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Chase · credit
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Is the United Explorer worth keeping when the fee hits?
Welcome offer — Up to 60,000 bonus miles after qualifying activities (offer varies) Verified 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
Personalize this for you add your cards & memberships and we'll show what it's really worth to you.
What this card delivers across six value dimensions (0–100, normalized).
| 6× | United fare (primary cardmember) — 6x on the primary cardmember's fare from United as a MileagePlus member, plus 3x on the entire United purchase Verified by source |
|---|---|
| 3× | All other eligible United purchases Verified by source |
| 2× | Hotel stays booked with the hotel Verified by source |
| 2× | Dining, including eligible delivery services Verified by source |
| 1× | Everything else Verified by source |
| Global Entry / TSA PreCheck / NEXUS | $120/yr · one-time Verified by sourceWhat is Global Entry / TSA PreCheck / NEXUS?Global Entry speeds up US customs and immigration when you arrive from abroad, and includes TSA PreCheck. TSA PreCheck alone is the expedited domestic security lane. This reimburses the government application fee, which you only pay every few years. On this card: Up to $120 every 4 years Verified by source |
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| United travel credit | $100/yr · annual · at $10,000 spend Verified by sourceWhat is United travel credit?On this card: Earned after $10,000 of card spend in a calendar year Verified by source |
| United Hotels credit | $100/yr · annual Verified by sourceWhat is United Hotels credit?A credit that applies to hotels booked through the airline's own hotel-booking site. On this card: Prepaid hotel stays booked directly through United Hotels Verified by source |
| Rideshare credit | $60/yr · annual Verified by sourceenrollWhat is Rideshare credit?On this card: Enrollment required; rideshare purchases paid with the card Verified by source |
| Avis / Budget travel credit | $50/yr · annual Verified by sourceWhat is Avis / Budget travel credit?A credit toward car rentals, which usually has to be booked through a specific link to count. On this card: Booked directly through cars.united.com Verified by source |
| Instacart credit | $120/yr · annual Verified by sourceWhat is Instacart credit?Instacart is a grocery-delivery service that shops your order at local supermarkets. On this card: Purchases made directly through Instacart Verified by source |
| JSX flight credit | $100/yr · annual Verified by sourceWhat is JSX flight credit?JSX is a semi-private US air carrier flying small jets from private terminals, so you skip the main airport queues. On this card: Flights purchased directly through JSX Verified by source |
Which of these will you actually use?
Pre-checked = a typical cardholder captures it. Uncheck the ones you won't.
No lounge access.
| free checked bag | First standard checked bag free for the primary cardmember and one companion — Chase quotes savings up to $200 per roundtrip (~$200/yr) Estimated by source |
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| priority boarding | Priority boarding on United-operated flights for the primary cardmember and companions on the same reservation Verified by source |
| inflight discount | 25% back as a statement credit on United inflight food, beverages and Wi-Fi, and on Club premium drinks Verified by source |
| 2 United Club one-time passes / year | Day passes (over $100 of value) — not ongoing United Club membership Verified by source |
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| 10,000-mile award flight discount | After spending $20,000 in a calendar year, toward an eligible award flight Verified by source |
| Save 10%+ booking flights with miles | Premier members save more Verified by source |
| Trip cancellation | Up to $1,500/person, $6,000/trip Inferred by source |
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| 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 |
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| 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 $150 annual fee.
Using its non-spend-gated credits fully, the United℠ Explorer Card returns about $550 in value against its $150 annual fee — a net of +$400 per year. It can pay for itself if you actually use the credits.
The United℠ Explorer Card earns 6x on united fare (primary cardmember), 3x on all other eligible united purchases, 2x on hotel stays booked with the hotel.
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.
Up to 60,000 bonus miles after qualifying activities (offer varies). Welcome offers change frequently — confirm the current one on the issuer's page before applying.
The United℠ Explorer Card has a purchase APR of 19.74%–28.24% variable.