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If you play in the MileagePlus ecosystem, you now need to have one of their credit cards. You don’t actually need to spend on the annual fee cards to get the value – just have one.
The real sweet spot, unless you’re trying to bundle a discount on access to their airport lounges, is the UnitedSM Business Card (See rates and fees).
Small business cards don’t add to your 5/24 total, it has in my view the best bundle of benefits, and right now it has the biggest initial bonus offer by a lot. This $150 annual fee and an offer to earn up to 110,000 bonus miles. This offer has just been extended.
- 100,000 bonus miles + 2,000 PQP after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
- 10,000 BONUS MILES when you add an employee card in the first 3 months your account is open.
You’ll receive a $125 United travel credit after making 5 United flight purchases of $100 or more each calendar year with the card. They even encourage you to have both a business and personal United card because you’ll receive receive a 5,000-mile “better together” bonus each anniversary when you have both the UnitedSM Business Card and a personal Chase United® credit card.
United has reduced mileage-earning for customers without a credit card by 2 miles per dollar, and increased earning for those who have one by 1 mile per dollar. And they are charging fewer miles for United flight awards to customers with a qualifying card. So the card unlocks the program.
| Status | Current Earning | New Earning | New Cardmember Earn | ||
| General member | 5 miles/$ | 3 miles/$ | 6 miles/$ | ||
| Premier Silver | 7 miles/$ | 5 miles/$ | 8 miles/$ | ||
| Premier Gold | 8 miles/$ | 6 miles/$ | 9 miles/$ | ||
| Premier Platinum | 9 miles/$ | 7 miles/$ | 10 miles/$ | ||
| Premier 1K® | 11 miles/$ | 9 miles/$ | 12 miles/$ |
United also eliminatedg mileage-earning on basic economy fares for general members without the credit card. Cardholders still earn on basic economy fares. United has long offered better award inventory (and therefore flights at lower prices) to their elite and cobrand cardmembers. Now they’re marketing this in a different way.
- 10% or more savings on United flight redemptions for cardmembers
- Elites with the card get at least 15% off
- Applies to United flights only, and doesn’t include ‘miles and money’ redemptions. The discount doesn’t apply to taxes and fees.
Primary cardholders can see their savings called out on United’s app and website, and soon United will show the discounted prices to everyone so customers can see exactly how much having a United card could save them on their travel.
For example, an award in United Economy® priced at 15,000 miles will now cost 13,500 miles – 10% less – for primary cardholders without Premier status. A United Polaris business class seat priced at 200,000 miles will now cost 170,000 miles – 15% less – for primary cardholders with Premier status.
Additionally, United is promoting “additional inventory of Saver Award seats in United Polaris business class” for cardmembers.
You earn faster if you have the card, and awards cost you less. That’s value on both the accrual and redemption sides of the program. It makes sense to take the cards now rather than later and the UnitedSM Business Card offers best value.
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