit

Recommended credit score. Note that credit card lenders may use many different variations of credit score models when considering your application.

Good to Excellent

Pros

High intro bonus offer starts you off with lots of points
Strong travel coverage

Cons

Doesn't offer a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit

Insider’s Take

If you're new to travel rewards credit cards or just don't want to pay hundreds in annual fees, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a smart choice. It earns bonus points on a wide variety of travel and dining purchases and offers strong travel and purchase coverage, including primary car rental insurance.

Sapphire Preferred Card review External link Arrow An arrow icon, indicating this redirects the user."

Product Details

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
Enjoy beneﬁts such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, and $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, plus more.
Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
Member FDIC

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Best premium travel card if you're not loyal to United

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Apply now

On Chase's website

Insider’s Rating

4.4/5

Perks

Earn 5x points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1x point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

Annual Fee

$550

Intro APR

N/A

Regular APR

22.49% - 29.49% Variable

Intro Offer

60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening

Earn 60,000 bonus points

Recommended Credit

Recommended credit score. Note that credit card lenders may use many different variations of credit score models when considering your application.

Good to Excellent

Pros

Annual travel credit can effectively shave $300 off the annual fee if you use it
Strong travel insurance
Strong bonus rewards on travel and dining

Cons

Very high annual fee

Insider’s Take

If you're new to rewards credit cards you may want to start elsewhere, but if you know you want to earn Chase points and you spend a lot on travel and dining, the Sapphire Reserve is one of the most rewarding options.

Chase Sapphire Reserve review External link Arrow An arrow icon, indicating this redirects the user."

Product Details

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
$300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursem*nt for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel
1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority PassTM Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more
Member FDIC

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Best United credit card for non-elite flyers

United℠ Explorer Card

Apply now

On Chase's website

Insider’s Rating

4.15/5

Perks

Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on dining, hotel stays, and United® purchases and 1 mile per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.

Annual Fee

$0 intro for the first year, then $95

Intro APR

N/A

Regular APR

21.99% - 28.99% Variable

Intro Offer

60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open

Earn 60,000 bonus miles

Recommended Credit

Good to Excellent

Pros

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

Cons

Not the most rewarding card for most non-United travel purchases

Insider’s Take

The United Explorer card is the best all-around credit card for United flyers, offering a generous range of benefits for a modest annual fee. Cardholders receive a free checked bag, priority boarding, and inflight discounts on United flights, plus two one-time United Club airport lounge passes each year.

United Explorer Card review External link Arrow An arrow icon, indicating this redirects the user."

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

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Best for travelers who check bags

United Quest℠ Card

Apply now

On Chase's website

Insider’s Rating

4.25/5

Perks

Earn 3 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases. 2 miles per $1 spent on dining, select streaming services & all other travel. 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases

Annual Fee

$250

Intro APR

N/A

Regular APR

21.99% - 28.99% Variable

Intro Offer

70,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening

Earn 70,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points

Recommended Credit

Good to Excellent

Pros

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

Cons

High $250 annual fee
Card doesn’t offer United Club lounge access or passes

Best United Credit Card Reviews

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Although it's not a United co-branded card, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card presents a few compelling reasons for United flyers to carry it. It earns Ultimate Rewards points, which transfer instantly at a 1:1 ratio to United MileagePlus miles, so your purchase activity can easily earn you award travel on the airline.

These points also transfer to several other airlines including Southwest, Air Canada, British Airways, and JetBlue, so you'll gain flexibility by earning Ultimate Rewards points instead of just United miles.

The card earns 5 points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards and 2 points on all other travel purchases, including airline tickets. That means you can rack up extra points not just on United tickets and at hotels like with the United℠ Explorer Card, but on all airline purchases, as well as on things like train tickets, parking, rideshares, and more.

If you're a more frequent traveler, you could also consider the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. It's now harder to recommend this card to everyone since the annual fee increased to $550, but it still offers some great benefits, including 5x total points on air travel and 10x total points on hotels and car rentalspurchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards (after earning the $300 travel credit), 10x points on Lyft rides through March 2025, 3x points on other travel and dining, and up to $300 in statement credits for travel purchases each year.

It's offering a welcome bonus of 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

If you're unsure which option is best for you, read our comparison of the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve for a thorough breakdown.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Review

Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card Review

United℠ Explorer Card

If you fly United a few times a year but don't have elite status, the United℠ Explorer Card is probably your best all-around option, with an annual fee of $0 intro for the first year, then $95. It currently comes with a bonus of 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open.

That's because the card offers elite-style perks like a free checked bag for the cardholders and a companion on the same reservation (when you pay with the card), priority boarding, and a 25% discount on inflight food, beverage, and Wi-Fi purchases. Cardholders also receive two one-time United Club passes each year, which can help lighten day-of-travel stress on the occasional trip.

The card is a good earner in general, accruing 2x miles not just on United purchases, but also on dining and hotel stays. It earns 1 mile per dollar on everything else. When it comes time to put those miles to use, cardholders can also access expanded award ticket availability, which can save tens of thousands of miles on some trips.

United Explorer Card Review

United Quest℠ Card

The United Quest℠ Card offers a welcome bonus of 70,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

The United Quest℠ Card is the least expensive United co-branded card that offers a free first and second checked bag, making it ideal for those who check multiple bags. United charges $35 for a first checked bag and $45 for the second, so if you check bags frequently, these fees can put a big dent in your travel budget.

Although the card has a $250 annual fee, taking advantage of this benefit can more than offset the yearly cost. Cardholders receive the first and second checked bag free for themselves and one companion on the same reservation (though you need to use the card to pay for your ticket, or the taxes and fees on an award ticket). On a single round-trip itinerary, two people could save a total of $320 if they each check two bags.

Cardholders also receive priority boarding, up to $125 annually in statement credits toward United purchases, up to two 5,000-mile award flight credits per year after the first card anniversary, and valuable travel and purchase protections including primary car rental insurance.

United Quest Card Review

United℠ Business Card

If you already carry a United personal credit card or are simply looking for a small-business credit card for your work needs, the United℠ Business Card is a great choice for a number of reasons. It's currently offering 100,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open.

This card has an annual fee of $99. It also fields some interesting bonus earning opportunities, racking up 2 miles per dollar on United purchases as well as at restaurants, gas stations, local transit and commuting, and office supply stores.

Cardholders and a companion can check a bag for free when traveling on United, and receive priority boarding privileges. They also get two one-time United Club passes each year.

United Business Card Review

United Club℠ Infinite Card

The United Club℠ Infinite Card is currently offering a welcome bonus of 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

If you're a frequent United flyer and value access to United Club lounges, the United Club℠ Infinite Card is the best card for you. Its annual fee is $525, but that's still less than what most travelers would pay for a United Club membership each year. The other thing worth noting is that it is full club membership, not just access, so cardholders can bring in guests.

Cardholders and a companion on the same reservation can check up to two bags for free and enjoy Premier Access priority check-in, security screening, and boarding. The card earns 4 miles per dollar on United purchases, which is pretty stellar.

United Club Infinite Card Review

United Gateway℠ Card

If you prefer to avoid an annual fee, the United Gateway℠ Card could be the first option for you. It doesn't offer much in the way of extra perks, but it does earn 2x miles on United purchases, and on gas stations and local transit. And it's also offering a bonus of 30,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Though you won't get free checked bags or priority boarding, the card does offer 25% savings on inflight food, beverage, and Wi-Fi purchases. It also waives foreign transaction fees, and having this card gets you access to expanded award availability, just like other United cards with an annual fee.

United Gateway Credit Card Review

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve®, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card earns Ultimate Rewards points that you can transfer to United MileagePlus, among other airline and hotel programs.

Not only is it offering a welcome bonus of 100,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, but it also racks up a phenomenal 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 total spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping, internet, cable, phone services, and advertising on social media sites and search engines each account year (then 1x).

In short, if you're a small-business owner whose spending habits fit into these categories, you could make a killing on points and then transfer them to United for award travel.

Aside from that, you can also just redeem Ultimate Rewards points earned with this card directly for reservations made through the Chase travel portal at a rate of 1.25 cents apiece, which could make sense for some cheap airline tickets on United. The card also waives foreign transaction fees and comes with primary insurance on car rentals for business purposes.

Chase Ink Business Preferred Card Review

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Ostensibly, The Platinum Card® from American Express does not offer any direct benefits for United flyers. But if you look beyond its obvious perks, there are plenty of reasons to consider it.

Although Amex Membership Rewards points don't transfer to United MileagePlus, they do convert to miles with Air Canada Aeroplan, Avianca LifeMiles, and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, all of which you can redeem for award travel on United (and often at better rates than United MileagePlus itself offers).

The public welcome offer for this card is currently 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership.

The Amex Platinum Card accrues 5 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), which makes it the top earner in this category. It also includes up to $200 per year in statement credits toward airline incidentals** like checked bags, seat assignments, and club lounge passes, so for occasional United flyers without elite status, this is a big benefit.

Although it won't get you into United Clubs, it does grant access to Priority Pass lounges around the world** as well as Amex's own Centurion Lounges, so you can usually find a quiet place to work or relax before flights no matter where you travel. Those are just a few of the card's benefits, but there are plenty more to take advantage of.

American Express Platinum Card Review

Bilt Mastercard®

Bilt Rewards is a unique program that gives you the ability to pay rent with a credit card without exorbitant service charges. To boot, you'll earn points which can be converted into hotel points and airline miles — including United Airlines.

The $0 annual fee Bilt Mastercard® earns these rewards for non-rent expenses, as well:

3 points per dollar on dining (including food delivery services like Uber Eats and GrubHub)
2 points per dollar on travel booked directly with airlines, hotels, car rentals, or cruise lines
1 point per dollar on rent payments (with no fees) on up to $100,000 in rent payments every year
1 point per dollar on all other purchases

As you can see, these bonus categories are exceptionally useful. Bilt also has a monthly promotion called "Rent Day." On the first day of each month, you'll earn double points on non-rent expenses (capped at 10,000 points each Rent Day).

Bilt Mastercard Card Review

United Credit Card Frequently Asked Questions

What credit score do you need for a United Airlines credit card?

Most United credit cards require at least a good credit score to be approved, which means a FICO score of at least 670. Some cards, like the premium United Club℠ Infinite Card, are more likely to approve you with an excellent credit score— that is, anything above an 800FICO score.

Is a United credit card worth it?

United credit cards are worth it if you fly with the airline or are focused on earning United miles. The right card for you depends on how often you fly United and whether or not you value benefits like airport lounge access and free checked bags.

United miles are useful even if you don't fly United often. You can redeem them for flights on United and Star Alliance carriers including Air Canada, Lufthansa, and Singapore Airlines, or non-alliance partners like Aer Lingus and Hawaiian Airlines.

Who is eligible for United credit cards?

You are eligible for United credit cards if you fall under the Chase 5/24 rule, which means you've opened less than five cards in the past 24 months (from any bank, excluding some small business credit cards). You also won't qualify for a specific United card if you already have that exact card or have received its welcome bonus offer in the past 24 months. That said, each of the United cards is considered a different product, so you can have more than one United card — for example, the United℠ Business Card and the United Quest℠ Card.

Do United miles expire?

United Airlines miles do not expire, so you can earn miles now and use them whenever you want in the future.

Do United credit cards pay for Global Entry?

Some United Airlines credit cards pay for Global Entry. Namely, the United℠ Explorer Card, United Quest℠ Card, and United Club℠ Infinite Card offer a statement credit for the Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee every four years. The business versions of the cards and the no-annual-fee United Gateway℠ Card do not.

What credit card points transfer to United Airlines?

You can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points at a 1:1 ratio to United — plus 13 other airline and hotel partners — as long as you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. United is also a Bilt Rewards 1:1 transfer partner. You can earn Bilt points from the Bilt Mastercard®.

Why You Should Trust Us: How We Chose the Best United Credit Cards

When considering the best United Airlines credit cards, we examined cards beyond those simply with the United Airlines name on the front. Some of the credit cards that best benefit United Airlines flyers aren't United cobranded cards.

In this post, we've included credit cards that confer valuable United-specific benefits, can rack up United miles quickly, and provide strong travel insurance to protect you against things like extended flight delays and missing luggage.

We've weighed these benefits against each card's annual fee and listed those with the biggest upside. Our numerical score for this card reflects the categories we evaluate in our credit card-rating methodology.

Jasmin Baron

Editor

Jasmin Baron was an editor at Insider, responsible for credit card coverage on Personal Finance Insider. Before joining the Insider team, she was a senior editor at The Points Guy and Million Mile Secrets, covering credit cards, points and miles, and loyalty programs. Her expertise in maximizing travel rewards grew from over two decades of experience in the aviation industry, including 18 years working as a pilot and flight instructor in her native Canada. Learn more about how Personal Finance Insider chooses, rates, and covers financial products and services »