The United Visa used to be the easiest, most reliable churn there was. In other words, you could sign up for the card over and over (by some reports, as frequently as every 60 days) and grab the signup bonuses each time. Each member could net perhaps 200,000 miles a year that way with annual fees waived.

Then a year or so back they shut down churning and started awarding bonus miles only for first-time cardmembers. Now there are mixed reports, some people say churning is back. I’m testing this myself. I applied for a new card last week just to see what would happen. I’ll report here when I learn the results.

Even so, you can definitely have more than one United Visa at the same time, and more than one of the same type at the same time. And if you’ve had a personal card you can get a small business card and get the bonus even if you can no longer churn.

I’ve written about several different United Visa offers. My favorite still is the 25,000 mile bonus after spending $250, along with annual fee waived the first year. (As the year ends, either close the account or call up Chase and have them fold the credit line into another card with no fee). That’s been a great offer the past 18 months since I first saw it.

They’ve gotten even more creative lately, offering gift cards in addition to bonus miles and upping the ante on miles, alas usually not waiving the annual fee along with the bonus.

• 21,000 miles and a Morton’s Gift Card

• Structured 40,000 mile bonus, good if you plan to keep and use the card

• 25,000 bonus miles and fee waived for a year on the small business card

• 25,000 bonus miles and fee waived for a year on the personal card

Here’s another offer, just came through via a friend’s email box. It’s not targeted, no fee waived, but 30,000 miles after $250 in spend. I’ve heard of offers as high as 50,000 miles recently but those are paper offers rather than offers open to anyone online.

---

Dear XXXXXXX, As a valued Mileage Plus^® member, you are invited to apply for a Mileage Plus Visa^{® 1} and soon see your mileage balance grow.Earn more than enough miles for a roundtrip ticket.As a new cardmember, after you spend $250, you’ll earn 30,000 bonus miles² and you’ll earn enough miles for a roundtrip Saver Award ticket!³

Balance as of 5/14/2008:		XXX,XXX miles
Bonus miles:		30,000 miles
New total:		XXX,XXX miles

You will also enjoy these Mileage Plus Visa benefits:

• Earn 1 mile per eligible $1 spent 
• Exclusive cardmember redemption opportunities 
• No pre-set spending limit

Apply by June 15, 2008!