United Explorer credit card review

Our quick take: The United? Explorer Card lets you save money on checked bags and earn United miles on all of your purchases. Like many Chase credit cards, it also includes various travel and purchase protections.

Pros:

• Free checked bag for the cardholder and a companion on traveling the same United itinerary
• Group 2 priority boarding on United flights
• Two one-time United Club passes per year
• 25% rebate on United in-flight purchases
• Access to additional United award space when redeeming miles
• United elites traveling on an award ticket are eligible for complimentary upgrades when the card is linked to their MileagePlus account
• Access to Chase’s Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection booking portal
• TSA PreCheck?, Global Entry or NEXUS application fee reimbursement every 4 years. One year of complimentary DoorDash DashPass (must activate by 12/31/2024)
• Annual fee waived the first year
• Strong travel and purchase protections

Cons:

• Earns 2 miles per dollar on United purchases, hotels booked directly and on dining. United miles aren’t as valuable as many other travel rewards points
• Limited benefits for United flyers with elite status
• United Club passes may be rejected when the lounge is busy
• $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 annual fee

Current welcome bonus: Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

Best for: United flyers who check a bag when they fly and do not have elite status.

We receive compensation from our partners for Featured Offer placements, which impacts how and where their offer is displayed.

Featured Offer

Chase Sapphire Preferred? Card

Welcome Bonus

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s over $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel?.

60,000 bonus points

Regular APR

21.49% – 28.49% Variable

Annual Fee

$95

Credit Score

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.

Excellent, Good

Apply Now

On Chase Bank USA, NA's Secure Website

Introducing the United Explorer card

The United? Explorer Card is one of four United credit cards in the US Its $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 annual fee (waived the first year) includes a host of benefits that can make flying United cheaper. The card also earns United MileagePlus miles on all purchases — here’s how many points you can earn:

• 2 miles per dollar: United purchases
• 2 miles per dollar: Hotel stays booked directly with the hotel
• 2 miles per dollar: Dining, including eligible delivery services
• 1 mile per dollar: All other purchases

On the benefits side, card holders will enjoy one free checked bag for themselves and one for a companion on the same itinerary. Additionally, card holders and their companions enjoy Group 2 boarding on United flights, which allows for more time to find overhead luggage space on crowded flights.

The United? Explorer Card also gives you 25% back as a statement credit when you purchase food, beverages or Wi-Fi onboard United flights. This is a nice discount if you purchase Wi-Fi on international flights, which can often be $15 or more.

Further, the card includes two United Club airport lounge passes per year. These provide one-time access to any United Club (but not Polaris lounge) in the system. These passes can come in handy during long layovers and delays. However, note that United Clubs sometimes restrict access to one-time pass holders when the lounge is busy. One-time United Club passes usually cost $50 apiece.

In addition to earning redeemable miles, the United? Explorer Card earns Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) toward United elite status too. It earns 500 PQP for every $12,000 spent on the card per calendar year, up to 1,000 PQP per year. Although, starting in 2024, United is making it even easier to earn PQPs with credit card spend, where you’ll earn 25 PQPs for every $500 spent on the card. This won’t earn United elite status outright but can be helpful for closing the gap to qualification if you’re short of your desired status tier.

Speaking of elite status, United elites with a United credit card — including the United? Explorer Card — are eligible for complimentary space-available upgrades on award tickets. Make sure your MileagePlus number is linked to your United? Explorer Card to qualify. Also, note that travelers must have both the card and United elite status to be added to the upgrade list.

Also note that the United? Explorer Card gives card holders access to more United award flights. This can make redeeming United miles easier and cheaper, as card holders may see lower award prices when compared to United members without elite status or credit card.

Finally, the card includes a $100 statement credit toward TSA PreCheck?, Global Entry or NEXUS application fees every four years.

Advantages of the United Explorer card

The biggest advantage of the United? Explorer Card is free checked bags and priority boarding. Since checked bags on United cost up to $35 per person per flight, this could be $140 in savings on every round-trip United itinerary if you and a companion both take a checked bag.

But remember, to be eligible for free checked bags, the primary cardholder must book tickets directly with United, pay for tickets with their United? Explorer Card and link their MileagePlus frequent flyer number to the reservation. A companion wishing to check a bag must be booked on the same reservation as the primary cardholder. This companion will also be eligible for Group 2 boarding.

The card also includes a variety of travel and purchase protections, which can be advantageous when things go wrong on the road.

On the travel side, the card includes a rental car collision damage waiver, trip delay reimbursement, baggage delay insurance and loss reimbursement and trip cancellation and interruption insurance. Trip delay coverage is the real star here, as you’ll be reimbursed for up to $500 in expenses (like meals and lodging) if your travel is delayed 12+ hours and requires and overnight stay. Note that you must pay for your travel with the Explorer card to be eligible.

Meanwhile, you’re also eligible for purchase protection and extended warranty on products purchased with the United? Explorer Card. Purchase protection covers new purchases against loss, damage and theft for 120 days, with up to $10,000 per claim in coverage, up to $50,000 per year. Extended warranty protection extends the manufacturer’s warranty by an additional year on warranties of three years or less.

When it comes to earning miles, the card’s welcome bonus of 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open is a solid offer.

One other big advantage is the expanded award space offered by the United? Explorer Card. It’s not uncommon to see 5,000+ mile discounts on award tickets if you have this card, and it can add up across multiple redemptions. Those earning lots of United miles may find the card worthwhile for this benefit alone.

Disadvantages of the United Explorer card

The main downside to using the United? Explorer Card is its earning rates on purchases. Earning just 2 miles per dollar on United flights, hotels booked directly and dining is lackluster and more restrictive than other cards with a similar annual fee. It’s also worth noting that travel website The Points Guy values United miles at 1.45 cents apiece, bringing your total return on these purchases to 2.9%. All other purchases earn 1 mile per dollar for a 1.45% return.

This card also provides limited value to United frequent flyers with elite status. These members already get free checked bags, priority boarding and access to extra award flights. Likewise, being able to earn only 1,000 PQP per calendar year is limiting for high spenders who want to earn United status.

Other cards similar to the United Explorer card

If you’re looking to earn United miles and are OK with skipping United-specific perks like checked bags, you might consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred? Card instead. This card earns Chase Travel? points which transfer 1-to-1 to 14 different transfer partners, including United. This means the points are more flexible than earning United points outright.

Additionally, it has a more advantageous earning structure. The card earns 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Travel?, 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2 points per dollar on all other travel purchases and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases

Of course, you’re giving up all of the United-specific perks, but you’re gaining a ton of flexibility in how you redeem your points. Likewise, you will earn more rewards on dining and earn bonus points on all travel purchases regardless of what and how you book. This includes flights booked through online travel agencies like Expedia, taxi or Uber rides and even public transit fare.

As discussed, United has a handful of other credit cards on its roster too. The United Quest? Card or the United Club? Infinite Card cards offer more United perks but have higher annual fees. Frequent United flyers may find the extra perks worth paying for, especially if they’re going for elite status.

For example, the United Quest? Card has a $250 annual fee but earns 3 points per dollar on United purchases, up to $125 per year in statement credits toward United purchases per year, offers two 5,000-mile rebates each account anniversary and includes two checked bags per flight. Plus, it earns up to 6,000 PQP per year toward elite status.

Should you get the United Explorer card?

The United? Explorer Card can be a good choice for someone who travels with United frequently and checks bags, but doesn’t have elite status with the airline. The card will let you and a companion check a bag for free, which can save you $35 on each one-way United flight you book. If you’d spend more than $95 per year on checked bags with United, the card’s annual fee will pay for itself.

However, the United? Explorer Card is not great for those looking to earn travel rewards on their everyday spending. You’re restricted to redeeming miles with United with this card and the card’s bonus earning categories are very limited. Those looking to travel on points may be better suited with a card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred? Card that has broader bonus categories and flexible points that can be transferred to multiple airline and hotel loyalty programs.