This page includes information about these cards, currently unavailable on BW. The information has been collected by BW and has not been provided or reviewed by the card issuer.
Choosing between them comes down to how often you fly United, whether you’re working toward elite status, and how easily you can use each card’s credits and features.
United℠ Explorer Card
United Quest℠ Card
United℠ Explorer Card
$0 intro for the first year, then $150
United℠ Explorer Card
Earn up to 80,000 United MileagePlus bonus miles after spending $3,000 on qualifying purchases in the first 3 months of opening an account (70K + 10K more miles with an authorized user).
United Quest℠ Card
Earn up to 100,000 United MileagePlus bonus miles and 3,000 PQP after spending $4,000 on qualifying purchases in the first 3 months of opening an account (90K + 10K more miles with an authorized user).
United℠ Explorer Card
3 miles per $1 spent on United purchases.
2 miles per $1 spent on hotels booked direct and restaurant purchases, including takeout.
1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases.
United Quest℠ Card
4 miles per $1 spent on United purchases.
5 miles per $1 spent on prepaid hotel stays booked through Chase’s “Renowned Hotels and Resorts” collection.
2 miles per $1 spent on all other travel, dining (including takeout), and select streaming services.
1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases.
United Explorer vs. United Quest: Important factors
Here’s how the annual fees of the two cards compare:
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United℠ Explorer Card annual fee: $0 intro for the first year, then $150.
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United Quest℠ Card annual fee: $350.
While the United℠ Explorer Card may seem like the obvious choice due to its lower fee, the value of each card depends on how well you can use its features, particularly the annual credits that can help offset the cost.
The usefulness of these annual credits depends on how easily you can use them. Some require enrollment, and others are issued in smaller increments throughout the year, so you may need to use them consistently to get the full value.
For instance, a $60 rideshare credit could be distributed as $5 monthly credits, requiring monthly usage to maximize its value.
United℠ Explorer Card ($430 in annual credits)
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$60 in statement credits on rideshare purchases ($5 monthly).
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$100 in statement credits on prepaid stays at United Hotels ($50 on your first and second booking).
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$50 in United TravelBank cash for Avis or Budget car rentals ($25 on your first and second booking).
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$120 in Instacart credits ($10 monthly; benefit ends 12/31/27).
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$100 statement credit on JSX flights.
United Quest℠ Card ($860 in annual credits)
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$200 in United TravelBank cash.
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$150 in statement credits on prepaid stays booked through Renowned Hotels and Resorts.
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$100 in statement credits on rideshare purchases ($8 January through November; $12 in December).
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$80 in United TravelBank cash for Avis or Budget car rentals ($40 on your first and second booking).
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$150 in statement credit on JSX flights.
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$180 in annual Instacart credits ($15 monthly; benefit ends 12/31/27).
These examples show that the value of these credits is dependent on how easily they can be utilized. Some credits are specific to certain merchants or given in small increments, making it challenging to fully utilize them.
Ultimately, the decision between the two cards boils down to the additional benefits and earning rates.
Checked bags and flight benefits
The United Quest℠ Card also grants access to Renowned Hotels and Resorts benefits, like a $100 property credit and perks such as breakfast and room upgrades on eligible stays, complementing the $150 annual statement credit for these reservations.
Both cards offer priority boarding, a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS fee credit every four years, 25% back on inflight purchases, no foreign transaction fees, and travel insurance.
While both cards have spending-based perks, these typically require high minimums and may not be a deciding factor for most travelers.
Regarding miles redemption, the United Quest℠ Card has an advantage. Cardholders receive a 10,000-mile discount on an eligible award flight annually from their first anniversary, with the chance to earn an additional 10,000-mile discount after meeting an annual spending threshold, providing significant savings for frequent United miles flyers.
The United℠ Explorer Card does not offer a similar benefit. Both cards allow eligible MileagePlus Premier members to access complimentary upgrades on award tickets on select United-operated flights, subject to availability.
The United℠ Explorer Card earns 3 miles per dollar on United purchases, while the United Quest℠ Card earns 4 miles per dollar. However, the key factor isn’t the 1-mile difference between the two cards, but how United awards miles to travelers without a co-branded credit card.
Starting April 2, 2026, general MileagePlus members without an eligible United credit card won’t earn any miles on basic economy fares and will only earn 3 miles per dollar on other fares. In contrast, cardholders earn 3 miles per dollar on basic economy and 6 miles per dollar on other fares. Combining the cardholder rate with each card’s bonus underscores the difference between holding a United credit card and not:
|
Scenario |
Non-basic economy |
Basic economy |
|---|---|---|
|
No United credit card |
3 miles per $1 |
0 miles per $1 |
|
Flight booked with United Explorer Card |
9 miles per $1 |
3 miles per $1 |
|
Flight booked with United Quest Card |
10 miles per $1 |
3 miles per $1 |
The significant takeaway is that having an eligible United credit card substantially boosts your earn rate compared to flying without one. If you fly United frequently and want to earn miles on your journeys, there’s a strong incentive to have one of these cards, as United is clearly encouraging travelers to hold their cards.
Elite status consideration (PQP earning)
If you’re aiming for United elite status, the United Quest℠ Card emerges as the superior choice. It includes 1,000 bonus Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) annually and enables you to earn 1 PQP for every $20 spent, up to 18,000 PQP per year. In contrast, the United Explorer Card also earns PQP at the same rate but has a maximum of only 1,000 PQP per year.
With sufficient spending, the Quest Card can significantly contribute to achieving Premier status. Please provide the content that needs to be rewritten in order to create a unique version for your WordPress platform. following sentence in a different way:
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