United Explorer
Chase$0 first year (then $150)Visa SignatureNo foreign transaction feeIssuer's page
A fair time to apply if the card fits how you spend.
Already have it? Keep it.
Welcome bonus
70,000miles
after $3,000 in purchases in the first 3 months
In line with past offers.
5/24 Rule, 24 Month Rule and 4 more. Am I eligible?
A typical spender, at Miles' point values.
| First-year value | Amount |
|---|---|
| Welcome bonus70,000 points at 1.3¢ | $910 |
| Rewards above a 2% no-fee cardvs Double Cash, on $32,500 typical spend | +$28 |
| Credits you'll likely useof $430 face value | +$194 |
| Annual fee$0 the first year, then $150 | $0 |
| Meeting the $3,000 minimumearns 1.3% here vs 2% on Double Cash | −$21 |
| First year | $1,111 |
| Each year after | +$387 |
Not counted in the first year: lounge access, other benefits and protections (each year after counts them).
Earning
| Rate | Category | Return |
|---|---|---|
| 2X | Dining | 2.6% |
| 2X | Hotels | 2.6% |
| 3X | United purchases | 3.9% |
| 1X | Everything else | 1.3% |
Noteworthy perks
- Free first checked bag on United for the primary cardmember and one companion when the primary cardmember's MileagePlus number is on the reservation and the tickets are purchased with the card; the purchase requirement is waived for flights within 90 days of account opening
- United Hotels$100 a year
- Instacart$120 a year
- United Club
Personal card · Earns United MileagePlus
Benefits
Credits & Perks (7)
- United Hotels: $100 (Annual Cardmember Year)
Up to two $50 statement credits for United Hotels purchases
- Rideshare: $5 (Monthly)
Up to $60 per year in rideshare credits (up to $5 per month) when using your card to pay for rideshare services. Requires annual enrollment
- Avis/Budget: $50 (Annual Cardmember Year)
Up to $25 in United TravelBank cash for each of the first two eligible Avis or Budget rentals per cardmember year (up to $50 total)
- Global Entry/TSA PreCheck: $120 (Every 4 Years)
Covers application fee. Credit applies automatically when charged to card.
- Instacart coupon: $10 off 1 order (Monthly)
Instacart+ membership required · Activation required · One coupon per order; unused value does not carry over or pool
Monthly coupon on Instacart orders with active Instacart+ membership (through 12/31/27)
- JSX: $100 (Annual Cardmember Year)
Statement credit each anniversary year when you book flights directly with JSX
- DoorDash Grocery/Retail, monthly coupon: $10 off 1 order (Monthly)
DashPass membership required · Activation required · One coupon per order; unused value does not carry over or pool
Monthly coupon on non-restaurant DoorDash orders with DashPass (DashPass first activated between 09/01/26 and 12/31/27 with the card; the coupon continues while you stay enrolled)
Lounge Access (1)
- United Club (2 visits/year): paid guests allowed
Elite status (1)
- United MileagePlus: Earn 1 Premier Qualifying Point (PQP) per $20 spent, up to 1,000 PQP per year
Protections (8)
- Travel Accident Insurance, up to $500,000, Up to $500,000 for death/dismemberment on common carrier
- Trip Cancellation/Interruption, up to $1,500, Up to $1,500 per traveler, $6,000 per trip for non-refundable trip costs
- Trip Delay, up to $500, Up to $500 per covered traveler for delays exceeding 12 hours or requiring overnight stay
- Baggage Delay, Up to $100 per day for up to 3 days when baggage is delayed over 6 hours
- Lost Luggage, up to $3,000, Up to $3,000 per traveler for lost luggage
- Purchase Protection, up to $10,000, 120 days coverage for theft/damage/involuntary parting
- Extended Warranty, up to $10,000, Extends manufacturer's warranty by 1 year (max 3 years original)
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver (primary), up to $60,000, Primary coverage up to $60,000 for rental car damage/theft (secondary for NY residents with personal auto insurance)
Other Perks
- Free first checked bag on United for the primary cardmember and one companion when the primary cardmember's MileagePlus number is on the reservation and the tickets are purchased with the card; the purchase requirement is waived for flights within 90 days of account opening
- Priority boarding on United
- Improved saver award availability, including Polaris business class
- At least 10% off all United award flights; 15% off with Premier status
- 10K-mile award flight discount after spending $20K
- $100 in United travel after spending $10K in a calendar year
- Earn miles on Basic Economy flights (non-elite members must hold a co-branded credit card to earn them)
- 3 additional MileagePlus miles per dollar spent on United flights
- 25% back as a statement credit on United inflight purchases (food, beverages, and Wi-Fi) and Club premium drinks
- Complimentary DoorDash DashPass for 12 months (must activate by 12/31/27)
- Complimentary Instacart+ membership for 3 months (must activate by 12/31/27)
The United Personal family
Sources and methodology
First-year value is Miles' estimate for a typical spender: the welcome bonus at Miles' point values, plus the rewards this card earns above the best no-annual-fee card's everyday rate on a typical year of spending, plus credits at the share a typical holder uses rather than their face value, plus any certificate or free night earned in that year, minus the first-year fee and the cost of putting the minimum spend on this card instead of that one.
Lounge access, elite status, other benefits, purchase and travel protections, and a certificate or free night that arrives on the card's anniversary are listed beside the first-year figure, not in it. Each year after counts them, with the rewards and credits, less the annual fee. A credit or benefit that needs a spend or a stay counts only where its condition is printed beside it, and credits gated on spend most people never reach are left out.
The fee, offer, earning rates, credits and protections come from the card's record in the Miles dataset, kept against the issuer's own terms. The verdict line is chosen from a fixed set of sentences by Miles' analysis of the offer and the card; nothing on this page is written by hand for one card.
Recent changes
- changed from null to United ExplorerOct 8, 2026
- changed from null to 0Oct 2, 2026
- changed from 50K miles after $3K spend in the first 3 months. Plus, earn an extra 10K miles after you add an authorized user to your account in the first 3 months your account is open, $0 introductory annual fee for the first year to 70K miles after $3K spend in the first 3 months. Plus, earn an extra 10K miles after you add an authorized user to your account in the first 3 months your account is open, $0 introductory annual fee for the first yearOct 1, 2026
- changed from null to 3000Aug 13, 2026
- changed from null to 90Aug 13, 2026