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Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
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8 reasons to upgrade from the United Explorer Card to the United Quest Card
Augusta Stone is a credit cards writer for TPG. She joined the TPG team in 2023 and is excited to take points and miles beginners with her on a journey toward maximizing rewards.
Ryan is a former TPG credit cards writer who has been around points and miles for several years and has published content at Miles to Memories, AwardWallet and The Points Guy. His wife joins him on many of his trips, and they enjoy snowboarding, diving, and seeing animals in the wild. When not traveling, Ryan is probably answering questions from his family about how he travels so much and whether this points & miles stuff is illegal.
also contributed to this story
July 17, 2025 • 14 min read
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By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
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Quick summary
The article compares two travel rewards cards for frequent flyers, highlighting differences in benefits, statement credits and elite status earning potential.
One card offers enhanced perks such as higher statement credits, more checked bags, and greater opportunities to earn loyalty points toward elite status.
Travelers who spend heavily with the airline or check multiple bags may find the premium card's benefits outweigh its higher fee.
Upgrading preserves account history but forfeits eligibility for a new cardholder bonus.
What to consider
You cannot receive a welcome bonus when upgrading; only new applications are eligible for these offers.
Certain travel credits and perks require specific types of spending or bookings to activate.
Eligibility for a product change may be affected by recent account openings with any issuer, due to application restrictions.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed side-by-side breakdown of each card's benefits, including which traveler profiles benefit most from upgrading.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Yes, the annual fee is higher. However, if you leverage the card's multiple statement credits, Premier qualifying point (PQP) head start and higher earning rates, there could be a strong argument for upgrading your card.
You won't be eligible for a welcome bonus on the United Quest if you upgrade from the United Explorer, so for now, you may want to apply outright and get the bonus instead of upgrading.
Comparing the United Explorer to the United Quest
Before we get into a deep dive about why you may want to upgrade your United card, here's a side-by-side comparison of each card's benefits.
Card
United Explorer
United Quest
Annual fee
$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150
$350
Earning rates
Earn 9 total miles per dollar spent on United flights
Earn 3 miles on all other United purchases
Earn 2 miles per dollar spent on dining and other hotel stays booked directly with the hotel
Earn 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases
Earn 10 total miles per dollar spent on United flights
Earn 5 miles per dollar spent on hotel stays booked with Renowned Hotels and Resorts
Earn 4 miles per dollar spent on other eligible United purchases
Earn 2 miles per dollar spent on all other travel, select streaming services and dining
Earn 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases
United benefits
Earn 1 PQP for every $20 spent on purchases, up to 1,000 PQPs per calendar year
First checked bag free for the primary cardholder and one companion
Priority boarding
Two one-time United Club passes each account anniversary year
10,000-mile award flight discount after you spend $20,000 in a calendar year
25% back on United inflight and Club premium drink purchases
Earn 1 PQP for every $20 spent on purchases, up to 18,000 PQPs per calendar year (applied toward Premier status, up to and including Premier 1K level)
First and second checked bags free for the primary cardholder and one companion
Priority boarding
Two global Economy Plus seat upgrades after you spend $40,000 in a calendar year
1,000 PQP bonus award within eight weeks of Feb. 1 each year, starting in 2026
10,000-mile award flight discount each account anniversary (earn a second 10,000-mile discount after you spend $20,000 in a calendar year)
25% back on United inflight and Club premium drink purchases
Statement credits
Earn $100 United travel credit in the form of United TravelBank cash after you spend $10,000 on purchases each calendar year
Two $50 statement credits on your first and second prepaid hotel stay booked through United Hotels, up to $100 annually
$5 back as a statement credit each month on ride-hailing purchases, up to $60 annually
Two $25 United TravelBank cash credits for your first and second Avis or Budget car rental booking made through cars.united.com, up to $50 annually
$10 Instacart credit monthly, up to $120 a year (offer ends Dec. 31, 2027)
Up to $100 statement credit on JSX purchases annually
Up to $120 statement credit every four years for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus
Automatic $200 in United TravelBank cash after account opening and each year on your account anniversary
Up to $150 in statement credits when you book prepaid Renowned Hotels and Resorts stays
$8 back as a statement credit each month on ride-hailing purchases ($12 back in December), up to $100 annually
Two $40 United TravelBank cash credits for your first and second Avis or Budget car rental booking made through cars.united.com, up to $80 annually
One $10 Instacart credit and one $5 credit monthly, up to $180 each calendar year (offer ends Dec. 31, 2027)
Up to $150 statement credit on JSX purchases annually
Up to $120 statement credit every four years for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus
Now that you've seen a side-by-side comparison of the United Explorer and United Quest benefits, here are eight reasons why upgrading to the United Quest may be the best move for you.
You're over 5/24 and can’t get the other card through a new application
If you decide you're ready for the United Quest, you may be forced to acquire it by upgrading.
Why? That would be Chase's 5/24 rule. If you've opened five (or more) credit cards with any issuer over the previous 24 months, you'll almost certainly be denied when trying to open a new Chase card, regardless of your credit score or any other factor.
PEKIC/GETTY IMAGES
If you encounter this application restriction, you may not be able to get the United Quest unless you request a product change from another United credit card. If you're over 5/24, you won't be able to get the card by applying.
New applicants for the Explorer Card pay an introductory annual fee of $0 for the first year and $150 each following year. The Quest Card has an annual fee of $350. That's a difference of $200.
If you've decided that Quest's benefits outweigh its higher annual fee, then you may be ready for a product change.
You regularly spend money with United and want to earn more miles
The Quest Card earns 10 miles total per dollar spent on United flights and 4 miles per dollar spent on all other United purchases. The Explorer earns 9 total miles per dollar spent on United flights and 3 miles per dollar spent on other United purchases.
If you're curious about how many miles you could earn in a year, consider how much money you spent with United across the last 12 months. You'd earn an additional mile on all these purchases if you hold the Quest.
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
So, if you spend frequently or substantially with United, the math could come out that it's a better option for you to earn more on that spending.
United TravelBank is essentially a savings account you can use to maintain funds for United purchases. You can use cash in United TravelBank to pay for flights with United or United Express or give it as a gift. You can use your funds alone or with most other payment types, and you can redeem funds from TravelBank without a minimum balance requirement.
If this sounds like the type of service you'd enjoy using, the United Quest provides a much better United TravelBank benefit than the United Explorer.
With the Quest, you'll receive an automatic $200 in United TravelBank cash each account anniversary year and after account opening. This essentially wipes out more than half of the $350 annual fee.
Meanwhile, the Explorer provides $100 in TravelBank cash after you spend $10,000 on purchases in a calendar year. With the Quest Card, it's automatic, but with the Explorer, it's incentivized by spending.
You have very few credit cards and want to maximize the perks of each card
If you don't have a wallet full of credit cards, you may find yourself leaning into the benefits of your one card more than someone who has a swath of cards with benefits to manage.
SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY
Both the United Explorer and the United Quest come with a long list of statement credits on everything from Instacart and ride-hailing services to hotel stays booked through a travel portal and car rentals with Avis and Budget.
The United Quest's statement credits are worth more, so if you find yourself looking to maximize multiple statement credits, you'll get more value with the Quest.
The United Quest Card provides better PQP earnings toward United Premier status than the United Explorer Card.
With either card, you can earn 1 PQP for every $20 you spend, and your total earnings are capped. However, you have a substantially higher threshold on the Quest than with the Explorer. You can earn up to 18,000 PQPs each year through spending on the United Quest. You can only earn up to 1,000 PQPs with spending on the Explorer.
Plus, starting in 2026, you'll receive a 1,000 PQP bonus award within eight weeks of Feb. 1 each year with the United Quest.
You check 2 bags when flying with United at least 5 times a year
The Quest Card offers two free checked bags for you and a companion booked on the same reservation. By comparison, the Explorer Card offers just one free checked bag per person for you and that companion.
HINTERHAUSPRODUCTIONS/GETTY IMAGES
So, ask yourself this question: How often do you check a second bag on your trips with United Airlines?
If the answer is more than four times per year, getting a free second checked bag from the Quest Card can make sense.
When flying domestically with United or United Express, a second checked bag will cost at least $55 per person in each direction (only if you pay in advance — adding a second bag within 24 hours of departure costs $60). That means you’d incur an additional $110 per round-trip flight.
The difference in annual fees from the Explorer Card to the Quest Card is $200. If you take two round-trip flights (four total flights), that's $220 for one traveler, which offsets the Quest's $200 extra in annual fees.
Remember that regardless of whether you have the Explorer Card or the Quest Card, you must pay for the flight with your United cobranded credit card to qualify for the free checked bag(s) benefit.
You spend more than $20,000 on a United card each year
Both the United Explorer and the United Quest have some spend-incentivized perks. However, if you're going to put a lot of spending on a United credit card, you're going to earn more if you do it on the Quest.
After spending $20,000 on the United Explorer, you'll receive a 10,000-mile award flight discount, which is a good benefit.
However, you'll automatically receive one 10,000-mile award flight discount with the United Quest — and you'll receive another 10,000-mile award flight discount if you spend $20,000 with that card.
KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY
If you spend $40,000 on the United Quest, you can also receive two global Economy Plus seat upgrades, which is a solid incentive to keep using the card.
And, as mentioned above, your PQP earning cap is 18 times higher (18,000 to 1,000) on the United Quest.
If you upgrade from the United Explorer to the United Quest, there are many differences in benefits. However, it is worth noting that some aspects remain the same between both of these cards:
No foreign transaction fees
Priority boarding privileges on United flights
Travel and purchase protections
Earn 2 miles per dollar spent on dining and delivery services
Up to a $120 reimbursement on an application fee for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus (valid every four years)
A 25% discount on inflight purchases when paying with your card on United- and United Express-operated flights
Additionally, a benefit of upgrading your card (rather than applying for a new card) is that you will preserve your credit history on that account. Credit age is one of the factors that make up your credit score.
Aside from simply comparing the benefits of your existing card to the other card you’re considering for a product change, there are a few things you should think about before taking any action.
Remember that you won't be eligible for a welcome offer on the United Quest when upgrading from the United Explorer. Those offers are only for new applications, not changing from an existing card to another credit card. If you'd be eligible for a welcome bonus, consider whether (or how much) it matters to you that you forgo the bonus when changing to the new card.
If you do want to earn the United Quest Card's current bonus of 500 PQP after your first purchase and 80,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, plus 10,000 bonus miles after adding an authorized user in the first three months from account opening, you’ll need to submit a new application.
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Also, remember that the welcome bonus you earned when you opened your card has conditions. You should always plan to keep a credit card for at least a year to avoid having the bonus points or miles confiscated by the bank.
How to upgrade from the Explorer Card to the Quest Card
If you're ready to upgrade from the United Explorer to the United Quest, you'll need to call the number on the back of your credit card. Explain to the representative that you want to upgrade your card to the Quest Card.
Be clear with the agent on the phone that you want to change to the new card to ensure that Chase doesn't process a new card application or close your current card by mistake.
MASKOT/GETTY IMAGES
The phone representative will typically need to read you a mandatory disclosure. This will include things like changes in benefits, when your new card should arrive in the mail and important information about when you will start paying the higher annual fee.
Pay attention to the disclosure, and ask questions about anything that seems unclear. Once you agree to the terms, the phone agent will process the change. You should be able to continue using your current card until the new one arrives in the mail.
The United Explorer card is a mid-tier option for United flyers, while the United Quest card provides extra benefits for those willing to pay a higher annual fee.
There's never a perfect choice for all travelers, but when you consider how much you fly with United and how you value each card's perks, you may decide that the United Quest is worth the upgrade.
If that sounds like you, call the number on the back of your Explorer Card to initiate the process.
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
