In terms of cobranded airline bank cards, United loyalists have 4 major choices for private playing cards. Amongst them, two standard standouts embody the mid-tier United℠ Explorer Card (see charges and charges) and the top-tier United Membership℠ Card (see charges and charges), each issued by Chase.
Each playing cards provide perks with United and assertion credit for cardholders to maximise to offset their annual charges.
The common traveler may get extra mileage (so to talk) out of a card just like the Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card (see charges and charges) or the Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card — each of which earn bonus rewards on a variety of purchases that may be transferred to a number of completely different airline and lodge companions. However these searching for United-specific advantages will need to think about cobranded United playing cards.
Listed below are the components that can assist you resolve whether or not the United Membership or United Explorer card is best for you.
United Membership vs. United Explorer comparability
| Card | United Membership Card | United Explorer Card |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | Earn 95,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. | Earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. |
| Annual charge | $695 | $0 introductory annual charge the primary yr, then $150 |
| Incomes charges |
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| Advantages |
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United Membership vs. United Explorer welcome bonus
In line with TPG’s April 2025 valuations, these bonus miles are price $1,283.
In the meantime, the mid-tier United Explorer Card provides a decrease welcome bonus of 80,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 within the first three months of account opening.
These bonus miles are price $1,080 primarily based on TPG’s valuations.
Winner: United Membership. The upper welcome bonus helps this card take the lead.
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Associated: Playing cards at present providing welcome bonuses of 100,000 factors or extra
United Membership vs. United Explorer advantages
As you’d count on, each playing cards provide advantages geared towards United flyers. Let us take a look at comparable advantages first.
Shared advantages
- Free first-checked bag
- Precedence boarding
- 25% off inflight United purchases
- As much as $120 International Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus assertion credit score
- No international transaction charges
- Expanded award availability
You may additionally earn 1 PQP for each $20 in purchases, as much as a most of 1,000 PQPs in a calendar yr with the Explorer. United Membership cardholders can earn as much as a most of 28,000 PQPs (1 PQP for each $15 spent on purchases) annually.
A serious distinction between the 2 playing cards is their annual charges. The Explorer has a $0 introductory annual charge for the primary yr (then $150), whereas the United Membership expenses $695.
United Explorer advantages
Whereas the United Explorer’s annual charge could also be off-putting to some, it comes with a listing of coupon-book-style assertion credit that assist offset that value.
- United TravelBank Money advantages: In the event you like the flexibleness of United TravelBank Money, you may earn $100 after spending $10,000 on purchases in a calendar yr.
- Rental automotive advantages: In case your most popular automotive rental company is Avis or Finances, you may obtain two $25 United TravelBank Money deposits, as much as $50 every anniversary yr, for the primary and second automotive leases booked by means of automobiles.united.com. That is a straightforward solution to construct up your United Money steadiness annually.
- Restricted lounge entry: Even when you do not frequent United Membership lounge places, you may nonetheless get pleasure from two one-time United Membership passes every account yr. That is one among TPG bank cards editor Olivia Mittak’s favourite Explorer perks.
- Experience-hailing assertion credit: In the event you incessantly use ride-hailing companies, you may simply benefit from as much as $60 a yr on ride-hailing purchases, doled out as much as $5 per thirty days. Yearly enrollment is required.
- Lodge advantages: In the event you’re searching for incremental financial savings, you may earn as much as $100 in assertion credit on pay as you go lodge stays booked by means of United Resorts (as much as $50 on first and second bookings).
- Semiprivate airline assertion credit score: You’ll be able to rise up to a $100 assertion credit score every anniversary yr on JSX flight purchases (should e-book instantly).
- Instacart advantages: In the event you desire ordering groceries for comfort, benefit from as much as $10 per thirty days in Instacart advantages and a complimentary three-month Instacart+ membership. Instacart advantages finish on Dec. 31, 2027.
United Membership Card advantages
Waiting for the dearer card, the United Membership Card provides its fair proportion of perks.
- Lounge entry: Frequent flyers will get pleasure from a United Membership membership, the power to earn United Membership All Entry (which offers visitor privileges and entry to all Star Alliance member lounges) after spending $50,000 in a calendar yr, and 4 United Membership one-time passes with an all-access membership and licensed person on the account.
- Experience-hailing assertion credit: For frequent ride-hailing customers, benefit from as much as $150 annually towards these purchases (as much as $12 per thirty days between January and November; as much as $18 in December). Yearly enrollment is required.
- Lodge advantages: In the event you desire extra luxurious lodging, then receiving as much as $200 in Famend Resorts and Resorts for United® Cardmembers assertion credit per anniversary yr is a perk you may love.
- Semiprivate airline assertion credit score: You’ll be able to rise up to a $200 assertion credit score every anniversary yr on JSX flight purchases (should e-book instantly).
- Instacart advantages: Take pleasure in as much as $20 per thirty days in Instacart advantages and a complimentary Instacart+ membership. Instacart advantages finish on Dec. 31, 2027.
- IHG elite standing: If IHG accommodations weren’t in your radar, the United Membership Card’s IHG One Rewards Platinum standing provide provides you a compelling motive to verify them out.
- Rental automotive advantages: Obtain complimentary Avis President’s Membership elite standing. As well as, two $50 United TravelBank Money deposits, as much as $100 every anniversary yr, for the primary and second automotive leases booked by means of automobiles.united.com.
Winner: United Membership Card. It provides extra invaluable assertion credit and extra journey and United-specific perks.
Incomes miles with the United Membership vs. United Explorer
The best way each playing cards earn varies a bit. The United Explorer earns:
- 7 miles per greenback on United flights
- 5 miles per greenback on United Resorts
- 2 miles per greenback on different United purchases, eating and different lodge stays
- 1 mile per greenback on all the pieces else
In the meantime, the United Membership Card earns:
- 9 miles per greenback on United flights
- 5 miles per greenback on Famend Resorts and Resorts
- 4 miles per greenback on different United purchases
- 2 miles per greenback on eating and all different journey (together with airfare, trains, native transit, cruise traces and automotive leases)
- 1 mile per greenback on all the pieces else
Probably the most compelling price is incomes bonus miles on United flight purchases, which may be a wonderful and quick solution to construct up your steadiness when you incessantly fly United. (However even then, from an incomes standpoint, you might be higher off utilizing playing cards within the Chase Trifecta and transferring Chase Final Rewards factors to United.)
Winner: United Membership Card. Larger incomes potential on United purchases, eating, and all different journey.
Associated: 4 causes somebody in your loved ones wants a United bank card
Redeeming miles with the United Membership vs. United Explorer
Each playing cards can help you earn United miles by means of bank card spending, that are mechanically deposited into your MileagePlus account. You’ll be able to redeem miles for United and United Categorical flights and on Star Alliance carriers and with companion airways.
Miles may also be redeemed in your United card’s annual charge. Nevertheless, it might or is probably not price it, relying on how a lot it prices.
When redeeming United miles, you may get one of the best worth reserving saver-level tickets, as they’re the lowest-priced. Additionally, as a cardholder, you may entry expanded saver-level award availability, serving to stretch your miles additional.
TPG bank cards author Chris Nelson likes to redeem his United miles on flights to Europe — and benefit from the Excursionist Perk to get the occasional free flight (plus taxes and charges). He lately flew nearly without cost between Edinburgh and Madrid utilizing the Excursionist Perk, when his U.S.-to-Europe itinerary award reserving included that leg of the journey.
Winner: Each. These playing cards earn United miles, which may be redeemed by means of the MileagePlus program.
Ought to I get the United Membership or United Explorer?
If you wish to pay a decrease annual charge and get common United-specific perks, the United Explorer Card is the one for you. Nevertheless, the United Membership Card is the higher alternative in case you are a die-hard United frequent flyer, as you may get a United Membership membership, a wider vary of assertion credit and extra advantages when flying the airline.
Backside line
In the event you fly United incessantly, then the United Membership is an efficient alternative. Nevertheless, when you solely fly United a few instances a yr, the Explorer might be sufficient for you.
To study extra, try our full opinions of the United Membership and United Explorer playing cards.
Apply right here: United Membership Card
Apply right here: United Explorer Card
