If you fly United even a couple of times a year, Chase's United Explorer Card keeps coming up as the entry-level card worth a look — and a new review from One Mile at a Time breaks down exactly what you get for your money.
The headline numbers first. The card carries a $150 annual fee that's waived for the first year, so you can try it out before committing. The current welcome offer is 70,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in the first three months, plus another 10,000 miles if you add an authorized user in that window. Valuing United miles at roughly 1.3 cents each, that's around $1,040 in potential value. Watch the eligibility rules, though: you can't get the bonus if you've had one on this card in the past 24 months, and Chase's broader restrictions — like the 5/24 rule, which typically blocks approval if you've opened five or more card accounts in two years — still apply.
The perks are where this card earns its keep for casual United flyers. You and one companion on the same reservation get a free first checked bag, worth $45-50 each way, so a single round trip for two could come close to covering the annual fee. You also get two United Club passes a year (worth up to $118 at the walk-up rate, and usable on Star Alliance partners like Air Canada), Group 2 priority boarding, and 25% back as a statement credit on inflight food, drinks and Wi-Fi. On top of that there's a credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS application fees, no foreign transaction fees, and over $500 in annual partner credits covering things like rideshares and Instacart — though the reviewer notes not everyone will actually max those out.
On everyday spending, you earn 3x miles on United purchases, 2x on dining and on hotels booked directly, and 1x elsewhere. The advertised "9x on United flights" is a bit of marketing sleight of hand: 6x comes from being a MileagePlus member anyway, so only 3x comes from the card itself. The card also throws in a couple of spending incentives — a $100 United travel credit after $10,000 spent in a calendar year, and a 10,000-mile award discount after $20,000 — plus 1 Premier Qualifying Point per $20 spent, capped at 1,000 PQPs a year. That cap is modest compared with the more premium United cards; it shaves a chunk off Premier Silver (6,000 PQPs) but won't get you close to higher tiers on spending alone.
One thing worth understanding: holding any United co-branded card boosts your mileage earning on flights regardless of status, and can unlock better award pricing and seat availability — a real difference if you're chasing Polaris business class redemptions.
Who's this for? Occasional United flyers without elite status who want the free bag, lounge passes and a decent pile of miles without paying an annual fee in year one. Heavy spenders and status chasers will likely do better with a premium card or a general rewards card. The original review was published by One Mile at a Time.
