Which United Airlines Credit Card Is Best?

In 2023, United Airlines flew 165 million passengers. If every one of these passengers was equipped with a co-branded United credit card, a significant number of miles would’ve been earned.

If you fly frequently with United, you should definitely consider the value of a co-branded Chase United credit card.

Let’s look at which United credit card is best suited to your travel habits and goals, as well as how they stack up against general travel rewards credit cards.

Best United Credit Cards 2024

Here’s an overview of the best United credit cards of 2024, including their annual fees and what they have to offer.

Let’s dive into the details of each of these cards.

United Gateway℠ Card

If you don’t want to pay an annual fee but still want to benefit from United perks, the United GatewaySM Card will suit your needs.

You’ll earn 2X miles on purchases with United, as well as on gas stations, local transit and commuting purchases. This enables you to earn miles on everyday spending as well as on United flight-related purchases.

This card comes with a 25% discount for in-flight purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights and on Club premium drinks, issued as a statement credit. You’ll also receive a complimentary one-year DashPass membership, giving you $0 delivery fees and lower service charges. Activate by 12/31/24.

This card has a limited range of travel-related insurances which pump up its value.

You’ll receive rental car insurance when you decline the rental car company’s collision damage waiver and charge the entire cost of the rental to your United card. This will cover you up to the actual cash value of the car in instances of collision damage or theft in the United States and abroad.

You’ll also receive up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip for your pre-paid, non-refundable passenger fares, when your trip is canceled or interrupted for a covered reason such as inclement weather, sickness or injury.

Pros

• 2X miles on purchases with United, including in-flight food, beverages and Wi-Fi; tickets; Economy Plus®; baggage service charges and other eligible purchases
• 2X miles at gas stations
• 2X miles on local transit and commuting purchases, including ride share services, taxis, train tickets, tolls and mass transit
• 1X miles on all other purchases
• 25% discount, given as a statement credit, for in-flight purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights and on Club premium drinks
• No foreign transaction fee
• Complimentary one-year DashPass membership, giving you $0 delivery fees and lower service charges. Thereafter, you’re automatically enrolled in DashPass at the current monthly rate (enroll by Dec. 31, 2024)
• Rental car insurance
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip for your pre-paid, non-refundable passenger fares, for covered reasons

Cons

• No free checked bag
• No priority boarding
• Very limited in terms of United-specific perks

United℠ Explorer Card

The United Explorer Card offers the semi-frequent United flyer significant value for an annual fee of just $95, which is waived in the first year of card membership.

You’ll earn 2X miles on United purchases, as well as on dining (including eligible delivery services) and hotel accommodations purchased directly with the hotel. This gives you the ability to earn miles on both travel-related and everyday expenses.

When flying with United, you and up to one companion on the same reservation will have your first checked bags fly for free. This can save you up to $140 per round-trip. That means you can offset the annual fee in a single round-trip.

You and all the companions traveling on your same reservation will receive priority boarding when flying on United-operated flights.

You’ll also receive two annual United ClubSM one-time passes, allowing you to relax in the airport lounge before your flight. Additionally, the Explorer card offers a statement credit of up to $100 every four years for a Global Entry, Nexus or TSA PreCheck® application fee, when charged to your card through an eligible enrollment provider.

In terms of status, you’ll earn 25 Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs) for every $500 spent with your card, with a maximum of 1,000 PQPs per calendar year. If you already have MileagePlus Premier status, you and a companion traveling on the same reservation will be eligible for complimentary upgrades on select United- and United Express-operated flights (subject to availability).

In addition to the rental car and trip cancellation/interruption insurance offered on the Gateway card, the Explorer card offers trip delay, lost luggage and baggage delay insurance.

For baggage delays greater than six hours, you’ll receive up to $100 per day for a maximum of three days as reimbursement for essential item purchases. In instances of lost luggage, each eligible passenger will be reimbursed up to $3,000. For trip delays greater than 12 hours or those requiring an overnight stay, you’ll receive reimbursement of up to $500 per ticket for you and your family, to cover accommodation, transport and food costs.

With such a wide range of perks, the semi-frequent United traveler will have little problem in offsetting this card’s annual fee.

Pros

• 2X miles on purchases with United, including in-flight food, beverages and Wi-Fi; tickets; Economy Plus and other eligible purchases
• 2X miles on dining, including eligible delivery services
• 2X miles on hotel accommodations purchased directly with the hotel
• 1X miles on all other purchases
• First checked bag flies free for you and up to one companion
• Up to $100 statement credit for Global Entry, Nexus or TSA PreCheck application fee, every four years, when charged to your card through an eligible enrollment provider
• Priority boarding for you and all other travelers on your reservation on United-operated flights
• 25% discount, given as a statement credit, for in-flight purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights and on Club premium drinks
• No foreign transaction fees
• Two annual United Club one-time entry passes
• If the primary cardmember has MileagePlus Premier status and is traveling on an award ticket, they’re eligible for complimentary upgrades on select United- and United Express-operated flights, subject to availability (up to one companion that is traveling on the same reservation can also qualify for an upgrade).
• 25 PQP for every $500 spent in purchases (including purchases made by authorized users) up to a maximum of 1,000 PQP in a calendar year
• Complimentary one-year DashPass membership, giving you $0 delivery fees and lower service charges. Thereafter, you’re automatically enrolled in DashPass at the current monthly rate (enroll by Dec. 31, 2024).
• Rental car insurance
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip for your pre-paid, non-refundable passenger fares, for covered reasons
• Baggage delay insurance reimbursement of up to $100 a day for three days for essential item purchases, when common carrier delays exceed six hours
• Lost luggage reimbursement of up to $3,000 per passenger
• Trip delay reimbursement of up to $500 per ticket for you and your family when common carrier delays exceed 12 hours or require an overnight stay

Cons

• Free first checked bag covers you and one eligible companion only. Other co-branded cards cover more companions.

United Quest℠ Card

If you’re a frequent flyer with United but don’t care for a United Club membership, the United Quest Card will be your best bet.

This card offers an annual statement credit of $125 for eligible United purchases. Eligible purchases include United tickets purchased directly with United; as well as seat upgrades; Economy Plus; baggage service charges; in-flight food, beverage and Wi-Fi purchases and other United fees.

After you’ve qualified for the $125 statement credit, the Quest card earns 3X miles on all other United purchases. You’ll also earn 2X miles on all other travel purchases, dining (including eligible delivery services) and on select streaming service purchases.

The Quest card takes it up a notch from the Explorer, offering both you and your companion traveling on the same reservation first- and second-checked bags for free. A first prepaid checked bag costs $35, while a second prepaid checked bag costs $45. That means you and your companion could save a total of $320 per round trip using this perk. That would offset the card’s annual fee in a single round trip alone.

Likewise, as with the Explorer card, you’ll receive a statement credit of up to $100 every four years for a Global Entry, Nexus or TSA PreCheck application fee, when charged to your card through an eligible enrollment provider.

For every $500 spent in purchases on your card, you’ll earn 25 PQPs up to a maximum of 6,000 PQPs in a calendar year. If you have MileagePlus Premier status, you and your companion traveling on the same reservation will be eligible for complimentary upgrades on award flights. You’ll also receive 5,000 miles back when you book a United or United Express award flight using your miles, up to a maximum of 10,000 miles back per anniversary year.

The United Quest Card also comes with the exact same travel insurance benefits as the Explorer card, including rental car, trip delay, baggage delay, lost luggage and trip cancellation and interruption insurance.

For a mid-range annual fee of $250, the Quest card offers premium perks that the frequent United flyer can take full advantage of.

Pros

• 3X miles on United purchases (excluding purchases that qualify for the $125 annual United purchases credit)
• 2X miles on all other travel purchases
• 2X miles on dining, including eligible delivery services
• 2X miles on select streaming services
• 1X miles on all other purchases
• Free first- and second-checked bags for you and up to one companion
• 25 PQPs for every $500 spent in purchases on your card, up to a maximum of 6,000 PQPs in a calendar year
• $125 annual statement credit for United purchases
• 5,000 bonus miles back every time you book a United- or United Express-operated award flight using your miles, up to a maximum of 10,000 bonus miles back per anniversary year
• Priority boarding for you and all companions on your reservation for United-operated flights
• 25% discount, given as a statement credit, for in-flight purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights and on Club premium drinks
• Up to $100 statement credit for a Global Entry, Nexus or TSA PreCheck application fee, every four years, when charged to your card through an eligible enrollment provider
• If the primary cardmember has MileagePlus Premier status and is traveling on an award ticket, they’re eligible for complimentary upgrades on select United- and United Express-operated flights, subject to availability (up to one companion that is traveling on the same reservation can also qualify for an upgrade).
• No foreign transaction fees
• Complimentary one-year DashPass membership, giving you $0 delivery fees and lower service charges. Thereafter, you’re automatically enrolled in DashPass at the current monthly rate (enroll by Dec. 31, 2024).
• Rental car insurance
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip for your pre-paid, non-refundable passenger fares, for covered reasons
• Baggage delay insurance reimbursement of up to $100 a day for three days for essential item purchases, when common carrier delays exceed six hours
• Lost luggage reimbursement of up to $3,000 per passenger
• Trip delay reimbursement of up to $500 per ticket for you and your family when common carrier delays exceed 12 hours or require an overnight stay

Cons

• No lounge access perks
• No companion certificates, as offered by premium co-branded cards issued by other major airlines

United Club℠ Infinite Card

The United Club Infinite Card comes with heavyweight perks for frequent flyers with United.

This card’s main appeal is its complimentary annual United Club membership. This has an equivalent value of $650, offsetting the annual fee from the get-go.

The Infinite card enables you to earn 4X miles on purchases with United, in addition to 2X miles on all other travel purchases and dining (including eligible delivery services).

You and your companion on the same reservation will receive the same free first- and second-checked bag benefit as seen on the United Quest Card, saving you up to $320 per round-trip.

The Infinite card also comes with benefits similar to the Quest card, including a 25% statement credit discount on in-flight purchases; a $100 statement credit for Global Entry, Nexus or TSA PreCheck and complimentary upgrades for MileagePlus Premier status holders flying on award flights (subject to availability).

This card also offers complimentary Avis President’s Club® membership as well as complimentary IHG® One Rewards Platinum Elite status. You’ll receive a limited-time $75 statement credit for purchases made at IHG hotels and resorts (through Dec. 31, 2024).

Infinite cardholders will receive Premier Access® travel services, unlocking preferential priority check-in, security screening, boarding and baggage handling privileges (subject to availability). You’ll also enjoy a 10% discount on United Economy award flights on United or United Express, within the United States and Canada.

The Infinite Card offers the same range of travel insurances as the Quest, but with a higher limit of $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip for trip cancellation and interruption insurance.

If you’re ready to use the perks to their max, you’ll reap significant value out of the United Infinite Card, offsetting its annual fee of $525 by a long shot.

Pros

• 4X miles on purchases with United
• 2X miles on all other travel purchases
• 2X miles on dining including eligible delivery services
• 1X miles on all other purchases
• Complimentary United Club membership
• Free first- and second-checked bags for you and up to one companion
• 25% discount, given as a statement credit, for in-flight purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights and on Club premium drinks
• Up to $100 statement credit for a Global Entry, Nexus or TSA PreCheck application fee, every four years, when charged to your card through an eligible enrollment provider
• If the primary cardmember has MileagePlus Premier status and is traveling on an award ticket, they’re eligible for complimentary upgrades on select United- and United Express-operated flights, subject to availability (up to one companion that is traveling on the same reservation can also qualify for an upgrade).
• No foreign transaction fees
• Complimentary one-year DashPass membership, giving you $0 delivery fees and lower service charges. Thereafter, you’re automatically enrolled in DashPass at the current monthly rate (enroll by Dec. 31, 2024).
• Premier Access® travel services including preferential priority check-in, security screening, boarding and baggage handling privileges (subject to availability)
• Complimentary Avis President’s Club® membership
• Complimentary IHG® One Rewards Platinum Elite status
• $75 statement credit for purchases made at IHG hotels and resorts (through Dec. 31, 2024)
• 10% discount for United Economy award flights on United or United Express, within the United States and Canada
• Rental car insurance
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip for your pre-paid, non-refundable passenger fares, for covered reasons
• Baggage delay insurance reimbursement of up to $100 a day for three days for essential item purchases, when common carrier delays exceed six hours
• Lost luggage reimbursement of up to $3,000 per passenger
• Trip delay reimbursement of up to $500 per ticket for you and your family when common carrier delays exceed 12 hours or require an overnight stay

Cons

• High annual fee
• No companion certificates, as offered by premium co-branded cards with other airlines

United℠ Business Card

The United Business Card is ideal for semi-frequent United business flyers who want to earn United miles on a small business card.

You’ll earn 2X miles on purchases with United, on dining (including eligible delivery services), at gas stations, office supply stores and on local commuting and transit purchases. This enables you to earn on everyday typical business spending as well as on travel-related expenses.

You’ll receive an annual $100 statement credit for eligible purchases with United, as well as a $100 United travel credit after making seven United purchases, each with a value of $100 or more, within your card anniversary year.

When flying with United, you and up to one companion on the same reservation will have your first checked bags fly for free, saving you $140 per round-trip. You and all your companions on the same reservation will also enjoy priority boarding.

Each year you hold the card, you’ll receive two annual, one-time use United Club passes. You’ll also receive a 5,000 bonus mile annual boost each year you hold the United Business Card and a personal United card.

When it comes to earning toward status tiers, you’ll earn 25 PQPs for every $500 spent on purchases with your card, up to 1,000 PQPs per calendar year.

The United Business Card comes with rental car, trip delay, lost luggage, baggage delay and trip cancellation and interruption insurance.

For the semi-frequent flyer, offsetting the card’s $99 annual fee shouldn’t pose an issue with such a wide range of benefits up for grabs.

Pros

• 2X miles on purchases with United
• 2X miles on dining, including eligible delivery services
• 2X miles at gas stations, office supply stores and on local transit and commuting purchases
• 1X miles on all other purchases
• First checked bag free for you and up to one companion on the same reservation
• $100 annual statement credit for eligible United purchases
• Two annual United Club one-time entry passes
• 25% discount, given as a statement credit, for in-flight purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights and on Club premium drinks
• Priority boarding for you and all companions on the same reservation
• 5,000 bonus mile annual boost each year you hold the United Business Card and a personal Chase United card
• No foreign transaction fees
• Employee cards for free
• $100 United travel credit after making seven United purchases, each with a value of $100 or more, within your card anniversary year
• 25 PQPs for every $500 spent on purchases with your card, up to 1,000 PQPs per calendar year
  Complimentary one-year DashPass membership, giving you $0 delivery fees and lower service charges. Thereafter, you’re automatically enrolled in DashPass at the current monthly rate (enroll by Dec. 31, 2024).
• Rental car insurance
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip for your pre-paid, non-refundable passenger fares, for covered reasons
• Baggage delay insurance reimbursement of up to $100 a day for three days for essential item purchases, when common carrier delays exceed six hours
• Lost luggage reimbursement of up to $3,000 per passenger
• Trip delay reimbursement of up to $500 per ticket for you and your family when common carrier delays exceed 12 hours or require an overnight stay

Cons

• No Global Entry, Nexus or TSA PreCheck statement credit as seen on the personal United cards

United Club Business Card

The United Club Business Card is United’s premium business card, offering complimentary United Club membership.

It earns 2X miles on United purchases and 1.5X miles on all other purchases.

You and your companion (when traveling on the same reservation) will enjoy free first- and second-checked bags, saving you up to $320 per round-trip. You’ll also enjoy premier access travel services, including preferential priority check-in, security screening, boarding and baggage handling privileges (subject to availability).

In addition to complimentary United Club membership, you’ll receive complimentary Avis President’s Club membership.

When spending with your card, you’ll earn 25 PQPs for every $500 you spend, up to 1,000 PQPs in a calendar year. If you hold MileagePlus Premier status, you and one companion on the same reservation will be eligible for complimentary upgrades on select United- and United Express-operated flights (subject to availability).

This card also confers rental car, trip delay, lost luggage, delayed baggage and trip cancellation and interruption insurance. Limits are higher on the United Club Business Card for trip cancellation and interruption insurance, reimbursing you up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip.

For hardcore United flyers wanting a small business card, the United Club Business Card is a great option. They’ll also be able to offset the annual fee of $450 through frequent perk usage.

Pros

• 2X miles on purchases with United
• 1.5X miles on all other purchases
• Complimentary United Club membership
• Free first- and second-checked bags for you and up to one companion on the same reservation
• Premier Access travel services including preferential priority check-in, security screening, boarding and baggage handling privileges (subject to availability)
• Employee cards for free
• 25% discount, given as a statement credit, for in-flight purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights and on Club premium drinks
• Complimentary Avis President’s Club membership
• No foreign transaction fees
• If the primary cardmember has MileagePlus Premier status and is traveling on an award ticket, they’re eligible for complimentary upgrades on select United- and United Express-operated flights, subject to availability (up to one companion that is traveling on the same reservation can also qualify for an upgrade).
• 25 PQPs for every $500 spent on purchases with your card, up to 1,000 PQPs per calendar year
• Complimentary one-year DashPass membership, giving you $0 delivery fees and lower service charges. Thereafter, you’re automatically enrolled in DashPass at the current monthly rate (enroll by Dec. 31, 2024).
• Rental car insurance
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip for your pre-paid, non-refundable passenger fares, for covered reasons
• Baggage delay insurance reimbursement of up to $100 a day for three days for essential item purchases, when common carrier delays exceed six hours
• Lost luggage reimbursement of up to $3,000 per passenger
• Trip delay reimbursement of up to $500 per ticket for you and your family when common carrier delays exceed 12 hours or require an overnight stay

Cons

• High annual fee
• No companion certificates, as offered by premium co-branded cards with other airlines
• No Global Entry, Nexus or TSA PreCheck statement credit as seen on the personal United cards

United Credit Card Welcome Bonuses

Here’s an overview of the typical welcome bonus offers on United credit cards:

• United Gateway Card: Earn between 10,000 and 30,000 miles after spending $1,000 within the first three months.
• United Explorer Card: Earn between 40,000 and 70,000 miles after spending between $2,000 and $3,000 within the first three months.
• United Quest Card: Earn between 60,000 and 80,000 miles after spending between $4,000 and $5,000 within the first three months. Recent welcome offers also include 500 PQPs in addition to the bonus miles on offer.
• United Club Infinite Card: Earn between 75,000 and 100,000 miles after spending between $3,000 and $5,000 within the first three months.
• United Business Card: Earn between 50,000 and 100,000 miles after spending $5,000 within the first three months. In some cases, the offer has been split into two separate welcome bonuses, requiring a minimum spend of $5,000 in the first three months to receive 75,000 miles and a further $15,000 in spending within six months to receive an additional 75,000 miles, totalling 150,000 miles.
• United Club Business Card: Earn between 50,000 and 100,000 miles after spending between $5,000 and $10,000 within the first three months.

To be eligible to earn a welcome bonus on a United credit card, you can’t have earned the bonus on the card previously within the last 24 months. Likewise, you can’t be a current cardholder.

Are United Credit Cards Worth It?

If you fly with United Airlines at least more than once every year, you could benefit from holding a United credit card.

The more you fly with United, the more sense it makes to hold a United card. Likewise, the more you fly with United and use your co-branded card, the easier it is to offset any annual fee.

However, as strange as it may sound, a non-United card may be better for earning United miles than a co-branded United credit card. That’s because general travel rewards credit cards typically offer higher earning rates on bonus category spending, enabling you to earn more points on the same purchases and transfer these to your MileagePlus account.

Specifically, Chase Ultimate Rewards can be transferred to United MileagePlus miles at a ratio of 1:1. They’re also a much more flexible points currency, as you can transfer them to 10 other airlines and three hotel loyalty programs.

Take the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, for example. It earns:

• 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel^SM (excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the $50 annual hotel credit)
• 2X on other travel purchases
• 3X points on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out
• 3X points on online grocery purchases, excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs
• 3X points on select streaming service purchases
• 1X points on all other purchases

That’s a much wider range of bonus spending categories than the United Explorer offers, for the same annual fee.

Let’s say you were to spend $3,000 annually on dining purchases on both cards, which is slightly under what the average American spends on dining. On the United Explorer Card, you’d earn 6,000 MileagePlus miles, while on the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, you’d earn 9,000 Ultimate Rewards points. You could then transfer these to your MileagePlus account, giving you a greater opportunity for award booking redemptions.

Likewise, a $400 United flight charged to the Sapphire Preferred would net you 2,000 Ultimate Rewards points compared to only 800 MileagePlus miles on the Explorer card.

The difference is even greater if you were to charge an $800 hotel stay through Chase and book through Chase Travel, which would earn you 4,000 Ultimate Rewards. Compare this to the 1,600 MileagePlus miles you’d earn on the Explorer Card, and you can begin to see the value of general travel rewards cards over co-branded credit cards.

If you’re considering the United Club Infinite Card, think about the difference in point earning its general travel rewards card equivalent, the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, could earn you.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 10X points on hotels (excluding The Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection) and car rentals when purchased through Chase Travel^SM, after you spend the first $300 on travel purchases annually. That same $800 hotel stay charged to your Sapphire Reserve could net you a whopping 8,000 Ultimate Rewards points, which you could transfer to your MileagePlus account.

In comparison, an $800 hotel stay would fall under the United Club Infinite Card’s “all other travel purchases” category, netting you a not-so-whopping 1,600 MileagePlus miles (2X miles per dollar spent).

Although the Chase Sapphire Reserve has an annual fee $25 higher than that of the United Club Infinite Card, its earnings potential outweighs the co-branded card by a lot.

That said, United credit cards—and all co-branded airline credit cards, for that matter—aren’t all bad.

While you can typically earn a higher rate of transferable points on general travel rewards cards, none of them can offer the airline-specific perks that you’ll find on United credit cards.

So if you’re a frequent flyer with United, holding a United credit card for the perks can be totally worth it. For example, the free first- and second-checked bag policy found on premium United cards can save you and a companion up to $320 per round trip. If you fly frequently with checked bags, that can amount to a massive amount of savings.

That’s just one perk of many found on United credit cards.

Overall, if you’re focused solely on earning as many miles as possible, you’d be better off with a general travel rewards credit card that earns a transferrable rewards currency. However, if perks play a major role in your decision making, a United card is still a great addition to your wallet.

How to Choose the Best United Credit Card

As with any credit card strategy, choosing the best United credit card begins with self-reflection. Specifically, you need to analyze your spending and travel habits.

That starts with answering the following question: How often do you fly with United?

The more frequently you fly with United, the better the position you’ll be in to use card perks and offset any annual fees.

If you fly at least semi-frequently with United, the United Explorer Card is a solid option with a relatively low annual fee. You’ll benefit from United-related perks such as priority boarding, two annual United Club one-time entry passes and a 25% discount, given as a statement credit, for in-flight purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights and on Club premium drinks.

On top of that, you’ll receive a $100 statement credit for Global Entry, Nexus or TSA PreCheck application fees, every four years, when charged to your card through an eligible enrollment provider.

The annual fee is waived in the first year, giving you an even greater return potential in your first year of card membership. For subsequent years, the annual fee increases to $95, which can easily be offset by the “first checked bag flies free” perk for you and one companion, which can save you $140 per round-trip.

If you want to up the perks by a notch and save even more money when flying with United, the United Quest Card is an excellent choice.

It comes with many of the same perks seen on the United Explorer Card, in addition to some premium offerings. For example, the “first- and second-checked bags fly for free” policy can save you and your companion up to $320 per round-trip, offsetting the annual fee of $250 significantly. Likewise, the annual $125 United purchases statement credit offers competitive savings potential on your flight expenses.

However, you’ll need to consider the extent to which you’ll use each specific perk. For example, if you never check a bag when flying with United, the “free first and second checked bag” perk offers you zero value. In such a case, even a frequent flyer with United may be better off going for the Explorer Card, as offsetting the annual fee will be far easier.

If you want unlimited access to United Club lounges, the United Club Infinite Card will be your best option. In addition to the perks seen on lower tier cards, the Infinite Card offers complimentary United Club membership, offsetting the annual fee by $125 every year. That’s assuming you use United Club lounges—if you don’t, you’ll struggle to offset the annual fee of $525.

The Infinite Card also offers complimentary Avis President’s Club membership as well as complimentary IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status. If you can take advantage of these perks, this card could be worth holding.

Alternatively, if you’re against paying any annual fees and can’t be persuaded otherwise, or if you fly with United infrequently, the United Gateway Card would be the option to go for. That said, it has very little in the way of United-related perks, meaning that in most cases you’d be better off opening a general travel rewards card and transferring your points to your MileagePlus account.

Keep in mind that all United cards are issued by Chase, meaning that the 5/24 rule applies. That means if you’ve opened five or more credit cards with any issuer in the last 24 months, your application will be denied by Chase.

For this reason, you’d be better off avoiding the low-value proposition offered by the United Gateway Card, in favor of a general travel rewards card with flexible rewards.

A better strategy would be to apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, whose Ultimate Rewards you can then transfer to your MileagePlus account at a 1:1 ratio. That way, you’ll have a more valuable card taking up a spot in your 5/24 count, putting you in a better position to earn and redeem rewards.

How to Maximize Your United Credit Card

To maximize your United credit card, you’ll want to begin by applying for the card at the perfect moment.

This is a combination of two factors: applying when the welcome bonus is historically highest and when you’re in a position to meet the minimum spending requirement organically.

If you have large expenses coming up, such as vacations, holiday shopping season or bill payments, this is the perfect time to apply for a United card. Alternatively, you could prepay bills and insurance premiums to meet the minimum spending requirement. Just be sure that doing so fits your budget.

Once you’ve secured the welcome bonus, the next step is continuing to reap value from the card year after year. This is a combination of frequent spending with the card plus perk usage.

Using perks such as the 25% in-flight discount, free checked bags and United Club passes is key to offsetting the annual fee. The more you can use these perks, the more you’ll offset the annual fee.

Similarly, by charging expenses to your card on a regular basis, you’ll earn a greater number of points. That makes award bookings more of a possibility.

Lastly, as with every credit card strategy, success and responsible card usage go hand-in-hand. You’ll need to ensure you always pay your balance off before its due date. That way, you’ll avoid late penalty fees and exorbitant interest charges—both of which will quickly annihilate the return value of perks and miles.

Final Thoughts

If you frequently find yourself on United flights, it’s a good idea to consider whether opening a United credit card would be beneficial.

The more often you fly with United, the more you could benefit from a United card. This is all the more so if what you’re after is perks, such as in-flight discounts, priority boarding and lounge access.

However, if your top priority is earning miles to redeem for United or other flights, then you’d be better off going for a general travel rewards credit card. That way, you’ll earn more points per dollar spent while maintaining maximum redemption flexibility.