United MileagePlus Major Changes Are Live — And New Card Bonuses Mean Faster Earning, Lower Award Prices

Big United Airlines changes to MileagePlus are now live. To get the most value out of the program, you now need their credit card. You don’t actually need to spend on the annual fee cards to get the value – just have one. And they’ve even increased the initial bonus offers.

• If you’re engaged in MileagePlus you want their card.
  
• And if you’re going to get the card, you want to do it now.

Here are the increased offers:

• United Quest^SM Card (See rates and fees) New cardmembers can earn up to 100,000 bonus miles and 3,000 PQP:
  
  • 90,000 bonus miles + 3,000 PQP after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
    
  • 10,000 BONUS MILESwhen you add an authorized user in the first 3 months your account is open.

  Receive a $200 United travel credit and 10,000-mile award flight discount on each account anniversary, earn a 10,000-mile award flight discount after spending $20,000 each calendar year. Receive 1,000 bonus PQP each year awarded within 8 weeks of February 1 (starting in the calendar year following your account open date).

• United^SM Explorer Card (See rates and fees) Chase has an offer to earn up to 80,000 bonus miles:
  
  • 70,000 bonus milesafter you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
  • 10,000 BONUS MILESwhen you add an authorized user in the first 3 months your account is open.

  The card has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150. The card offers over $500 in partner credits each year.

• United Gateway^SM Card (See rates and fees) This card has an offer to earn up to 40,000 bonus miles:
  
  • 30,000 bonus milesafter you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
    
  • 10,000 BONUS MILESwhen you add an authorized user in the first 3 months your account is open.

  The benefits of this $0 annual fee for earning more miles on United flights and redeeming for fewer miles requires spending $10,000 on the card each year – in contrast to the annual fee cards that unlock these benefits without additional card spend.

• United Club^SM Card (See rates and fees) This $695 annual fee card comes with United Club access and an offer to earn up to 110,000 bonus miles and 3,000 PQP.
  • 100,000 bonus miles + 3,000 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 authorized user in the first 3 months your account is open.

• United^SM Business Card (See rates and fees) has a $150 annual fee and an offer to earn up to 110,000 bonus miles.
  • 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 MILESwhen 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 United^SM Business Card and a personal Chase United® credit card.

Here’s why these cards matter. United is reducing mileage-earning for customers without a credit card by 2 miles per dollar, and they are increasing 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.

No annual fee and co-brand debit customers will earn fewer miles until they spend $10,000 on their card in a calendar year (earning it for the rest of that calendar year and the next one).

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 is eliminating mileage-earning on basic economy fares for general members without the credit card, effective April 2 – and deducting those 3 miles per dollar from everyone else’s earning. 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. And right now they have elevated offers, so it makes sense to take the cards now rather than later.

My pick if you are a frequent United flyer is the United Club^SM Card because it bundles lounge access for less than it costs to buy this separately.

However if what you’re looking for is faster mileage-earning and lower redemption costs, the United^SM Explorer Card gets you that with a $0 annual fee the first year.