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Taking flight with United Airlines this year? Before you board, make sure you have the right credit card to maximize rewards with every trip. Whether you only fly occasionally or live out of United Club lounges, there’s a card that suits your style.
We compared annual fees, earning rates, elite perks, and lounge access privileges across cards. We then segmented top card offers based on how you fly — whether you’re a frequent flier, business traveler, or lounge enthusiast.
Based on our research, these are the best credit cards for United Airlines in 2024:
Who it’s best for:
The United℠ Explorer Card is a great way try out an airline credit card without a big financial commitment. It’s also good for those who fly with United at least a few times per year and want perks like free checked bags and airport lounge passes.
Rewards: Earn 2X miles on dining, hotel stays, and United® purchases and 1X mile on all other purchases
Annual fee: $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95
Regular United fliers who want rewards without paying a high annual fee will love this card. You’ll enjoy a free first checked bag, priority boarding, two one-time United Club day passes per year, and solid travel protections.
The biggest perk comes by way of earning miles. You receive 2X miles on United purchases, dining, and hotel stays, and 1X miles on all other purchases. This adds up quickly for regular travelers who dine out and stay at hotels during every trip.
Because the $95 annual fee is waived the first year, this card offers an affordable way to boost your United status. Considering the free first checked bag perk alone can save over $100 per trip, the Explorer Card pays for itself if you check your luggage regularly.
United℠ Explorer Card
Pros
- Annual fee waived the first year
- No blackout dates
- Free checked bags
- Earns unlimited miles
- Travel insurance protections
- Can earn Premier qualifying points (PQP) toward elite status
- Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee credit
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Annual fee after the first year
- No intro 0% APR offer
- High variable APR
Who it’s best for:
The United Quest℠ Card is best for regular United fliers who want to earn status without spending too much on an annual fee.
Rewards: Earn 3X on United® purchases and 2X miles on dining, select streaming services, and all other travel. You’ll also earn 1X miles on all other purchases.
Annual fee: $250
United loyalists who hold Premier elite status will find their best travel companion in the United Quest℠ Card. With priority services, seat upgrades, and annual travel credits up to $125, it caters directly to those committed to United.
With this card, you can earn boosted miles on dining, streaming services, and other travel. While it carries a $250 annual fee, you can expect premium perks like up to two free checked bags per person and bonus miles after your account anniversary.
United Quest℠ Card
Pros
- Generous welcome bonus
- Earns 2X-3X miles in bonus categories
- Annual $125 United purchase credit
- Anniversary award flight credits
- Free checked bags
- Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee credit
- Can earn Premier qualifying points (PQP) toward elite status
- Travel insurance benefits
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- $250 annual fee
- High variable APR
- Free checked bags are limited to cardholders and companion on the same itinerary
Who it’s best for:
This flexible travel card is best for those who want the option to transfer points to other airline partners.
Rewards: Earn 5X points on travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards and on Lyft rides (through March 31, 2025). Earn 3X points on dining (including eligible delivery services), select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding wholesale clubs). You’ll also earn 2X points on other travel and 1X points on all other purchases.
Annual fee: $95
Fliers who split travel across United and other airlines will enjoy the flexibility of the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
While it won’t offer United-specific perks, you can redeem points towards United flights at a 1:1 ratio. And, if you book via Chase’s travel portal, your points will be worth 25% more. This provides excellent value in exchange for a $95 annual fee.
You can also transfer points to other airline and hotel partners like Southwest Rapid Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, and World of Hyatt. Or, you can redeem points for cash back or as a statement credit. This card has solid travel insurance benefits, including auto rental collision damage waiver, trip delay reimbursement, and baggage delay insurance.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Pros
- Earn flexible points to transfer 1:1 to United and other travel partners
- Earns 2X-5X points in bonus categories
- Reasonable $95 annual fee
- Travel insurance protections
- $50 annual hotel credit
- 25% more value when redeeming for travel through Chase
- Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee credit No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- No specific United benefits
- No intro 0% APR offer
- High variable APR
Who it’s best for:
The United Club℠ Infinite Card is best for frequent United fliers who regularly visit the United Club lounges. Other benefits like free checked bags and priority boarding make this an excellent card for United’s biggest fans.
Rewards: Earn 4X miles on United Airlines purchases and 2X miles on all other travel purchases, dining, and eligible delivery services. You’ll also earn 1X miles on all other purchases.
Annual fee: $525
First-class fliers who want VIP treatment should consider the United Club℠ Infinite Card. It unlocks United Club airport lounge access, United Premier access, and other premium perks. Consider this card your first-class ticket on the ground and in the air.
Remember that the annual fee can be steep and may not be worth it if you don’t regularly visit United Club lounges or fly United. But two free checked bags per person and seat upgrades may be worth the cost.
United Club℠ Infinite Card
Pros
- Complimentary United Club membership
- Earns 2X-4X miles in bonus categories
- Can earn Premier qualifying points (PQP) toward elite status
- Travel insurance benefits
- Free checked bags
- Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee credit
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- $525 annual fee
- High regular APR
- No intro 0% APR offer
Who it’s best for:
The United Gateway℠ Card is best for infrequent travelers who want to earn miles without paying an annual fee.
Rewards: Earn 2X miles on United® purchases, at gas stations, and on local transit and commuting. Earn 1X mile on all other purchases.
Annual fee: $0
The United Gateway℠ Card charges an annual fee, which is a solid feature for travelers who don’t fly enough to justify paying one. But this card still earns United miles for spending and comes with benefits that can make signing up well worth the trouble.
This card includes travel benefits, like trip cancellation insurance and purchase protection. You can earn 25% back as a statement credit on in-flight United purchases.
United Gateway℠ Card
Pros
- No annual fee
- Earns 2X miles in bonus categories
- No foreign transaction fees
- Intro 0% APR offer
Cons
- No free checked bags
- High variable APR after intro offer
- Doesn’t earn Premier qualifying points (PQP) toward elite status
Who it’s best for:
The United℠ Business Card is a great choice for business owners who travel with United and want perks like free checked bags and United Club passes.
Rewards: Earn 2X miles on United Airlines purchases and on dining, gas stations, office supplies, and local transit and commuting. You’ll earn 1X miles on all other purchases
Annual fee: $99
United business owners can maximize both personal and professional rewards through this card. Plus, the $99 annual fee is reasonable enough for most businesses, and primary cardholders also get free employee cards.
The United℠ Business Card includes benefits like a free first checked bag, a $100 United travel credit, two annual United Club passes, and priority boarding.
United℠ Business Card
Pros
- Earns 2X miles in bonus categories
- Earns Premier qualifying points (PQP) toward elite status
- Travel insurance benefits
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- High variable APR
- No intro 0% APR offer
Who it’s best for:
The United Club℠ Business Card is ideal for business owners who fly with United often and want airport lounge access and other elite perks. The $450 annual fee is a steal considering that United Club membership costs $650 on its own.
Rewards: 2X miles on United purchases and 1.5X miles on all other purchases
Annual fee: $450
Road warrior business travelers who live on United will get the most mileage from the United Club℠ Business Card. That’s why it’s one of our picks for best business travel cards.
The biggest perk comes from United Club membership and lounge access. You can also enjoy other premium benefits like seat upgrades, free checked bags, and travel protections.
United Club℠ Business Card
Pros
- United Club Lounge membership
- Earns 2X miles in bonus categories
- Earns Premier qualifying points (PQP) toward elite status
- Free checked bags
- Priority travel benefits
- Free employee cards
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- $450 annual fee
- High variable APR
United co-branded credit cards help members earn miles in the United MileagePlus program to use on flights with United Airlines and its Star Alliance partners.
Star Alliance is the largest airline alliance in the world, with more than 16,000 daily departures. You can use your miles to travel to more than 1,200 destinations in 186 countries worldwide.
United cards also have valuable benefits like free checked bags, priority boarding, airport lounge access, and a leg up toward elite status.
The best United card varies from person to person based on how often you travel with the airline and the perks you want.
For example, someone who flies with United several times per month could benefit from a card with generous rewards on United purchases and airport lounge access.
So, how do you know which is right for how you fly? Here are three key questions to ask yourself:
- How often do you fly United? Low (or no) annual fee cards like the United℠ Explorer Card offer the most value if it’s less than five times a year. Frequent fliers may consider a card with more perks (and a higher annual fee) like the United Quest℠ Card.
- What’s your typical cabin — economy, business, or first class? Premium cards offer the most value when booking business or first-class tickets.
- Do you exclusively fly United? United co-branded cards offer targeted perks. Flexible travel cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card allow transfers to different travel partners.
While most United cards charge annual fees, these can be offset by certain perks, like free checked bags. Other benefits include priority boarding, earning points toward elite status, fee credits for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, and discounts on in-flight purchases.
Airline credit cards can offer great perks for loyal customers, like free checked bags, airport lounge access, priority boarding, and inflight discounts.
Frequent fliers on a specific airline get tremendous value from co-branded airline cards. The perks can offset annual fees and help unlock elite status faster.
But these cards make less sense for infrequent fliers or those who comparison shop flights across multiple airlines. That’s because the miles you earn have limited redemption options. United miles are best used for flights with United and its partners.
If you want more flexibility, consider a general travel card, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®. These cards earn flexible points that you can use to book travel through the Chase portal or transfer 1:1 to airline and hotel partners. You can redeem Chase points for statement credits, gift cards, or merchandise.
Any of these seven cards help loyal United fliers take off with valuable travel perks, airline rewards, and premium status. When choosing the best credit card, make sure you pick the one tailored to your travel habits and brand allegiance to maximize its benefits. You can also consider pairing a United credit card with a Chase travel credit card to get the best of both worlds.
Holly D. Johnson
Opinions expressed are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.
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