The
United℠ Explorer Card is a good credit card for people with
good credit who are planning at least one pricey plane trip in the near future and expect to spend
$3,000 in the
3 months after getting the card. The
United Explorer Card offers
50,000 miles for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months, plus a
$0 first-year fee. Cardholders also earn
2 miles per $1 spent with United and hotel stays, 2 miles per $1 spent on dining and eligible delivery services, as well as 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases.
A
$95 annual fee kicks in after the first year, but the
United Explorer Card can still be worth the cost if you use the card for United purchases, dining, and hotel reservations, you pay the bill in full monthly to avoid interest, and you take advantage of perks such as United Club airport lounge passes.
For more information that can help you decide whether or not to apply for the
United Explorer Card, continue reading below.
United℠ Explorer Card Review Highlights
50,000-mile initial bonus
New cardholders can earn
50,000 miles for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months. Those bonus miles are worth up to
$620 in United airfare, per WalletHub’s research.
This deal is well above average in terms of how many miles are available and the overall value, but it’s still well short of the very best credit card bonuses on the market right now.
1 - 2 miles per $1 spent
If you don’t plan to use the
United Explorer Card mainly for United purchases, dining and hotel stays, you should probably look for a card with a higher base rewards rate. Earning
1 mile / $1 is the equivalent of getting around 1.24% cash back, on average.
25% back on eligible United purchases
You get 25% back on food, beverages and Wi-Fi charged to the
United Explorer Card during a United flight. The deal also applies to premium drinks in United Club airport lounges.
So, you have to ask yourself: How often do I really expect to make in-flight purchases or opt for top-shelf liquor and other premium drinks in lounges? The discount is great, after all, but you won’t really be saving if you wouldn’t be buying were it not for the discount.
1st checked bag free
The
United Explorer Card gets you one free checked bag on United flights. That feature could save you up to $140 on a roundtrip flight. This is not the only
United credit card with a free baggage benefit, however. You have several options to choose from.
2 United Club passes per year
Cardholders receive two United Club passes each year. Each pass admits one person into any of the 45+ United Club airport lounge locations for one visit.
You get your first passes up to four weeks after opening an account. Then, you get a new pair of passes after each account anniversary to help soften the blow of paying the
$95 annual fee from the second year on.
$100 application fee credit
If you apply for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS and charge the application fee to the
United Explorer Card, you can get a credit of up to $100 to cover the cost. This credit is available once every four years.
This is an attractive benefit. Just bear in mind that many credit cards
have similar features.
$0 annual fee the first year ($95 after)
The
United Explorer Card isn’t the cheapest United credit card, but it’s certainly not the most expensive either. Having time to experience the card before committing to pay any annual fees is a benefit, too.
21.99% - 28.99% (V) APR
Plan to pay your full statement balance by the due date each month if you get the
United Explorer Card. Otherwise, the interest charges produced by the card’s high APR will quickly eat into your savings from rewards.
700+ credit score recommended
The
United Explorer Card requires
good credit for approval. As a result, we recommend applying if your credit score is
700 or higher (and the card’s terms suit you, of course). You can
check your credit score for free right here on WalletHub.