United℠ Explorer Card

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Current Offer

Earn up to 80,000

United MileagePlus bonus miles

after you spend $3,000 on qualifying purchases in the first three months of opening an account, plus a $0 annual fee for the first year (70K + 10K more miles with an authorized user*).

Annual Fee: $150 $0 for your first year, then $150.

Terms Apply.

No Foreign Transaction Fees

How to Earn Rewards

9x

NEW! 9x total miles on eligible United flights and 3x miles on all other eligible United® purchases

2x

miles on dining and hotel stays when booked with the hotel.

1x

mile on all other purchases

Benefits

NEW! Save at least 10% when booking flights with miles. Premier members earn even more.

Free first checked bag - a savings of up to $160 per roundtrip. Terms Apply. Plus, priority boarding on United® flights.

Priority boarding on United® flights

Up to $120 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS fee credit

25% back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights and on Club premium drinks when you pay with your Explorer Card.

Our Take

United℠ Explorer Card offers excellent value for semi-frequent United Airlines travelers, delivering a compelling mix of travel benefits at a reasonable annual fee. The card’s travel perks include a free first checked bag (a significant savings on each flight), priority boarding privileges, and two one-time United Club℠ lounge passes each anniversary year, providing a taste of premium travel experience.

Additional benefits enhance the card’s value proposition, including a statement credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS application fees, and 25% back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages, Wi-Fi on United-operated flights, and Club premium drinks. For travelers who fly United several times per year but don’t need the premium benefits of higher-tier cards, the Explorer Card delivers substantial value that easily justifies its annual fee. The combination of day-of-travel benefits, lounge access opportunities, and solid rewards earning makes this an ideal airline credit card for United loyalists.