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If you travel frequently with United Airlines, the UnitedSM Explorer Card from Chase will reward you for doing so! This card comes with all of the terrific benefits that will give you a better travel experience with the fantastic features it carries!
To start off, upon approval, new cardmembers can earn a limited time offer 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. These bonus points are valued to be around $840.
*The United Explorer Card is issued by Chase Bank. Chase also offers great sign-up bonuses for their Checking/Savings accounts.
Table of Contents
- 1 Chase United Explorer Card Summary
- 2 Editor’s Alternate Pick
- 3 United Explorer Card Bonus Miles Offer
- 4 What are MileagePlus Points Worth?
- 5 United Explorer Card Top Features
- 6 Why You Should Apply – Travel Benefits
- 7 United Explorer Card Additional Benefits
- 8 Travel & Purchase Protection Benefits
- 9 Bottom Line
- 10 What’s The Competition?
Chase United Explorer Card Summary
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| Bonus Available | Earn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open |
| Bonus Value | $840 |
| Travel Credit | No travel credit, but get up to $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit every 4 years. |
| Ongoing Rewards/Benefits | 2 miles for every $1 spent on eligible United purchases, 2 miles for every $1 spent on stays purchases directly with the hotel, 2 miles for every $1 spent on restaurants, and 1 mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
Free checked bad on United flights for you and 1 companion on the same reservation. 25% back on inflight food, beverages and WiFi. |
| Foreign Transaction Fees | No |
| Airport Lounge Access | 2 United Club one-time passes after account opening and every year for your cardmember anniversary. |
| Annual Fee | $95, first year waived. |
Recommended Free Credit Score (Get Free Score)
690 – 850 (Good – Excellent)
PROS
- Bonus miles
- Lounge access
- Free checked bag
- Priority boarding
- Global entryor TSA Prechecked credit
- Partner airlines
- No foreign transaction fees
CONS
- Good-Excellent credit needed to qualify
- Has an annual fee
- Best for frequent United flyers
Editor’s Alternate Pick
 The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®! You'll earn 2X points on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide; 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases. And when you redeem your points for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards, you'll get 25% more value! |
United Explorer Card Bonus Miles Offer
The United Explorer Card offers a nice 60,000 bonus miles offer, which is valued to be at around $9840. We’ll explain our valuation of the bonus points below.
To get this bonus, spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open
Here are some ideas on how to meet the spending requirement:
| • Plastiq - Using Plastiq allows you to pay for your personal expenses such as rent, tuition, mortgage, auto lease etc. Although they charge a 2.5% processing fee for using your credit card, this will contribute to the card bonus that you will receive. There is also a referral program that allows you to earn "Free-Free Dollars" that goes towards processing fees as well. |
| • Funding Checking Accounts - When it comes to funding a checking account, opening your initial deposit with a credit card is the usual way to go about it. However, if you want to have more opportunities, you should open a checking account that offers a sign-up bonus. This allows you to work towards bonuses from not one but two different sources instead. Banks like Chase, Huntington Bank, TD Bank and BBVA offers credit card funding, and for your opening deposit, you can often fund anywhere from $50-$1000 with a credit card, depending on the bank. |
| • Gift Card Purchases With Using a Credit Card - Another way to acquire the bonus is using your credit card to purchase gift cards. Buying a a gift card or an individual merchant card typically do not require a purchase fee and are used towards leisure, so gift cards are ideal. However, gift cards such as a Visa or American Express do incur purchase fees because they can be spent anywhere, but gift cards that are specifically for a certain online shopping site such as Amazon or eBay don't. |
| As for a Citi Credit Card, you should call customer service and ask them to lower your Cash Advance limit to $0 before making any purchases because Citi tends to read gift card purchases as a Cash Advance. Ideally, you should do this with any card just to be safe. Lastly, there is such thing as a discounted gift card which can be purchased on Raise or eBay. If you use a credit card often for everyday purchases, it can build your credit score that will contribute towards paying for things such as bills and taxes. |
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What are MileagePlus Points Worth?
Similar to othe airline-branded credit cards, the value you get from your miles will depend on how you use them. The value of one MileagePlus mile ranges from $0.005 to $0.021. However, the average value of each MileagePlus mile at around $0.014. Using this number, the 40k miles have an approximate value of $560.
You can redeem your MileagePlus miles for:
- Flights and upgrades (United Airlines and Star Alliance partners)
- Travel (hotel stays, car rentals, cruises)
- Enhanced travel (United Club membership, WiFi, etc.)
- Dining
- Merchandise
- Gift cards
- Experiences
- Subscriptions (magazines and newspapers)
- Donations
To get the most value out of your points, we recommend you use them for flights and seat upgrades on United and Star Alliance partners. All other options will more than likely devalue your points to less than $0.01.
Also, your MileagePlus points don’t expire as long as your account stays open.
United Explorer Card Top Features
Lounge access. Cardholders are entitled to 2 United Club passes annually. Each pass grants you admission where you can relax and enjoy complimentary beverages, snacks, WiFi, work spaces and more. The value of this benefit is $59 per pass, so 2 passes already covers the card’s annual fee.
Free checked bags. Checked bags during trips can get expensive. At $30 a pop, it can start to add up. When you fly United Airlines, your first checked bag – plus one companion’s – are free. If you take one round-trip with a friend, you’ll save enough to cover the card’s annual cost. That’s a very generous perk for an airline-branded credit card.
Priority boarding. This perk allows you to board the plane first and give you ample overhead bin space for your hand luggage. To unlock this feature, you must add your MileagePlus number to your reservation.
Inflight discounts. Enjoy food, beverages and WiFi on board United-operated flights and get 25% back as statement credit. Just make sure you pay with your United Explorer card.
This perk covers your application fee for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Get up to $100 in statement credit every four years.
You can earn and use MileagePlus miles on more than 35 airlines worldwide.
Star Alliance member airlines include:
Star Alliance Member Airlines
| Adria | Aegean | Air Canada |
| Air China | Air India | Air New Zealand |
| ANA | Asiana Airlines | Austrian Airlines |
| Avianca | Brussels Airlines | COPA Airliens |
| Croatia Airlines | EgyptAir | Ethiopian Airlines |
| EVA Air | LOT Polish Airlines | Lufthansa |
| SAS | Shenzhen Airlines | Singapore Airlines |
| South African Airways | Swiss International Airways | Air Portugal |
| Thai Airways International | Turkish Airlines |
Other worldwide partners include:
| Aer Lingus | Aeromar | AirDolomiti |
| Azul Brazilian Airlines | Boutique Air | Cape Air |
| Edelweiss | Eurowings | Hawaiian Airlines |
| Olympic Air | Silver Airways |
Make purchases abroad without worrying about foreign transaction fees with the United Explorer Card.
Why You Should Apply – Travel Benefits
- Free first checked bag – save up to $120 per roundtrip
- The primary Cardmember and one companion traveling on the same reservation will each receive their first standard checked bag free ($30 value, each way, per person) on United-operated flights when the primary Cardmember includes their United MileagePlus® number in their reservation and purchases their tickets from United with their Card. For complete details, please visit united.com/chasebag offsite link icon.
- Priority boarding
- The primary Cardmember and companions on the same reservation will be invited to board United-operated flights prior to general boarding.
- 2 United ClubSM one-time passes each anniversary – over a $100 value
- Take some time to relax before your flight with two United Club one-time passes, which will be deposited into your MileagePlus account after account opening and each year for your Cardmember anniversary. Enjoy complimentary beverages, snacks, and amenities like workspaces, free Wi-Fi and more.
- Up to $100 Global Entry or TSA Pre?® Fee Credit
- Receive a statement credit of up to $100 every 4 years as reimbursement for the application fee for Global Entry or TSA Pre?® when charged to your Card.
- 25% back on United inflight purchases
- 25% back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi onboard United®-operated flights when you pay with your Explorer Card.
- No foreign transaction fees
- Purchases made with your Explorer Card outside the U.S. will not be subject to foreign transaction fees.
United Explorer Card Additional Benefits
- Earn 2 miles per $1 spent at restaurants and on hotel accommodations
- You’ll earn 2 miles for each $1 spent at restaurants and on hotel accommodations when purchased directly with the hotel.
- Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on United purchases
- You’ll earn 2 miles for each $1 spent on purchases from United, including tickets, Economy Plus®, inflight food, beverages and Wi-Fi, and other United charges. You’ll also earn 2 miles for each $1 spent on Inside Access from Chase purchases. For more information on Inside Access, please visit InsideAccess.com offsite link icon.
- Earn 1 mile per $1 spent
- You’ll earn 1 mile for each $1 spent on all other purchases.
- Earn unlimited miles that don’t expire
- Miles don’t expire as long as your credit card account remains open. Plus, there is no limit to the number of miles you can earn.
- Use miles for award travel on United
- Choose the award type that suits your needs. One-way Saver Award travel starts as low as 12,500 miles within the continental U.S. and Canada.
- No blackout dates
- As the primary Cardmember, you will also enjoy expanded award availability when you use miles to book any United-operated flight, any time, at the applicable Everyday Award level – with no restrictions or blackout dates. For more information, please visit united.com/awards .
- More ways to use miles
- You can use miles to book award travel on Star Alliance™ and other partner airlines. Or use them to enhance your travel with upgrades, inflight Wi-Fi, hotel stays and car rentals. Miles can also be used for merchandise, gift cards and once-in-a-lifetime events. To learn more, please visit united.com/usemiles offsite link icon.
- Premier upgrades on award tickets
- The primary Cardmember who is also a MileagePlus Premier® member and traveling on an award ticket can take advantage of Complimentary Premier Upgrades on United-operated flights (when available).
Travel & Purchase Protection Benefits
- Trip Cancellation / Trip Interruption Insurance
- You can be reimbursed up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip for your pre-paid, non-refundable passenger fares, if your trip is canceled or cut short by covered situations like sickness or injury.**
- Baggage Delay Insurance
- Reimburses you for essential purchases like toiletries and clothing for baggage delays over 6 hours by passenger carrier up to $100 a day for 3 days.**
- Lost Luggage Reimbursement
- If you or an immediate family member check or carry on luggage that is damaged or lost by the carrier, you’re covered up to $3,000 per passenger.**
- Trip Delay Reimbursement
- If your common carrier travel is delayed more than 12 hours or requires an overnight stay, you and your family are covered for unreimbursed expenses, such as meals and lodging, up to $500 per ticket.**
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver
- Decline the rental company’s collision insurance and charge the entire rental cost to your Card. Coverage is primary and provides reimbursement up to the actual cash value of the vehicle for theft and collision damage for most rental cars in the U.S. and abroad.**
- Purchase Protection
- Covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per year.**
- Extended Warranty Protection
- Extends the time period of the U.S. manufacturer’s warranty by an additional year, on eligible warranties of three years or less.**
** These benefits are available when you use your Card. Restrictions, limitations and exclusions apply. Most benefits are underwritten by unaffiliated insurance companies who are solely responsible for the administration and claims. There are specific time limits and documentation requirements. Once your account is opened we will send you a Guide to Benefits, which includes a full explanation of coverages.
Bottom Line
The UnitedSM Explorer Card is great for those who prefer flying with United Airlines! and check bags on United flights. You will find the United Explorer Card to be very beneficial to whom flies frequently with United – so why not be rewarded for it?
For more offers like this, see our section of the latest Credit Card Promotions in addition to our list of Bank Bonuses!
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What’s The Competition?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®! You'll earn 2X points on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide; 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases. And when you redeem your points for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards, you'll get 25% more value! |
 The Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card offers a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles once you spend $3,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening (equal to $500 in travel). Named ‘The Best Travel Card' by CNBC, 2018. You're able to earn 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Plus earn 10X miles on thousands of hotels, through January 2020; learn more at hotels.com/venture. This card does come with a $95 annual fee, however, there is a $0 intro annual fee for the first year. Enjoy no foreign transaction fees and receive up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre?®. |
 The Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express offers 30,000 bonus miles after you use your new Card to make $1,000 in purchases within your first 3 months and a $50 Statement Credit after you make a Delta purchase with your new Card within your first 3 months. You'll earn 2X miles for every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta; 1X mile for every eligible dollar you spend on purchases. There is a $95 annual fee, however, there is a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year (See Rates & Fees). Now, you'll get a savings of up to $240 per round trip for a family of four by being able to check your first bag free on Delta flights. |
 The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card offers offers up to 75,000 points. Earn 40,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Plus, earn 35,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 6 months your account is open. In addition, you'll earn 6,000 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary. You'll earn 2x points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases & Rapid Rewards® hotel/car rental partner purchases; 1x point on all other purchases. You're able to redeem your points for flights, hotel stays, gift cards, access to events and more. This card does carry a $99 annual fee, but there are no foreign transaction fee. |
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Called United Chase credit card to provide me end of year documents for IRS in excel or csv formats on 1/3/2019. They refused to provide it to me in those formats and said that I have to manually do so by entering from PDF to Excel. Nice job, Chase! After me requesting it for IRS purposes they dropped the call. End of story. This is how Chase treats their customers and make the end-of-year process smooth.