Chase and United have a suite of co-branded credit cards, and we’ve just seen some fantastic new limited time welcome bonuses rolled out on these cards.
Chase United MileagePlus credit card offers
Chase and United have introduced elevated bonuses on personal co-brand credit cards, ranging all the way from the most premium card, to the no annual fee card. Note that you’re potentially eligible for the bonuses on each of these cards, and Chase’s typical application rules, including the 5/24 rule, apply.
Let’s go over the details of the bonuses, and the basics of the cards.
United Club Infinite Card: up to 100K miles
Through January 26, 2022, the United Club℠ Infinite Card is offering a welcome bonus of 100,000 MileagePlus miles after spending $5,000 within the first three months. This card has a $525 annual fee, and offers a variety of perks, including:
- A United Club membership
- A free first & second checked bag
- Premier Access travel services, including priority check-in, security, boarding, and more
- MileagePlus Premier elite upgrades on award tickets, including for companions
- A 10% discount on select economy award tickets
- 10,000 bonus MileagePlus miles for joining CLEAR
- IHG Rewards Platinum status, plus a $75 credit with IHG
Read a full review of the United Club Infinite Card.
United Quest Card: up to 80K miles
While this isn’t explicitly a limited time bonus (unlike with the other three cards), the United Quest℠ Card is offering a welcome bonus of 80,000 MileagePlus miles after spending $5,000 within the first three months. The card has a $250 annual fee, and perks include the following:
- Up to a $125 annual credit for United purchases
- An award flight credit of up to 10,000 MileagePlus miles per year
- A free first & second checked bag
- 25% savings on United inflight purchases, including of food, beverages, and Wi-Fi
- MileagePlus Premier elite upgrades on award tickets
Read a full review of the United Quest Card.
United Explorer Card: up to 60K miles
Through January 26, 2022, the United℠ Explorer Card is offering a welcome bonus of 60,000 MileagePlus miles after spending $3,000 within the first three months. The card has a $95 annual fee that’s waived the first year, and perks include the following:
- Two United Club passes annually
- A free first checked bag
- Priority boarding
- 25% savings on United flight purchases, including of food, beverages, and Wi-Fi
- MileagePlus Premier elite upgrades on award tickets
Read a full review of the United Explorer Card.
United Gateway Card: up to 20K miles
Through January 26, 2022, the United Gateway℠ Card is offering a welcome bonus of 20,000 MileagePlus miles after spending $1,000 within the first three months. The card has no annual fee, and perks include the following:
- 25% savings on United inflight purchases, including of food, beverages, and Wi-Fi
- 2x miles on United purchases, gas stations, and local commuting and transit, all with no foreign transaction fees
Read a full review of the United Gateway Card.
Which Chase United Airlines credit card is best?
As you can see, there are four different personal credit cards to choose from, and it can be tough to decide which card makes the most sense. In general, I’d recommend choosing a card based on the size of the welcome bonus, and also how the perks match up with your travel patterns.
As a general rule of thumb:
- The United Club Infinite Card is offering an incredible welcome bonus, so if you’d benefit from a United Club membership for at least a year, I’d probably pick up that card
- The United Quest Card has the annual fee that’s easiest to justify, given the $125 annual United travel credit, and other perks, which should offset the annual fee if you fly the airline with any frequency
- The United Explorer Card is one of the most perks-rich mid-range airline credit cards out there, and offers fantastic benefits for the occasional United flyer
- Personally I wouldn’t apply directly for the United Gateway Card, simply because the bonus is so much smaller than on the other cards, and you could downgrade another type of United credit card to the no annual fee card as long as you’ve had it for at least 12 months
Bottom line
We’re seeing some fantastic new welcome bonuses on United Airlines’ co-branded personal credit cards, issued by Chase. There’s lots of value here, ranging from the bonus of 100K miles on the premium United Club Infinite Card, to the bonus of 20K miles on the no annual fee United Gateway℠ Card. If you’re eligible for one of these bonuses, I’d highly recommend applying.
Do you plan on picking up a United credit card with an elevated bonus?