I’ve stated many times throughout my time as a United℠ Explorer Card (see charges and charges) cardholder that it is considered one of my favourite bank cards. So long as you fly with United at the very least a few instances a 12 months, it is extremely straightforward to get outsize worth out of its $150 annual price ($0 introductory annual price for the primary 12 months).
That stated, cobranded playing cards are usually not meant for vast audiences, and the United Explorer is not any exception. In the event you hardly ever fly with United, do not transit by airports with United Golf equipment or take into account your self a member of the carry-on-only membership, will probably be tough to justify this card’s place in your pockets. Card score*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
*Card score is predicated on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.
United Explorer: The fundamentals
The United Explorer is a step up from the no-annual-fee United Gateway℠ Card (see charges and charges).
It is an amazing decide for a primary cobranded airline card, because it provides nice perks with out asking for a monumental annual price in return.
Key United Explorer advantages embrace:
Free first checked bag: You will obtain this perk for you and one companion while you pay along with your United Explorer.Precedence boarding: You can board in Group 2 of 6, forward of normal boarding.United Membership passes: Every cardholder 12 months, you may obtain two United Membership passes. These passes can be utilized while you fly any Star Alliance airline, not simply United.Journey and life-style creditsElite standing enhance by way of spending
With this card, you may earn United MileagePlus miles, which might be redeemed for all kinds of choices. Two of one of the best embrace utilizing your miles for United flights and redeeming them to cowl your annual price.
United Explorer professionals and cons
Free first checked bag
Precedence boarding
Inflight low cost
A number of travel-related assertion credit
Has a modest annual price
Requires flying United usually to maximise worth
Restricted bonus classes exterior United purchases
Month-to-month credit could also be cumbersome to maximise
Restricted elite-status incomes potential
United Explorer advantages
The place I see the United Explorer providing the strongest worth for the widest viewers is in its United-related perks. Airways throughout the board have been growing bag charges on account of larger gas prices, which implies this card’s free checked bag perk is extra invaluable than ever.
Reward your inbox with the TPG Every day publication
Be a part of over 700,000 readers for breaking information, in-depth guides and unique offers from TPG’s consultants
By signing up, you’ll obtain newsletters and promotional content material and conform to our Phrases of Use and acknowledge the info practices in our Privateness Coverage. It’s possible you’ll unsubscribe at any time.
Your first checked bag prices $50 with United (or $45 in the event you prepay). Which means you may offset this card’s annual price so long as you verify a bag with United at the very least thrice every year.
Precedence boarding might not have a financial worth, however it may be an enormous assist when your flight is full and there is a threat of your carry-on getting gate-checked.
I actually respect the 2 United Membership passes that come each cardholder 12 months with the United Explorer. You needn’t fly with United to make use of one; I used to be in a position to get right into a United Membership whereas flying with Air Canada, for instance.
United Membership passes are $59 every, which means that utilizing each of them will cowl a big portion of the annual price.
In the event you’re in your approach to United elite standing, the United Explorer earns 1 Premier qualifying level (PQP) for each $20 spent (as much as 1,000 PQPs every year). In contrast to higher-tier United playing cards, nevertheless, it would not supply a lump sum of PQPs at first of every 12 months. Personally, I do not view this card as being one of the best help for reaching elite standing.
The largest cause I tout the Explorer as usually as I do is due to how straightforward it’s to get significant worth from it while not having to make use of service provider credit that won’t suit your spending habits.
Like many bank cards at the present time, the United Explorer provides quite a few assertion credit to assist cardholders justify its annual price. A few of these, such because the as much as $100 annual JSX credit score and as much as $10 month-to-month Instacart credit score (activation required; by Dec. 31, 2027), could also be too area of interest for many cardholders to get significant use out of.
The as much as $60 annual ride-hailing credit score (activation required) is good, but it surely’s damaged down into small $5 month-to-month increments. With ride-hailing costs hovering on account of excessive gasoline costs, this credit score might really feel extra like a negligible low cost than a correct bank card perk.
That stated, this credit score will seemingly be the simplest for cardholders to maximise.
Tips on how to earn and use your rewards
As talked about earlier, the United Explorer earns United MileagePlus miles. As a cardholder, you may earn on the following charges:
At the very least 6 miles per greenback spent on primary financial system fares and at the very least 9 miles per greenback spent on customary fares (incomes fee could also be larger when you have standing with United)3 miles per greenback spent on all different United purchases2 miles per greenback spent on motels booked straight and dining1 mile per greenback spent on all different purchases
Your miles might be redeemed for plenty of choices, together with present playing cards, assertion credit by Chase Pay Your self Again and to e book experiences. These redemption choices usually do not present one of the best worth on your miles, so your finest wager is to make use of them to e book flights or to pay on your card’s annual price.
Miles might be redeemed for flights on United or with considered one of its accomplice airways, corresponding to Air Canada or Lufthansa.
TPG bank cards author Stephanie Stevens lately redeemed 28,200 United miles for 2 nonstop, one-way financial system flights from San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO) to Lihue Airport (LIH) in Hawaii. Flights had been round $550 every, making this an amazing home redemption.
In the event you redeem your miles to pay on your card’s annual price, you may obtain a worth of 1.5 cents per mile. That is larger than TPG’s Could 2026 valuation of United miles at 1.35 cents per mile.
The place the United Explorer falls quick
Cobranded playing cards are supposed for a reasonably particular viewers, which implies they will not be proper for everybody. The United Explorer will not be for you if:
You fly with United as soon as per 12 months or lessYou hardly ever or by no means verify a bagYou hardly ever transit by an airport with a United ClubYou have already got in depth lounge entry by different cardsYou’re chasing standing with United, since this card limits your PQP incomes to 1,000 PQPs every year
United followers who haven’t got an urge for food for a better annual price card ought to be capable to get loads out of the United Explorer, but it surely’s nonetheless essential to be sure you can correctly justify its $150 annual price (after the primary cardholder 12 months).
United Explorer vs. United Quest
The $350-per-year United Quest℠ Card (see charges and charges) is the following step up from the United Explorer.
It provides considerably extra perks, together with an annual 10,000-mile flight low cost, your first two checked luggage free (versus only one), and a 1,000 PQP head begin every year. You will nonetheless earn PQPs on the identical fee — 1 PQP for each $20 spent — however you’ll earn as much as 18,000 PQPs in a 12 months (versus simply 1,000 PQPs).
It is value noting that, regardless of its annual price, the United Quest would not supply any sort of United Membership lounge entry. If you have already got in depth lounge entry from different playing cards, that won’t matter a lot to you. In any other case, it is value giving some thought.
I feel the United Quest and United Explorer are each compelling choices. In my view, the choice comes right down to your annual price tolerance, how a lot you care about lounge entry and whether or not you wish to pursue United elite standing.
I am very proud of my United Explorer, whereas Stephanie is an outspoken fan of her United Quest.
Is the United Explorer value it?
The United Explorer is value it for many United followers, so long as you fly greater than annually with the airline. It’s totally straightforward to recoup this card’s $150 annual price ($0 introductory annual price for the primary 12 months), so long as you verify a bag while you fly and might make use of two visits to a United Membership.
Even in years when your flights aren’t taking you on board United jets, this card comes with assertion credit to assist justify its value. Except you need extra in depth advantages, a greater path to elite standing or aren’t prepared to pay an annual price, the United Explorer is value severely contemplating.
When to use for the United Explorer
At present, new United Explorer cardholders can earn as much as 80,000 bonus miles:
Earn 70,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 within the first three months of account opening.Earn an extra 10,000 bonus miles after including a certified consumer within the first three months of account opening.
In keeping with TPG’s valuations, these 80,000 miles are value $1,080. In the event you’re in a position to earn all of the miles, this welcome supply matches one of the best we have seen within the card’s historical past. Which means now’s one of the best time to use.
Different playing cards to think about if you do not need the United Explorer
If the United Explorer would not really feel like the fitting match for you, take into account these different playing cards as an alternative:
In order for you a no-annual-fee United card: The United Gateway℠ Card (see charges and charges) has no annual price, however comes with pretty restricted advantages. Nevertheless, you may nonetheless earn bonus miles on United flights and obtain an inflight low cost for eligible purchases. To study extra, try our full overview of the United Gateway.In order for you limitless United Membership entry: The United Membership℠ Card (see charges and charges) gives a primary United Membership membership, with a worth of at the very least $750 every year. In the event you’re in a position to maximize this perk, that can simply justify this card’s $695 annual price. To study extra, try our full overview of the United Membership card.In order for you a extra versatile journey card: The Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and charges) provides a widely-applicable $300 journey credit score yearly that can be utilized for United flights, or nearly another journey buy you make. The Final Rewards factors you earn with this card might be transferred to any of Chase’s 14 airline and resort companions, together with United. To study extra, try our full overview of the Sapphire Reserve.
For added choices, try our picks for the finest United playing cards and finest journey playing cards.
Backside line
The United Explorer will keep its spot in my pockets for the foreseeable future, due to how straightforward it’s for me to get strong worth out of it every year. It would not require me to juggle a number of assertion credit to justify it, nor does it require me to be completely loyal to United.
Whether or not you will have zero cobranded airline playing cards or 5, I like to recommend you give the United Explorer correct consideration. For normal United flyers who need significant perks with out paying for a premium airline card, the United Explorer hits a candy spot.
Apply right here: United Explorer Card
