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If you’re a frequent flier with United Airlines, there are plenty of reasons to consider a United credit card. United’s line of co-branded MileagePlus cards with Chase offers discounts on flights, perks like priority boarding and free checked bags, and more.
And now, the cards are being relaunched with added benefits and limited-time welcome offers — alongside increasing annual fees. Here’s a rundown of what’s new and how you can decide whether a United Airlines card makes sense for your upcoming travels.
The main updates to each of the United credit cards include benefits, new annual fees, and limited-time welcome offers:
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New annual fee: $0 (unchanged)
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New welcome offer: Earn 30,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 within the first 3 months
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New and updated benefits:
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Earn two checked bags after spending $10,000 in a calendar year
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Get cardmember pricing on award flights after spending $10,000 in a calendar year (instead of automatically)
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Read our full review of the United Gateway Card
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New annual fee: $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $150 (up from $0 intro fee, then $95)
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New welcome offer: Earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 within the first 3 months
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New and updated benefits:
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Up to 5x miles on prepaid hotel stays booked through United Hotels (up from 4x) and up to $100 in annual United Hotels credits (two $50 statement credits) when you book prepaid stays
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Earn a $100 United travel credit after spending $10,000 in a calendar year
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Earn a 10,000-mile award flight discount after spending $20,000 in a calendar year
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Continue to get two one-time passes to United Club locations per year, but you (as primary cardholder) or an authorized user must now be present to redeem them
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Up to $60 in rideshare statement credits each calendar year (Up to $5 each month; yearly opt-in required)
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Up to $50 in United travel credits (two $25 statement credits) for Avis or Budget car rental bookings each anniversary year
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Up to $100 in statement credits each anniversary year for JSX flight purchases
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Up to $120 in annual Instacart credits ($10 monthly) and three months of complimentary Instacart+ with 25% discount on annual membership rate after (terms apply; benefits end 12/31/27)
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Read our full review of the United Explorer Card
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New annual fee: $350 (up from $250)
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New welcome offer: Earn 90,000 bonus miles and 500 PQP after spending $4,000 within the first 3 months
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New and updated United Airlines credit card benefits:
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Get 1,000 PQP each year toward Premier status, starting in 2026
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Earn up to 18,000 PQP per calendar year with 1 PQP per $20 in purchases (increased from 9,000 PQP limit)
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Earn 5x miles on prepaid Renowned Hotels and Resorts stays plus get up to $150 back in statement credits on prepaid Renowned Hotels and Resorts stays each anniversary year
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Up to $200 in United travel credits after account opening and on your account anniversary (increased from $125)
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Get a 10,000-mile credit after each account anniversary when you book an award flight (instead of two 5,000-mile credits) and get an additional 10,000-mile award flight credit after spending $20,000 each calendar year
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Earn two global Economy Plus seat upgrades after spending $40,000 each calendar year
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Up to $100 in rideshare statement credits each calendar year (up to $8 monthly January through November and $12 in December; yearly opt-in required)
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Up to $80 in United travel credits (two $40 statement credits) for Avis or Budget car rental bookings each anniversary year
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Up to $150 in statement credits each anniversary year for JSX flight purchases
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Up to $180 in annual Instacart credits (one $10 monthly credit and one $5 monthly credit) and three months of complimentary Instacart+ with 50% discount on annual membership rate after (terms apply; benefits end 12/31/27)
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New annual fee: $695 (up from $525)
New welcome offer: Earn 95,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 within the first 3 months
New and updated United Airlines credit card benefits:
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Get 1,500 PQP each year toward Premier status, starting in 2026
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Earn up to 28,000 PQP per calendar year with 1 PQP per $15 in purchases (increased from 15,000 PQP limit)
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United Club membership, plus earn All-Access United Club membership after spending $50,000 in a calendar year or when you reach Premier Gold status
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Earn 5x miles on prepaid Renowned Hotels and Resorts stays, plus get up to $200 back in statement credits on prepaid Renowned Hotels and Resorts stays each anniversary year
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Earn a 10,000-mile credit for award flights up to two times per calendar year after spending $20,000 (total up to 20,000-mile credit)
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Up to $150 in rideshare statement credits each calendar year (up to $12 monthly January through November and $18 in December; yearly opt-in required)
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Up to $100 in United travel credits (two $50 statement credits) for Avis or Budget car rental bookings each anniversary year
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Up to $200 in statement credits each anniversary year for JSX flight purchases
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Up to $240 in annual Instacart credits (two $10 monthly credits) and complimentary Instacart+ membership (terms apply; benefits end 12/31/27)
Read our full United Club Infinite Card review
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New annual fee: $150 (up from $99)
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New welcome offer: Earn 125,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 within the first 3 months
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New and updated United Airlines credit card benefits:
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Earn up to 4,000 PQP per calendar year with 1 PQP per $20 in purchases (increased from 1,000 PQP limit)
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Up to 5x miles on prepaid hotel stays booked through United Hotels up to $100 in annual United Hotels credits (two $50 statement credits) when you book prepaid stays
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Continue to get two one-time passes to United Club locations per year, but you (as primary cardholder) or an authorized user must now be present to redeem them
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Up to $125 in United travel credits after 5 United flight purchases of $100 or more in a calendar year (increased from a $100 travel credit after 7 United flight purchases of $100 or more each year)
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Earn two continental U.S. Economy Plus seat upgrades after spending $25,000 each calendar year
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Earn up to $25 in statement credits for FareLock purchases each anniversary year (hold a seat on your United flight for a set price for up to 14 days)
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Up to $100 in rideshare statement credits each calendar year (up to $8 monthly January through November and $12 in December; yearly opt-in required)
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Up to $50 in United travel credits (two $25 statement credits) for Avis or Budget car rental bookings each anniversary year
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Up to $100 in statement credits each anniversary year for JSX flight purchases
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Up to $120 in annual Instacart credits ($10 monthly credit) and three months of complimentary Instacart+ with 25% discount on annual membership rate after (terms apply; benefits end 12/31/27)
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Read our full United Business Card review
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New annual fee: $695 (up from $450)
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New welcome offer: Earn 125,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 within the first 3 months
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New and updated United Airlines credit card benefits:
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Earn up to 28,000 PQP per calendar year with 1 PQP per $15 in purchases (increased from 15,000 PQP limit)
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United Club membership, plus earn All-Access United Club membership after spending $50,000 in a calendar year or when you reach Premier Gold status
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Earn 5x miles on prepaid Renowned Hotels and Resorts stays plus get up to $200 back in statement credits on prepaid Renowned Hotels and Resorts stays each anniversary year
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Earn two global Economy Plus seat upgrades after spending $40,000 each calendar year
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Earn up to $50 in statement credits for FareLock purchases each anniversary year (hold a seat on your United flight for a set price for up to 14 days)
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Up to $150 in rideshare statement credits each calendar year (up to $12 monthly January through November and $18 in December; yearly opt-in required)
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Up to $100 in United travel credits (two $50 statement credits) for Avis or Budget car rental bookings each anniversary year
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Up to $200 in statement credits each anniversary year for JSX flight purchases
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Up to $240 in annual Instacart credits (two $10 monthly credits) and complimentary Instacart+ membership (terms apply; benefits end 12/31/27)
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Read more: Best business credit cards
When you apply for a new United MileagePlus credit card, you’ll get these benefits (and pay the increased annual fee) after you’re approved.
You should take action if you want to score an increased welcome bonus though — those limited-time offers are only available until May 7, 2025.
As a current United credit cardholder, you can already begin taking advantage of the updated benefits. You won’t have to pay the increased annual fee until your next card renewal though, starting Aug. 1, 2025. For United Explorer cardholders, the new fee won’t go into effect until your card renewal on or after Jan. 1, 2026.
Related: Are credit card annual fees worth it?
If you’re a frequent United Airlines flier who hasn’t yet opened a MileagePlus credit card, now could be a great time to become a cardmember. You’ll get hundreds of dollars in value toward a future United flight with the limited-time welcome bonus, and several new benefits offer everything from rideshare savings to a faster path to elite status in the MileagePlus program.
However, you should also consider your budget before signing up for one of these cards. The higher annual fees (on all but the United Gateway) mean the benefits you get will also cost you more each year. Think about your upcoming travel plans and your regular spending to make sure you’ll get enough value to offset the annual fee for any new card you choose.
With this program overhaul, many of the new card benefits also carry a spending requirement. If you cannot meet the required $10,000, $20,000, or even higher annual threshold to qualify for these benefits, they’ll do little to save you money over the long run.
Finally, remember that a co-branded airline card doesn’t offer as much flexibility as other types of rewards cards. If you fly relatively often and you always prefer United or its partners, a United MileagePlus card could make sense for you. Otherwise, you may want to consider a general travel rewards card with a broader range of redemption options instead.
Read more: Best travel credit cards
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