United Club Business Card review: Lounge access and premium perks for businesses

United Club Business Card overview

The United Club Business Card offers United Club lounge access and excellent earning rates on United flight purchases. If you’re a business owner who is a frequent United flyer, this card will make a good addition to your wallet. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐

* Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.

The United Club Business offers premium perks for business owners, such as lounge access, useful statement credits and beneficial travel and purchase protections. The $695 annual fee rivals that of some of the top premium American Express cards.

The United Club Business Card, like its other United credit card family counterparts, underwent a major refresh in March. With this refresh came the introduction of useful statement credits, an easier shortcut to elite status, some lounge access removal and a substantial annual fee increase from $550 to $695.

If you’re a high spender, you’ll get great value out of this card with the ability to earn a faster path to elite status.

The recommended credit score for this card is 740, but getting approved with a lower credit score is not unheard of.

In the ever-crowded market of business credit cards, let’s examine the details of the United Club Business Card and determine whether it deserves a spot in your wallet.

The information for the United Club Business has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

United Club Business Card pros and cons

United Club Business Card welcome offer

The United Club Business offers new applicants 125,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Plus, earn a bonus of 5,000 miles after you add an employee card within the first three months. This offer ends May 7.

TPG’s March 2025 valuations peg United miles at 1.35 cents each, making this bonus worth up to $1,755. This is the best-ever welcome offer we have seen on this card, so if you have been eyeing it, now is the best time to apply.

Related: Best credit card welcome offers

United Club Business Card benefits

The United Club Business Card mirrors many of the United Club℠ Card‘s travel perks and protections.

United Club membership

The United Club Business Card includes a United Club membership, which gives you unlimited access to over 45 United Clubs across the world.

You’ll be able to bring one adult companion and any dependents under the age of 18. United Club membership costs at least $750 per year, which alone makes up for the card’s steep $695 annual fee.

Cardholders can also unlock United Club All-Access membership by being a Premier Gold Elite member or spending $50,000 on their Club Business Card in a calendar year. With this membership, you can bring in two adult guests to United Clubs and get access to Star Alliance lounges.

Lastly, once you earn United Club All-Access membership and add an employee card, you will be granted four one-time passes for guests to use. The only downside with the one-time passes is the primary cardholder or authorized user must also enter the lounge with you, and this card already includes complimentary access to the lounge for guests, so unless you’re traveling with a large party, it may be difficult to use these passes.

For most frequent United flyers, reaching Premier Gold will not be too difficult, and it is far cheaper than spending $50,000. Premier Gold status can be achieved by earning 10,000 Premier qualifying points and taking 30 Premier qualifying flights or just earning 12,000 PQPs. Holding the Club Business Card can help you get to Premier Gold status faster by earning PQPs just by spending on the card.

Other statement credits

Club Business Card holders will receive the following statement credits each year:

• Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/Nexus: Up to $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/Nexus application fee credit every four years.
• Hotel statement credit: Up to $200 for Renowned Hotels and Resorts for United Cardmembers bookings when you prepay (Renowned Hotels and Resorts include a $100 property credit and other elitelike perks).
• JSX flight statement credit: Up to $200 in JSX statement credits each anniversary year when booking directly with JSX.
• Ride-hailing statement credit: Up to $12 monthly from January through November and $18 in December for ride-hailing purchases. Enrollment is required.
• United TravelBank cash: Up to $100 in United TravelBank cash for Avis and Budget car rentals booked through cars.united.com and paid for with Club Business Card. (up to $50 in TravelBank cash per rental)
• Instacart credit: Two $10 monthly Instacart credits, plus a complimentary Instacart+ membership (ends Dec. 31, 2027). Enrollment is required.
• TravelBank cash: Up to $100 in United TravelBank cash for Avis and Budget car rentals booked through cars.united.com and paid for with this card; up to $50 per rental.
• United FareLock statement credit: Up to $50 back as a statement credit each anniversary year after you buy FareLock with your Club Business Card. FareLock saves and holds your seat on a United-operated flight for a select time frame, and your price will not go up during that time frame.

Other benefits include

• Checked bags: Free first and second checked bags for the primary cardholder and one traveling companion.
• Premier Access: Premier access includes priority check-in, security screening, boarding and baggage handling where available.
• Inflight discount: Cardholders receive 25% back as a statement credit on inflight United purchases and 25% back on premium United Club drink purchases.
• Elite status shortcut: Cardholders can earn up to 28,000 PQPs per calendar year. You earn 1 PQP per $15 spent on your card. To fully maximize this, you need to spend a massive $420,000, which may be out of reach for most businesses.
• Better together bonus: Cardholders receive 5,000 bonus miles each anniversary year if they hold a personal United credit card.
• Access to expanded award availability.
• Complimentary premier upgrades on award tickets.
• Earn up to two global Economy Plus upgrades: Cardholders who spend $40,000 or more on the Club Business Card will unlock two global Economy Plus upgrades on any United or United Express-operated flight.
• Complimentary Avis President’s Club membership.
• Travel and purchase protections: Cardholders receive trip cancellation/trip interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, trip delay reimbursement, purchase protection, extended warranty protection and return protection.
• Doordash DashPass: United Club Business Card holders receive a complimentary one-year DashPass membership for both DoorDash and Caviar that provides unlimited deliveries with $0 delivery fees and lower service fees on eligible orders. You must enroll by Dec. 31, 2027.
• Free employee cards.
• No foreign transaction fees.

It’s important to note that many of these perks included on the Club Business Card overlap if you are United MileagePlus elite. So, if you have status, you may want to consider whether the nonelite perks provide you with enough extra value.

Related: What is United Elite status worth?

Earning miles on the United Club Business Card

The United Club Business Card has a simple earnings structure. You’ll earn:

• 7 miles per dollar on United flight purchases
• 5 miles per dollar on United hotels
• 2 miles per dollar on all other United purchases
• 1.5 miles per dollar on all other purchases

While these aren’t showstopping rates on everyday spending, this card does provide an excellent return on United flight purchases, which can be very beneficial if you are a high spender there. The return on United purchases is the highest on the market, equaling 9.5%. Subsequently, the other bonus category return on spending equals 3.7%, 2.7% and 2%, respectively, according to TPG’s March 2025 valuations.

Related: How to earn miles with the United Airlines MileagePlus program

Redeeming miles on the United Club Business Card

There are numerous ways to redeem your United miles, but the best value is to redeem miles for flights on United’s extensive network of domestic and international flights or on the carrier’s Star Alliance partners and other nonalliance airline partner flights.

United utilizes a dynamic pricing model for its award flights, so pricing can vary. Domestic awards in economy usually start at 5,000 miles one-way, but we’ve seen sales with awards starting at just 3,900 miles. Fortunately, United doesn’t charge fuel surcharges on award tickets.

When redeeming my United Miles for maximum value, I like to utilize United’s Excursionist Perk when traveling from the U.S. to Europe, which allows me to book a free one-way flight within the region I am traveling to for just the taxes and fees. For this perk to work, the trip must originate and end in the same region and the free flight has to be in a region other than the origin or return region.

Related: Dynamic pricing versus fuel surcharges

Which cards compete with the United Club Business Card?

Several business cards compete with the United Club Business.

• If you prefer United benefits with a cheaper annual fee: The United℠ Business Card has a lower annual fee and offers perks like United Club passes, a variety of useful statement credits and a TSA PreCheck, Global Entry or Nexus application fee credit. For more information, read our full review of the United Business Card.
• If you prefer a more flexible card: The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is great for businesses as it earns bonus points in various categories including advertising and travel, which Chase defines broadly. The card also has valuable travel protections in case something goes awry during your travels, and you’ll have access to Chase’s transfer partners, including United, or you can redeem points for elevated value through Chase Travel℠. For more information, read our full review of the Ink Business Preferred card.
• If you prefer Amex: The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is one of the top business travel rewards cards. You’ll receive a plethora of valuable statement credits, enjoy unrivaled airport lounge access and earn valuable Membership Rewards points, which can be transferred to one of Amex’s airline and hotel partners. Enrollment is required for select benefits; terms apply. To learn more, read our full review of the Amex Business Platinum.

For additional options, check out our full list of the best United cards and best airline cards.

Is the United Club Business Card worth it?

Business owners who fly on United frequently can find good value from the United Club Business Card as it includes United Club access, free checked bags and excellent travel protections. Most business owners should be able to use many of the newly added statement credits. However, if you don’t fly United often, you may be better suited for a card that earns transferable points like the Ink Business Preferred.

Bottom line

The United Club Business Card offers an excellent return on spending on United flights. Despite the high annual fee, the benefits and statements credits help offset the cost. If you’re a business owner who frequently flies United and wants premium travel benefits, this card is worth considering adding to your wallet.

Related: United Business Card vs. the United Club Business Card: Which should you get?