When you buy something using links found on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. This content is reviewed & supervised by The Los Angeles Times.
The United℠ Explorer Card gives you access to a variety of travel benefits, including trip cancellation insurance, trip delay insurance, trip interruption insurance and car rental coverage.
What we think: If you fly with United at least a couple of times per year, having the United Explorer card makes sense. It comes with two free United Club passes each year, a free checked bag, priority boarding, and more; a set of benefits far more valuable than the $95 annual fee.
The United Explorer Card has a $95 annual fee that is waived during your first year of membership and has no foreign transaction fees.
We recommend that you have a credit score of at least 700 before you apply for the United Explorer Card.
SUMMARY
If you love to fly the friendly skies, don’t miss out on the opportunity to earn extra miles and check a bag for free on every flight with a United Airlines credit card.
The United℠ Explorer Card is ideal for consumers who prefer United over other airlines. It’s an especially good fit if you live near a United Airlines hub, such as Newark Liberty International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Denver International Airport or George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
In our United Explorer Card review, we answer these questions:
Is the United Explorer card worth it?
What benefits do you get as a United Explorer cardholder?
Earn 2X miles on United purchases, as well as on dining at restaurants and hotels you book directly. Earn 1X miles on all other purchases. $95 annual fee waived the first year.
Is the United Explorer Card worth it?
The United℠ Explorer Card may be worth it for consumers who consistently choose United as their preferred airline and want to maximize their MileagePlus benefits without paying a large annual fee.
In addition to the travel benefits, you also get 2X miles on restaurant purchases and eligible hotel stays. Otherwise, it’s a basic Chase credit card that doesn’t come with as many benefits as other travel cards.
Pros and cons of the United Explorer Card
Annual fee waived for the first year
Earn 50,000 bonus miles when you spend $3,000 within 3 months of opening an account
2X miles on restaurants, United in-flight purchases and eligible hotel stays
If you have the United Explorer Card, you’re entitled to the following benefits.
Airport lounge passes
For every year you maintain your membership, you’ll get two airport lounge passes. If you need to grab a bite or take a break from large crowds, use a pass to get into the United Club. Passes sell for $59 each, so you can earn back your annual fee just by using this benefit.
Free checked bag
As a cardholder, you’re entitled to a free checked bag on every United Airlines flight. If you add an authorized user to your card, they also get a free checked bag as long as they’re traveling with you on the same reservation. They can’t use the benefit if they’re traveling alone. Avoiding baggage fees may save you as much as $140 per trip.
Priority boarding
This airline credit card allows you to board United flights before general boarding begins. Once you’re at the airport, listen for the gate agent to announce your boarding group.
Statement credit for Nexus, Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
Nexus, Global Entry and TSA PreCheck all make it a little easier to get through airport security. If you use your United Explorer Card to apply for one of these programs, you’ll receive a statement credit to cover the application fee. You’re eligible for one credit every four years.
25% off in-flight purchases
After you board your flight, treat yourself to an alcoholic beverage or a premium snack. The United Explorer Card gives you 25% back on all in-flight purchases. You’ll also get 25% back on purchases made at the United Club.
Free upgrades for MileagePlus Premier
If you reach MileagePlus Premier status, you’ll qualify for free upgrades to Economy Plus.
Earn Premier Qualifying Points (PQP)
To reach MileagePlus Premier status, you need to earn Premier Qualifying Points, better known as PQPs. The Premier membership has four levels: Silver, Gold, Platinum and 1K. You’re eligible for the Silver level once you’ve earned 5,000 PQPs or a combination of 4,000 PQPs and 12 Premier Qualifying Flights. As a United Explorer cardholder, you earn PQPs faster than MileagePlus members without the United Explorer Card.
Concierge services
The United Explorer Card gives you access to concierges who can help you make reservations or find the best attractions at your destination. Concierge benefits are available anywhere in the world.
Shopping benefits
Some shopping benefits include:
Purchase protection: As a cardholder, you’re entitled to 120 days of purchase protection on all eligible purchases. To use this benefit, you must use your United Explorer Card to purchase the item. Purchase protection tops out at $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per calendar year.
Extended warranty protection: If you buy an eligible item with a manufacturer warranty of three years or less, you’ll receive an additional 12 months of warranty coverage.
Travel protections
The United Explorer Card comes with several travel protections:
1
Primary car rental coverage:
As a cardholder, you’re entitled to complimentary car rental coverage when you use your United Explorer Card to cover the entire cost of the rental. What makes this benefit unique is that you get primary coverage rather than secondary coverage. If you have primary coverage, you don’t have to exhaust your other benefits before the insurance company reimburses the rental company.
See MoreSee Less
2
Trip cancellation:
Trip cancellation insurance reimburses you for your prepaid, nonrefundable expenses if you have to cancel a trip before it begins. For example, if you come down with a serious illness 10 days before you’re set to fly to Italy, you may be able to use your trip cancellation benefits to get your money back. You’re limited to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip in benefits.
See MoreSee Less
3
Trip interruption:
This type of insurance reimburses you for prepaid, nonrefundable expenses if you have to return home earlier than planned. For example, if you have to leave Italy three days into your trip due to the death of an immediate family member, your trip interruption insurance should cover you. This benefit has a limit of $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip.
See MoreSee Less
4
Trip delay insurance:
If you’re delayed while traveling via common carrier, you may be eligible for reimbursement of up to $500 worth of expenses related to the delay. For example, if a flight delay forces you to stay overseas for an extra night, your insurance may reimburse you for additional meals, transportation fees and hotel costs. Note that the delay must last for at least 12 hours before your benefits kick in. A common carrier is an airline, bus company, railway, ferry line or cruise line that provides transportation services to the public.
See MoreSee Less
5
Baggage delay insurance:
If you’re traveling via common carrier, you’re also entitled to up to $100 per day (three days max) for baggage delays lasting 6 hours or more. Baggage delay insurance reimburses you for essential purchases, such as clothing and toiletries.
See MoreSee Less
6
Travel accident insurance:
The United Explorer Card comes with $500,000 in accidental death and dismemberment coverage. To access this coverage, you must use your card to pay for your common carrier transportation.
See MoreSee Less
7
Lost luggage insurance:
If a carrier loses or damages your luggage, you’re entitled to up to $3,000. This benefit also applies to your immediate family members.
See MoreSee Less
Visa Signature benefits
Having a Visa-branded card has several benefits:
Zero fraud liability: If someone uses your card without authorization, you won’t be liable for their purchases.
Fraud alerts: Visa is always on the lookout for fraudulent activity. If one of its systems detects suspicious activity on your account, you’ll receive an alert right away.
Emergency card replacement: If you lose your card, you don’t have to wait for weeks to get a replacement. If you’re in the United States or Canada, you’ll receive a new card within 24 hours. Otherwise, you’ll receive it within one business day.
Emergency cash: In the event of an emergency, Visa may provide you with up to $1,000 in cash within 24 hours, provided you’re traveling within the United States or Canada. If you’re in another country, it takes one business day to receive the money.
Charge disputes: If a merchant charges you in error, Visa will freeze the charge while it investigates.
United Explorer Card rewards
Now that you understand the benefits of using the United Explorer Card, it’s time to find out how to earn and redeem your miles.
Welcome bonus
Chase offers a welcome bonus of 50,000 miles for all new United Explorer cardholders. To earn the bonus, you must spend $3,000 on eligible purchases within three months of opening your account.
Earn MileagePlus miles
The main way to earn MileagePlus miles is to use your card to book United Airlines flights. For every eligible flight you take, you’ll earn 2 miles per dollar spent. For example, if your flight costs $683, you’ll earn 1,366 miles. You also get 2 miles per dollar on in-flight purchases, United Club purchases, dining and eligible hotel stays. Otherwise, you get 1 mile per dollar spent.
Redeem MileagePlus miles
You can use your MileagePlus miles to access a variety of travel and shopping benefits. Additionally, United cards are a part of the Chase Pay Yourself Back program, which provides even more redemption options.
Here are several ways to use your balance:
Book a United Airlines flight
Pay for a meal at a participating airport restaurant (Houston Intercontinental and Newark Liberty only)
Purchase a United Club membership
Buy in-flight Wi-Fi
Purchase a seat upgrade
Shop via MileagePlus Merchandise Awards
Buy a magazine or newspaper subscription
Purchase digital gift cards
Buy an iPhone, an iPad or another eligible Apple product
United Explorer Card fees, rates & limit
Like other cards, the United Explorer Card features several fees, rates and limits. We’ve gathered the most important details for you here.
United Explorer Card fees
The United Explorer Card fees are:
Annual fee: $95 (waived for first year)
Balance transfer fee: $5 or 5% of the transfer amount, whichever is greater
Cash advance fee: $10 or 5% of the transaction amount, whichever is greater
Foreign transaction fee: $0 (no foreign transaction fees)
Late payment: Up to $40
Returned payment: Up to $40
United Explorer Card interest rates
The United Explorer Card interest rates are:
Regular APR: 21.99% to 28.99% variable
Purchase intro APR: N/A
Balance transfer intro APR: N/A
Balance transfer APR: 21.99% to 28.99% variable
Cash advance APR: 29.99% variable
Penalty APR: 29.99% variable
United Explorer Card annual limit
The United Explorer Card has a minimum limit of $5,000, but some users have limits exceeding $20,000. Your credit limit depends on your income, credit profile and other factors.
Chase is more than just a credit card issuer
The first step in growing and maintaining consistent savings is to understand your personal finances through checking and savings accounts, credit cards, and more.
One of the biggest advantages of the United Explorer Card is that it has a low annual fee ($95). Some travel cards cost several hundred dollars per year, making it difficult to earn enough rewards to make them worthwhile.
You can easily earn back the $95 fee by redeeming your free United Club passes, using your travel insurance benefits or MileagePlus miles to book flights. The card also offers 2X miles on dining and eligible hotel stays. If you want to drive somewhere for the weekend instead of flying, you can still earn rewards on your purchases.
The biggest drawback of the United Explorer Card is that it doesn’t offer as many redemption options as other travel cards. You benefit the most from United Airlines purchases, but you only earn 1 mile per dollar spent on gasoline, ground transportation and other common expenses. Additionally, you need good to excellent credit to qualify for this card.
United Explorer Card vs. United Club Infinite Card
The United Club℠ Infinite Card comes with luxury travel benefits, so it costs more than the United Explorer Card. You get double the miles on United purchases, along with a free United Club membership. The Club Infinite Card has an annual fee of $525, but the United Club membership is worth $650, making it worth the investment.
United Explorer Card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Compared to the United Explorer Card, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has much more to offer the seasoned traveler. It also has a $95 annual fee, but you get a $50 hotel credit, $200 in partnership benefits, 5X points on hotels and car rentals booked through Chase, 3X points on dining purchases and more.
The United Explorer Card is for people with strong credit histories, so we recommend that you have a FICO score of at least 700.
High scores are just one factor used to determine your ability to manage credit wisely. Even if you have a high score, Chase may deny your application if you have limited income or you have a significant amount of debt.
The United Explorer Card is worth it if you’re loyal to United Airlines and want to earn MileagePlus miles much faster.
Is the United Explorer Card hard to get?
Chase hasn’t disclosed the exact criteria it uses to determine if an applicant qualifies for the United Explorer Card. However, you should have a credit score of at least 700 before you apply. This airline credit card isn’t intended for people who are rebuilding their credit or those who have no credit history.
Do I get a free checked bag with the United Explorer Card?
Yes. If you have the United Explorer Card, you get a free checked bag on every flight. Best of all, one of your travel companions also gets to check a bag at no cost.
What is the credit limit for the United Explorer Card?
This airline credit card has a minimum limit of $5,000. Depending on your income, credit score and other factors, you may qualify for a limit of $20,000 or more.
Leigh Morgan is a seasoned personal finance contributor with over 15 years of experience writing on a diverse range of professional legal and financial topics. She specializes in subjects like navigating the complexities of insurance, savings, zero-based budgeting and emergency fund development.
In the last 5 years, she’s authored over 300 articles for credit unions, digital banks, and financial professionals. Morgan is also the author of “77 Tips for Preventing Elder Financial Abuse,” a book focused on helping caregivers protect the elderly from financial scams.
In addition to her writing skills, she brings real-world financial acumen thanks to her previous experience managing rental properties as part of a $34 million real estate portfolio.
* Opinions expressed here are those of the LA Times Compare Cards Team and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser or entities included within this content. See our editorial policy for more details.
All products or services are presented in this content without warranty. The information, including card details such as rates and fees, is accurate at the time of publish. Please visit each bank's website directly for the most current information.
LA Times Compare is committed to helping you compare products and services in a safe and helpful manner. Our goal is to help you make sound financial decisions and confidently choose your next credit card.
We work to ensure that the information and advice we offer on our website is objective, unbiased, verifiable, easy to understand for all audiences, and free of charge to our users. We don’t feature all products and services available on the market but provide a wide range of options from top providers offered through Bankrate. Bankrate has partnerships with issuers including, but not limited to, American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover.
We can offer our services thanks to partners that compensate us. This may affect which products we write about and where and how product offers appear on our website – such as the order in which they appear. This does not affect our ability to offer unbiased reviews and information about these products; all partner offers are clearly marked. Given our collaboration with top providers, it’s important to note that our partners are not involved in deciding the order in which brands and products appear. We leave this to our editorial team who review and rate each product independently.
Why Trust Us?
At LA Times Compare, our mission is to help our readers reach their financial goals by making smarter choices. As such, we follow stringent editorial guidelines to ensure we offer accurate, fact-checked and unbiased information that aligns with the needs of the Los Angeles Times audience.
Learn how we are compensated by our partners.
