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Chase · credit
Last updated
Is the United Explorer worth keeping when the fee hits?
Welcome offer — 50,000 bonus miles after $3,000 spend in 3 months (offer varies) Inferred by source
Portal caveat — Chase Travel averages ~5.94% above booking direct; portal redemptions are worth less than the headline rate.
Apply on Chase's siteOfficial issuer page (not an affiliate link yet) · how we earn
Typically needs good credit (670–739) — guideline, not a guarantee · Set your credit profile
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What this card delivers across six value dimensions (0–100, normalized).
| 2× | United purchases Inferred by source |
|---|---|
| 2× | Dining & hotel stays (booked direct) Inferred by source |
| 1× | Everything else Inferred by source |
| Global Entry / TSA PreCheck | $120/yr · one-time Inferred by source |
|---|
No lounge access.
| free checked bag | First checked bag free for you + a companion on United-operated flights (tickets bought with the card) (~$80/yr) Inferred by source |
|---|---|
| priority boarding | Priority boarding on United-operated flights Inferred by source |
| inflight discount | 25% back as a statement credit on United inflight food, beverages & Wi-Fi Inferred by source |
| 2 United Club one-time passes / year | Day passes — not ongoing United Club membership Inferred by source |
|---|
| Trip cancellation | Up to $1,500/person, $6,000/trip Inferred by source |
|---|---|
| Rental car CDW | Primary CDW coverage Inferred by source |
| Baggage | Up to $3,000 per passenger Inferred by source |
Using United Explorer at an ATM is a cash advance, not a normal purchase — it costs a fee, starts charging interest the same day (no grace period), and earns no rewards.
| Cash advance fee | Either $10 or 5% of each transaction, whichever is greater Inferred by source |
|---|---|
| Cash advance APR | 29.99% variable Inferred by source |
| Foreign ATM | Cash advance with no foreign transaction fee — but the ATM operator may add its own surcharge. |
ATM operator surcharges are set by the machine, not the card. To avoid all of this, use a debit card or cash for ATM withdrawals.
*Realized/net assume full use of non-spend-gated credits — an upper bound. †First-year net adds the one-time sign-up bonus (counts once, not recurring). Personalize it
The United℠ Explorer Card has a $95 annual fee.
Using its non-spend-gated credits fully, the United℠ Explorer Card returns about $120 in value against its $95 annual fee — a net of +$25 per year. It can pay for itself if you actually use the credits.
The United℠ Explorer Card earns 2x on united purchases, 2x on dining & hotel stays (booked direct), 1x on everything else.
No — the United℠ Explorer Card does not include airport lounge access.
No — the United℠ Explorer Card has no foreign transaction fee, so it's a good card to use abroad.
50,000 bonus miles after $3,000 spend in 3 months (offer varies). Welcome offers change frequently — confirm the current one on the issuer's page before applying.