Is the United Club Card annual fee worth it?

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.

The United Club℠ Card (see rates and fees) offers many benefits when flying with United Airlines. You might be surprised to find that this card also offers hotel benefits and other travel-specific annual statement credits.

However, the $695 annual fee can be hard to justify. Are there really enough perks packed into the United Club Card’s annual fee to make it worth it? Let’s take a look.

Welcome bonus

New applicants for the United Club Card can earn 95,000 miles after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.

According to TPG’s April 2025 valuations, United miles are worth 1.35 cents apiece, making this bonus worth a solid $1,283.

Some of the best uses of United miles include domestic United flights that can cost as little as 6,000-8,000 miles one-way, booking Lufthansa first class without exorbitant fees and flying United’s Polaris business class to Europe or Asia.

Related: Here are the best credit card welcome offers

United Club membership

Access to the United Club usually comes in one of three ways:

• Earning a minimum of Gold status with Star Alliance
• Traveling in United Polaris business class or United first class
• Buying a membership (which costs up to $750 per year)

Depending on how valuable a United Club membership is to you, this benefit alone could justify holding the United Club Card. The card’s annual fee is $55 cheaper than buying a United Club membership each year and is likely thousands of dollars cheaper than qualifying for elite status with United every year. Primary cardholders can also bring one guest and dependents under 18.

As a United Club cardholder, you can also earn an All Access membership after reaching Premier Gold Status or by spending $50,000 on purchases each calendar year.

This membership tier offers added benefits, including the ability to bring up to two adult guests or one adult and dependents under 18. Cardholders can also access Star Alliance partner lounges.

With a United Club All Access Membership and after an authorized user is added to the primary cardholder’s account, four United Club one-time passes will be added to the account each anniversary year.

However, if you aren’t flying with United Airlines often enough, you may not use the lounge enough to justify these costs. Even with the card, you still need a same-day boarding pass for United Airlines or one of its partners to use the United Club. Having the Club card — and thus a United Club membership — doesn’t mean you can enter the lounge if you’re flying on American Airlines, for example.

The great news is that if you open the United Club Card, you’ll be reimbursed for the unused portion of your United Club membership (if the refund is more than $15) after your application is approved.

Related: Natural light and space for all: A look at O’Hare’s newest United Club

Benefits on United flights

Those with the United Club Card enjoy access to priority check-in and security screening, as well as priority boarding privileges and baggage handling (where available). That means your suitcase should come out first, avoiding delays at baggage claim.

You’ll also get a higher checked baggage allowance. Those who don’t have a United Airlines credit card typically don’t get free checked bags when flying with United on domestic or short-haul economy flights.

While other credit cards like the United℠ Explorer Card (see rates and fees) allow cardholders to check one suitcase for free on these flights, United Club cardholders get two free checked bags. This benefit is available for the primary cardholder and one companion on the same reservation.

It’s also worth noting that you must use your United Club card to pay for your tickets to enjoy this benefit. Simply having the card doesn’t invoke the ability to check two bags for free.

Club cardholders also receive 25% back as a statement credit for inflight purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on United-operated flights. When paying with your card, you’ll also receive 25% back on premium drinks at United Club locations.

Lastly, United Club cardholders with United MileagePlus status are eligible for complimentary upgrades when flying with United or United Express on reservations booked with miles (when available). This also applies to one traveling companion on the same reservation. This perk makes upgrades available even after booking seats in economy using miles.

Related: United Airlines baggage fees and how to avoid paying them

United Award flight discount

With the United Club Card, you can save 10% of the mileage cost on United Saver awards for redemptions on economy tickets (fare classes X and XN) for flights within the continental U.S. or between the continental U.S. and Canada.

This applies to flights on United and United Express only, however.

This discount is available for all passengers on the same reservation as the primary cardholder, but the trip must be booked from the primary cardholder’s MileagePlus account.

In addition, cardholders can earn up to 20,000 miles in award flight discounts each year. After spending $20,000 each calendar year on the United Club card, cardholders will also receive a 10,000-mile discount up to two times per year.

Related: A review of United Airlines in first class on the Airbus A320 from Seattle to Los Angeles

Spend your way toward elite status

To attain status with United Airlines each year, you must complete one of the following: a combination of Premier qualifying flights (PQFs) and money spent to earn Premier qualifying points (PQPs) or simply an elevated amount of money spent for extra PQPs.

Those pursuing elite status tiers with United can earn up to 28,000 extra PQPs each year through spending on the United Club Card. Cardholders earn 1 PQP for each $15 spent on purchases, and there’s a maximum of 28,000 PQPs that can be earned this way during a calendar year. These bonus earnings are valid through the Premier 1K status level.

Cardholders also earn a bonus of 1,500 PQPs each year for being a cardholder. Your United Club card must be open as of Dec. 31, and the bonus PQP will be deposited six to eight weeks after Feb. 1 each year starting in 2026.

Related: The ultimate guide to earning elite status with United cards 

Hotel and travel benefits

The primary cardholder can enroll for Platinum Elite status with IHG One Rewards. Benefits include bonus points on paid stays, complimentary room upgrades based on availability at check-in, priority check-in when arriving at the hotel, discounts on reward nights at select properties and a welcome gift at check-in. This typically includes points or a snack.

Each anniversary year, cardholders will receive up to $200 in statement credits toward prepaid accommodations booked directly through Renowned Hotels and Resorts with their United Club card.

Cardholders can also enroll for Avis President’s Club status. Normally available by invitation only, this tier offers perks such as complimentary two-class upgrades on rental cars, guaranteed car availability, skipping the line when picking up your rental car and more.

When booking car rentals directly through cars.united.com and paying with the United Club card, cardholders receive $50 in United TravelBank cash, up to $100 each anniversary year, for the first and second Avis or Budget car rental.

As with status in other rental car programs, the best value in this benefit may be the availability to match your rental car elite status from one program to another.

Additional travel benefits include up to $200 in statement credits each anniversary year when booking flights directly with JSX using the United Club card.

Related: When does your hotel elite status expire?

Other perks

Cardholders can receive up to $120 in reimbursement for their Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus application fee. This benefit is available once every four years.

With the United Club Card, you’ll earn at least:

• 9 miles per dollar spent on purchases with United airfare (based on United elite status)
• 5 miles per dollar spent on purchases with Renowned Hotels and Resorts
• 4 miles per dollar spent on other eligible United purchases
• 2 miles per dollar spent on all other travel and dining
• 1 mile per dollar spent on other purchases

According to our April 2025 valuations, this represents up to 12.1% on spending with United Airlines airfare, 6.7% return on spending with Renowned Hotels and Resorts, 5.4% return on spending other United purchases, 2.7% return on travel spending and dining and 1.35% return on all other spending.

Cardholders will earn up to $150 back as statement credits each calendar year on ride-hailing services. The card offers an up to $12 statement credit each month from January through November, and up to $18 in December. Yearly opt-in is required.

Additional statement credits include up to two $10 Instacart credits monthly — up to $240 total each calendar year — plus a complimentary Instacart+ membership. Benefits are valid until Dec. 31, 2027.

The card also includes benefits like car rental damage insurance, trip cancellation/interruption insurance and purchase protection.

Related: Global Entry vs. TSA PreCheck: Which is more beneficial?

Bottom line

The United Club Card has a hefty $695 annual fee but includes perks like discounts on award fares, cabin upgrades as available and lounge access that help offset this cost.

The card is worth the annual fee for frequent visitors to the United Club or Star Alliance lounges and those who redeem a lot of miles for domestic economy flights. Those who aren’t avid United fans will find better value with other cards.

To learn more, read our full review of the United Club card.

Apply here: United Club Card

Related: United Quest vs. United Club Infinite: Bigger is better