Save Money on United Airlines With a United.com Club Membership
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Did you know United Airlines has a club that you can join to save money on flights -- and membership costs just $25 per year? I've personally been a member for many years and my family has saved hundreds of dollars on airfare as a result.
In exchange for the annual membership fee, members of the United.com Club get a $5 flight credit deposited to their United TravelBank for every ticket purchased while logged in to their United MileagePlus accounts. This is especially great for families: A family of four that purchases four tickets while logged in to a United account with the United.com Club membership should earn $20 toward the purchase of a future United or United Express-operated flight.
Update: In a stroke of unfortunate timing, United announced that the United.com Club was ending shortly after this story was published. Those with an active membership will continue to earn credits through the end of their membership period, but new memberships are no longer available.
Earning United.com Club Travel Credit
I say "should" because for reasons I don't understand, that doesn't always happen. For example, I flew on a paid reservation with my two girls on a flight from Houston to Salt Lake City in January, and we only earned one $5 credit in my TravelBank. However, most of the time, we earn credit for each person on the reservation -- and even though the membership is in my name, I don't have to be flying in order for the credit to be awarded. I've booked tickets just for my husband from my United.com account and still received the $5 credit.
If you book your trip as two one-ways instead of one round-trip, theoretically you may be able to earn two credits, but be sure and weigh the pros and cons of doing that just to get an extra $5.
Despite a slight lapse in my membership, we still earned $130 in credits in the last year in exchange for my $25 membership fee.
Do note the system does not award $5 per ticket if you aren't logged in and booking your flights via United.com. In my experience, award tickets are also no longer eligible for the $5 credit. However, if you purchase more than five paid tickets per year from United.com, then you can come out ahead by being a United.com Club member.
While you can't earn the travel credit when booking MileagePlus award tickets, you can stack earning the $5 credit with using points by booking tickets via United.com but paying with a card such as the Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite Mastercard or Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. You then credit yourself back some of the charge by using the miles from those cards at a fixed value and you've stacked using points, earning miles and getting $5 credit per ticket.
Redeeming United.com Club Credits
The $5 credits you earn are deposited in your account within three to five business days after you fly the reservation and can be used toward purchased tickets on United or United Express on the final booking screen as noted below. You can only combine TravelBank credit with payment with a credit/debit card and not with any other sort of voucher or additional payment type. Sadly, you also cannot use TravelBank credits to pay the taxes and fees on award tickets. Your TravelBank credits will expire after 18 months of no activity, so you can't sit on a balance forever.
I like to use my credits once they get up to around $40 to $50 as then it feels like a real savings on a ticket, rather than just using $5 here and there. You can pay a portion of a ticket with TravelBank credit and a portion with a credit card, which is probably smart to get some built-in travel protections.
Bottom Line
A United.com Club membership probably isn't going to revolutionize the way you travel, but it may save you a little money on your United flights as long as you book your flights directly on United.com.
Featured image by Ryan Patterson / The Points Guy
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- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
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- New: 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.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
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| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and at U.S. supermarkets. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
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Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.Earn 90,000 Bonus Miles50,000 Bonus MilesAnnual Fee
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Why We Chose It
Build your loyalty to Delta by applying for the carrier's mid-tier card option, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. The annual fee is quickly recouped by the card's travel perks, such as an application credit to Global Entry or TSA Precheck, annual companion certificate and so much more. Plus you can fast-track to elite status simply through card spend.Pros
- Earn bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and an Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver when you hit specific spending thresholds with your card within a calendar year
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year
- Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
- First checked bag free
Cons
- Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
- SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
- New: 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.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees