The United℠ Explorer Card is our top pick for United Airlines because it offers valuable travel perks, like one free checked bag for you and a guest, a TSA PreCheck credit and more. The value of these perks can easily outweigh the reasonable $95 annual fee, which is much less than the annual fee for many travel cards.
United Airlines offers a wide range of co-branded credit cards. That includes higher-priced options that come with a full United Club lounge membership, as well as a no-annual-fee co-branded United credit card. If you prefer a more flexible travel credit card, you may want to consider getting a Chase card, as Chase Ultimate Rewards® points can be transferred to United and keep their value.
United Airlines credit card comparison
The best United Airlines card for you depends on the perks you value the most. You’ll want to consider the card benefits listed below when choosing a card.
Remember, United benefits and rewards are useful if you fly with Star Alliance or other United partners. That means you can use United miles with over 40 airlines. This is worth considering if you frequently fly internationally and want to be able to redeem your miles with as many carriers as possible.
United Star Alliance partners include the following:
United also partners with 18 airlines outside of the Star Alliance:
Should I get a United Airlines credit card?
United cards can benefit almost any kind of traveler who flies United. With a wide range of airline-specific benefits, other travel perks and annual fees, there are cards to fit most travel styles, including infrequent flyers.
Consider your travel habits and needs compared to the benefits offered with United credit cards to determine if there’s a good fit for you.
Card value comparison
Comparing credit cards side by side can help you see which one aligns with your needs and holds the most value for you. Use the table below to see the first- and second-year value of the cards listed and our rating for each. The card value listed is based on each card’s earning potential, credits, welcome offer and other benefits. You can read our methodology to see how we choose cards and assign value.
Frequently asked questions
To make choosing the right card easier, we’ve looked at credit cards reviewed on LendingTree as well as cards on major issuer sites to compile a list of the best rewards credit cards available right now. Our recommendations are based on the additional value you can earn with the cards — including the rewards value, cost of ownership and value of benefits such as travel and purchase protections, lounge membership, and airline and hotel perks. Our choices are not influenced by our advertisers. Learn more about how we calculate rewards.