FoundersCard members now get discounts on United flights
FoundersCard offers a number of benefits to its members, ranging from hotel and car rental savings to discounts on physical products, from Dell laptops to Apple gear. While the membership is a bit pricey — you can sign up with our discounted $495 rate here — the benefits can easily make the program worthwhile for some.
As a United Premier 1K elite, the program's latest partnership has really caught my eye. As of this year, members can get up to 6% off select flights booked directly through United.
All you need to do is link your MileagePlus account through FoundersCard's dedicated page. I completed the process on Jan. 23, and my discount became active yesterday, Jan. 31.
I was skeptical at first — the language implies that I wouldn't encounter a 6% discount every time I booked, and that is indeed the case. Once your account is linked, it's easy to search, though — simply head to United.com (or the airline's mobile app) and ensure the "business travel" box is checked.
Naturally, I decided to do some comparison shopping. My first search, for a one-way flight from Newark (EWR) to London (LHR), yielded fares that seemed in line with what I'd encountered in the past.
Searching again with the box unchecked confirmed that I was in fact seeing a discount, but it was far below the 6% cap. Economy was discounted by 3.8%, Premium Plus by 1.8% and Polaris business class by 1.7%. Note that my calculations are based on the "PQP" figure below, which represents the pre-tax amount.
I then searched a common domestic leisure route — Newark to Fort Lauderdale (FLL).
I didn't find a 6% discount here, either — a measly $2 discount for economy, and $6 for first class.
On the hunt for that elusive maximum discount, I searched for one of the airline's priciest domestic fares, a full-fare "J" ticket between Newark and San Francisco (SFO). That yielded a discounted price of $2,993 for a lie-flat transcon seat.
Meanwhile, the same ticket would have cost $3,183 without the discount, representing a discount of $176, equivalent to a savings of... 6%!
So, is it worth signing up for FoundersCard just for the "up to 6%" United discount? Unless you book a number of very expensive tickets each year, no, probably not.
Paired with the other benefits, though — Caesars Diamond status, hotel and car rental discounts, elite status challenges and more — it could easily make sense to shell out the $495.
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| 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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