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United Club℠ Card: Is the $695 Annual Fee Worth It for Frequent United Flyers?
The card costs $695 a year and comes with a 90,000-mile bonus, unlimited United Club access and a long list of credits, so here is what you get for the fee.
The fee and the headline offer
The United Club℠ Card has a $695 annual fee, which makes it the priciest way to carry a United credit card if you fly the airline often. [1] It is the most premium co-branded credit card issued by United MileagePlus and Chase. [1]
This piece walks through what the fee buys, who qualifies for the bonus and what to check before you apply. For comparison, a United Club membership costs $750 when purchased directly from United. [2]
The welcome bonus
The card's limited-time welcome bonus is 90,000 MileagePlus miles after you spend $5,000 within the first three months. [1] You can earn an additional 10,000 bonus miles by adding an authorized user within those same first three months. [1]
Not everyone qualifies. The bonus is not available if you currently have this exact card, or if you received a new cardmember bonus on it in the past 24 months. [1] If you have or have had any other United Airlines credit cards, you are still eligible for the card, including the bonus. [1]
How you earn miles
The card earns 5x miles on United purchases and on hotel stays prepaid directly through Renowned Hotels and Resorts. [1] It earns 2x miles on all other travel and on dining, and 1x miles on everything else. [1]
On eligible United flights, the card earns 11 miles per dollar in total. [2] Regardless of elite tier, MileagePlus members earn an extra 3x miles per dollar on United spending with an eligible co-branded card. [1]
When you spend miles, the card helps there too. Cardholders can save 10% or more when booking United flights with miles. [2]
Travel perks that offset the fee
Cardholders get unlimited United Club access for themselves and one guest. [1] The card has no foreign transaction fees. [1]
You and one companion on the same United reservation get first and second checked bags free, a savings of up to $440 per roundtrip. [2] The card also gives you 25% back as a statement credit on in-flight purchases such as Wi-Fi, food or beverages. [2]
For airport screening, the card provides a fee credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS, worth up to $120 every four years. [2] It also includes complimentary IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status. [1]
Credits and status progress
The card provides over $875 in annual partner credits for rideshare purchases, Instacart purchases, and more. [1]
Cardholders earn 1,500 Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) each year, plus one additional PQP for every $15 spent on the card, up to 28,000 PQP per year. [1]
Heavy spenders get another reward. Cardholders receive a 10,000-mile discount toward a United award flight for every $20,000 spent on the card each year, up to two per year. [1]
What this means for you
If you fly United often, the $695 fee is the number to weigh against the perks listed above, including the up to $440 per roundtrip in checked bag savings and the over $875 in annual partner credits. [1][2][1]
Before you apply, check your eligibility. You cannot get the welcome bonus if you currently have this exact card or received a new cardmember bonus on it in the past 24 months, but other United cards do not disqualify you. [1]
If you plan to add someone to your account, the card has no fee for authorized users. [1] They do not receive United Club access or other incremental credits or perks, though adding one within the first three months earns the extra 10,000 bonus miles. [1]
If you were planning to apply through CNBC Select, note that the United Club℠ Card is not currently available there. [2]
Sources
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