United Raises Credit Card Bonuses To 100,000 Miles—Cardholders Earn More On Flights And Pay Less For Awards

I receive compensation for content and many links on this blog. Be aware that websites may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened. Citibank is an advertising partner of this site, as is American Express, Chase, Capital One, and others. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by my advertising partners. I do not write about all offers that are available -- instead focusing on miles, points, and cash back (and currencies that can be converted into the same). Terms apply to the offers and benefits listed on this page.United and Chase have raised initial bonuses on all four personal credit cards, with offers now reaching 100,000 miles. That’s worth considering because United has made its credit card much harder to skip: eligible primary cardholders earn more miles for flying, then pay fewer miles to book United awards. Even elite status doesn’t eliminate the disadvantage of going without one. I’ve written about United cutting mileage-earning for customers without a card while giving cardholders more. If you’re active with the airline and MileagePlus, you need to look at the cost of a card against the miles you’re giving up without it. And with the annual fee cards, you don’t have to put all your spending on one to get the better flight earning and award pricing. The Current Offers Go Up To 100,000 Miles Here’s the current lineup. Each offer has a spending component plus another 10,000 miles for adding an authorized user (an employee card on the business products) within three months of account opening. Card Initial Bonus Purchases In First 3 Months Annual Fee United GatewaySM Card (See rates and fees) 40,000 after $1,000 in purchases within 3 months + 10,000 miles for adding an authorized user50,000 total $1,000 $0 UnitedSM Explorer Card (See rates and fees) 70,000 after $3,000 in purchases within 3 months + 10,000 miles for adding an authorized user80,000 total $3,000 $0 first year, then $150 United QuestSM Card (See rates and fees) 80,000 after $4,000 in purchases within 3 months + 10,000 miles for adding an authorized user90,000 total $4,000 $350 United ClubSM Card (See rates and fees) 90,000 after $5,000 in purchases within 3 months + 10,000 miles for adding an authorized user100,000 total $5,000 $695 UnitedSM Business Card (See rates and fees) 90,000 after $5,000 in purchases within 3 months + 10,000 miles for adding an authorized user100,000 total $5,000 $150 There are also elite status incentives: Quest: 500 Premier qualifying points after your first purchase. Business: 2,000 Premier qualifying points after the same $5,000 in purchases within three months that earns the mileage bonus. The extra 10,000 miles for adding a user are awarded once per account, and that user must remain on the account when the bonus is fulfilled. What You’re Giving Up Without A Qualifying Card For United tickets purchased on or after April 2, 2026, here’s what the airline awards for flying. The cardholder column applies to the primary holder of an eligible annual fee card. The United GatewaySM Card requires spending to qualify. MileagePlus Status Without A Qualifying Card With A Qualifying Card General member 3 miles per dollar 6 miles per dollar Premier Silver 5 miles per dollar 8 miles per dollar Premier Gold 6 miles per dollar 9 miles per dollar Premier Platinum 7 miles per dollar 10 miles per dollar Premier 1K 9 miles per dollar 12 miles per dollar These rates apply to base airfare and carrier-imposed surcharges and exclude taxes. Basic Economy and other base-option fares have different earning rules. This is mileage earned from flying, separate from whatever the card you use to buy the tickets earns. A general member earns twice as many flight miles with a qualifying card. A 1K doesn’t double their earning, but still picks up three more miles per eligible dollar. Spend $5,000 on eligible fares and that’s 15,000 additional miles at either status level. Then there’s the redemption side. United gives eligible primary cardholders: At least 10% off United and United Express award prices without Premier status. At least 15% off with Premier status. Access to additional Polaris business class Saver award inventory. More seats at the lower price can matter more than the percentage discount. At the minimum discounts, an award with a base price of 100,000 miles becomes 90,000 miles for a cardholder without status, or 85,000 for a cardholder with status. The discounts don’t cover partner-operated flights, Money + Miles bookings, or taxes and fees. You need to book through the primary cardholder’s MileagePlus account. Adding someone as an authorized user doesn’t give their MileagePlus account these benefits. The award pricing benefit can take up to five weeks after card issuance to become available. The No Annual Fee Card Has A $10,000 Spend Requirement To Unlock Benefits United GatewaySM Card‘s offer is 50,000 miles with just $1,000 in purchases and an added authorized user. That’s a record bonus and a low spending requirement. Chase is right to call it the card’s best offer ever. However, Gateway requires $10,000 in purchases in a calendar year to unlock the higher flight earning and cardmember award pricing. Once earned, the award pricing benefit lasts for the rest of that calendar year and the following one. I actually think that UnitedSM Explorer Card (which has a $0 annual fee the first year) and the UnitedSM Business Card are both better options. Which Offer Makes The Most Sense? UnitedSM Explorer Card is the base personal card. You get up to 80,000 miles and the better MileagePlus earning and award prices without a first year annual fee. It also comes with Group 2 boarding, two United Club one-time passes each year, and a free first checked bag for the primary cardholder and one companion on the same reservation. The bag benefit generally requires buying the tickets with the card. Club passes are subject to admission restrictions and capacity. The UnitedSM Business Card is especially attractive if you qualify. It matches the 100,000-mile maximum on the Club cards, adds 2,000 qualifying points, and costs $150 a year. It offers a $125 United travel credit after five United flight purchases of at least $100 each in a calendar year. And you get 5,000 anniversary miles when you also hold a personal Chase United card. United QuestSM Card has strong benefits if you’ll use them. The $350 annual fee buys $200 in United TravelBank cash after opening and at each anniversary, plus a 10,000-mile award flight discount starting at the first anniversary. It also provides 1,000 qualifying points annually starting the calendar year after opening. If the $200 credit replaces airfare you’d otherwise buy, you’re left evaluating $150 of the fee against the remaining benefits and that’s the annual fee of Explorer. The United ClubSM Card is for people who will use the lounges. It has a $695 annual fee and includes United Club membership. Topics on this page Editorial note: any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Comments made in response to this post are not provided or commissioned nor have they been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any bank. It is not the responsibility of advertisers Citibank, Chase, American Express, Barclays, Capital One or any other advertiser to ensure that questions are answered, either. Terms and limitations apply to all offers.