If you want to boost your United MileagePlus balance, we have good news. Several United Airlines credit cards have solid welcome offers for new applicants, including 3 consumer cards and 2 small-business cards.
Personal cards like the United Club℠ Card, United Quest℠ Card, and United℠ Explorer Card allow you to earn up to 90,000 miles, while the United℠ Business Card and United Club℠ Business Card have welcome offers that include earning up to 110,000 miles and PQPs to get you closer to Premier status.
Here’s everything you need to know about what each card offers.
United Airlines Consumer Credit Card Welcome Offers
Chase and United Airlines unveiled major changes to their personal credit cards and small-business credit cards last year, also launching improved welcome bonus offers. Here are the elevated offers for the consumer cards.
United Club Card Welcome Offer
You can earn up to 90,000 United miles after spending $5,000 on qualifying purchases in the first 3 months of opening an account (80,000 bonus miles plus 10,000 more miles when you add an authorized user within the first 3 months).
We value this welcome offer at $1,080, based on our valuation of United miles. That said, you might be able to get more value than this based on how you redeem those miles.
Additional perks of the United Club card include:
- United Club membership
- Free first and second checked bag for you and 1 traveling companion
- United Premier Access
- 25% back on United inflight purchases
- Premier Upgrades on United-operated award tickets (when available)
- Expanded award availability
- Up to 28,000 Premier Qualifying Points through spend
- Up to $120 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS credit
- IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status and Avis President’s Club elite status
- 10% discount on United Economy Saver Awards within the continental U.S. and Canada
United Quest Card Welcome Offer
You can earn up to 70,000 United miles and 500 PQPs after spending $4,000 on qualifying purchases in the first 3 months of opening an account (60,000 bonus miles plus 10,000 more miles when you add an authorized user).
The miles are worth about $840 based on our valuations, while the value of the PQPs toward elite status varies depending on how close you already are to earning United Premier status and how you use those benefits.
The United Quest card comes with the following perks:
- 2 free checked bags for you and up to 1 traveling companion
- Over $800 in annual statement credits available
- 10,000-mile anniversary award flight credit
- Seat upgrades on award tickets
- Up to $120 in Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit
- 1,000 bonus PQPs annually and up to 18,000 PQPs from spending
- $350 annual fee
United Explorer Card Welcome Offer
You can earn up to 60,000 United MileagePlus bonus miles after spending $3,000 on qualifying purchases in the first 3 months of opening an account, plus a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $150 (50,000 bonus miles plus 10,000 more miles when you add an authorized user within the first 3 months). This welcome offer is worth about $720 based on our valuations.
The United Explorer card comes with the following perks:
- First checked bag free for you and up to 1 traveling companion
- Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS statement credit
- Up to $530 in annual credits with partners
- 2 United Club one-time passes each year (usable by the primary cardholder, an authorized user, or guests traveling with them)
United Airlines Small-Business Credit Card Welcome Offers
United Business Card Welcome Offer
You can earn up to 110,000 bonus miles and 2,000 PQPs after spending $5,000 on qualifying purchases in the first 3 months of opening an account (100,000 bonus miles plus 10,000 more miles when you add an authorized user within the first 3 months). This welcome offer is worth $1,320, based on our valuations.
The United Business card comes with the following perks:
- Starting today, earn 8x total miles on eligible United flights, up from previous 7x
- 1 free checked bag for you and a traveling companion
- 2 United Club one-time passes each year (usable by the primary cardholder, an authorized user, or guests traveling with them)
- Premier Upgrades on United-operated award tickets (when available)
- Up to 4,000 PQPs through spending annually
- Up to $120 in Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS credit
- Almost $500 in annual statement credits available
United Club Business Card Welcome Offer
Earn up to 110,000 bonus miles and 2,000 PQPs after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of opening an account (100,000 bonus miles plus 10,000 more miles when you add an authorized user within the first 3 months). This welcome offer is worth $1,320, based on our valuations.
The United Club Business card comes with the following perks:
- Starting today, earn 8x total miles on eligible United flights, up from previous 7x
- United Club membership and the ability to earn a United Club All Access membership
- 4 United Club one-time passes during each year you unlock All Access membership (usable by the primary cardholder, an authorized user, or guests traveling with them)
- 2 free checked bags for you and a traveling companion
- United Premier Access, 25% back on United inflight purchases, and expanded award availability
- Premier Upgrades on United-operated award tickets (when available)
- Up to $120 in Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS credit
- 5,000-mile bonus each year you hold this card and a personal United credit card
- Over $900 in annual statement credits available
- Avis President’s Club elite status
Great Ways To Redeem Your United Miles
One of our favorite ways to redeem United miles is to book tickets in United’s Polaris business class cabin. You can book one-way tickets starting at 80,000 miles between the U.S. and Europe and 100,000 miles between the U.S. and Asia.
Some example routes include:
- Chicago (ORD) to or from Tokyo (HND)
- Newark (EWR) to or from Paris (CDG)
- San Francisco (SFO) to or from Singapore (SIN)
Plus, passengers flying in United Polaris can access the luxurious United Polaris lounges, which are currently at United’s hub airports in Chicago (ORD), Houston (IAH), Los Angeles (LAX), Newark (EWR), San Francisco (SFO), and Washington, D.C. (IAD).
Final Thoughts
While each card offers an excellent opportunity to boost your United mileage balance, choosing the right option depends on how often you fly with United and which benefits matter most.
No matter which card you choose, we suggest making the most of these welcome offers while they’re available — especially if you’re looking to get closer to the next elite status tier with United.