By admin 
If you are planning a dream getaway soon, now is a great time to determine your earning strategy and rack up those points and miles. As usual, one of the easiest ways to amass a large chunk of rewards is through credit card welcome bonuses.
United loyalists are in luck because Chase and United have teamed up to offer best-ever bonuses on two of their cards. And the other four have the highest bonuses we’ve seen in the past two years, so now is a great time to apply.
However, note that they accompany a major overhaul of United’s credit card portfolio. It has brought overwhelmingly positive changes to the mid-tier and premium cards (with annual fees over $300), while it’s a mixed bag for lower-tier cards (those with annual fees below $300).
Let’s look at each card to see which makes the most sense for your wallet.
United Club
The United Club℠ Card is the top-tier United card. It’s aimed at loyal United flyers who want an elevated experience when flying United.
Welcome bonus: Earn 95,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on qualifying purchases in the first three months of account opening. (This is the highest bonus offered on this card in over two years.)
Annual fee: $695
Earning rates: 5 miles per dollar on hotels booked through United; 4 miles on United purchases; 2 miles on dining and all other travel; and 1 mile on most other purchases
Key benefits:
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To learn more, read our full review of the United Club card.
Apply here: United Club
United Quest
The United Quest℠ Card is the airline’s upper-mid-tier card for frequent flyers. It’s best for frequent United flyers who want travel perks without the Club’s steep annual fee.
Welcome bonus: Earn 90,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening. (This is the highest bonus offered on this card in over three years.)
Annual fee: $350
Earning rates: 5 miles per dollar on hotels booked through United; 3 miles on United purchases; 2 miles on dining, all other travel and select streaming purchases; and 1 mile on most other purchases
Key benefits:
- United travel credit
- Award flight discount
- Elite status boost each year
- First and second checked bags free
- Hotel, car rental and ride-hailing credits
- TSA PreCheck/Global Entry application fee credit
To learn more, read our full review of the United Quest card.
Apply here: United Quest
United Explorer
The United℠ Explorer Card is a great option for those who want to enjoy United benefits at a reasonable cost.
Welcome bonus: Earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in the first three months of account opening. (This is the best-ever bonus offered on this card.)
Annual fee: $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150
Earning rates: 5 miles per dollar on hotels booked through United; 2 miles on United purchases, hotels booked directly and dining; and 1 mile on most other purchases
Key benefits:
- Inflight discount
- Priority boarding
- First checked bag free
- Hotel, car rental and ride-hailing credits
- Two one-time United Club passes each year
- TSA PreCheck/Global Entry application fee credit
To learn more, read our full review of the United Explorer card.
Apply here: United Explorer
United Gateway
The entry-level United Gateway℠ Card has no annual fee. It’s a good option for those who fly occasionally with the airline and want to earn United miles.
Welcome bonus: Earn 30,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 in the first three months of account opening. Plus, enjoy 0% introductory purchase APR during the first 12 months; after that, a variable APR of 20.99%-27.99% applies. (This matches the best-ever bonus last offered in January 2025.)
Annual fee: $0
Earning rates: 2 miles per dollar on United purchases, gas, local transit and commuting; and 1 mile on most other purchases
Key benefits:
- Inflight discount
- Special member pricing (after spending $10,000 in a calendar year)
- First and second checked bags free (after spending $10,000 in a calendar year)
- Trip cancellation and interruption insurance (if your trip is canceled or cut short by covered reasons like sickness or injury; up to $1,500 per person)
To learn more, read our full review of the United Gateway card.
Apply here: United Gateway
United Business
The United℠ Business Card is the more affordable of the two United business cards. It’s a good choice if you’re a small-business owner watching their budget but wanting to earn United miles and enjoy some perks when flying.
Welcome bonus: Earn 125,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 in the first three months of account opening. (This is the highest bonus offered on this card over the past two years.)
Annual fee: $150
Earning rates: 5 miles per dollar on hotels booked through United; 2 miles on United purchases, dining, gas stations, local transit, commuting and office supply stores; and 1 mile on most other purchases
Key benefits:
- Priority boarding
- First checked bag free
- FareLock statement credit
- Hotel, car rental and ride-hailing credits
- Two one-time United Club passes each year
- United travel credit (after five United flight purchases of $100 or more each per calendar year)
To learn more, check out our full review of the United Business card.
Apply here: United Business
United Club Business
The United Club℠ Business Card is the higher tier of the two United business cards. It’s suited to high-spending small-business owners who want premium perks with United.
Welcome bonus: Earn 125,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 in the first three months of account opening. (This is the best-ever bonus offered on this card.)
Annual fee: $650
Earning rates: 5 miles per dollar on hotels booked through United; 2 miles on United purchases; and 1.5 miles on most other purchases
Key benefits:
- United Club membership
- FareLock statement credit
- Elite status boost each year
- Premier Access® travel services
- First and second checked bag free
- Hotel, car rental and ride-hailing credits
The information for the United Club Business has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Learn more: United Business Card vs. the United Club Business Card
How to maximize United MileagePlus miles
While United’s dynamic award chart can make it difficult to score high-value redemptions, the airline does offer some solid benefits for loyal flyers. Its award sales provide excellent redemption options, sometimes starting at just a few thousand miles per ticket.
The airline offers other benefits as well, such as the Excursionist Perk and the fact that it doesn’t impose fuel surcharges on award tickets (which can easily save you hundreds of dollars).
It’s also a Chase transfer partner, which can help you earn United miles across multiple credit cards. The airline’s Star Alliance membership means you can redeem miles with more than 25 airlines, including Air New Zealand, Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines.
By taking advantage of low-cost domestic award tickets (such as flying from Houston to Orlando for as little as 3,500 miles) and free stopovers with the Excursionist Perk, you can stretch the miles you earn with your credit cards to help you plan your upcoming trips.
Or, go big and start saving miles toward a fancy United Polaris business-class flight.
Bottom line
Taking advantage of a United welcome bonus can get you closer to your next trip.
Before applying, ensure you’re aware of Chase’s 5/24 rule: If you have opened five or more accounts in the past 24 months, you may have difficulty getting approved for these cards.
If you’re successful in applying, you’ll be well on your way to a more elevated experience when flying with United and its partner airlines.
Related: Save thousands of United miles by booking partner flights to Europe