United Explorer Card review: Premium perks without a premium fee

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. United Explorer Card overview The United℠ Explorer Card isn’t your average airline credit card, as it’s packed with premiumlike perks that you typically see with credit cards with a high annual fee. This card is a great option for those who …

Mar 27, 2025 - 18:09

United Explorer Card review: Premium perks without a premium fee

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

United Explorer Card overview

The United℠ Explorer Card isn’t your average airline credit card, as it’s packed with premiumlike perks that you typically see with credit cards with a high annual fee. This card is a great option for those who don’t fly with United Airlines as frequently but want to enjoy premium perks when they fly. You should also consider the Explorer if you don’t want to pay as high of an annual fee as those found on United’s more premium cards. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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

The United Explorer Card carries a $0 intro annual fee the first year, then $150 and offers big benefits.

Aside from the usual airline credit card perks like free checked bags and priority boarding, the United Explorer has a handful of premium-level benefits. It recently underwent a refresh in March that included the addition of statement credits but also increased its annual fee by almost 50%.

The recommended credit score for the United Explorer is at least 670, but it’s not unheard of to be approved with a lower score.

Here’s what you need to know about the card, its benefits and whether it deserves a spot in your wallet.

United Explorer pros and cons

Pros	Cons
Two free checked bags Priority boarding Inflight discounts on eligible purchases Global Entry/TSA PreCheck statement credit Multiple travel-related statement credits	Other United cards have higher earning rates on some purchases You might get more use from a transferable points card instead of a cobranded United card Has a modest annual fee

United Explorer welcome offer

New applicants for the United Explorer Card can earn a welcome bonus of 80,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months after account opening. The annual fee is waived for the first year; after that, cardholders will pay $150 each year.

TPG’s March 2025 valuations peg United miles at 1.35 cents apiece, making this welcome offer worth $1,080. This is the best welcome offer we have seen in this card’s history. The last time we saw a comparable welcome offer on this card was nearly three years ago, and it was 10,000 miles less. If you have been eyeing this card, now is the best time to apply.

United Explorer benefits

The United Explorer Card offers a good mix of perks for both frequent and occasional United flyers.

United Club passes

You’ll receive a pair of one-time United Club passes deposited into your United MileagePlus account each cardholder anniversary year. This benefit alone is worth $118 per year, as day passes at the lounge cost $59 each with a same-day boarding pass.

Note that if you’d like to gift a pass to a friend or family member, it can only be used if the primary cardholder or authorized user is also entering the lounge.

United Club by Gate B18 at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD). CAROLINE TANNER/THE POINTS GUY

Olivia Mittak, a credit cards editor at TPG, finds great value in the United Club passes this card provides; as long as she flies with United twice a year, she can get positive value out of the annual fee.

Elitelike perks

Two free checked bags: For the primary cardholder and one travel companion on the same reservation paid for with the card
Premier Access: Includes priority check-in, security screening, boarding and baggage handling where available
Expanded award availability: Access to additional saver award ticket availability
Inflight discount: 25% back on United inflight purchases, including food, beverages and Wi-Fi
Award mileage discount: Ability to earn a 10,000-mile discount on award tickets after spending $20,000 each calendar year with the card (up to two times per year)

If getting free checked bags and a pair of United Club passes would elevate your travel experience with the airline, this card holds plenty of value.

Statement and travel credits

Hotel statement credit: Up to $50 back as a statement credit on the first and second prepaid hotel bookings when using the Explorer Card and booking directly through United Hotels
Ride-hailing credit: Up to $60 for ride-hailing purchases that’s given as up to $5 monthly credits (enrollment is required)
JSX statement credit: Up to $100 in JSX statement credits each anniversary year when booking directly with JSX
Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus credit: An application fee credit every four years
Instacart credit: A $10 monthly Instacart credit, plus a three-month complimentary Instacart+ membership (ends Dec. 31, 2027)
United TravelBank cash: Up to $25 in United TravelBank cash for your first and second Avis and Budget car rentals booked through cars.united.com and paid for with the card
United travel credit: $100 in United TravelBank cash after spending at least $10,000 on purchases made with your Explorer Card

Elite status shortcuts

United elite status qualification is based on Premier qualifying points and Premier qualifying flights. You’ll earn 1 PQP for every $20 you spend on purchases with your Explorer Card (up to 1,000 PQPs in a calendar year) that can be applied toward your Premier status qualification — but only up to the Premier 1K level.

Travel and purchase protections

With the Explorer Card, you’re getting various travel and purchase protection benefits, including:

DoorDash

For one year, get complimentary DoorDash DashPass to receive unlimited deliveries through DoorDash and Caviar with $0 delivery fees and lower service fees on eligible orders. You must enroll by Dec. 31, 2027, to receive this benefit.

Instacart+ membership

Cardholders receive a complimentary three-month Instacart+ membership that includes unlimited delivery and $0 delivery fees on eligible orders. After three months, you will be automatically renewed at a lower annual rate that includes a 25% discount.

Earning miles with the United Explorer

As a cardholder, you’ll earn:

7 miles per dollar spent on United flights
5 miles per dollar spent on United Hotels
2 miles per dollar spent on all other United purchases, other hotel stays and dining
1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases

According to TPG’s March 2025 valuations, this almost equates to a 9.5%, 5.4%, 2.7% and 1.4% return on spending, respectively.

These are outstanding earning rates on United flight purchases, some of the best on the market. However, the earning rates are lackluster for other bonus category spending like dining and hotels, and better card options exist on the market.

Redeeming miles with the United Explorer

You can redeem your MileagePlus miles across United’s vast network of domestic and international routes and on the carrier’s 24 Star Alliance and 16 nonalliance airline partners.

United uses a dynamic pricing structure on its own flights, so the value of your miles will vary when redeeming for United awards. Domestic awards in economy typically start at just 5,000 miles one-way, but we’ve seen sales with tickets as low as 3,900 miles.

To squeeze even more value out of your miles, consider using United’s Excursionist Perk. It essentially allows you to add a free flight segment to qualifying round-trip itineraries between two different regions at no extra cost.

We recommend avoiding nonflight redemptions, such as hotel stays or merchandise, with your United miles, as they offer a poor value proposition.

Which cards compete with the United Explorer?

Several cards compete with the United Explorer:

If you want a premium United experience: The United Club℠ Card is the ideal card for United lounge access — bar none. For any loyal United flyer who spends significant money with the airline each year, this card would make a great addition to your wallet. To learn more, read our full review of the United Club Card.
If you want a more all-around card: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one of the most popular travel rewards credit cards on the market. It offers bonus points in several categories, including travel and dining, and a slew of travel protections in case something goes awry when traveling. Additionally, you’ll have access to Chase’s excellent roster of transfer partners that can provide maximum value when redeeming your points. To learn more, read our full review of the Sapphire Preferred.
If you want tons of perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express is one of the top premium travel rewards cards. As a cardmember, you’ll earn valuable Membership Rewards points, receive useful annual statement credits and get access to an extensive network of airport lounges worldwide, as this card offers the best lounge access on the market. For more information, read our full review of the Amex Platinum.

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

Is the United Explorer worth it?

If you fly with United or its partners at least once or twice a year, I recommend applying for the United Explorer. With several statement credits, including Global Entry and TSA PreCheck, lounge passes and a free checked bag, the Explorer Card is jam-packed with perks to enhance your trips from start to finish.

Bottom line

The United Explorer Card isn’t your run-of-the-mill airline credit card. It has a decent earning rate to stockpile United miles that you can redeem for future travel. As long as you maximize the statement credits, this mid-tier card — which has an annual fee that’s waived for the first year — has a low cost with considerable value.

With these things in mind, this card would make a great addition to most United flyers’ wallets.

Apply here: United Explorer Card