Which United credit card is right for you? Comparing the Explorer, Quest, Club and Business cards

If you fly United Airlines regularly, you’ve probably considered adding one of its cobranded credit cards to your wallet. But with several options offering everything from complimentary checked bags to United Club lounge access, figuring out which one is worth the annual fee isn’t always easy.

I carry the United Quest℠ Card (see rates and fees) myself, and between its annual travel credit, award flight discounts and the boost it’s given me toward Premier status, I’ve found plenty of reasons to keep it in my wallet. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the right United card for everyone.

And with United’s recent MileagePlus changes making cobranded cards more rewarding, it’s worth taking a closer look at what each one offers.

Here’s how the Explorer, Quest, Club and Business cards compare — and how to decide which is the best fit for your travel habits.

United credit cards compared: Benefits at a glance

Here’s a quick look at four of the United cards:

United Explorer Card

Best for: Occasional United flyers who want the core travel perks without a premium price tag

Current welcome offer:Earn up to 80,000 bonus miles: Earn 70,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Plus, earn 10,000 bonus miles after adding an authorized user in the first three months from account opening.

Annual fee:$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150

• A discount of at least 10% when booking flights with miles (Premier status members can save even more)
• One complimentary checked bag for the primary cardmember and one companion
• Priority boarding for the primary cardmember and companions on the same reservation
• Two United Club one-time passes per year

The United Explorer Card covers the basics that matter most on a typical trip, such as a free bag, priority boarding and a couple of lounge passes, without asking you to pay a premium fee for perks you’d rarely use. It’s the right fit for someone who flies United a handful of times a year and wants the card to pay for itself without overthinking it.

TPG credit cards editor Olivia Mittak says the two United Club passes alone tend to make the card worth it for her: “A day pass into a United Club costs $59, so if I use both of my passes, I’ve almost entirely covered my annual fee.” She adds that the 9-miles-per-dollar-spent rate on standard United fares booked with the card is the other reason it’s stayed in her wallet (earning rate may vary for those with United MileagePlus status and for those flying basic economy or with a base option ticket).

Compared to the United Quest Card, the Explorer is the more accessible option for less frequent flyers, while the Quest makes more sense once you’re checking bags and chasing status often enough to justify the higher fee.

To learn more, read our full review of the United Explorer Card.

Apply here: United Explorer Card

United Quest Card

Best for: Regular United flyers who check bags often and want a real head start toward Premier status

Current welcome offer:Earn up to 90,000 bonus miles and 500 PQP: Earn 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, earn 10,000 bonus miles after adding an authorized user in the first three months from account opening.

• Two complimentary checked bags for the primary cardmember and one companion
• Priority boarding for the primary cardmember and companions on the same reservation
• One $200 annual United travel credit
• Premier Access travel services, including priority check-in, security screening and boarding where available
• A discount of at least 10% when booking flights with miles (Premier status members can save even more)
• An annual 10,000-mile award flight discount

The United Quest Card is built for travelers who fly United often enough to want more than the free bag and priority boarding the Explorer offers — and who want a card that actively pushes them toward Premier status.

Between the $200 credit and the two free checked bags, much of the $350 annual fee can be offset for anyone flying United a few times a year, especially if you prefer to check a bag rather than tow a carry-on. For example, United charges $45 for a first checked bag and $55 for a second on domestic flights (when you prepay), so checking two bags on a round-trip flight could otherwise cost $200. Take a few similar trips each year, and those savings can quickly add up.

Clint Henderson, a principal spokesperson at TPG, says the $200 trip credit and elevated earning on United flights initially won him over, with “free checked bags and priority boarding” giving him reason enough to keep the card long-term.

One major shortcoming of the Quest, especially compared to the lower-fee Explorer, is its lack of lounge access — as a reminder, the Explorer offers two, one-time United Club passes per year. However, it makes up for that with a more robust collection of statement credits, an annual award flight discount and an additional complimentary checked bag.

To learn more, read our full review of the United Quest Card.

United Club Card

Best for:Frequent United flyers who want lounge access

• Unlimited United Club access for you and a guest (a $750-plus value per year)
• Free first and second checked bags for the primary cardmember and one companion on the same reservation
• Priority boarding for the primary cardmember and companions on the same reservation
• Premier Access travel services, including priority check-in, security screening and boarding where available
• More than $875 in annual partner credits, including hotel, ride-hailing, car rental and Instacart credits
• A discount of at least 10% when booking flights with miles (Premier status members can save even more)

The Club Card is for travelers who treat lounge access as a need rather than a nice-to-have. The unlimited visits for two can outweigh the $695 annual fee on their own for anyone who flies regularly with a plus-one, before factoring in the checked bags, Premier Access or partner credits.

Christine Gallipeau, a senior loyalty program editor at TPG, says the card’s “fantastic benefits,” including its complimentary United Club membership, discounted United awards and up to $150 in annual ride-hailing credits (yearly activation required), “have justified keeping the card in my wallet, especially as a frequent traveler based near United’s Washington, D.C., hub.”

Against the Quest, the Club costs nearly double, but that gap effectively replaces what would otherwise be a separate United Club membership. Flyers who rarely set foot in a United Club are usually better served sticking with Quest’s travel credit and PQP earnings instead. The Club only pulls ahead once lounge access becomes a habit rather than an occasional treat.

United Business Card

Best for: Small-business owners and frequent United flyers who want lounge passes and perks without a premium annual fee

Current welcome offer:Earn up to 100,000 bonus miles and 2,000 PQPs: Earn 90,000 bonus miles and 2,000 PQPs after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Plus, earn 10,000 bonus miles after you add an employee card to your account in the first three months from account opening.

• Two United Club one-time passes per year
• Complimentary first checked bag for the primary cardmember and one companion on the same reservation
• Priority boarding for the primary cardmember and companions on the same reservation
• $125 United travel credit (after making five United flight purchases of $100 or more each calendar year with your card)

The United Business Card packs a surprising amount of value into a moderate $150 annual fee, pairing a travel credit and lounge passes with a PQP boost that can meaningfully nudge business travelers toward Premier status.

It carries the same annual fee as the Explorer (after the first year; the Explorer has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150), but is built for business travelers who can turn everyday business expenses into progress toward Premier status.

Unlike the United Club Card, it offers just two one-time passes a year, which should be enough for someone who only wants occasional lounge access.

That’s part of the appeal for Carly Helfand, TPG’s director of site content strategy. She says the card works particularly well alongside the United Quest Card: “That card doesn’t include any lounge access, so the United Business Card fills a gap with its two United Club one-time passes per year.” She also appreciates the 5,000 bonus miles she gets each anniversary for holding both cards: “It’s not a ton of miles, but it’s a nice reward for keeping a card combo I was going to carry anyway!”

Apply here: United Business Card

How to choose the right United credit card for your travel style

When choosing the right United card, it’s helpful to think about how often you fly the carrier and the benefits you’re looking to gain. Here’s a framework to help you decide:

• You fly United at least once a year and mainly want to save on baggage fees: The United Explorer Card is usually sufficient.
• You check bags often and want a real shot at Premier status: The United Quest Card tends to deliver the most tangible annual value, between the travel credit and the PQP earnings.
• You fly frequently and want lounge access built in: The United Club Card is built for this type of traveler, offering unlimited club visits and a deep bench of partner credits.
• You run a small business and fly United regularly: The United Business Card offers a lighter-weight path to lounge passes and elite-qualifying points.

What about the United Gateway and United Club Business cards?

United also offers the no-annual-fee United Gateway℠ Card (see rates and fees) and premium United Club℠ Business Card, but neither made my main comparison.

While the Gateway is United’s only no-annual-fee card, most United flyers will get more practical value from the Explorer, which offers no annual fee for the first year (then $150). The Explorer includes a free first checked bag for the primary cardholder and one companion, while Gateway cardholders must spend $10,000 in a calendar year to earn two free checked bags.

The United Club Business Card is a more compelling option, but its $695 annual fee makes it best suited to business owners who regularly use United Clubs and can maximize the value of its collection of travel and lifestyle credits. For everyone else, the $150 United Business Card offers many of the core United benefits — including two annual Club passes and a free checked bag — at a fraction of the cost.

The information for the United Club Business has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Bottom line

The best United card isn’t necessarily the one with the most perks. Instead, it’s the one that matches how you actually travel.

Occasional flyers will likely get plenty of value from the Explorer, while frequent travelers may find the Quest or Club cards easily justify their higher annual fees. And for small-business owners, the United Business Card offers many of the same travel benefits at a lower price point.

With United now rewarding cardholders more generously than ever, carrying the right cobranded card can help you save money, earn more miles and unlock a better travel experience every time you fly.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Source: thepointsguy.com