United℠ Explorer Card
vs. United Quest℠ Card

The United Explorer Card and the United Quest Card are both excellent choices for frequent United flyers. However, the United Explorer Card is the better option for most travelers due to its lower annual fee and valuable perks like free checked bags and United Club passes.

Nevertheless, the United Quest Card offers higher rewards on United purchases and additional travel credits, making it worth considering for those who fly United frequently and can leverage the extra benefits. MoneyGeek's United card comparison breaks down the card details, rewards and perks to help you decide which is right for you.

The United Explorer Card is likely to be better for you if want a lower annual fee and more value perks, like two United Club one-time passes per year. This card is great for occasional United flyers who want benefits like free checked bags and priority boarding.

The United Quest Card is likely to be better for frequent United flyers who want to maximize their travel rewards and benefits. This card offers higher rewards rates on United purchases, travel, dining, and select streaming services. It also provides valuable perks like an annual $125 United purchase credit, free first and second checked bags, and up to 10,000 miles in award flight credits each year. However, the high annual fee may not be suitable for those who do not travel frequently or cannot fully utilize the card's benefits.

Point-by-point comparisons of APRs, fees, required credit, rewards, introductory offers and other features help you determine which card best meets your needs. For example, if you're looking for higher rewards on United purchases, the Quest Card offers three miles per $1, compared to the Explorer's two miles per $1.

The United Quest Card has better rewards value due to its higher earning rates on United purchases and additional categories like streaming services. Both cards use United MileagePlus miles, valued at approximately 1.4 cents.

However, the United Quest Card earns three miles per $1 spent on United purchases, compared to two miles per $1 with the United Explorer Card. Additionally, the Quest Card offers two miles per $1 on select streaming services, which the Explorer Card does not. Below is a table summarizing the bonus categories for each card.

Both the United Explorer and United Quest cards offer flexible redemption options. Cardholders can use miles for United airfare, hotel stays, car rentals, and more without worrying about expiration. However, redemption is limited to United and its partners, which may restrict flexibility for some users.

Overall, the United Quest Card offers more valuable benefits and perks — such as two free checked bags and a $125 annual United purchase credit — making it appealing to elite frequent travelers and strategic card users. On the other hand, the Explorer Card's two United Club passes and lower annual fee may attract budget-conscious travelers and status achievers.

Both cards share several standard perks, including:

• Free checked bags
• Priority boarding
• Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit
• 25% back on in-flight purchases
• Rental car collision damage waiver
• Travel insurance
• DoorDash membership

The key differences are the Explorer Card's two United Club passes and the Quest Card's $125 annual United purchase credit and up to 10,000 miles in award flight credits.

MoneyGeek's scoring process evaluates each card based on multiple use cases, ensuring the scores reflect the cards' strengths. In this comparison, the scores shown represent the best performance of each card in the 'Airline' category. Several factors determine this score:

• Expected value for travelers: Measures the monetary value of rewards and perks minus the annual fees for frequent travelers.
• Airline scope: Rates the number of destinations the airline flies to, which helps inform the breadth of travel options for the airline program.
• Introductory offer ROI value: Assesses the return on investment (ROI) from the card's sign-up bonus.
• Airline rewards rate for travelers: Evaluates the rewards earned on airline expenditures for frequent travelers.
• Issuer satisfaction: Based on customer satisfaction ratings from studies like J.D. Power.
• Foreign transaction fees: Rates the card's fees for international transactions.
• Recommended credit: Indicates the credit score range required for approval.

For more details on our scoring process, review our ranking methodology.