United Airlines Credit Card Review: No Annual Fee for First Year Offer

United MileagePlus® Explorer Earn up to 40,000 bonus miles & first year free, a $95 value* First checked bag is free for you and a companion when you fly United flights, up to a $50 value Board your flight before general boarding with priority boarding privileges Visit the United Club with two complimentary day passes every year, up to a $100 value Earn 2 miles for each $1 spent on airline tickets purchased from United and 1 mile per $1 for everything else Your miles don't expire and there is no limit to the number of miles you can earn Go to issuer's official application, terms, and details Intro APR for Purchases Intro APR for Balance Transfer APR as low as Annual Fee - - 15.24% (Variable) $95

Chase is now offering their clients the United MileagePlus Explorer Card. Travel points and extra perks make it one of the better travel cards available.

The biggest selling feature of this card is that new members can receive 25,000 points after their first purchase or balance transfer and 5,000 more points when they also add an authorized user to the card within the first two months.

The website does advertise the ability to earn 40,000 points; however, members need to spend $25,000 on purchases with their card within the first year to earn the last 10,000 points. Although this sounds high, it is much lower than other cards and is a good feature for entrepreneurs who rely on their credit card to make purchases.

The card does have an annual fee of $95, but the fee is waived for the first year for new customers. The annual fee for the MileagePlus card is also lower than the fees of some of the other travel cards on the market. At the same time, there are also cards available that have lower or even no fees.

The MileagePlus card has an APR (annual percentage rate) of 15.24%, which is in line with other travel cards. The APR for cash advances is 19.24%, which is also typical.

Earn More Points Faster

Not only can big spenders earn 10,000 bonus points annually, but customers using their MileagePlus card for United Airlines flights will also earn 2 points for every dollar spent on airfare. For virtually all other purchases, customers earn 1 point for every dollar spent.

For this reason, points can quickly add up. There is no limit to the number of points cardmembers can earn and no expiration date as long as the card is active and the annual payments are made. The points can be redeemed for flights on United with no restrictions or blackout dates.

Small Perks Can Make a Big Difference

For frequent fliers, the MileagePlus card can help relieve some of the typical airport headaches. Also, a first checked bag is free for you and a companion on United-operated flights, which can save cardholders up to $100 round-trip.

Cardholders also receive priority boarding, so they will be able to find space in the overhead compartments for their carry-on luggage.

Finally, members will also receive two passes per year to the United Club so they can relax in comfort before their flight.

Once cardholders get to their destination they will have access to exclusive benefits, such as celebrity meet-and-greets and private culinary and cultural events sponsored by Chase.

Members will also have access to benefits at Chase’s Luxury Hotel and Resorts Collection, including exclusive deals like free room upgrades and complimentary breakfasts at select hotels, spas and resorts.

The MileagePlus card even offers its customers travel protections for lost luggage, car rentals, trip delays and cancellations. The card also offers purchase protection.

Pros

• First checked bag is free for the cardholder
  
• Priority boarding and two passes annually to the United Club
  
• Miles don’t expire and can be redeemed at any point with no blackout fees
  
• Earn 2 miles for every $1 spent buying tickets for United flights; earn 1 point for every $1 spent on most other purchases

Cons

• The annual fee of $95 dollars; other cards have lower fees but fewer services
  
• The 40,000 bonus point promotion is a little unrealistic for regular travelers; you need to spend $25,000 to earn it

Bottom Line

Despite the disadvantages, this little card packs a big punch. The perks make the annual fee well worth it for regular United customers. The checked bag perk alone can easily pay for the annual fee for some frequent travelers.