Name: United℠ Explorer Card
Brand: Chase

Earn up to 60,000 miles

Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

at Chase's secure site.
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.

Rewards Rates
1 - 9X miles
Annual Fee
$0 Intro Annual fee for the First Year, then $150
Regular APR
19.74% - 28.24% Variable
Recommended Credit
Good Credit, Excellent Credit

at Chase's secure site.
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.

At a glance

Rewards Rates

9x: Earn 9x total miles on eligible United flights.
3x: Earn 3x miles on all other eligible United® purchases.
2x: Earn 2x miles on dining, and hotel stays when booked with the hotel.
1x: Earn 1x mile on all other purchases.

Intro Offer

Earn up to 60,000 miles

Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

Ongoing Purchases APR

19.74% - 28.24% Variable

Ongoing Balance Transfer APR

19.74% - 28.24% Variable

Ongoing Cash Advance APR

28.49% Variable

Ongoing Penalty APR

Up to 29.99%

Annual Fee

$0 Intro Annual fee for the First Year, then $150

Recommended Credit

Good Credit, Excellent Credit

More Details

Earn up to 60,000 bonus miles
$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150

Our Take

TPG Editor's Rating

4 / 5

Overview

This card is geared toward frequent and occasional United flyers and offers plenty of elite-like benefits like free checked bags, priority boarding and a discount on in-flight purchases. It also racks up miles at a steady pace on a variety of purchases — including dining and hotels — putting that next award ticket within reach sooner. (Partner offer)

Premium perks without a premium fee: United Explorer Card review

Pros

First checked bag free for the cardholder and a companion
Priority boarding
25% off eligible inflight purchases
Up to $120 credit every four years for Global Entry/TSA PreCheck
No foreign transaction fees

Cons

Other United cards have higher earning rates on some purchases
You might get more use from a transferable points card instead of a cobranded United card

Who is this card good for?

You don’t have to be a frequent United flyer to make the most of this card, especially since the first year’s introductory annual fee is $0 before it goes up to $150. Carrying it means you can enjoy money-saving perks when flying United, including a free checked bag, priority boarding and in-flight discounts on purchases like premium drinks. This adds up to decent savings, especially in your first year of new card membership, when the introductory annual fee is $0.

Earning rewards

The United Explorer card earns 9 total miles per dollar spent on eligible United flights (3 miles per dollar spent on all other eligible United purchases) and 2 miles per dollar spent on all other hotel stays (booked directly) and dining. It also earns 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases.