United Airlines’ flagship credit card is called the United MileagePlus® Explorer Card, which is one of the best airline credit cards available on the market. This official United Card, issued by JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM), comes with many mileage perks; it lets you earn miles when you fly on both United and Continental, and also gives you miles in return for your everyday spending.
Listed below are the main pros and cons of the United MileagePlus® Explorer Card, one of the best credit cards which has a bonus miles promotion for new credit card members.
Things We Like About This Card
No annual fee for the first year. The annual fee is waived for the first year, thus giving you a savings of $95!
Earn up to 40,000 bonus miles. You get 25,000 bonus miles simply by using your card the first time. These 25,000 miles can be redeemed for a round-trip Saver Award air ticket to anywhere within the U.S. (excludes Alaska and Hawaii) and Canada!
Earn 5,000 bonus miles if you add another cardholder to your account. Note that this has to be done within the first 2 months of having the card.
Earn 10,000 bonus miles every year when you spend at least $25,000 on the card for the card.
Earn 2 miles for every $1 spent on United and Continental air tickets. Tickets must be bought directly from the airlines or through their website.
Earn 1 mile for every eligible $1 spent on purchases. So whether you spend on clothing, food or movie tickets, you will be rewarded 1 mile for every $1 you spend on your card. Do note that you do not earn miles on balance transfers, cash advances, checks, or any other fees of any kind except for direct purchases.
Redeem your miles through the Mileage Plus Program for award air tickets and upgrades on United or partner flights, hotel stays, car rentals, merchandise ranging from electronics, jewelry to home and sports products, magazine subscriptions, restaurant dining vouchers and many more!
Priority boarding. You will get priority when boarding, so there’s no need to stand in line with the majority of passengers.
First checked bag is free for cardholder and another companion on the same reservation. This is a great benefit as it saves you $50 per round trip per person checking one standard bag.
Two free passes to the United Club VIP lounge every year at any location. With free Wifi, complimentary snacks and beverages, this gives you the chance to relax in style before you board your flight.
No limit on the amount of miles you can earn. This allows you to earn miles for every dollar you spend without there being a limit on what you can earn through your spending. The more you spend on your card, the more miles you earn.
Low ongoing APR for purchases and balance transfers. Your regular variable APR for purchases and balance transfers will be 14.24%, which is lower than the APR on most cards these days.
Get many travel and entertainment perks that are exclusive to Visa (NYSE:V) Signature cardholders if you qualify for a Visa Signature card. If not, you will automatically be considered for a Visa Platinum card. Some notable travel benefits of being a Visa Signature cardholder include:
Travel Accident Insurance. If you pay for your travel tickets with your Visa Signature card, you receive a minimum of $250,000 in coverage for yourself and your family members.
Lost Luggage Reimbursement. If you pay for your travel tickets with your Visa Signature card, you will be reimbursed for your lost luggage while traveling.
Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver. When you pay for your car rental with your Visa Signature card, you will be automatically covered for any damage caused by collision or theft of your eligible car rental.
Roadside Dispatch. Get discounted 24/7 roadside assistance like tolling, fuel delivery, etc. when you call 1-800-VISA-TOW.
Travel and Emergency Assistance Service. This free 24/7 emergency service is available anywhere in the world whenever you need assistance or referral in times of emergencies.
Our Least Favorite Things About This Card
$95 annual fee which you have to pay after the first year.
No introductory offer on balance transfers or purchases. The APR on balance transfers and purchases is variable at 14.24%. To avoid paying any interest on your purchases, make sure to pay in full by the due date every month.
If you like to fly on United or Continental, and are looking for a way to save on your travel spending, then you should consider getting the United MileagePlus® Explorer Card which lets you earn 2 miles for every $1 you spend on United or Continental air tickets, and 1 mile for every $1 you spend on purchases. A great bonus for new card members is that you get a free round-trip air ticket within the U.S. and Canada after using your card for the first time! If you add an authorized user and spend at least $25,000 a year on your card, you’ll rack up a total of 40,000 bonus miles for the year!
The annual fee of $95 is waived for the first year, so you’ll get all the benefits of this card for free for the first year. If you qualify for a Visa Signature card, you’ll get to enjoy many additional travel and entertainment privileges.
The United MileagePlus® Explorer Card is a great choice of card for those who fly often on United or Continental and want to earn frequent flyer miles on everyday purchases.
Alternatively, if you prefer a no-fee travel rewards credit card that is non-airline specific, check out the Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card (read our Chase Sapphire Preferred review) which comes with 50,000 bonus points as a signing bonus for new credit card members.
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