A review of the United Explorer Card highlights its valuable perks and reasonable annual fee.

The United℠ Explorer Card offers a lot of value for an annual fee under $100, including earning United miles on every purchase, free checked bags, United Club passes, and access to extra saver awards. However, its benefits are less useful when not flying.

CNBC Select will assist you in determining if the United Explorer is the best option for your travel style or if there is a more suitable alternative available.

Welcome bonus

The United Explorer Card provides a welcome bonus of 50,000 miles upon spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. Additionally, you can earn an extra 5,000 bonus miles by adding an authorized user to your account during the same time frame.

Although United's award chart is dynamic, experts typically value their miles at around 1.3 cents per mile. If you can obtain that value and earn the authorized user bonus, this card's welcome offer is worth over $700 in flights.

Benefits and perks

Frequent flyers with United or its airline partners will value the perks of the United Explorer Card.

• When you pay for a United-operated flight with your primary card, you and one companion on the same reservation receive a free standard checked bag, saving up to $160 per round-trip.
• United Club℠ lounge access: You'll receive two one-time lounge passes annually, worth $59 each, which is a rare benefit for mid-tier airline cards.
• You can receive up to $100 in application fee credit for Global Entry, NEXUS or TSA PreCheck® every four years as part of the trusted traveler program.
• In-flight discount: Enjoy a 25% rebate on in-flight food, beverage, and Wi-Fi purchases, as well as premium drink purchases in United Club airport lounges.
• Group 2 boarding: You and any companions on the same reservation can board with Group 2.
• Earning elite credit: You will receive 25 Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) for every $500 spent (maximum of 1,000 PQP per year).

Your card offers extensive travel and purchase insurance benefits, including coverage for eligible purchases.

• Baggage delay insurance
• Lost luggage reimbursement
• Trip cancellation/interruption insurance
• Rental car collision coverage (primary)
• Purchase protection

The United Explorer Card is particularly advantageous for frequent United flyers as it grants access to more saver awards, which require fewer miles. Additionally, United MileagePlus elite members can receive complimentary upgrades on award flights when they possess the United Explorer Card.

How to earn and redeem United miles

Earning

The United Explorer Card earns the most lucrative miles for dining and hotel purchases. You'll earn:

• 2X miles on eligible United purchases
• 2X miles on dining
• 2X miles on hotel stays
• 1X miles on all other purchases

Redeeming

United miles can be used for various things such as gift cards, car rentals, cruises, and lounge access. Nevertheless, the most value is obtained when miles are redeemed for award flights with United and its partner airlines.

United is part of the Star Alliance, the world's largest airline alliance, comprising major carriers such as Air Canada, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, and more. Additionally, United collaborates with numerous non-alliance airlines, including Aer Lingus, Emirates, and Cape Air, providing a plethora of options for utilizing your United miles for flights.

Although United does not provide fixed redemption prices, you can still find deals and the airline occasionally runs award sales. It's easy to find one-way award flights to Europe for 35,000 miles or less or French Polynesia for 45,000 miles. A benefit of the United MileagePlus program is that you'll typically pay fewer fees and surcharges on award flights compared to other loyalty programs.

Rates and fees

The United Explorer Card has an introductory $0 annual fee for the first year, followed by a $95 annual fee. It does not charge foreign transaction fees, making it a suitable choice for travelers. The variable APR ranges from 21.49% to 28.49%, and late and returned payments may incur a penalty of up to $40.

Card comparison

United Explorer Card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

The United℠ Explorer Card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card have the same $95 annual fee after the first year, but their values are significantly different.

The Sapphire Preferred is a versatile travel credit card that offers flexible Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. You can transfer these points at a 1:1 ratio to 14 different airline and hotel loyalty programs, including United MileagePlus and the Sapphire Preferred. This card is more lucrative than the United Explorer as it earns more points for dining, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services. Additionally, it offers 2X points on a broader range of travel purchases, making it a better choice for earning United miles.

While the Sapphire Preferred offers many benefits, it does not come with money-saving perks such as free checked bags and airport lounge passes.

The Sapphire Preferred card offers more options than the Explorer card for the same cost, but you may only take advantage of United-specific benefits if you regularly use the Explorer card.

Learn more: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

United Explorer Card vs. United Club℠ Infinite Card

If you're serious about your relationship with United, you may want a card that offers even more airline benefits. The United Club℠ Infinite Card is United's premium credit card. It has a hefty $525 annual fee, but also comes with a United Club membership, which normally costs more than this card's annual fee. So if you value United Club lounge access, the United Club Infinite Card may be the cheapest option.

The United Club Infinite card offers more perks than the United Explorer, including a larger welcome bonus, higher mileage earnings on United purchases, and free first and second checked bags. Additionally, the Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) cap on the United Club Infinite is much higher, making it more valuable for those trying to earn elite status without flying.

Learn more: United Club℠ Infinite Card

Compare checking accounts

Is the United Explorer Card right for you?

The United℠ Explorer Card is a great mid-tier airline credit card that offers a reasonable annual fee and airline-specific perks that United MileagePlus members can easily extract value from. If you fly with United once or twice a year, the card's free checked bag perk alone could offset the annual fee.

If you frequently fly with United, you may want more premium perks. In that case, a luxury card like the United Club℠ Infinite Card may be a better fit because it offers unlimited United Club access and elevated benefits. On the other hand, if you are less brand loyal, a general travel card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card will give you more options for using rewards. Additionally, you can transfer Chase points to United, so you're not missing out on an opportunity to pad your United miles balance.

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