I am an enormous fan of amassing transferable points and miles, corresponding to Chase Ultimate Rewards factors, Capital One miles and Citi ThankYou Rewards factors. I like the pliability of selecting when and the place to switch my rewards, particularly when issuers supply juicy transfer bonuses.
Although I maintain some airline-branded bank cards, just like the underrated Aeroplan® Credit Card (see rates and fees), I have never been as curious about locking myself to at least one airline loyalty program.
I am not an everyday United Airways flyer, and the United MileagePlus program is not my default Star Alliance program, partially as a result of I do not dwell close to a United hub. Due to this fact, making use of for a United credit card and investing within the MileagePlus program has by no means been on the prime of my listing … till now.
Along with this card’s advantages, the United Quest℠ Card (see rates and fees) presently provides a implausible welcome bonus. For the primary time, I now desire a United-branded bank card.
Here is why.
United Quest Card welcome supply
New candidates of the United Quest Card can earn 80,000 bonus miles and three,000 Premier qualifying factors after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. Based mostly on TPG’s February 2026 valuations, the bonus miles are value $1,200.
This beneficiant welcome bonus of 80,000 United miles is one which I may simply use for nice worth (extra on that in a bit).
I haven’t got United Premier (or any Star Alliance) elite status, so 3,000 PQPs in my account could be an ideal head begin towards the necessities for Premier Silver standing (a complete of 6,000 PQPs or 5,000 PQPs plus 15 Premier qualifying flights is required to safe Silver standing).
Word that to qualify for United standing, you need to take 4 United or United Specific flights, even for those who hit the PQP threshold.
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This card additionally earns as much as 18,000 PQPs per calendar 12 months (1 PQP for each $20 spent on purchases may be utilized towards your Premier standing qualification, as much as the Premier 1K degree).
Premier Silver has a handful of perks, like bonus miles and entry to Financial system Plus seating at check-in.
The perks actually degree up whenever you attain Premier Gold standing, as members additionally qualify for Star Alliance Gold membership. For instance, since I usually fly on Star Alliance airways, I may get pleasure from lounge entry at over 1,000 lounges worldwide earlier than a Star Alliance flight.
Since Premier Gold standing requires 12,000 PQPs or 10,000 PQPs plus 30 PQFs, I might be a fraction of the best way there.
Associated: 22 cards currently offering welcome bonuses of 100,000 points or more
Bonus miles for including a United card approved person
My husband is not practically as obsessive about incomes factors and miles as I’m, so he is not curious about making use of for his personal card, navigating his personal accounts and redemption technique.
As an alternative, he would a lot somewhat be an authorized user on my playing cards. I can handle the earning-and-redemption technique, and we are able to each get pleasure from the advantages, like luxurious holidays.
The United Quest Card card provides 10,000 bonus miles for those who add a licensed person to your account within the first three months after the account is open.
Not solely is that this a straightforward technique to maximize earnings on the cardboard by way of on a regular basis spending, but it surely additionally provides 10,000 miles to my account.
Credit to offset the annual payment
I anticipated a card with an 80,000-mile welcome bonus to return with a excessive annual payment. The United Quest Card as an alternative includes a midrange $350 annual payment, much like the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, with which new cardholders can earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Nonetheless, if I am paying a $350 annual payment, I am in search of actual worth from the cardboard past the one-off welcome bonus. I am impressed to see that even with out considering the worth of the miles earned, this card nonetheless has loads of methods to offset the payment annually:
- $200 credit score: After account opening and every anniversary 12 months, cardholders will obtain $200 in United TravelBank money.
- As much as 20,000 miles in award flight reductions: Routinely get a ten,000-mile low cost every cardholder anniversary (starting together with your first anniversary). You may then earn one other 10,000-mile low cost after spending $20,000 in a calendar 12 months.
- Lodge credit score: Obtain as much as $150 in credit for Famend Accommodations and Resorts.
- Airline credit score: Obtain as much as $150 in JSX credit.
- Rental automotive credit score: Obtain as much as $40 every in United TravelBank money for the primary two Avis or Funds automotive leases booked by way of United Automobiles every account anniversary 12 months.
- Journey-hailing credit score: Obtain as much as $8 in month-to-month assertion credit for ride-hailing providers, plus a bonus of $4 (for a complete of $12) in December (yearly opt-in required).
- Seat upgrades: Earn two international Financial system Plus upgrades after spending $40,000 on purchases together with your card every calendar 12 months.
- Instacart credit score: Obtain one $10 and one $5 month-to-month Instacart credit score, plus a three-month complimentary Instacart+ membership (ends Dec. 31, 2027).
- World Entry/TSA PreCheck credit score: Obtain as much as $120 in credit score for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck each 4 years.
- Inflight purchases: Obtain 25% again on United inflight purchases (contains Wi-Fi, meals and drinks).
Even with one weekend away, I may see myself simply recouping the price of the annual payment by:
- Reserving a $200 round-trip flight on United or United Specific to make use of the United TravelBank money credit score
- Receiving 25% again on United inflight purchases by paying with the cardboard
- Staying at a Famend Accommodations and Resorts property at my vacation spot and paying with the cardboard to make use of the (as much as) $150 resort credit score
- Reserving an Avis or Funds automotive rental at my vacation spot to obtain (as much as) $40 in United TravelBank money
Free checked baggage on United
I do not fly United fairly often, but when I guide a United or United Specific flight on this card, my journey companion and I obtain our first and second checked baggage at no cost.
On condition that United elevated its checked bag charges of as much as $40 for the primary bag and $50 for the second, this card perk can save me cash.
MileagePlus miles are extra invaluable and simpler to make use of than you may suppose
Since United retired its award charts and switched to dynamic pricing, I have been cautious of transferring my Chase Ultimate Rewards points to MileagePlus, fearing there would not be good redemption alternatives.
Nonetheless, since I spend hours per week searching for good points and miles deals, I’ve seen MileagePlus continues to supply glorious award charges and availability. I’ve discovered loads of U.S. flights beginning at simply 5,000 miles plus $5.60 in charges and taxes.
I have been particularly happy about this summer time’s Polaris business-class award availability to Europe for simply 88,000 miles. There are lots of of flights you possibly can guide for this value from numerous United hubs to Switzerland, Italy, Eire, Germany, the U.Okay. and the Netherlands, amongst different locations. I count on I might don’t have any bother discovering an 88,000-mile flight to Europe this summer time.
This card is not excellent
Whereas this card has many engaging options, I would not say it is excellent. Given the midrange annual payment, I might like to see a few single-use United Club lounge passes thrown in annually, which might make that weekend away to recoup the price of the annual payment I discussed above even sweeter.
I take into account the ten,000-mile award flight low cost for spending $20,000 on the cardboard in a calendar 12 months to be like incomes a further 0.5 miles per greenback spent on the primary $20,000. On condition that I can earn a lot better multipliers on most categories on my transferable bank cards, this isn’t a function I am going to possible use.
There are additionally two improve certificates for Financial system Plus after spending $40,000 or extra with the cardboard in a calendar 12 months. On condition that Financial system Plus is simply a regular economic system seat with further legroom, that is an exceptionally weak perk for spending a lot on the cardboard over a whole 12 months. If the perk had been an improve to Premium Plus, United’s premium economy offering, I’d take into account it. Nonetheless, I am not going to spend $40,000 on a card simply to get an extra-legroom seat.
As this card is issued by Chase, you must also keep the 5/24 rule in thoughts.
Backside line
I by no means thought I might be contemplating a United-branded bank card, because it’s by no means been a program on my radar. I have been very proud of Star Alliance accomplice Air Canada’s Aeroplan program, even redeeming Aeroplan factors to fly on United prior to now.
With the United Quest Card providing a profitable welcome bonus, I’m tempted to use for it.
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