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Credit Cards

Best United Airlines Credit Cards: Which One Is Right for You?

Updated Jun 16, 2023   |   6-min read

Some offers mentioned on this page may be outdated. To confirm offers and credit card details, check the issuer’s website.


The information for these cards is outdated. For more accurate information, visit the issuer’s website.

What we likeSign-up bonusRewards rateAPRAnnual fee
United Explorer Card
Fee is waived for first year40,000 miles after spending $2,0002x miles at United, restaurants, and hotels; 1x everywhere else18.24% – 25.24%$95 ($0 first year)
United Club Card1st and 2nd bags checked free50,000 bonus miles after spending $3,0002x miles on United purchases, 1.5x miles everywhere else18.24% – 25.24%$450
United TravelBank CardGood rewards for a no-fee card$150 after spending $1,0002x miles on United purchases, 1.5x miles everywhere else18.24% – 25.24%$0

Which United Airlines Credit Card Is Right for Me?

When it comes to choosing the best United credit card, it’s easy to get confused. After all, there are several credit cards to choose from and each has different benefits and drawbacks. The best credit card for United miles will vary for each person, depending on whether they’re looking for a no-annual-fee card or one with higher rewards.

We’ll review each of the United Airlines credit card options below so you can decide which one is right for you.

In this review:

United Explorer Card: Best for Moderately High Spenders

The information for this card is outdated. For more accurate information, visit the issuer’s website.

United Explorer Card
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on Chase’s secure website

  • Annual Fee: $95 (waived first year)
  • APR: 18.24%25.24%
  • Rewards: 2x miles on purchases at United, restaurants, and hotels; 1x miles on everything else
  • Sign-Up Bonus: 40,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 within three months of account opening

Pros

  • Good introductory bonus offer
  • No annual fee for the first year
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Free first checked bag for up to two people per trip

Cons

  • Sub-par rewards rates for the annual fee
  • High APRs
  • Bad for balance transfers: no 0% intro period, plus balance transfer fee of 5%

Recommended Credit Score

Good

Review

The United Explorer Card is a great card for those who fly United often and spend a lot of money on their credit card. It provides a solid one-time bonus offer that lets you earn 40,000 miles after spending $2,000 in the first three months. It also allows you to earn 2 miles for every dollar spent at restaurants, hotel reservations booked directly with hotel brands, and on United purchases. You earn just 1 mile for every dollar spent elsewhere. These rewards rates are average, but not great for a card with an annual fee.

Other perks include a free first checked bag for up to two people every time you fly United and no transaction fees. You also get a $100 statement credit every 4 years when you apply for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck with your card. While this card doesn’t give you ongoing access to lounges, you do get two United Club passes per year.

Ultimately, this card is best for higher spenders who don’t mind paying a $95 annual fee in exchange for a few perks.

United Club Card: Best for Heavy Spenders and Frequent Travelers

The information for this card is outdated. For more accurate information, visit the issuer’s website.

United Club Card
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on Chase’s secure website

  • Annual Fee: $450
  • APR: 18.24%25.24%
  • Rewards: 2x miles on United purchases; 1.5x miles on everything else
  • Sign-Up Bonus: 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in three months

Pros

  • Good introductory bonus offer
  • Airport lounge access
  • First and second checked bags free
  • No foreign transaction fees

Cons

  • Very high annual fee of $450
  • High APRs
  • Bad for balance transfers: no 0% intro period, plus a balance transfer fee of 5%

Recommended Credit Score

Good to Excellent

Review

The United MileagePlus Club Card is a premium travel card that’s best for those who travel very frequently and spend a lot of money on their cards. The card offers a generous sign-up bonus of 50,000 miles, but it’s not that much more than the bonus offered for the United Explorer card which offers 40,000 bonus miles. However, you have to pay an annual fee of $450 for this card compared to $95 on the Explorer card (which is waived in the first year).

The United MileagePlus Club card does provide you with things like free first and second checked bags for up to two travelers each time you fly with United, upgrades on flights, hotel deals and perks, priority boarding, no foreign transaction fees, and access to United Club and Star Alliances lounges. It also comes with trip cancellation insurance, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage insurance, auto rental collision waiver, price protection, extended warranty protection, and purchase protection.

While you will get access to airport lounges and travel deals on flights and hotels, the United MileagePlus Club Card doesn’t offer some perks like companion fares, or travel vouchers that other similarly priced cards offer.

United TravelBank Card: Best for low spenders

The information for this card is outdated. For more accurate information, visit the issuer’s website.

United TravelBank Card
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on Chase’s secure website

  • Annual Fee: $0
  • APR: 18.24%25.24%
  • Rewards: 2x miles on United purchases; 1.5x miles on everything else
  • Sign-Up Bonus: $150 in TravelBank cash after spending $1,000 in three months

Pros

  • Attainable bonus offer for low spenders
  • No annual fee
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Good rewards rates for a no-fee card

Cons

  • The introductory bonus offer isn’t as high as with other cards
  • High APRs
  • Bad for balance transfers: no 0% introductory period, plus a balance transfer fee of 5%

Recommended Credit Score

Good to Excellent

Review

The United TravelBank card is a good card for those who aren’t big spenders since it requires you spend just $1,000 in the first three months in order to take advantage of the $150 United TravelBank cash offer. The card also has no annual fee, so you won’t have to worry about spending enough to make the card worth it.

The United TravelBank card offers relatively good rewards for a card with no annual fee. You earn 2% TravelBank cash when you buy tickets from United and 1.5% TravelBank cash on other purchases. These points can be redeemed for United flights with $1 in TravelBank cash equaling $1 toward the cost of a flight. The card also has no foreign transaction fees, auto rental collision damage waivers, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, price protection, and purchase protection.

The card’s rewards rate is equal to the rate you’d get with the $450 United Club Card, so it’s not a bad deal. That said, the card doesn’t have a great bonus offer compared to other United credit cards, and it doesn’t have a lot of perks. As with the other cards, its high minimum APR of 18.24% is also not ideal. If you’re looking for a United credit card, this might be a good choice for you if you’re a low spender, but there could be better travel credit cards available.

>> Read More: Best airline credit cards