United℠ Explorer Card review: Useful perks for United passengers
Editors’ Take: This card offers travelers who regularly fly United perks like free checked bags, in-flight discounts and priority boarding. But there’s no companion fare offer.
Image: hands-thumbs-upGreat for airport perks
Image: cashAnnual fee: $0 intro, then $95 after first year
The average credit score for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is 716
The average credit limit for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is $14,738
Explore more about this card:
Here’s the average credit limit of members who matched their United℠ Explorer Card or similar cards.
% of members by credit limit range
The average credit limit for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is $14,738, with $2,000 being the most common.
Here’s the average credit score of members who matched their United℠ Explorer Card or similar cards.
% of members by credit score range
The average credit score for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is 716, with 816 being the most common. Note this is just one of the deciding factors when it comes to getting approved.
This content is curated by Intuit Credit Karma’s Editorial team using data from members who were approved for this card or similar cards, or who self-matched this card or similar cards. Intuit Credit Karma receives compensation from third-party advertisers, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our third-party advertisers don’t review, approve or endorse this content. Information about financial products not offered on Credit Karma is collected independently. Our content is accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted.
Member stats
Updated daily
Image: low-utilization28.6%
Average credit utilization (or what percent of the card’s credit limit is being used) of members who matched with this card or similar cards.
Image: meetup44 years
Average age of members who matched this card or similar cards.
Image: cash-give-1$107,248
Average annual income of members who matched this card or similar cards. Note: Income may be estimated for some members by Credit Karma and may differ from members’ actual incomes.
Pros and cons
Image: yesGood sign-up bonus to help with flight redemptions
Image: yesNice travel and dining rewards
Image: yesTravel perks like free checked bags, priority boarding and lounge passes
Image: ConNo companion fare offer
Image: ConAnnual fee kicks in during the second year
United℠ Explorer Card review
Updated February 13, 2025
This date may not reflect recent changes in individual terms.
Written by: Tim Devaney
Is the United℠ Explorer Card worth it?
The United℠ Explorer Card is a solid option for people who fly at least occasionally with United Airlines.
You’ll receive useful perks like free checked bags, priority boarding and other travel credits that can easily make the card worth its moderate ongoing annual fee.
Plus, you’ll get a taste of luxury — you’ll get two United Club one-time passes after opening the card and on every account anniversary afterward.
United℠ Explorer Card at a glance
- Annual fee: $0 intro, then $95 after first year
- Sign-up bonus: 50,000 miles after spending $3,000 on purchases during the first 3months after account opening
- Editors’ estimated welcome bonus value: Up to $1,178
- Standout benefit: Free checked bag for primary cardholder and one companion
- Standout rewards rate: 2 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases
- Foreign transaction fee: $0
United℠ Explorer Card best perks and features
Miles can help pay for your next flight
The United℠ Explorer Card, offers 50,000 bonus when you spend $3,000 on qualifying purchases within the first 3 months your account is open.
That could be enough miles to pay for up to $1,178 worth of flights, based on Credit Karma’s point valuations.
In addition, you can earn:
- 2 miles for every $1 spent on purchases with United Airlines
- 2 miles for every $1 spent on hotel purchases
- 2 miles for every $1 spent on dining purchases
- 1 mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases
That’ll give you a head start toward paying for your next vacation, especially if you regularly eat out or travel.
Flight perks
The United℠ Explorer Card offers several travel perks to help make your trip more comfortable.
- Free checked bag: You can check your first standard bag for free on United Airlines flights when you pay for your ticket with your card and include your MileagePlus® number in your reservation. If you’re traveling with someone who’s on the same flight reservation, they can also benefit from this perk.
- Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus credit: You’ll receive a statement credit when you use your United℠ Explorer Card to apply for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus. You can get up to $120 as a statement credit to cover your application every four years.
- Priority boarding: When it’s time for your flight, make sure you head over to the gate early to take advantage of priority boarding for you and your companions — as long as you’re on the same reservation. Remember to use your card to book your flight and include your MileagePlus number in your reservation if you want to get this benefit.
- Save on in-flight purchases: While you’re in the air, you can save 25% on in-flight purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi when you use your United℠ Explorer Card.
- No foreign transaction fee: If your flight takes you abroad, you won’t have to pay a foreign transaction fee on your purchases.
Lounge access
The United℠ Explorer Card awards you two one-time United Club passes after account opening and every 12 months after, as long as your account remains open.
Once you clear security, you can relax in a lounge as you wait for your flight. These two passes alone make up for the annual fee if you fly out of an airport with one of the United Club’s more than 45 locations.
What are the drawbacks of United℠ Explorer Card?
There’s an annual fee after the first year
The United℠ Explorer Card charges an annual fee: $0 intro, then $95 after first year.
While that’s certainly not the most expensive annual fee out there, it might not be worth it if you don’t fly with United Airlines at least once or twice a year.
Lack of premium perks
While the United℠ Explorer Card provides solid perks like free checked bags and priority boarding, it doesn’t include some premium benefits you might find with other airline credit cards.
There’s no Priority Pass membership, so when you run out of United Club visits, the card won’t allow access to other airport lounges.
It’s also missing any sort of flight credit or companion ticket to help cover the cost of a ticket without rewards.
How to redeem United MileagePlus® miles
The best way to use United MileagePlus® miles is toward United flights. But you can also use your United miles toward items like hotels, rental cars and cruises.
We’ve calculated that United miles are worth 2.13 cents each when redeemed through United for flights, based on Credit Karma’s point valuations.
Other cards to consider
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: This card may be a good option for frequent flyers who don’t want to be locked into one particular airline.
- United Club℠ Infinite Card: The most loyal United passengers who don’t mind a high annual fee and want more frequent lounge access may want to consider this card.
Credit Karma’s methodology
Credit Karma uses qualitative and quantitative measures to review travel and premium credit cards. Our goal is to help you understand a card’s most useful features — and where it may fall short compared to other options.
We take into account factors such as unique rewards and benefits, ease of redeeming rewards, fees and rates, transfer partners, lounge access and rewards rates.
Credit Karma editors have also built some proprietary metrics to measure the value of rewards credit cards.
Our point valuations estimate how much rewards programs are worth. We look at both the value you could get by redeeming your points directly through a credit card issuer, as well as the value you could get by transferring your points and miles to an airline or hotel rewards program.
Instead of just telling you how many miles you could earn, the editors’ estimated bonus value multiplies the sign-up bonus by the reward program’s point valuations to tell you how much we believe they’re worth.
Our goal is that these metrics will help you decide whether the card’s rewards and benefits are worth it for you.
FAQs about the United℠ Explorer Card
The United℠ Explorer Card offers a handful of entry-level airline benefits.
You’ll receive a free checked bag, priority boarding and a limited number of United ClubSM passes. On top of that, you’ll qualify for up to a $120 credit toward an airport security program like Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus.
You’ll also be eligible for 25% back on in-flight purchases for food, drinks and Wi-Fi.
Most Credit Karma members who report having the United℠ Explorer Card or similar cards have good or excellent credit.
But keep in mind, your credit scores are just one of many factors card issuer Chase may look at when determining your eligibility.
The United℠ Explorer Card gives you up to a $120 credit to apply for TSA PreCheck®, Global Entry or Nexus.
The United℠ Explorer Card offers limited access to the United ClubSM. You’ll receive two, one-time passes each year.
Member reviews
Most helpful positive review
February 26, 2024
Great for United travel
— Credit Karma Member
Great approval process, quick build up of United mileage. I use my card for ALL payments, utilities, grocery, gas, etc which then gives me more mileage to my United account. I travel at least 4 times a year with 2 flights to the UK annually. Best card I have ever had that helps me with my United flight costs!
Most helpful negative review
July 18, 2023
This is the worst card ever
— Credit Karma Member
I had this card for a while but one thing made us to cancel it and don’t use it anymore. Last summer we traveled to Greece and try to rent a car but we found some thing wrong on this car, so we decided don’t use it, but we already gave them my credit card number, so even we don’t rent this car but they still charged us, we disputed charge but they still charged back, we called credit card company several times but they still charged us, the credit card company don’t even protect the customer and help cheating company. So we cancelled card and don’t use any Chase credit card anymore