Some airline credit cards are simply better than others. One of the most valuable airline credit cards comes from United Airlines. If you fly United at least once or twice a year, you need to strongly consider having someone in your family get a United credit card in order to make your experience both more comfortable and affordable.
A United credit card not only helps the cardholder earn miles, but the cards can also save you money on United and open up access to lower-cost United award tickets.
There are a few options for those looking to add a United card to their wallets. The United Explorer Card is currently offering a limited-time offer of up to 65,000 bonus miles: 40,000 miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases in the first three months your account is open, plus an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you spend $10,000 total on purchases in the first six months.
(Photo by Isabelle Raphael/The Points Guy.)
There’s also the small business version of the card, the United Explorer Business Card, which has an even better offer of up to 100,000 bonus miles after qualifying purchases: 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open and 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $25,000 total on purchases in the first six months.
Official application links: Earn 50,000 miles after $5,000 spent within the first three months and another 50,000 with $25,000 total in first six months with the United Explorer Business Card.
(Photo by The Points Guy.)
But the bonus miles are just the beginning.
Here are four other reasons why someone in your family needs a United credit card:
Discounted award tickets
A few months ago, we booked a simple Houston to New York City award flight on United for my mom. United wanted 20,000 miles for the flight when we searched for awards from my mom’s account. On a whim, I checked availability from my dad’s account and it was just 12,500 miles for the exact same flight. The reason? He has the United Explorer Card and my mom did not.
Those with United elite status, or even just a simple United credit card, are given access to extra United saver award inventory that non-cardholders simply can’t access. In the modern era of United’s dynamic award pricing, saver awards are still a thing. Even if there isn’t saver award availability for the flight you want, your points price may vary based on whether you have United elite status, a cobranded credit card or nothing. Basically, expect to spend more miles if you don’t have a card or elite status. In our tests, those with a United card or elite status saved close to 2,000 miles per flight.
Here’s a look at more results from our United award availability tests.
In our situation, we simply used my dad’s United miles to book the flight, but if he was running low on miles we could have also transferred points from my mom’s Chase Sapphire Preferred Card to my dad’s United account to book the awards since he is both a household member and authorized user.
Free checked bags and priority boarding — even on basic economy
A United credit card can make your Basic Economy experience much less restrictive if you are on a United-operated flight with your MileagePlus number on the reservation and the ticket was booked using the card.
If you use your United credit card to purchase a Basic Economy ticket, you still get:
One carry-on bag no larger than 9 x 14 x 22 inches for you and each of your travel companions traveling on the same reservation
Priority boarding in Group 2 for you and your travel companions traveling on the same reservation
First checked bag free for you and one travel companion traveling on the same reservation when you book your tickets using your United Explorer Card or United Explorer Business Card
First and second checked bags free for you and one travel companion traveling on the same reservation when you book your tickets using your United Club Card or United Club Business Card
Those elements make United’s Basic Economy a little less basic.
(Photo by Zach Honig/The Points Guy.)Save on United Wi-Fi and in-flight purchases
If you ever spend money while onboard a United flight, the United Explorer Card or United Club cards are must-haves as they provide 25% back as a statement credit on onboard purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi when swiped on United flights. I’ve paid close to $20 for Wi-Fi on some United flights, so that is $5 back right there.
If multiple family members are all in need of in-flight connectivity or snacks, then obviously the perks of having a United credit card multiply.
Make travel more comfortable
The first two or three reasons are more than enough to make a United credit card a must for those who fly United, but these cards do a few more things, too. At each account anniversary with the United Explorer Card or United Explorer Business Card, you get two one-time passes to the United Club, which can be a way to get a light meal and a drink before a United flight without opening your wallet.
Related: Inside the world’s best United Clubs
Inside a United Club. (Photo by JT Genter/The Points Guy.)
The cards also cover your application fee for Global Entry/TSA PreCheck once every four years. This may sound a little ho-hum, as it is a perk offered by many travel credit cards, but families can have lots of people in them who need these fees paid, so odds are good a family can put this perk to use.
Related: Saving $400 on Global Entry renewals thanks to credit cards
Of course, if you have a United Club Card, then youand two guests, or your immediate family members, get regular access to the United Club network when flying United and Star Alliance partners.
Bottom line
At a minimum, one person in a family that travels on United even a couple times per year needs to have a United credit card. The main reason is greater access to United saver award bookings from that account when only “XN” awards (awards available to elites and credit cardholders) are available instead of “X” awards that are available to anyone. You can check available fare classes when searching in United’s Expert Mode.
Or, you can skip that nerdy talk and just trust us that you will see more saver awards and lower award prices when logged in as a United credit card holder (or elite) than without.
Featured image courtesy of United.
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