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United Airlines shifts MileagePlus so that you only get real value out of the program if you take their credit card, starting April 2. You don’t actually need to spend on the annual fee cards to get the value – just have one. And there are limited-time offers for 3 of the cards that are ending soon.
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.
United QuestSM Card (See rates and fees) Earn 80,000 bonus miles and 3,000 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on purchases 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 (terms apply); earn a 10,000-mile eligible award flight discount after spending $20,000 each calendar year. Receive a 1,000 Card Bonus PQP each year (awarded within 8 weeks of February 1, starting in the calendar year following your account open date).
- UnitedSM Explorer Card (See rates and fees) Earn 70,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. The card has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150.
- UnitedSM Business Card (See rates and fees) $150 annual fee and an offer to earn 100,000 bonus miles and 2,000 PQP after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
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. This will be frustrating for members residing outside the United States in foreign markets where United doesn’t offer a 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.
They are also increasing the multiplier for uhying a ticket with a MileagePlus co-brand card.
- United Explorer card will earn 3 miles per dollar on United purchases (up from 2 miles per dollar)
- United Quest card will earn 4 miles per dollar on United purchases (up from 3 miles per dollar)
- United Club card will earn 5 miles per dollar on United purchases (up from 4 miles per dollar)
- 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.
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.
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.
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