Get the United Club Card with a $0 Fee For the First Year (Targeted)
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
United's MileagePlus Club Card doesn't offer a sign-up bonus and it usually comes along with a $450 annual fee, yet it still made our list of 7 Premium Travel Cards You Should Consider in 2016. The reason? The card includes a full United Club membership, allowing unrestricted access whenever you're flying through an airport with a United-operated lounge. The card will save you $100 off the regular membership fee, assuming you don't have elite status with United.
In addition, you'll also receive Premier Access benefits, free first and second checked bags, 2 miles per dollar on all United purchases and 1.5 miles per dollar on all other spend, no close-in award booking fees and improved access to United award inventory. Of course, some of these benefits are also included with the United MileagePlus Explorer Card, which carries a much lower annual fee of $95 (waived for the first year) and is currently offering 40,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in the first three months. But you'll only receive United Club access twice each year, so if you fly United a lot, the Club Card offers obvious advantages.
If that $450 annual fee is tough to swallow, you may be able to get it waived for the first year. Chase is currently offering a targeted fee waiver — all but one of the TPG staffers who checked for the offer saw it in their accounts, so it looks like United's casting a pretty wide net here. To see if you've been targeted for a waived annual fee for the first year, visit mpclubcard.com/rsvp and log in with your United MileagePlus credentials. According to a mailer, this offer expires on March 15, 2016.
If you do receive the fee waiver, you're of course under no obligation to keep the card after the first year. Depending on your travel patterns, you might be better off with a card like Citi Prestige or The Platinum Card® from American Express, instead, since you'll have access to far more lounges (excluding United Clubs, unfortunately).
Thanks to TPG reader Wes A., who shared this news tip by emailing tpgtips@thepointsguy.com. We'll be sending out a $200 Visa gift card as a token of our appreciation.
TPG featured card
at Capital One's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
| 10X miles | 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel |
Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- Earn 150,000 bonus miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month
- Top rated mobile app