Best Airline Credit Cards for United Flyers in 2024
The best credit cards for United flyers come with sizable spend-based welcome bonuses. Added perks and benefits depend on the annual fee you’re prepared to pay.
Updated: October 30, 2024
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All credit cards for United flyers come from Chase. Depending on the card you get, you might earn a significant number of bonus miles by meeting specific spending criteria as a new cardholder. Using these cards outside of the U.S. is perfect because they come with no foreign transaction fees.
The airline and airport benefits you stand to enjoy are not the same across all cards. For instance, while the top United credit cards let you check one or two bags for free, the no-annual-fee United Gateway Credit Card does not offer this benefit.
Other factors that need your attention when selecting a suitable United credit card include miles per dollar rates across different bonus categories, annual fees and APRs.
MoneyGeek experts make it a point to go through our extensive database each month and select all new and existing credit cards for United Flyers. They then select the best of the lot by running an in-depth comparison on aspects such as miles per dollar rates, welcome offers, annual fees, APRs and airline/airport benefits.
If you think you might benefit by looking at what other popular travel credit cards have to offer, consider checking out our selection of the top credit cards for travelers.
This article is part of our larger series on
Best Airline Credit Cards
MoneyGeek's Take: Top 3 Credit Cards for United Flyers
Quick Summary
- United Explorer Card: A good miles-earning rewards credit card with some perks and no foreign transaction fees.
- United Club℠ Infinite Card: An excellent card for earning United’s MileagePlus miles.
- United Quest℠ Card: A good choice for United Airlines flyers looking to earn more miles and enjoy some travel perks.
The number of miles you earn varies based on the card you get and category-based spending. Bonus miles for new cardmembers also differ from one card to the next. We have selected the best credit cards for United flyers after considering these factors as well as others such as APRs, annual fees, airport/airline benefits and added perks. You can view more options further down the page.
- United℠ Explorer Card
A good miles-earning rewards credit card with some perks and no foreign transaction fees
- 1–2 Miles per $1*Rewards Rate
- 21.99–28.99% variableAPR
- $0 intro fee for the first year, then $95Annual Fee
- Good–ExcellentRecommended Credit
For most United flyers (and that’s someone who flies United but not enough to qualify for elite status), the United Explorer Card is the card to get for maximizing travel rewards. It comes with an annual fee after the first year, but its benefits — free checked bags, lounge passes and more — easily make up for the cost.
Pros
- Generous sign-up bonus
- Bonus miles on travel
- United Club passes
- Free checked bag
- Priority boarding
Cons
- Annual fee
- Limited transfer partners for rewards
Introductory Offers
- Earn 50,000 United MileagePlus Miles after spending $3,000 in the first three months.
- $0 annual fee for the first year, then $95.
Rewards
- Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on dining, hotel stays, and United purchases.
Perks & Benefits
- Receive up to $100 credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS fees.
- Get 25% back as a statement credit on in-flight purchases of food, beverages, and Wi-Fi on United-operated flights.
- Enjoy a free first checked bag, saving up to $160 per roundtrip.
- Benefit from priority boarding privileges.
- Access the United Club with two one-time passes each year on your anniversary.
- United Club℠ Infinite Card
An excellent card for earning United’s MileagePlus miles
- 1–4 Miles per $1*Rewards Rate
- 21.99% - 28.99% VariableAPR
- $525Annual Fee
- ExcellentRecommended Credit
The United Club℠ Infinite Card is good for frequent United flyers who often earn Premier status and are looking for premium travel perks. It offers United Club membership, 4X miles on United purchases and a big sign-up bonus. However, it also comes with a steep annual fee of $525.
Pros
- Unlimited lounge access
- High rewards rate
- Big sign-up bonus
- Premium travel perks
Cons
- Annual fee
- Limited transfer partners
Introductory Offers
- Earn 80,000 United MileagePlus Miles after spending $5,000 in the first three months.
Rewards
- Earn 4 miles per dollar on United purchases.
- Earn 2 miles per dollar on other travel and dining.
- Earn 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.
Perks & Benefits
- Enjoy free first and second checked bags, saving up to $360 per roundtrip.
- Access Premier Access travel services.
- Get a 10% discount on United Economy Saver Awards within the continental U.S. and Canada.
- Earn up to 10,000 Premier qualifying points annually, with 25 PQP for every $500 spent.
- United Quest℠ Card
A good choice for United Airlines flyers looking to earn more miles and enjoy some travel perks
- 1–3 Miles per $1Rewards Rate
- 21.99–28.99% variableAPR
- $250Annual Fee
- Good–ExcellentRecommended Credit
If you often fly United for either work or leisure, the United Quest℠ Card lets you earn more miles and better perks. It offers high rewards on United purchases, travel and dining, along with a substantial sign-up bonus and valuable travel benefits. While it has a $250 annual fee, the $125 yearly United credit helps cut that cost in half.
Pros
- High rewards on United, travel and dining
- Big sign-up bonus
- Free checked bags
- Annual travel credit
- Access to United’s elite program
Cons
- High annual fee
- Limited rewards redemption
- No lounge access
Introductory Offers
- Earn 60,000 bonus United MileagePlus Miles and 500 Premier Qualifying Points after spending $4,000 in the first three months.
Rewards
- Earn 3 miles per dollar on United purchases.
- Earn 2 miles per dollar on other travel, dining, and select streaming services.
- Earn 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.
Perks & Benefits
- Enjoy free first and second-checked bags, saving up to $360 per roundtrip.
- Priority boarding on United flights.
- Receive up to $125 United purchase credit annually.
- Get up to 10,000 miles in award flight credits each year.
- Earn up to 6,000 Premier Qualifying Points per calendar year.
Summary of the Best Airline Cards for United Flyers
Check this United credit card comparison table to look at how all the top cards from this category fare against each other across parameters such as who these cards are best suited for, reward rates, annual fee and the credit needed to apply.
- Credit CardBest ForAvg. Reward RateAnnual FeeCredit Needed
- United℠ Explorer CardA good miles-earning rewards credit card with some perks and no foreign transaction fees1–2 Miles per $1*$0 intro fee for the first year, then $95
- United Club℠ Infinite CardAn excellent card for earning United’s MileagePlus miles1–4 Miles per $1*$525
- United Quest℠ CardA good choice for United Airlines flyers looking to earn more miles and enjoy some travel perks1–3 Miles per $1$250
- United℠ Business CardSolid travel card for United fans1–2 Miles per $1*$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99.
- United Gateway℠ CardA great no-annual-fee rewards card for people who fly with United1 Mile per $1$0
In addition to United co-branded cards, credit cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, can transfer to United on a 1:1 basis with no fees. This is an additional way to earn extra United miles, while also receiving other perks that United cards do not offer. -- Lee Huffman, credit card expert at BaldThoughts.com.
How to Compare Airline Credit Cards & Intro Offers
The best credit cards for United flyers come with various card-specific features and benefits. As a result, selecting one that works well for you requires paying attention to different aspects.
Welcome offer
The top United credit cards give new cardholders the opportunity to earn bonus miles by meeting some spending-based requirements. For example, while one card might offer 20,000 bonus miles if you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months, another may let you earn 80,000 bonus miles if you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months.
Miles per dollar
United credit cards come with bonus categories, although the miles you stand to earn depend on the card you get. For instance, while the United Explorer Card offers up to 2 miles per dollar on category-based spending, the United Club Infinite Card offers up to 4 miles per dollar on its bonus categories.
Annual fees
The annual fee you pay has a direct bearing on the features and benefits on offer. On the lower end of the spectrum is the no-annual-fee United Gateway Card Credit Card. The United Club Infinite Card, on the other hand, charges an annual fee of $525. While its annual fee is higher, the additional benefits of the United Club Infinite Card make it worthwhile for some United flyers.
APRs
You’ll want to take note of the annual percentage rate (APR) you’ll need to pay if you plan to maintain revolving balances in your account from one month to the next. If this is the case, you might benefit by looking at what low APR cards have to offer.
Foreign transaction fees
None of the existing credit cards for United flyers charge foreign transaction fees, making them ideal for use outside of the U.S. However, this cannot be said of new cards that might enter this segment.
Airline/airport benefits
Airport- and airline-specific benefits vary from one United card to the next — and this is where the annual fee comes into play. For example, the Chase United Quest℠ Card with a $250 annual fee offers up to 3 miles per dollar on bonus categories. The United Club Infinite Card, on the other hand, lets you earn up to 4 miles per dollar on bonus categories. While both these cards let you check two bags for free, it changes to one bag with the United Explorer Card. Some of the other benefits you may look forward to include statement credits, anniversary award flight credits and priority boarding.
Other perks
Other card-specific perks might come in the form of cash back on in-flight purchases, purchase protection, extended warranty and different levels of travel insurance coverage. The United℠ Business Card lets you get employee cards at no extra cost.
Further Reading
About Doug Milnes, CFA
Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.
Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.
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