The United℠ Explorer Card is probably Chase’s most popular co-branded United Airlines credit card. It has a $150 annual fee that’s waived the first year, several helpful benefits when you fly with United, and some general travel perks like an application fee credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS. Plus, the United Explorer Card is currently offering a great welcome bonus, so now’s an especially good time to consider the card.
This is my in-depth United Explorer Card review, where I’ll walk through what you need to know about this card, from the welcome bonus, to the return on spending, to the perks.
Link: Learn more about the United℠ Explorer Card
United Airlines Explorer Card summary & key details for October 2026
Before I get into my United Explorer Card review, here’s a quick overview of key details of the card:
- United Explorer Card annual fee: $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150
- United Explorer Card welcome offer: Earn 70,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Earn 10,000 bonus miles after you add an authorized user to your account in the first three months
- United Explorer Card miles earning rate: 3x miles on United purchases, 2x miles on hotel stays booked with the hotel, 2x miles on dining, and 1x miles on all other purchases
- United Explorer Card foreign transaction fee: None
- United Explorer Card travel benefits with United: First free checked bag for you and one companion, Group 2 Priority boarding, two one-time United Club passes per year, save 10% or more when booking flights with miles, earn a 10,000-mile discount toward a United award flight after spending $20,000 on the card in a calendar year, 25% back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages, and Wi-Fi on board United flights and on Club premium drinks
- United Explorer Card perks & credits: Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS fee credit, over $500 in annual partner credits for rideshare purchases, Instacart purchases, and more, primary rental car insurance, trip delay and lost luggage protection
- Best for: Occasional United flyers who don’t have MileagePlus status but want perks like a free checked bag
These are the United Explorer Card pros and cons to keep in mind:
| United Explorer Card pros | United Explorer Card cons |
|---|---|
| Strong welcome bonus | Other cards can offer a higher return on everyday spending |
| Perks that can save you money when flying United, especially if you don’t have MileagePlus status | Not every cardholder will get full value out of the annual partner credits |
| Annual fee is waived the first year |
Why having a United credit card is essential for United flyers
First, I want to take a minute to talk about why having a co-branded credit card is worth it for frequent United travelers, whether you’re considering the United Explorer Card, a more premium option, or a United business credit card. United offers a pretty strong incentive for loyalists to use one of its cards, since the number of miles you earn increases when you have an eligible United co-branded credit card.
Your United MileagePlus elite status also factors into how many miles you earn per dollar spent, but regardless of your status, having the United Explorer Card or another United credit card will boost your earnings. With the United Explorer Card, you get 3x additional miles on top of whatever MileagePlus bonus you qualify for. I value United miles at 1.3 cents each, so that’s an additional 3.9% return on your spending.
Here’s how your United mileage earnings break down across elite status levels both with and without a United credit card:
| MileagePlus status | MileagePlus earn rate | Cardmember earn rate |
|---|---|---|
| General member | 3x miles per dollar | 6x miles per dollar |
| Premier Silver | 5x miles per dollar | 8x miles per dollar |
| Premier Gold | 6x miles per dollar | 9x miles per dollar |
| Premier Platinum | 7x miles per dollar | 10x miles per dollar |
| Premier 1K | 9x miles per dollar | 12x miles per dollar |
Having a United co-branded card also makes a difference when it comes to redeeming your United miles, since the award pricing you see will vary depending on whether you have MileagePlus elite status and/or a co-branded credit card.
Not only can you qualify for lower-priced awards with status and a United credit card, but having status can also help you access more award seat availability. Especially if you’re trying to book a premium award like Polaris business class, this can make a huge difference.
United Explorer Card bonus, eligibility, & fees
Before deciding if the United Explorer Card is the right card for you, you’ll want to know whether its welcome offer is worth your time, and if you even qualify for the bonus in the first place. So let’s start with a look at these key details, plus the eligibility rules and annual fee.
United Explorer Card bonus of up to 80,000 miles
The United Explorer Card is offering a welcome bonus of 70,000 bonus MileagePlus miles after spending $3,000 within the first three months. You can earn a further 10,000 bonus miles when you add an authorized user in the first three months your account is open.
Based on my latest miles & points valuations, I consider United miles to be worth 1.3 cents each, so to me, the bonus miles, including those for adding an authorized user, are worth $1,040. That’s a solid welcome bonus.
United Explorer Card bonus eligibility & rules
The welcome bonus on the United Explorer Card isn’t available to those who currently have the card, or those who have received a new cardmember bonus on the card in the past 24 months. However, you are eligible for this card if you have (or have had) another United Airlines credit card.
Beyond that, be aware of the general Chase restrictions on applying for cards. This includes everything from the Chase 5/24 rule (whereby you typically won’t be approved for a Chase card if you’ve opened five or more new card accounts in the past 24 months), to the Chase 2/30 rule, whereby you’re typically limited to being approved for two Chase cards every 30 days.
United Explorer Card $150 annual fee, waived the first year
The United Explorer Card has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150. This is a great way to try the card before paying an annual fee.
You can also add authorized users to the United Explorer Card at no extra cost, and their spending will of course help the primary cardmember accrue miles.
United Explorer Card foreign transaction fee
The United Airlines Explorer Card has no foreign transaction fees, so this is a good card for purchases abroad. Visa has excellent global acceptance, and you may earn bonus miles for purchases abroad, including at restaurants and hotels.
United Explorer Card rewards structure (miles & PQPs)
Beyond the welcome bonus, the everyday rewards structure is an important consideration when applying to any new credit card. Here’s how the mileage earning breaks down on the United Explorer Card, both in terms of what you’ll earn on your everyday spending, and how you can use the card to earn Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs) toward United MileagePlus elite status.
United Explorer Card mileage earning on spending
The United Explorer Card offers bonus categories that some might find useful. Here’s the rewards structure of the card:
- Earn 3x miles on United purchases
- Earn 2x miles on dining spending
- Earn 2x miles at hotels when booked with the hotel
- Earn 1x miles on all other purchases
For an airline credit card, those are some well-rounded bonus categories. However, I’d argue there are still better cards for everyday spending.
I’ll also take a minute to note that while the United Explorer Card markets itself as offering 9x miles on United flights, that actually factors in the 6x miles that MileagePlus members earn for airfare spending. So only 3x miles come from using the United Explorer Card. If you have United elite status, your mileage multiplier will be higher than 6x, so you could earn more than 9x miles total when paying for flights with the Explorer Card.
United Explorer Card PQP earning potential
Spending money on the United Explorer Card can help you earn MileagePlus status, though not in as lucrative a way as the more premium versions of the card. The card offers one Premier Qualifying Point (PQP) for every $20 spent on purchases, up to a maximum of 1,000 PQPs per year. With other United co-branded credit cards, the maximum is much higher.
To put that in perspective, here are the United MileagePlus elite requirements for 2027, for those hoping to qualify for elite status that’s good through 2028.
| MileagePlus Premier status | MileagePlus tier threshold |
|---|---|
| Premier Silver | 6,000 PQPs |
| Premier Gold | 12,000 PQPs |
| Premier Platinum | 18,000 PQPs |
| Premier 1K | 32,000 PQPs |
So the United Explorer Card won’t get you too far toward qualifying for MileagePlus status, though it could be helpful if you’re just aiming for Premier Silver and want to knock off 1,000 PQPs by spending $20,000 on the card.
United Explorer Card award discount opportunities
Beyond earning PQPs toward United MileagePlus Premier status, the United Explorer Card offers another spending incentive. If you spend $10,000 on the card in a calendar year, then you receive a $100 United travel credit. This is basically good as cash for buying flights on United or United Express, so I’d view that as being nearly the equivalent of an incremental 1% return on spending in the right increment, which is pretty good.
In addition to being able to earn $100 in United credits, the card also offers a further incentive for spending. If you spend $20,000 on the card in a calendar year, then you receive a 10,000-mile award discount, valid toward a future itinerary. This only applies to award flights on United and United Express, but that creates an incentive to reach the $20,000 spending threshold.
United Explorer Card benefits & credits
The United Explorer Card offers an excellent welcome bonus and an annual fee that’s waived for the first year, but the card also has all kinds of fantastic perks that can help more than justify the annual fee. That includes up to hundreds of dollars worth of credits, though admittedly it’ll take some work to maximize them. In no particular order, let’s look at what you can expect…
A free first checked bag
The United Explorer Card primary cardmember and one companion traveling on the same reservation receive a standard free first checked bag. You must pay for your ticket with your United Airlines credit card to qualify for this benefit.
Checked bags on United generally cost $45-50 each one-way depending on whether you prepay or not, so using this benefit once in a while could cover the annual fee in and of itself.
Two United Club passes annually
You receive two United Club passes annually for having the United Explorer Card. This includes the year you open your card, and any subsequent years. These will automatically be deposited into your MileagePlus account within four weeks, and guests can only use them when accompanied by you or an authorized user.
A United Club pass ordinarily costs $59, so that’s a value of up to $118. This is an awesome perk for the occasional traveler since it can make your travels on United more pleasant. You can even use the United Club passes when you’re flying a Star Alliance partner like Air Canada.
25% back on United inflight purchases
If you have the United Explorer Card, you’ll receive 25% back on purchases of food, beverages, and Wi-Fi, onboard United and United Express flights. This comes in the form of an account statement credit. You have to pay with your United Explorer Card, and your statement credit should post within 24 hours.
Priority boarding
For having the United Explorer Card, you and your companions receive priority boarding on United and United Express flights. You can board before general boarding, after customers with Premier Access, and those requiring special assistance. This would be in Group 2.
Up to $120 in Instacart credits annually
The United Explorer Card offers a $10 Instacart credit monthly, up to $120 total each calendar year. This applies for purchases made through Instacart with your United Explorer Card while you have an active Instacart+ membership (complimentary for three months, then 25% off), and currently the benefit is valid through December 31, 2027.
If you use Instacart anyway, then this could be worth close to face value. For others, the small increments of the credits will make it hard to get much value.
Up to $100 in United Hotels credits annually
United Hotels is United’s hotel booking platform. The United Explorer Card offers up to $100 back on United Hotels purchases each anniversary year. Specifically, you can get a $50 statement credit on both your first and second prepaid hotel stays purchased through United Hotels with your United Explorer Card.
This could prove valuable for some, though keep in mind there’s typically an opportunity cost to booking through a hotel portal (in terms of earning loyalty points, there being lower rates elsewhere, etc.).
Up to $100 in JSX flight credits annually
The United Explorer Card offers up to $100 back on JSX flight purchases per anniversary year. This comes in the form of a statement credit, and you must use your United Explorer Card to make the purchase. JSX is a hop-on jet service, which United owns a stake in. If you fly JSX with any frequency, then this is a great perk.
Up to $60 in credits on rideshare purchases annually
The United Explorer Card offers up to $5 back per month on rideshare purchases, in the form of a statement credit, when paying with your card. This allows you to earn up to $60 in statement credits every calendar year, and an annual opt-in is required.
On the one hand, these statement credits are easy enough to use. The catch is that there are probably better cards for rideshare spending in terms of maximizing rewards.
Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS Credit
The United Explorer Card offers a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS credit every four years. Simply charge the enrollment fee to the card and it will automatically be reimbursed.
Nowadays, quite a few credit cards offer these fee credits, so you can always use this benefit for a friend or family member. Simply use your credit card to pay, and you’ll automatically receive the statement credit.
Primary rental car CDW
The United Explorer Card offers a primary collision damage waiver benefit. Just decline the rental company’s collision insurance and charge the entire rental cost to your card. This is a really valuable benefit that comes in handy when renting cars.
Trip delay & lost luggage protection
The United Explorer Card offers a variety of protection benefits when traveling, assuming you pay for purchases with your card. These features include the following:
- Trip cancellation & trip interruption insurance — be reimbursed up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip when your trip is canceled or cut short due to sickness, severe weather, etc.
- Trip delay reimbursement — if your flight is delayed by 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
- Lost luggage reimbursement — be reimbursed up to $3,000 per passenger if you or your immediate family member check or carry on luggage that is damaged or lost by an airline
- Baggage delay insurance — be reimbursed up to $100 per day for three days for essential purchases when your bag is delayed by over six hours
Make sure you check your cardmember agreement for all of the details, since there are terms & conditions.
How to redeem United miles for the best value
If you’re going to earn United miles, you’ll want to make sure you’re getting good value out of them with your redemptions. So let’s spend a minute on the best way to use United miles.
As I mentioned above, I value United miles at 1.3 cents each, and that value reflects the redemptions you can unlock for flights on United and its airline partners. You can get especially good value when redeeming miles for Polaris business class, and having United status and a United credit card can help you access the most award availability at the lowest award rates.
As for particular sweet spots in the MileagePlus program, I’d call out partner redemptions to Africa, which I’ve seen for 88,000 miles one-way from the US to anywhere in Africa. In general, I also love that the MileagePlus program doesn’t pass on carrier-imposed surcharges on award flights, so you can keep your out-of-pocket costs low on flight redemptions. United doesn’t have any fees to change or redeposit award tickets, either, so the program offers some great flexibility.
Is the United Explorer Card worth it?
While I generally wouldn’t recommend using the United Explorer Card for your everyday spending (since there are better cards for earning United miles), this is one of the better airline credit cards when it comes to having great perks and a fair annual fee. On the surface, I consider this to be the mid-tier airline credit card with the strongest perks.
In particular, I think this card is worth considering if you only fly United a few times a year, since the perks are largely geared toward people without elite status. If you usually check a bag, three checked bags a year (at up to $50 each) covers the $150 annual fee, and the two United Club passes add another $118 in value on top of that.
If you’re an elite-level flyer with United, I think one of the more premium cards is probably a better bet, especially since those cards can help you earn elite status at a faster pace.
United Explorer Card Vs. United Quest Card comparison
The United Quest℠ Card (learn more) has a $350 annual fee, so it’s a more premium version of the United Explorer Card. If you ask me, this card is very much the sweet spot for more frequent United flyers, who have elite status.
For one, the annual fee is quite easy to justify, thanks to the card offering a free first and second checked bag for you and one companion, $200 in United travel credits annually, plus a 10,000-mile discount on an award redemption annually, all with no spending requirement. That would recoup most of the card’s annual fee. Beyond that, the card offers some strong incremental perks, including larger credits with rideshares, JSX, and Instacart.
Furthermore, this card is better if you want to earn status through spending, as you earn one PQP for every $20 spent, up to a maximum of 18,000 PQPs per year. If you’re a frequent United flyer but don’t quite want the most premium version of the card, I think this is the product to go for.
United Explorer Card Vs. United Club Card comparison
In addition to the United Explorer Card, there’s also the United Club℠ Card (learn more), which is United Airlines’ most premium personal credit card. The United Club Card has a $695 annual fee.
If you ask me, this is the card for frequent United flyers, and there are two reasons to consider this card. For one, the card offers United Club access, which is valuable if you fly with the airline often. The second reason is that this is the best personal card for earning MileagePlus elite status through spending. The card offers one PQP for every $15 spent, up to a maximum of 28,000 PQPs per year (32,000 PQPs as of 2027). In other words, you could get all the way to Premier 1K status through credit card spending alone.
Who shouldn’t get the United Explorer Card?
While the United Explorer Card has great perks, it doesn’t make sense for everyone. I’d recommend skipping it if:
- You never check a bag, since this is the main recurring fee this card can offset
- You want real lounge access, not just two passes per year
- You’re chasing United MileagePlus elite status, since the 1,000 PQP cap won’t get you far
- You rarely fly United and don’t care about perks like priority boarding
Additionally, I wouldn’t generally use this card for my everyday spending. That’s true whether you want to earn United miles for your spending or not. United MileagePlus is a Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partner, so you can convert Ultimate Rewards points into United miles at a 1:1 ratio.
There are so many great Ultimate Rewards cards that earn points at a potentially faster rate than you’d earn directly through United, so that’s something worth considering. If you only fly United once or twice a year and you don’t care about qualifying for elite status or perks like a free checked bag, a card that earns Chase points might be a smarter option.
United Explorer Card FAQs
Bottom line
The United Explorer Card is one of the most benefits-rich airline credit cards out there at this annual fee level. For a reasonable $150 annual fee (which is even waived for the first year) you get two United Club passes annually, savings on inflight purchases, a Known Traveler Program credit, a first checked bag free, (potentially) hundreds of dollars worth of credits, and much more.
If you want to learn more about the United Explorer Card, follow this link.
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