The best United credit cards in August 2024
Published 10:10 PM EDT, Thu February 29, 2024
Whether you’re on a plane for work multiple times per week or you only take a trip or two each year, an airline credit card can easily save you hundreds of dollars. If you fly United Airlines, a United credit card can help you earn United MileagePlus miles and elevate your travel — from the booking process to the airport visit to the onboard experience.
However, the best United credit card for you may not be a United Airlines credit card at all. Credit cards that earn flexible points you can transfer to United are another option, though these don’t come with day-of-travel benefits such as a free first checked bag or priority boarding.
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Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
Credit Score ranges are based on FICO? credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.
Our team of experts evaluated each Chase United credit card as well as transferable-points cards from issuers that partner with United. We considered factors including rewards, travel benefits and select fees. Using a data-based approach, we selected the top six credit cards that scored highly based on our weightings. Read our full methodology below.
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United Quest? Card: Best United credit card
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United Club? Infinite Card: Best for United Club airport lounge access
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United? Explorer Card: Best for occasional United flyers
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United? Business Card: Best for small-business owners
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Chase Sapphire Preferred? Card: Best for flexibility
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Chase Sapphire Reserve?: Best for premium travel benefits
United Quest? Card
The CNN Underscored Money editorial team has developed a star rating so you can see the best card for specific categories. While we believe this card excels in this category, its overall star rating may differ.
United Club? Infinite Card
The CNN Underscored Money editorial team has developed a star rating so you can see the best card for specific categories. While we believe this card excels in this category, its overall star rating may differ.
United? Explorer Card
The CNN Underscored Money editorial team has developed a star rating so you can see the best card for specific categories. While we believe this card excels in this category, its overall star rating may differ.
United? Business Card
The CNN Underscored Money editorial team has developed a star rating so you can see the best card for specific categories. While we believe this card excels in this category, its overall star rating may differ.
Chase Sapphire Preferred? Card
The CNN Underscored Money editorial team has developed a star rating so you can see the best card for specific categories. While we believe this card excels in this category, its overall star rating may differ.
Chase Sapphire Reserve?
The CNN Underscored Money editorial team has developed a star rating so you can see the best card for specific categories. While we believe this card excels in this category, its overall star rating may differ.
Our picks at a glance
| ? | Annual fee | Welcome bonus | Best for | Notable benefit? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
United Quest? Card
| $250
| 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open
| United
| First and second checked bag free for you and one companion on the same eligible reservation
|
United Club? Infinite Card
| $525
| 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
| United Club airport lounge access
| United Club airport lounge membership with guest privileges
|
United? Explorer Card
| $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95
| 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open
| Occasional United flyers
| Two free United Club day passes each year
|
United? Business Card
| $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99
| 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open
| Small-business owners
| $100 United Airlines travel credit after seven qualifying United purchases each year with the card
|
Chase Sapphire Preferred? Card
| $95
| 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel?
| Flexibility
| Transfer points to United Airlines or 13 other travel programs
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Chase Sapphire Reserve?
| $550
| 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠
| Premium travel benefits
| Up to $300 in annual travel credits
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United credit cards overview
Chase issues six co-branded credit cards with United, each ideal for different types of travelers. These include a no-annual-fee card (perfect for those skeptical about award travel), a premium consumer card offering many hundreds of dollars in value each year and cards for small business owners.
Other good options for United Airlines flyers are non-United credit cards that earn points that transfer to United (such as the Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve and Bilt Mastercard?). These cards often have great travel insurance and other benefits that are helpful whether you fly United Airlines or not.
United credit card benefits
If you fly United Airlines regularly, opening a co-branded United credit card can make a lot of sense. The main draw of these cards is their United Airlines-specific perks. Benefits vary by card, but card holders can often:
- Save when flying United Airlines: Some credit cards offer reimbursement for some United purchases, mileage rebates, free checked bags and more when flying with United Airlines.
- Get increased award seat inventory: United Airlines credit card holders have access to more of the cheaper saver-level award seats than other customers (except those with elite status in United MileagePlus Premier).
- Earn bonus rewards for United Airlines spending: You’ll get a higher return for your spending when you use one of the best United Airlines credit cards to pay for your flight.
- Enjoy a more comfortable travel experience: You can receive complimentary lounge access, preferred boarding and even an application fee reimbursement for TSA PreCheck (which can help you speed through domestic security checkpoints).
How to choose the best United Airlines credit card for you
First, look at the current United credit card offers and check for large welcome bonuses. A big offer can kickstart your travel, but you’ll typically have to meet a minimum spending requirement to unlock it. Before you apply, make sure your regular spending is enough to meet the requirement. You should also evaluate the card’s bonus categories to see if they’re a good fit for your spending habits.
Diving deeper into each card’s benefits, consider how often you fly United and if the card’s perks will complement your travel style. Do you really need a credit card that helps you achieve elite status or offers United Club airport lounge access if you only take one trip per year?
Here are other things to think about before you apply.
Is United Airlines the best airline for your travel style?
United Airlines serves hundreds of domestic locations. No matter where you live, there’s likely a nearby airport to which United flies. You’ll likely benefit most from a United credit card if you live near a United hub (Denver, San Francisco, New York/Newark, Houston, Chicago, Los Angeles or Washington, DC). In those cities, the airline is more likely to offer itineraries that work for you.
If you’re opening a credit card to get United Club airport lounge access, be sure that the airports you frequent actually have a United Club. There are only 33 airports worldwide that offer them, although you’ll also get access to participating Star Alliance member airline lounges.
How much are United miles worth to you?
The value you’ll receive from United miles varies greatly depending on how you use them. You should generally expect to receive a value between 1 and 2 cents each. Travel website The Points Guy pegs United MileagePlus miles as worth 1.45 cents apiece.
As an example, you may receive a value of 1 cent per mile when flying economy between Austin and New York — a seat that routinely costs under $100. But you could get a value of over 3 cents per mile by booking a lie-flat business class seat to Europe (which costs many thousands of dollars).
Can you maximize the benefits of a co-branded United card?
Don’t apply for a credit card just because of the potential value it offers. Make sure its benefits align with your travel style — and that you’ll save more money than you’re spending on the card’s annual fee.
For example, if your family only flies United Airlines once or twice per year, it’s probably not worth opening the United Club Infinite, as you won’t make enough use of its complimentary United Club lounge access to justify the $525 annual fee.
However, your family could easily recoup the United? Explorer Card’s $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 in a single trip, as it offers the first checked bag free on United flights for the primary card holder and a companion on the same reservation. The first checked bag costs up to $40 each way, giving you a potential value of $160 on a single round trip.
Should you consider credit cards with transferable points?
Cards such as the Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve earn points that you can convert into United Airlines miles whenever you want — but they also give you the freedom to transfer to other airline and hotel loyalty programs.
In other words, you’re not pigeonholed into a single airline currency with these rewards. That can come in handy, especially when United doesn’t have any award availability for your desired date.
How to apply for United credit cards
Applying for a United credit card is similar to applying for any other credit card. You can apply online through Chase or United Airlines or in person at a Chase branch.
To fill out your United credit card application, you’ll need to enter details such as your street address, Social Security number and annual household income. You’ll also have the option to enter your United MileagePlus loyalty number (if you’ve got one).
If you’re applying for a small business card, you’ll need to include your business structure, business name, estimated monthly expenses, number of employees and other relevant information.
Credit score requirements for United credit cards
Travel rewards credit cards, including the family of United cards, often require at least a good credit score (defined by FICO as 670 or higher) to have a shot at approval. Your credit scores may also affect the interest rate you’re assigned. Typically, the worse your credit, the higher your interest rate.
Application restrictions for United credit cards
Chase has an application restriction colloquially referred to as the “5/24 rule.” In short, you’re not likely to be approved for Chase credit cards if you’ve opened five or more cards in the past 24 months — not including most business cards.
You should also be aware that you won’t be approved for a United credit card you already have — or if you’ve closed the card but received a welcome bonus from it within the past 24 months.
Methodology
Our money and data analytics teams evaluated 10 credit cards that earn United miles or points that transfer to United MileagePlus. To decide on the best United credit cards, we gave each a star rating out of five, based on the following factors and our editorial judgment:
Sign-up bonus value (25%)
Many travel rewards cards offer bonus points or miles after you spend a certain amount in the first months with the card. We determined how much those bonuses are worth using valuations from The Points Guy, and boosted cards that offer more value.
Rewards value (25%)
Not all credit card points and miles have the same value. We used spending data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and estimates of rewards values from The Points Guy to determine which cards dole out the best rewards value.
Travel benefits (20%)
Cards that offer day-of-travel benefits such as a free first checked bag, priority boarding, airport lounge access and in-flight discounts ranked highly in this category. We also considered other perks, including car rental insurance, trip delay insurance and lost luggage reimbursement.
Select fees (20%)
Cards that charge no or low annual fees or foreign transaction fees scored better in this category than cards with higher fees.
Other benefits, annual credits and bonuses (10%)
We also considered non-travel perks, such as cell phone protection, purchase protection, extended warranty and a 0% introductory annual percentage rate (APR) on purchases and balance transfers. Credit cards with credits or bonuses for spending in eligible categories also received a boost.
What didn’t make the cut
There are a handful of other relevant credit cards for United flyers. But this guide is about the best United credit cards — not all United credit cards. Below are the cards that didn’t make our picks:
- United Gateway? Card: This no-annual-fee credit card offers a 0% introductory APR on purchases for the first 12 months (then a 21.99% - 28.99% Variable) — but it doesn’t come with day-of-travel benefits (such as free checked bags and priority boarding) except for a 25% in-flight purchase discount. Its welcome bonus is also comparatively weak.
- Ink Business Preferred? Credit Card: Similar to the Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve, this card earns flexible Chase points that transfer to United. However, its travel protections aren’t as comprehensive as its siblings’.
- United Club? Business card * The information for the United Club? Business card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. : You’ll receive a comparable welcome bonus and benefits to the United Club Infinite with a lower annual fee — but being a business credit card, it’s much less accessible.
- Bilt Mastercard?: You can transfer the Bilt Rewards points you earn with this card to United Airlines (and other airline and hotel partners, including American Airlines and Hyatt) at a 1:1 ratio. However, it doesn’t offer a welcome bonus, and its target demographic (those who pay rent with a credit card) is more niche.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
It depends on your situation. You should have at least good credit before you apply for a United credit card. Also, if you’ve opened five or more credit cards from any issuer (excluding most small business credit cards) in the past 24 months, you likely won’t be approved for a United Airlines credit card.
There are two flexible points currencies that transfer to United at a 1:1 ratio: Chase Ultimate Rewards points and Bilt Rewards. You can also convert a variety of hotel and rental car points to United, though doing so is generally not the best way to maximize value.
The one exception is Marriott Bonvoy points, which are easy to earn and transfer at a 3:1 ratio. You’ll even get a 10,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott points you transfer to United. Unless you’re drowning in Marriott points, you’ll still usually get a better deal by using them for Marriott hotel stays — though it could be worth topping off your United account if you’ve got a specific valuable redemption in mind.
United miles don’t expire as long as your United Airlines loyalty account remains open. Even if you cancel your United credit card, your miles won’t disappear.
You can’t transfer points from other cards to United credit cards — but you can transfer them to your United Airlines loyalty account.
United Airlines credit cards don’t actually house points. When you earn miles with a United credit card, they automatically deposit into your United MileagePlus frequent flyer account each month.
Several United credit cards offer some form of airport lounge access. The United Club Infinite and the United Club Business Card provide complimentary United Club lounge membership. The United Explorer Card and United Business Card offer two United Club day passes each anniversary year.
All information about United Club? Business card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines, hotel chain, or other commercial entity and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of such entities.
This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended and should not be understood to constitute financial, investment, insurance or legal advice. All individuals are encouraged to seek advice from a qualified financial professional before making any financial, insurance or investment decisions.
Note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed or may no longer be available.
