50,000 Mile United Explorer Offer Plus 5,000 Additional Miles
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Chase has relaunched the United Explorer card with an increased sign-up bonus of 50,000 miles (after spending $2,000 within the first 3 months from account opening) plus an additional 5,000 when you add an authorized user and make a purchase within the first 3 months. The standard bonus for this card is 30,000 miles, and while there have been targeted offers floating around for as high as 60,000 miles, the present offer is the best publicly available one we've seen in a while. As with previous offers, this card has a $95 annual fee that's waived the first year.
Key Perks:
-Priority boarding (for the cardholder and companions on the same reservation)
- 2 United Club passes per year
- Free first checked bag on United operated flights (for the cardholder and one companion on the same reservation when you use your Explorer card to purchase tickets). Note: when redeeming miles for an award flight, you can still get a free checked bag by using your card to pay for the TSA security fee.
Mileage Earning
- Earn 5,000 bonus miles when you add an authorized user and make a purchase within the first three months;
- Earn 2x miles on United purchases
- Earn 10,000 bonus miles when you spend $25,000 in net purchases each calendar year
The 5,000 miles for adding an authorized user is a no-brainer; it shouldn't take more than 5 minutes extra when you call to activate your card. Earning 2x miles on United purchases is nice, but I'd rather earn 2x Ultimate Rewards points by using my Chase Sapphire Preferred Card for its travel category bonus. So, you'd probably want to use the Explorer to buy United tickets in order to get the free checked bag, but then use Sapphire or another card for in-flight purchases.
The 10,000 mile bonus after spending $25,000 would effectively boost your miles earning to 1.67 miles per dollar spent, or 2.67 miles/$ if you spent the entire $25,000 on United purchases. If you spend that much on United airfare each year, the bonus is a freebie. Otherwise, I'd use other cards like the Sapphire Preferred or the Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express for everyday spending because those points can be transferred to a number of different partners.
In my most recent monthly valuations, I list United miles at 1.5 cents apiece, so I'd value the sign-up bonus for the Mileageplus Explorer card plus the extra 5,000 miles for adding an authorized user at about $825. If you take just four one-way United flights each year, the free checked bag benefit will save you $100, and I value the two club passes at about $25 each. Thus, you're getting around $1,000 worth of travel and benefits out of the Mileageplus Explorer just by signing up and meeting the spending requirement.
For those who have had this card previously and are curious about earning the bonus a second time, the card application has this to say:
""This new cardmember bonus offer is not available to either (i) current cardmembers of this consumer credit card, or (ii) previous cardmembers of this consumer credit card who received a new cardmember bonus for this consumer credit card within the last 24 months."
So if you're not a current cardholder and it has been more than 24 months since you last earned a bonus for this card, then you're eligible.
It's unclear how long this offer will be available. If you're considering signing up, I recommend doing so sooner rather than later.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees