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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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
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- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.