With the United ClubSM Card you’re in for a smooth flight no matter their destination. The card offers 50,000 miles bonus after making $3,000 in purchases within the first three months. The $450 annual fee may put many off, but this card is a traveler’s best friend. The card is packed with impressive perks and amenities. For example, cardholders receive United Club membership free of charge. That’s a $650 annual value.
How It Works
Cardholders can expect the following from the United ClubSM Card from Chase:
How to Earn Rewards:
Fly With United: The fastest way to earn miles is by flying with United Airlines. Cardholders earn 2X miles on purchases directly with the airline. This includes everything from tickets, in-flight food and drinks, and upgrades.
Make Everyday Purchases: Earn 1.5X miles per $1 on all other purchases with the card. Rewards miles can be earned on almost anything. Including everyday purchases like gas and groceries, dinner and drinks, even movie tickets will generate points. You can earn rewards when you pay monthly expenses like your phone bill.
Unlimited Miles: Cardholders can earn unlimited rewards miles with their card.
Rewards do not expire: Miles never expire with United. Never. This is a great perk.
How to Redeem Rewards:
When you begin to cash in on the rewards you’ve earned with your United ClubSM Card, you’ll notice that you can turn your miles into just about anything; flexible rewards redemption is a big draw with this program.
Travel: Booking flights with United or other Star Alliance partners. United flight rewards are broken down into two categories: Saver and Everyday Awards. Saver seats are easier to book, with as few as 10,000 miles needed to book an economy ticket, whereas Everyday Awards have more availability, but come with a higher cost.
Hotels: Miles are also applicable towards stays with United Airlines hotel partners, good for rooms at thousands of properties worldwide.
Car Rentals: MileagePlus miles can be used to book rental card with United partners, such as Thrifty, Dollar, and Hertz.
Retail: Miles can be used to shop for thousands of products, including electronics, housewares, jewelry, gift cards, and much more. In fact, miles can be used to purchase Apple® products like the iPad, Apple Watch, and MacBook.
Dining: Miles can be used for gift cards that are redeemable at over 80 restaurant locations nationwide; alternately, miles can be used to purchase certificates for discounts at thousands of restaurants across the country via Restaurant.com.
Gift or Transfer: While cardholders can use their miles for a variety of purchases, they also have the option to purchase extra miles, and/or gift miles to other MileagePlus members. Miles can even be donated to charty! Miles transfers cost $7.50 per 500 miles, along with a processing fee of $30.00 per transaction.
Today’s Bonus Offer
Earn 50,000 Bonus Miles: The United ClubSM Card comes with a generous introductory bonus offer: Cardholders who spend $3,000 on purchases within the first three months of opening their account will qualify for a hefty one-time bonus of 50,000 miles. Not bad! Note that this offer is only available to you if you do not already have this card and have not received a new card member bonus for this card in the past 24 months.
The Plane Facts
Can you expect a smooth flight from the United ClubSM Card from Chase, or will there be turbulence?
Annual Fee: The United ClubSM Card features a whopping annual fee of $450, which is relatively high when compared to other similar airline rewards credit cards; it’s certainly more than the annual fee for United’s other offerings, which weigh in at $95 (and $0 for the first year) for the UnitedSM Explorer card, and $0 for the UnitedSM Travelbank Card. While the cost might be a deal breaker for folks who aren’t looking to spend a ton of money each year for a travel rewards program, a comparable card with equal rewards and a lower annual fee may be difficult to find elsewhere. The rewards with the United ClubSM Card really stack up, so when this card is used properly, the annual fee is easily offset. Deciding if this is the card for you boils down to evaluating how much you will use this card, and its rewards.
Airline and Airport Perks:
Bags Fly Free: When you purchase a flight using your United ClubSM Card, your first and second checked bags fly for free – and so do the first and second checked bags of one companion on the same itinerary. This can add up to $280 in savings on a roundtrip flight.
United ClubSM Membership: Up to a $550 value per year. The primary cardholder and travel companions enjoy access to 45+ United Club locations. They’ll also have access to Star Alliance affiliated lounges worldwide.
Premier Access® Travel Services: Enjoy priority check-in, priority security screening (where available), priority boarding and baggage handling as perks from your UnitedSM Club Card.
No Blackout dates: When booking travel with the United ClubSM Card, you’ll enjoy expanded award availability when you use miles to book any United-operated flight, any time – there are no restrictions or blackout dates when you redeem your miles with United Airlines.
No foreign transaction fees: For cardholders who plan to spend while they’re abroad, the United ClubSM Credit Card does not charge foreign transaction fees, which means that not only will you save money while travelling, you’ll also earn points when you use your card in other countries.
Airport Dining: Miles can be redeemed at select restaurants and bars in the New York/Newark Airport and the Houston Continental Airport.
Cardholder Protections:
Roadside Dispatch®: Visa cardholders will benefit from Roadside Dispatch®, which is a pay-per-use roadside program.
Baggage Delay Insurance: Reimbursement for essential purchases like toiletries and clothing is available when baggage is delayed for longer than 6 hours by a passenger carrier; coverage extends up to $100 per day for three days.
Lost Luggage Reimbursement
Trip Delay Reimbursement: If your common carrier travel is delayed by more than 12 hours (or requires an overnight stay), you and your family will be covered for expenses like meals and lodging, up to $500 per ticket.
Purchase Protection: Purchases made with your card are covered up to 120 days after purchase, insuring against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim, and $50,000 per year.
Extended Warranty Protection: The warranty for items purchased with this card can be extended for up to one additional year, for eligible warranties of three years or less.
Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver
Zero Fraud Liability
Additional Benefits:
Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection: United ClubSM Card cardmembers will enjoy access to over 900 properties that include many of the world’s most exquisite hotels, resorts, lodges, and spas.
Inside Access: As a Chase cardmember, you’ll have opportunities to purchase private, curated, once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
Extended Warranties: Visa cardholders who use their Visa Signature® card for their purchases are eligible to add up to two extra years added to the original manufacturer’s warranty when you use your card for eligible purchases. Some restrictions apply.
Visa Concierge Service: Get complimentary Visa Signature® Concierge Service, 24 hours a day.
The Perks That Make the United ClubSM Card Worthwhile:
What are some of the pros that set this card ahead of the rest?
A generous introductory bonus offer: Earn 50,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. That’s not a bad reward for using your card. Plus it’s especially useful if you’re planning to use your new card for a large purchase right away.
No Blackout Dates: No backout dates ever. Cardholders enjoy the ability to travel wherever and whenever they want. With no blackout dates or seat restrictions, the sky’s the limit. These dates are subject to availability.
United Club and Premier Access: Cardholders get access to United Airline’s executive club services and other great perks like those that come with Premier Access. Priority boarding, priority screening, and much more await.
Point Redemption Options: When it comes to redeeming the points you’ve accumulated with your card, the sky is the limit. Whether you opt to redeem points towards free travel, or towards merchandise, you’ll have plenty of options.
No Foreign Transaction Fees: No fees abroad. Ever. The lack of foreign transaction fees with this card is a great perk. No fees when using the card outside the U.S. makes it a powerful tool.
Free Checked Bags: Your first and second checked bags fly with you for free. This extends to you and one companion on your itinerary. This means savings of up to $280 round trip.
Potential Turbulence with the United ClubSM Card:
What are some cons that take the wind from under this card’s wings?
Annual Fee: The United ClubSM Card’s annual fee of $450 sky-high when compared to other travel rewards cards. However, using your rewards for even just one trip will essentially provide enough benefits to break even (after all, United ClubSM membership alone costs upwards of $550). A rewards card with a “middle-of-the-aisle” annual fee likely won’t share the same benefits and perks that the United ClubSM Card gives business owners.
The Annual Fee (again): It’s worth mentioning twice that this is a sky-high annual fee. It will sting even more for business owners who get this card and then do not take full advantage of all of the perks and benefits offered (and there are many to enjoy). If you’re not going to give this card the attention it deserves, it might not be a good fit, since there is another option from Chase and United with some (not all) of these great perks, and a nominal annual fee of $95 (which is actually waived for the first year). If you’d like a slightly less expensive card option, try the UnitedSM Explorer Card, or the UnitedSM Travelbank Card.
Thoughts Before Takeoff
This is your Captain speaking. The United Card’s annual fee of $450 may have your head spinning, but it offers much for that charge. Frequent travelers willing to invest their money towards travel rewards and airline benefits won’t be disappointed. There is so much to offer with this card that it easily recoups the annual fee. Of course, for those that don’t fly with United, the $450 value isn’t there. Fortunately, there are many other great airline cards. This includes options at a lower price point. or even ones with no annual fee.