Chase currently has elevated limited-time offers for its portfolio of United Airlines cards.

• United^SM Explorer Card The Limited-time Offer is to earn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

  What’s great about this $0 intro annual fee the first year then $95 annual fee card is the travel benefits when flying United such as free first checked bag – a savings of up to $160 per roundtrip.

  The card offers priority boarding privileges and an opportunity to visit the United Club^SM with 2 one-time passes each year for your cardmember anniversary. And the card offers up to $120 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS fee credit. Cardmembers can receive 25% back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights and on Club premium drinks when you pay with your Explorer Card

  Cardmembers also get access to extra award availability at lower mileage prices that general members don’t have. Elites with the card can receive complimentary domestic upgrades on award tickets.

  

• United Quest^SM Card The Limited-time Offer is to earn 70,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

  On an ongoing basis you’ll 3x miles on United® purchases; 2x miles on all other travel, dining, and select streaming services; 1x mile on all other purchases. Plus, up to a $125 United purchase credit and up to 10,000 miles in award flight credits each year (terms apply) – and free first and second checked bags – a savings of up to $360 per roundtrip (terms apply) – and priority boarding

  This new card is positioned between the Explorer Card and the Club Infinite Card. For those who fly United, the United Quest Card will provide real value taking advantage of both the annual credit towards spend with the airline and earning 10,000 miles back on redemptions.

  And it helps you achieve MileagePlus elite status: earn up to 6,000 Premier qualifying points per calendar year (25 PQP for every $500 you spend on purchases)

• United Gateway^SM Card is the no annual fee United cobrand card and it has a Limited-time Offer to earn 30,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

  Even without an annual fee, ongoing earn is generous at 2x miles on United purchases; 2x miles at gas stations; 2x miles on local transit and commuting; 1x mile on all other purchases. It also has no foreign transaction fees.

• United Club^SM Infinite Card is United’s premium credit card that has a $525 annual fee and offers lounge membership – up to $650 value per year. It currently has a Limited-time Offer to earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

  

  

  Ongoing the card will 4x miles on United® purchases; 2x miles on all other travel and dining; 1x mile on all other purchases.

  Benefits with this Visa Infinite product include Free first and second checked bags – a savings of up to $360 per roundtrip (terms apply) – and Premier Access® travel services. You also receive a 10% United Economy Saver Award discount within the continental U.S. and Canada.

  The card helps you achieve MileagePlus elite status: Earn up to 10,000 Premier qualifying points per calendar year (25 PQP for every $500 you spend on purchases).

My view is that airline cards are for the benefits, rather than ongoing spend, and the best time to get one is during elevated limited time initial bonus offers like what they’re offering right now.