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Top 11 Credit Cards for Airport Lounge Access (2022)

May 20, 2022 by Adam Luehrs Leave a Comment

Find out which credit cards unlock access to thousands of luxurious airport lounges worldwide.
Full disclosure: We may receive financial compensation when you click on links and are approved for products from our advertising partners. Opinions and product recommendations on FlyerGeek are those of our writers and have not been influenced, reviewed or approved by any advertiser. Learn more about how we make money.

Access to thousands of airport lounges is on the table for 2022 and new ones are being added constantly (see Capital One travel lounges). Getting the right card in your wallet is the secret to getting your body in a plush, comfortable seat inside an airport with great runway views, hot meals, work stations, private bathrooms and much more. Which cards pull out all the stops when it comes to lounging in style for free during stopovers? As airlines vie to recapture post-pandemic travelers, the cards have definitely been shuffled around a bit since 2019. The most exciting aspect is that airlines are expanding both their lounge offerings and their lounge access.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

  • Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
  • Best Airlines Credit Cards
  • Best Hotel Credit Cards
  • Best Business Credit Cards
  • Best Cash Back Credit Cards
  • Best Overall in 2022

Let’s cover the best credit cards for complimentary airport lounge access in 2022!

Here’s a look at the credit cards offering the best lounge access in 2022:

  • 1. The Platinum Card® from American Express: Access to the most lounges of any card! Choose from 1,200 airport lounges in 130 countries.
  • 2. Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Access to 1,200 VIP airport lounges around the world via free Priority Pass Select access.
  • 3. Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: Delta SkyClub access with potential for a big status boost on your Medallion status with every purchase!
  • 4. HSBC Elite Credit Card: Free and unlimited LoungeKey access with an annual fee that’s lower than other elite cards.
  • 5. Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®: Free American Airlines Admirals Club® membership with opportunities to jump to a higher status through card purchases.
  • 6. Mastercard® Black Card™: Automatic enrollment in Priority Pass Select for access to more than 1,300 lounges around the world.
  • 7. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card: Complimentary Priority Pass™ Select access for entry to more than 1,200 lounges around the world when flying on any airline.
  • 8. American Express Green Card: $100 LoungeBuddy Credit.
  • 9. Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: Complimentary Priority Pass access with the bonus of complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond status.
  • 10. United℠ Explorer Card: Two United Club passes per year with a card that offers opportunities to earn PQPs.
  • 11. The Business Platinum Card® from American Express: Complimentary access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection with big potential to earn extra points and status upgrades.

The Platinum Card® From American Express

image credit: americanexpress.com

If it’s sheer volume you’re looking for, this personal credit card offers access to the largest number of airport lounges. Platinum Members enjoy totally unlimited complimentary access to Centurion Lounges with Priority Pass Lounges access. That’s a lot of luxury to be rolling your luggage into between flights! In fact, it adds up to access to 1,200 airport lounges spread across 130 countries. What’s more, AMEX is adding new lounges every year. All of that choice won’t seem overwhelming because cardholders can use the American Express app to swiftly find lounges on the go!

There’s also a really big cherry on top with this card. It is one of the rare cards to provide lounge access for a cardholder while also giving the green light for two additional guests. While most cards and lounges have been on a streak of restricting or phasing out guest perks, Platinum still rolls out a red carpet that’s big enough for two to three people every single time!

Let’s quickly cover some specifics of this card.

Yes, the limitless lounge access that goes along with this card comes with a price. The annual fee on the Platinum Card® from American Express is $695. However, a little perspective helps when justifying the decision to jump for this card. An annual Priority Pass membership costs $429. However, the AMEX Platinum is just a little more with actual AMEX-branded lounge access paired with Priority Pass membership. You’re also getting the prestige and credit boost of having this elite card.

The free lounge access is just skimming the surface of the perks offered by the AMEX Platinum. Let’s not forget that this card comes with 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels with a threshold of $500,000!

You can also make back half of your annual fee just by taking advantage of the card’s $240 digital entertainment credit that rewards you with $20 each month when you pay for select digital subscriptions using your card.

There’s also a $200 annual hotel credit, $200 annual airline fee credit, $200 Uber cash credit, $179 CLEAR credit and $300 Equinox Credit.

Lastly, AMEX will give you an annual Global Entry or TSA Pre✓® credit. While there are simply too many perks to get into with this card, the AMEX Platinum offers dozens of “extras” that include things like upgrades to Marriott Bonvoy™ Gold Elite status or Hilton Honors Gold status without qualifying stays, free flight upgrades, car rental protection, special cruise privileges and more!

Chase Sapphire Reserve

image credit: chase.com

The caveat with Chase Sapphire Reserve is that you have to be looking specifically for robust Priority Pass access for this card to be worth it in terms of airport lounge access.

The Sapphire Reserve card actually mirrors many of the perks of the slightly more elite Platinum Card® from American Express for a lower annual fee of $550.

In addition, Sapphire Reserve is only slightly behind the elite AMEX card with its offering of access to 1,200 VIP airport lounges around the world via free Priority Pass Select membership. Lounge guests flashing their Sapphire membership enjoy perks like free snacks, drinks and Wi-Fi whenever they touch down! You can also bring along two guests per visit! 

Some of the other perks that pad this card include 3x points on worldwide dining and travel, 1:1 points transfers, a $300 travel credit and credits for Global Entry or TSA Pre✔®. There’s also a bump of 50 percent more points when redeeming airfare, car rentals, cruise reservations and hotels.

Some of the auxiliary perks of this card include $60 in DoorDash credits, a free DashPass subscription, a free year of Lyft Pink ($199 value), trip cancellation insurance, a rental collision damage waiver, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, travel insurance and emergency medical and dental benefits. 

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

image credit: americanexpress.com

This card is perfect for a self-selecting group that prefers to fly with Delta. In addition to giving you free Delta SkyClub access, this card is going to catapult you to Medallion Status much faster! It’s a win-win deal.

With an annual fee of $550, this card will be a better bet for most than simply paying the $545 annual fee for Delta Sky Club membership because of all the perks and potential for earning back baked into it! In addition to complimentary Delta SkyClub access for you, this card throws in two one-time guest passes per year. While that’s not as generous as the two-guests-per-visit perk offered by both the Chase Sapphire Reserve card and AMEX Platinum, it’s still something. There’s also access to the Centurion® Lounge whenever you book flights with your card. Members with this card also get upgrade priority over other Medallion members within the same level and fare class. 

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card has a nice roster of Delta-oriented perks. The big one is that you can earn 15,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $30,000 in purchases up to four times per year through the Status Boost perk. In addition, the Medallion Qualification Dollar (MQD) Waiver waives all other requirements for Platinum, Gold or Silver Medallion Status if you make at least $25,000 in purchases per year with your card. 

Purchases made on Delta flights and Delta Vacations will earn you 3x miles. Everyday purchases made with your card will earn you 1 miler per dollar with zero limits on how much you can earn.

That challenges you to reach that $30,000 annual spending threshold for your Status Boost by using your card to pay for everything from gas to groceries. Some of the additional perks built into this card include a Global Entry or TSA Pre✓® credit, a baggage insurance plan, trip delay insurance, trip cancellation insurance, car rental insurance and access to the Premium Global Assist Hotline when you find yourself in a logistical or legal pinch while traveling.

HSBC Elite Credit Card

image credit: us.hsbc.com

The big draw of the HSBC Elite Credit Card is free and unlimited access to LoungeKey lounges. Of course, you might not be very familiar with LoungeKey. One of the newer players in the lounge industry, LoungeKey provides lounge access at more than 1,000 locations around the world for cardholders aligned with various credit cards. Coming in with a lower-than-average annual fee of $395, the HSBC Elite Credit Card offers decent perks. The bonus breakdown for purchases made with your card breaks down to 3x travel purchase points for airfare, hotels and car rental. While you’re getting 2x dining points, it’s 1x points for all other purchases. There’s also $400 in travel credits on the table. 

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard®

image credit: aa.com

A favorite among people who fly with American Airlines, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard® comes with a free Admirals Club® membership that’s valued at $650. That’s not bad when you consider that the annual fee for this card is $450.

This next point is why this card is worth considering even if you’ve already shelled out the fee to get Admirals Club® membership. The card will actually give you a prorated refund on membership if you’re an existing Admirals Club® member. Upgrading can be a great way to maintain the membership you already love while gaining some extra perks every time you spend. 

This card provides 2 miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases. You’ll earn 1 mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases. You can also jet your way to elite status with American Airlines faster once you have this card in your wallet. That’s because the card gives you 10,000 Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs) after you spend $40,000 annually. You’re getting handed an opportunity to cultivate 50,000 bonus miles. The longer list of perks offered with this card includes priority boarding, one free checked bag on domestic flights, 25 percent off airline food and beverage purchases and Global Entry or TSA Pre✓® credits.

The perks on this card are neat and easy. While Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard® won’t have much value for you if you’re already invested in another airline due to years and years of loyalty, it is probably the best card for getting free lounge access every time you fly if you’re an American Airlines devotee. 

Mastercard® Black Card

image credit: luxurycard.com

Offering automatic enrollment in Priority Pass Select, the Mastercard® Black Card provides access to more than 1,300 airport lounges worldwide. If you want to bring a guest along, the fee is $32 per person.

While the Mastercard® Black Card isn’t the only card to offer free Priority Pass Select membership, it does stand out for being a card that’s geared for luxury-oriented leisure travelers while having a $495 annual fee that’s lower than many other cards.

Cardholders receive $200 in annual air travel credit that can be used for airline tickets, baggage fees, upgrades and other flight-based purchases. All of your credits will automatically land in your account without any maneuvers on your end.

Members also receive a $1,000 gift card for TCS World Travel jet expeditions if they spend $35,000. The other perks to go along with this card include a Global Entry or TSA Pre✓ credit, baggage delay insurance, travel accident insurance, auto rental collision waiver, 24/7 Mastercard Global Service, trip cancellation/interruption insurance and travel assistance. 

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card

image credit: americanexpress.com

A no-brainer decision if you book stays at Marriott when flying, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card provides complimentary Priority Pass™ Select access for entry to more than 1,200 lounges around the world when you fly with any airline.

Also baked into this card is $300 in annual statement credits for purchases made at hotels in the Marriott Bonvoy program.

This card shines for frequent travelers by offering 6x points on hotels, 3x points on dining and 3x points on flights. There’s also a $300 Marriott Bonvoy statement credit. You also get one free night as a reward each year for your card anniversary. 

American Express Green Card

image credit: americanexpress.com

If you spend part of the year in Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain or Switzerland, this card is designed specifically for you.

While this card does come with lounge perks, it is not a heavy hitter in terms of lounge access by any means. The American Express Green Card only offers a single $100 Lounge Buddy Credit per year. However, that could be all you need if you’re just looking for lounge access one to two times per year when you’re making a trek home.

This card also comes with 3x membership rewards at restaurants, transit and travel. There’s 1x membership reward points on all other purchases. In addition, this card comes with great classic AMEX perks like a $100 CLEAR credit, trip delay insurance, upgrades via points, car rental loss/damage insurance, baggage insurance, purchase protection and more. The annual fee on this card is just $150.

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

image credit: americanexpress.com

A great card if you’ve been coveting Hilton Honors Diamond status, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card grants your wish when you sign up! Yes, this card comes with complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond status.

This card also comes with Priority Pass access that opens up entry to 1,200 lounges around the globe. In addition to free entry for you, you’re getting free entry for up to two guests per lounge visit. The perks for hotel lovers keep coming with an astounding 14x points on hotels and resorts. You’re also getting 7x points on select travel and dining.

In addition, this card comes packed with credits like a $20 airline fee credit and $100 Hilton on-property credit. You’re also covered with extra cardholder perks like car rental loss and damage insurance, access to the Premium Global Assist® Hotline and a baggage insurance plan. The annual fee on this card is $250. 

United℠ Explorer Card

image credit: theexplorercard.com

If you fly with United a couple times per year, this card might hit the spot. First, the disclaimer on this card is that it is not a lounge superstar by any stretch of the imagination. You’re not getting the highly generous and unlimited lounge access that’s offered by many of the elite cards on this list when you go with this card.

However, United customers who fly once or twice a year might like the added perk of getting some free lounge access on top of enjoying what is a really solid credit card. The United℠ Explorer Card comes with two one-time United Club passes per year.

While visiting a United airport lounge, you can enjoy drinks, snacks and Wi-Fi in a very posh setting. However, this card probably isn’t worth signing up for just for that perk. That’s why knowing about some of the other nice features of this card helps with making your decision.

First, you’re getting 2x points on dining, hotel stays and United purchases. All other purchases get 1x points. There’s also the perk of getting one free checked bag per trip. That adds up to about $150 saved per flight!

If you’re climbing the points ladder with United, this card offers the chance to earn up to 1,000 Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs) per year. Each $12,000 spent equals 500 PQPs. What makes this card really stand out is that it’s the first on the list to offer perks for no annual fee! While there’s a $0 intro annual fee for your first year of owning the card, the fee does rise to $95 per year after that.

This card also includes Global Entry or TSA Pre✓ credit.

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

While personal credit cards are famed for offering better lounge access than business cards, the Business Platinum Card® from American Express is one card to have your eye on if you often mix business with travel. This card offers big bonuses and big rewards! Of course, the big question has to do with what it offers in terms of lounge access. This card comes with complimentary access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection. That means access to more than 1,300 beautiful lounges across more than 140 countries.

In addition to pampering you with Centurion® Lounge and International American Express Lounge access, you can also visit partner lounges operated by big names like Delta Sky Club®. 

This card comes with 5X Membership Rewards points for your flights and prepaid hotels booked through Amex’s travel portal. There’s also an airline bonus of 35 percent with the potential to get up to 500,000 points back per calendar year.

Some of the other perks included with this card are a $200 airline credit fee, $179 CLEAR Credit, a credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✔, trip delay insurance, trip cancellation insurance, car rental loss insurance, a baggage insurance plan, premium car rental privileges and Premium Global Assist® Hotline access. You’re also invited to skip to Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status without the need to book the number of qualifying stays needed!

Next, it’s time to get to what makes this a “business” card. The Business Platinum Card® from American Express actually rewards you for making a larger purchase by offering more points! You’re getting 1.5x points on purchases of $5,000 or more. It adds up for the potential of 1 million extra Membership Rewards® points each year! One of the priciest cards to own, the Business Platinum Card® from American Express comes with an annual fee of $595.

Filed Under: Credit Card Reviews

American Express® Gold Card vs Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve®

May 19, 2022 by Rosemarie Clancy Leave a Comment

Full disclosure: We may receive financial compensation when you click on links and are approved for products from our advertising partners. Opinions and product recommendations on FlyerGeek are those of our writers and have not been influenced, reviewed or approved by any advertiser. Learn more about how we make money.

The American Express® Gold Card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve® are popular credit cards for travelers because they offer a flexible points currency. Amex Gold rewards cardmembers with Membership Rewards points and Chase has the Ultimate Rewards program.

Both programs are similar in that they offer cardholders the ability to transfer points to travel partners, book travel through an online portal or cash points in for experiences, statement credits or gift cards. Points don’t expire in either program as long as you hold a card that earns them.

These cards have very different annual fees. The mid-tier Chase Sapphire Preferred is the most affordable at $95 a year, Amex Gold is also considered a mid-tier card but it costs $250 a year to hold, and the premium Sapphire Reserve is $550 annually.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

  • Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
  • Best Airlines Credit Cards
  • Best Hotel Credit Cards
  • Best Business Credit Cards
  • Best Cash Back Credit Cards
  • Best Overall in 2022
Sapphire PreferredAmex GoldSapphire Reserve
Annual Fee$95$250$550
Welcome Bonus80,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 6 months50,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months
Credits$50 annual hotel credit when booked through Chase$120 in Uber Cash and dining credit ($10 each monthly)$300 in annual statement credits for travel purchases
Bonus Categories5x on travel booked through Chase and 2x on other travel, 3x for online grocery purchases, dining and streaming services4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X), and 3x on flights5x on flights and 10x on hotels and car rentals booked through Chase, 3x on all other travel, 10x on Chase Dining and 3x on other dining
Anniversary Bonus10% of your total purchasesN/AN/A

As you can see, if you’re considering signing up for one of these cards, the annual fee is a big consideration.

The fee can be offset by travel credits and the card’s earning potential, but only if you use the benefits and maximize the rewards earning potential. It’s important to evaluate the earning opportunities of each card to see if it fits your lifestyle, spending patterns and travel goals.

Sign-up Bonuses, Credits and Bonus Categories

Another big consideration for many is the sign-up or welcome bonus, which is pretty similar for these three cards. The Sapphire Preferred offers 80k points and the Amex Gold offers 60k points after spending $4,000, but the key difference is that American Express gives you 6 months to meet that minimum spending requirement while Chase gives you just 3.

Surprisingly, the card with the most expensive annual fee of the three cards has the smallest bonus. The premium Chase Sapphire Reserve only offers a 50,000 point sign-up bonus after spending $4,000 in the first three months.

If the sign-up bonus is your main motivation for signing up for one of these cards, then the Chase Sapphire Preferred is your best bet.

Travel and Other Credits 

In addition to the value of the sign-up bonus, you can easily offset about half of the annual fee on any of these cards if you take advantage of the travel credits offered. The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers a $50 credit on a hotel booking through its Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. The Chase Sapphire Preferred gives you up to $300 in statement credits on travel purchases through its portal every year. 

The American Express Gold card offers $10 a month in Uber credits for rides or Uber Eats. You just need to add your card to your Uber account to get the Uber Cash each month. You also get another $10 a month in dining credits that can be used for Boxed, GrubHub, Seamless, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, The Cheesecake Factory and participating Shake Shack locations, for a total of $240 a year in credits.

Bonus Points Categories 

The next thing to consider if you are trying to figure out which of these three cards is the best one for you, is how many points you can earn each year. Bonus points earning categories can really boost your balance and help you achieve enough points to book an airline award ticket or free hotel stay sooner.

The Preferred card offers 5x bonus points per dollar spent on any travel booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal with the exception of the hotel booking that qualifies for the $50 credit. You’ll earn 2x on all other travel including airfare, hotels, taxis and trains.

Other bonus categories for the Chase Sapphire Preferred include 3x for online grocery purchases, dining and select streaming services. All other purchases earn one point per dollar spent.

The Reserve card offers 5x on airlines booked through the bank’s portal after you receive the $300 annual credit for those bookings, and 10x on hotel stays and car rentals booked through its portal. You’ll also earn 10x with Chase dining partners, 3x on all other dining, and one point per dollar spent on everything else.

The Amex Gold card offers Earn 4x Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and 4x Membership Rewards® Points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1x) so these points can really add up whether you are dining out or eating at home. The Gold card also offers 3x on airfare purchases through the airline or amextravel.com, and one point per dollar on everything else.

You should review your spending habits to determine the best card for earning points. Clearly the Sapphire Reserve offers bigger bonus categories, but the 10x ones are tied to purchases made through its Ultimate Rewards site, so if you don’t intend to use the portal for travel or prepaid dining, takeout or cooking events, then this may not be the best card for you especially considering the high annual fee.

The 4x bonus on food purchases and 3x on any travel purchased with the Amex Gold is also very tempting, but that card also carries a substantial annual fee so it’s a good idea to crunch the numbers on how much you expect to spend on the card to figure out if the bonus points and other perks are worth it.

Membership Rewards vs Ultimate Rewards

One of the best ways to get the most value out of the points you earn in each of these programs is to transfer points to a travel partner to get an award flight or free hotel stay. While there is some overlap of partners, you should review the list of travel suppliers each card issuer partners with to see if they are ones that you hope to use for your reward travel if you plan to transfer points to a loyalty program.

Travel Partners

Points can be used to top off a balance in an airline or hotel loyalty program or you can transfer the full amount for a redemption. All three cards have airline partners that cover the three major alliances so you can probably fly to any destination you like, but booking a partner airline can be even more complicated than just finding award space on the carrier’s program that you transferred points to, so this is another consideration.

American Express Membership Rewards Partners

American Express partners with 12 airline programs and three hotel chains for its Membership Rewards program. Airline partners include Asia Miles, British Airways Executive Club, Delta SkyMiles, Emirates Skywards, Etihad Guest, Finnair Plus, Air France/KLM Flying Blue, Iberia Plus, Qantas Frequent Flyer, SAS EuroBonus, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. 

Most transfer at a 1:1 ratio, but there are some exceptions, and transfers can take up to five days. Check here for more details. 

Amex hotel partners include Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy and Radisson Rewards. Transfer rates vary and can take up to 10 days. Check the website for more details. Other travel transfer partners include Club Eurostar and Nectar.

Chase Ultimate Rewards Partners

Chase partners with 11 airlines and three hotel chains. Airline partners include AerLingus AerClub, Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club, Emirates Skywards, Flying Blue (Air France/KLM), Iberia Plus, JetBlue TrueBlue, Singapore Airline KrisFlyer, Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards, United MileagePlus and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.

Chase hotel partners include IHG Rewards Club, Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt. Ultimate Reward Points transfer to all travel partners at a 1:1 ratio in 1,000 point increments. Most points transfer by the next business day, but it can take up to a week.

Chase transfers are generally quicker and the points transfer ratio is simpler for many frequent traveler programs, so this is a plus, especially if there is limited award availability. You take a chance on transferring points and losing your desired airline seat if there is limited availability and a delay in transfer.

When it comes to domestic airline programs, If you’re loyal to Delta then the Amex Gold is a good choice. But if you prefer to fly on United, JetBlue or Southwest then one of the Chase cards is your best bet if you plan to transfer points to an airline loyalty program. 

As far as hotel programs, both the Sapphire cards and the Amex Gold partner with Marriott, but if you are loyal to Hyatt, the Chase cards are a better option. If Hilton is your preferred hotel program, then Amex is the best fit.

If you’re not familiar with airline and hotel loyalty programs, or you don’t like searching for space or being limited by award availability, there are other options to redeem your points for travel.

Travel Booking Portals

You can use your reward points in either program to book your travel through the American Express Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards booking portals. They both work like traditional travel booking sites so they are easy to use. The Chase portal is powered by Expedia and Amex uses its own online booking portal for redemptions. 

Booking through the portal is a good option if there are limited award seats available as both of these sites will show all flights and hotel rooms available so you don’t have to worry about finding award space. It’s also a good approach if you want to keep your travel booking experience simple.

Because award redemption is tied to the price of airline fares and hotel accommodations though, this can cost more than using your points in an airline frequent flyer program or hotel frequent guest program.

The standout card for booking through the issuer’s portal is the Chase Sapphire Reserve. That’s because it offers a 50% bonus on points used. The Sapphire Preferred comes in second in this category with a 25% point bonus when booking through the portal. Amex offers points rebates to its business card holders, but not on the personal Gold card so those points are worth a penny each when booking travel through amextravel.com.

The sign-up bonus alone on each of the Sapphire cards is equal to $750 in free travel when booked through the Chase portal. Even though the Reserve bonus is 10,000 points lower, it is still worth the same amount because of the 50% point bonus when booking through the portal.

Chase also has a Pay Yourself Back feature that lets you redeem your Ultimate Rewards points for statement credits in select rotating categories. If you hold the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, you’ll get a 25% bonus, and Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders get a 50% bonus for these redemptions.

Benefits of Each Card 

All three of these cards come with great travel benefits including no foreign transaction fees when making purchases overseas. 

The Chase Sapphire cards come with car rental insurance coverage, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, emergency assistance, as well as extended warranty protection and purchase protection when you use your card to make purchases.

The Amex Gold gives you access to the Hotel Collection, personalized travel service, car rental loss and damage insurance, baggage insurance and the Global Assist Hotline. The card also comes with purchase protection, extended warranties and dispute resolution, as well as access to American Express Experiences and American Express Preferred Seating, which gives you access to premium seats for select cultural and sporting events.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve also includes Priority Pass Select membership which gives you access to 1,300 airport lounges worldwide, and it comes with a statement credit of up to $100 every four years as reimbursement for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS expedited security screening programs.

Both the Sapphire cards also come with a complimentary DashPass subscription from DoorDash, which gets you unlimited deliveries with no fee and reduced service fees. This benefit needs to be activated by March 31, 2022.

Also, through March 2022 if you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred card you can earn 5x on Lyft rides, which is 3x points in addition to the 2x you earn on travel. If you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve, the bonus for Lyft rides is 10x through March. There are similar bonuses for Peloton bikes and equipment purchased using one of the Chase Sapphire cards if that is on your radar in the new year.

Issuer Rules 

You may have made up your mind about which of these three cards you are interested in, but one big consideration is whether the bank will approve you. They all require a good or excellent credit score to have a successful application, but there are also some other things you should be aware of.

Chase has a 5/24 rule, which means if you have applied for more than five cards from any issuer in the past two years, then you will be denied. Also, you can only hold either the Sapphire Preferred or the Sapphire Reserve, so if you already have one of these Sapphire cards you would have to upgrade or downgrade to get the other.

Lastly, you can only receive the sign-up bonus once every 48 months for either card in the Chase Sapphire family, so make sure it’s been at least four years since you last got a bonus on a Sapphire card or you’ll miss out on those bonus points.

American Express on the other hand, will only give you a bonus on any of its cards once in a lifetime. So if you’ve previously signed up for the Amex Gold card and gotten a bonus, then you should go for one of the Sapphire cards if you meet their criteria to get a sign-up bonus. 

Amex also has a rule that only allows you to hold five personal credit cards at any time, but you can have up to 10 charge cards and the Amex Gold card is considered a charge card with no pre-set spending limit so this should not be an issue unless you already have nine other Amex cards. 

Final Thoughts 

All three of these credit cards are great for travelers as they offer bonus earning opportunities, credits for travel and other benefits. They all offer elevated welcome bonuses occasionally, and that is a great time to apply for one of these three cards so watch for that.

But if you want to add one to your wallet right now, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is your best bet if you want to keep the annual fee low and if you’re not sure how much of the travel credits you can use in the year ahead. It’s also the only one of the three that offers a 10% anniversary bonus on points earned, so this card is actually worth keeping in your wallet at least for the next four years. 

If you apply now that will let the clock start ticking on when you can upgrade to the Sapphire Reserve and still get a sign-up bonus. It’s also a good idea to apply for Chase cards if you’re under the 5/24 rule, so many people apply for those cards sooner rather than later as you never know when the next attractive sign-up offer will catch your eye and that may push you over the limit of card applications that Chase allows.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

  • Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
  • Best Airlines Credit Cards
  • Best Hotel Credit Cards
  • Best Business Credit Cards
  • Best Cash Back Credit Cards
  • Best Overall in 2022

Filed Under: Credit Card Reviews

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card VS Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

May 18, 2022 by Rosemarie Clancy Leave a Comment

Full disclosure: We may receive financial compensation when you click on links and are approved for products from our advertising partners. Opinions and product recommendations on FlyerGeek are those of our writers and have not been influenced, reviewed or approved by any advertiser. Learn more about how we make money.

There are many travel credit cards to choose from, but two of the most popular ones are the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. Both credit cards have been around for a while, and they have been heavily marketed to consumers so many people are familiar with them.

You may have seen one of Capital One’s celebrity spokespeople on its TV commercials like Samuel L. Jackson and Jennifer Garner pitching the benefits of earning double miles on everything, booking airline seats with no blackout dates, and then asking viewers, “What’s in your wallet?”

The two cards are very similar in many ways. The Venture and Sapphire Preferred are both mid-tier cards that carry an annual fee of $95. And they both earn flexible points, which can be redeemed for travel or transferred to airline and hotel partners.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

  • Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
  • Best Airlines Credit Cards
  • Best Hotel Credit Cards
  • Best Business Credit Cards
  • Best Cash Back Credit Cards
  • Best Overall in 2022

Quick Comparison

Chase Sapphire PreferredCapital One Venture
Annual Fee$95$95
Welcome Bonus80,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first three months.60,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first three months.
Credits$50 annual hotel credit when booked through URN/A
Bonus Points5x on travel booked through Chase and 2x on other travel, 3x for online grocery purchases, dining and select streaming servicesAll purchases earn 2x
Anniversary Bonus10% of your total purchasesN/A
Foreign Transaction FeesNoneNone
Global Entry/TSA PrecheckNoneUp to $100 credit

How the Programs Work 

The Chase Sapphire card earns points in the bank’s Ultimate Rewards program. Capital One calls their rewards “miles,” but they are not affiliated with an airline program, so they work more like reward points. You use the miles to “erase” travel purchases on your card.

They are both popular with people that are new to miles and points because of their simple redemption options, as well as with experienced miles and points collectors, because of the many travel partners they each have that points can be transferred to.

Where they are different is how you earn points, how you redeem your points for travel and which travel partners they allow you to transfer points to.

Sign-up Bonus

Whether you’ve seen ads about these credit cards or a friend recommended one of them, the thing that probably caught your eye was a huge sign-up bonus. Welcome bonuses give you a big stash of miles and points that are often enough to book a pair of round-trip domestic airline tickets. That can easily offset the annual fee of the card and save you money on airfare, which can be $500 or more for a domestic roundtrip, depending on where you are flying.

Before we go into the points-earning potential of these two cards, let’s compare their sign-up bonuses so you can see how many you will earn on each card after meeting minimum spend. Then we’ll go into bonus categories to see how they fit your lifestyle and travel habits.

The Capital One Venture card comes with 60,000 bonus miles once you spend $3,000 in the first three months. That’s worth $600 in travel, because the miles are redeemed for statement credits against travel expenses charged on the card at the rate of one mile per penny.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred also now comes with 80,000 bonus points worth $1,000 in travel after spending $4,000 in the first three months.

How Much the Sign-up Bonus is Worth

Even though the bonuses are the same, the Ultimate Reward points earned by making purchases on the Chase Sapphire Preferred card are more valuable if you are using them to book travel in the Chase portal because the card comes with a 25% bonus for those kind of redemptions.The sign-up bonus on the Sapphire Preferred is worth $1,000 compared to $600 worth of travel using the Capital One card. That’s a good reason to apply for the Sapphire Preferred card and strive to meet the extra $1,000 in minimum spend.

Earning Rewards

Another big consideration when choosing between these two cards is how you earn points. The Capital One Venture card is simple. Every purchase earns 2x miles, so you don’t have to worry about bonus categories. If you spend $1,000 a month on your card, you will earn 2,000 points which can be redeemed for $20 worth of travel.

Chase Bonus Point Categories

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card on the other hand, has several bonus categories. You earn 5x bonus points on travel purchased through its portal and 2x on all other travel including hotels, airfare, trains and taxis. You’ll also earn 3x on online grocery purchases excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs, 3x on dining out or ordering food through eligible delivery services, and 3x on select streaming services. You earn one point on everything else.

Limited Time Bonuses

Other perks of the Chase Sapphire Preferred include a complimentary DoorPass subscription, which gives you unlimited DoorDash deliveries with no delivery fee and reduced service fees. You need to activate this benefit by December 31, 2024. 

Another benefit of the Sapphire Preferred card for a limited time is 5x points on Lyft rides through March 2025. That’s 3 extra points per dollar in addition to the 2x you would normally earn using this card. And one more limited-time bonus earning opportunity is 5x points on each Peloton Bike, Tread and Guide purchase over $450. You can earn up to 25,000 bonus points this way through June 30, 2022.

And another nice perk of the Chase Sapphire Preferred is a 10% anniversary bonus on all purchases made the previous year. If you spend $10,000 on the card during the year, you’ll earn an additional 1,000 points when the annual fee is due. 

Which Card is Best for Earning Points?

To determine which card has the most earning power, you should review your traditional purchase history and see how these bonus categories mesh with your lifestyle. For example if you travel, dine out, get takeout or shop for your groceries online, you will earn double or triple points on all those purchases. If you book your travel through the Chase portal, which is powered by Expedia, then those points will add up quickly at 5x points per dollar.

Redeeming Points and Miles

In addition to using either rewards currency to pay for travel by getting a statement credit on Capital One travel purchases or using the Chase portal to purchase travel at a 25% bonus, Chase also has a Pay Yourself Back feature where you can use your points and get a 25% bonus on them to pay yourself back in rotating categories. 

The payback benefit was introduced during the pandemic when many people were not traveling, and there is no current expiration date, though this perk will likely be canceled at some point. There are also other redemption options like gift cards, but you can also choose to cash your Chase Ultimate Rewards points in at the rate of one penny a point. An easy way to calculate the value is to remove the comma in your points, and add a decimal point before the last two zeros. For example, 20,000 points = $200.00.

But if you like to keep things simple or use several credit cards for your purchases and don’t want to keep track of which one to use for bonus points, then you’ll find the Capital One Venture card more attractive as everything earns double points.

Airline and Hotel Partners

Another great way to redeem your points or miles in either the Chase or Capital One program is to transfer your rewards to a travel partner. If you travel often and belong to several loyalty programs, this is a good way to get outsized value for your points or miles.

You should consider the travel partners that each card issuer works with if this is your goal or something you are considering. This is a great option if you want to top off an airline or hotel program to get an award seat or free night.

Chase Travel Partners

Chase has 14 travel partners. Airline programs that you can transfer points to include:

  • Aer Lingus AerClub
  • Air Canada Aeroplan
  • Air France-KLM Flying Blue
  • British Airways Executive Club
  • Emirates Skywards
  • Iberia Plus
  • JetBlue TrueBlue
  • Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
  • Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
  • United Mileage Plus
  • Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

🏨 Hotel partners include:

  • IHG Rewards Club
  • Marriott Bonvoy
  • World of Hyatt

Capital One Transfer Partners

Capital One has 17 travel partners. Airline programs you can transfer your miles to include:

  • Aeromexico Club Premier
  • Air Canada Aeroplan
  • Air France-KLM Flying Blue
  • Avianca LifeMiles
  • British Airways Executive Club
  • Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
  • Emirates Skywards
  • Etihad Guest
  • EVA Infinity MileageLands
  • Finnair Plus
  • Qantas Frequent Flyer
  • Singapore KrisFlyer
  • TAP Air Portugal Miles&Go
  • Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles

🏨 Hotel partners include:

  • ALL – Accor Live Limitless
  • Choice Privileges
  • Wyndham Rewards

As you can see, the two banks have a few overlapping travel partners, but not many. You should have a destination in mind before you transfer points, and make sure award space or that the hotel you want to book with points is available, as the points cannot be transferred back to your Capital One or Chase Ultimate Rewards account.

Keep in mind that most of these airlines belong to one of the three big airline alliances including Oneworld, Star Alliance and SkyTeam, so you can use miles to book travel nearly anywhere in the world.

You can transfer points to most programs in increments of 1,000 points or miles at a 1:1 ratio, but that varies so be sure to check on how many points you will receive before you hit the transfer button.

Also, be sure to check the price of a ticket or hotel room night online for the route or hotel you are interested in booking as some cash rates may be better than miles or points redemptions in a hotel or airline loyalty program because discounted fares and room rates may be cheaper than the redemption offered by the airline or hotel chain through their rewards program. 

It’s also important to keep in mind that you need to keep the card open to redeem or transfer points. If you hold the card for a year and plan to close it when the annual fee is due, be sure to redeem or transfer your points to a travel program before you close it. And use the points or miles before they expire in the program you transferred them to. Most airline miles and hotel points are good for at least a year even with no activity. The points in the Capital One and Chase Ultimate Rewards programs don’t expire as long as you hold the card.

Premium Cards and No-Annual-Fee Cards in the Same Family

Both of these cards also have other cards in the same family that earn the same rewards. There are no-fee versions of both cards if you want to downgrade and earn points or miles without paying an annual fee. 

Chase Ultimate Rewards Cards

Chase has the Freedom, Freedom Unlimited and Freedom Flex cards that earn 1 or 1.5 Ultimate Reward points, and also have bonus categories. These points earn Ultimate Rewards points, but they are considered cash back cards. 

If you have either the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Chase Sapphire Reserve card though, you can transfer the points earned on your Freedom cards to either of the Sapphire cards and from there to travel partners. Or you can use them in the Chase portal and get a 25% discount with the Chase Sapphire Preferred or a 50% discount using the Chase Sapphire Reserve for  your redemption.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a premium card that costs $550 a year to hold. It has a lower sign-up bonus of 50,000 points vs 80,000 for the Sapphire Preferred, but it comes with a $300 travel credit, which helps offset the fee. You also earn more rewards with this premium card as you get 5x on flights booked through Chase and 10x on hotels and car rentals booked through the portal. 

The Sapphire Reserve offers 3x points on all other travel and dining. It also comes with Priority Pass, which gives you access to 1,300 airport lounges worldwide, and a $100 credit for TSA PreCheck, Global Entry or Nexus every four years, as well as a host of other benefits. But not everyone wants to pay a big annual fee to hold a card, and if you don’t travel often, then the Chase Sapphire Preferred is probably a better fit.

Capital One Cards

Capital One has the VentureOne card with no annual fee, but it only earns 1.25 miles per dollar on all purchases vs the 2x earning power of the Capital One Venture. This is a good card to downgrade to if you want to keep your miles and your line of credit, but don’t want to pay the annual fee on the Capital One Venture card for another year.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Capital One recently entered the premium travel credit card market with its launch of its Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card late last year.

It comes with a $395 fee, which is much less than the Sapphire Reserve at $550, but it comes with a huge sign-up bonus of 75,000 points for spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. This card earns 10 miles per dollar spent on hotels rental cars through Capital One Travel, and 5x on flights booked through the portal. Everything else earns two miles per dollar spent.

With the Venture X premium card you get an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One, and 10,000 miles on your anniversary. It also includes access to Capital One Lounges and more than 1,300 Priority Pass lounges internationally, and a $100 credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry.

If you like earning rewards and you want more travel perks, consider upgrading to the Chase Sapphire Reserve or the VentureX. These cards carry a much bigger annual fee, but come with a lot more earning potential and premium travel perks.

Credit Score and Bank Rules

Both Chase and Capital One require a good-to-excellent credit score to be approved for a card. Your score should be at least 700 if you are thinking of applying for either the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Capital One Venture. If you have a great credit history and high income, you might be approved if your score is in the high 600s, but most of the good travel card issuers like to see a score of 720 or more.

Neither Chase or Capital One like to approve applications for people who open too many credit cards. How many is too many? Well, for Chase, it’s five cards over a two-year period. The bank has a 5/24 rule so if you have applied for more than five cards in 24 months your application will be denied.

Chase Rules

Chase also has a rule that states you can only earn the sign-up bonus for a Chase Sapphire card once every 48 months. And you can’t have two Chase Sapphire cards at the same time. So if you already have the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, then you need to close that or downgrade it.

Capital One Guidelines

Capital One has a reputation for declining applications from people with too many open lines of credit or recent applications. It’s not a formal rule, but there are some other guidelines that may block your application. The bank won’t approve you for a card if you’ve ever declared bankruptcy or defaulted on a loan, been more than 60 days late on a credit card, loan payment or medical bill. And in order to get approved, you need to have had a loan or credit card for three years with a limit of more than $5,000.

Bottom Line

The Chase Sapphire Preferred and Capital One Venture cards are both great credit cards for people who like to travel or who travel for business. Both cards have flexible redemption options, and both card programs are easy to understand and use to both earn and redeem points, even for beginners.

And if you’re an experienced miles and points collector, then both of these cards are also great because they have many travel partners. Either card is a good option to transfer your rewards, but be sure the program you are looking to top off or transfer enough for an award is one of the transfer partners.

To make the best choice, review your spending patterns, and the hotel and airline programs you use, to see which of the two cards will help you earn the most points and get you to your next vacation destination sooner. And if you travel often and will use the credits on the premium cards from Chase or Capital One, consider getting one of them.

Filed Under: Credit Card Reviews

United Airlines Baggage Policy, Exceptions and Fees [2022]

May 17, 2022 by Lauren Graves Leave a Comment

image credit: united.com
Full disclosure: We may receive financial compensation when you click on links and are approved for products from our advertising partners. Opinions and product recommendations on FlyerGeek are those of our writers and have not been influenced, reviewed or approved by any advertiser. Learn more about how we make money.

If you’re planning on flying with United Airlines this year then you’ll want to know what to expect in terms of potential fees and luggage restrictions for both your carry-on items and checked bags.

So for your convenience, whether you’re traveling with carry-ons, checked bags, or both, here’s a comprehensive list of every important United baggage policy all passengers should be aware of in 2022.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

  • Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
  • Best Airlines Credit Cards
  • Best Hotel Credit Cards
  • Best Business Credit Cards
  • Best Cash Back Credit Cards
  • Best Overall in 2022

United Airlines Carry-On Allowance

Don’t risk arriving at the airport for your flight and having your carry-on luggage turned away or unexpectedly checked. United Airlines lets most passengers travel with one carry-on bag and one personal item each, free of charge, as long as the items do not go over the airline’s size and weight restrictions.

Basic Economy tickets allow for one personal item only and do not include free carry-on luggage. If you do bring a full-sized carry-on bag when flying economy, you will be required to check the bag and pay the checked bag fee (whatever it is for your flight) and a $25 gate handling charge on top of that. All other flight classes include one free carry-on and one personal item.

image credit: united.com

Your carry-on bag technically has no weight restrictions, but it is expected to fit in the overhead bin. This means it must not exceed 9 inches x 14 inches x 22 inches or 22 centimeters x 35 centimeters x 56 centimeters. This includes all exterior hardware such as handles and straps. Your personal item, which is expected to fit under the seat in front of you, must not exceed 9 inches x 10 inches x 17 inches or 22 centimeters x 25 centimeters x 43 centimeters.

Other items that all passengers may bring in addition to their carry-ons include standard “special” items such as umbrellas, FAA-approved child restraint systems and safety seats, assistive devices such as wheelchairs and walkers, and pet carriers.

Carry-On Allowances for Toddlers and Children

Bring the essentials free of charge! Details below.

If you are going to be traveling with an infant or young child, there are a number of necessary items you can bring that United Airlines will not charge you for. These include: 

  • A diaper bag 🎒
  • A breast pump and milk 🍼
  • An FAA-approved child or infant restraint seat 👶
  • A compact folding stroller that meets carry-on size restrictions (9 inches x 14 inches x 22 inches or 9 inches x 10 inches x 17 inches) 👩‍👧‍👧

All children under the age of two may travel with one car seat and one stroller. This allowance is included in all flight classes and on all flights. Strollers usually need to be checked at the gate but if they do not collapse, you’ll need to check them at the ticket counter.

Bringing Pets Onboard

Small dogs and cats are allowed on most domestic and international flights, but you will, of course, need to pay for your pet to travel with you in the cabin. A service charge of $125 is charged each way for a pet, and an additional charge of the same amount is assessed for every stopover of greater than four hours.

Service animals are not under the same restrictions as pets. See this page for information on traveling with service animals.

Pit Bull breeds are not permitted on the airplane at all.

The requirements for traveling with pets are as follows:

  • Puppies and kittens must not be younger than 16 weeks old
  • Unaccompanied minors are not permitted to fly with pets
  • Additional pets require an extra ticket and an additional $125 each way
  • Pets that don’t fit in kennels may not accompany you in the cabin and will need to travel in a separate compartment of the plane through United Airlines’ PetSafe transport program
  • You and your pet must be on the same flight
  • Oxygen services are not available for pets in the event of an emergency

Your pet will need to be up-to-date on its rabies vaccinations and you must bring a health certificate showing that they are to the airport. Some states, like Hawaii, have their own restrictions in place that you need to research.

Musical Instruments

Small instruments such as violins and guitars are permitted as long as they are in a hard case. If they are placed in the overhead bin, they’ll count as your carry-on. If they are placed beneath the seat in front of you, they’ll count as your personal item.

Prohibited Items

Certain items are strictly prohibited on United Airlines flights. These restrictions are put in place by the federal government and there are no exceptions.

Items never allowed on a flight include:

  • Self-balancing or self-riding bags
  • Camping equipment that contains fuel of any kind
  • Defense sprays such as pepper spray, tear gas, or mace
  • Explosives including but not limited to fireworks, flares, and gunpowder
  • MREs containing flameless heaters
  • Shock absorbers
  • Smart bags with batteries that cannot be removed
  • Tasers
  • Select electronic devices
  • Perishable items

Items allowed on flights with restrictions include:

  • Batteries
  • Power tools
  • Mobility devices
  • Firearms

United Airlines Checked Baggage Allowance

How many bags you can check for a United flight and how much each of those bags will cost to check depends on your loyalty status with the airline and the flight class you’ve chosen. Size and weight restrictions are also dependent on flight class and loyalty status.

Here’s a Visual Breakdown:

For United Economy flyers, checked baggage may weigh up to 50 pounds or 23 kilograms. United Business, United First, and United Polaris checked baggage may weigh up to 70 pounds. The latter is also the restriction for passengers with Premier Silver, Premier Gold, Premier Platinum, Premier 1K, and Star Alliance Gold (First, Business, or Polaris) MileagePlus status. 

No bag may exceed a combined total of 62 inches (length + width + height) unless checked by an active-duty U.S. military member traveling for official business.

You can pay for your checked baggage, provided that it meets size and weight requirements, online before your flight or at check-in.

Cost of Checked Bags

To get the most accurate cost breakdown on how much it will cost to check your bags on your next United flight, use their baggage cost calculator.

The cost varies not only by route but also by which cabin you’re sitting in (economy, premium economy, business or first) as well as your membership and status. Your membership and status are determined by the credit cards you hold and whether or not you are active in the U.S. military.

In general, for North American economy flights you can expect to pay $30-$35 per bag depending on whether you prepay or not. If you need to carry a second bag this will cost an additional $40-$45.

For flights to Europe the first checked bag is free even for those in the economy cabin, however second bags will cost up to $100 to check.

Here’s a closer look of what you can expect to pay per bag from the US to popular international destinations:

Destination1st Bag2nd Bag
London, UK$0$100
Madrid, Spain$0$100
Berlin, Germany$0$100
Hong Kong$0$0
Beijing, China$0$0
Tokyo, Japan$0$0
Mexico City, Mexico$35 at airport, $30 prepaid$60 at airport, $55 prepaid
Cancun, Mexico$35 at airport, $30 prepaid$60 at airport, $55 prepaid
San Jose, Costa Rica$35 at airport, $30 prepaid$45 at airport, $40 prepaid
Rio De Janeiro, Brazil$0$65
Cape town, South Africa$0$0
Sydney, Australia$0$100
Perth, Australia$0$100
Queenstown, New Zealand$0$100
Flights based out of LAX (Los Angeles International Airport) United Economy Cabin

If you’re flying any level above economy both your first and second bag will be checked free of charge. Same goes for acting U.S. military members. You can read more about this in our “Exceptions and Waivers” section further below.

📍 Please Note: If you’re flying Basic Cabin to Europe your first bag will cost $75 and your second bag remains at $100. Also, when flying Basic Cabin to Asia your first bag will still be $0 but your second bag will be $100. This differs from United Economy Cabin which is the prices you see in the chart above.

Checked Baggage for Children

The same checked baggage policies apply to children with purchased tickets and infants flying internationally on 10% of adult fare as for adult passengers. Should a child’s baggage exceed their personal allowance, the fare-paying adult accompanying them will need to assume the excess baggage as part of their own allowance.

Excessive Baggage Fees

image credit: united.com

If you must bring a bag that exceeds the above size and weight restrictions or you want to bring an additional bag, you may do so for a fee. Some flights do not allow oversized or overweight bags at all, so be sure to look into this every time you fly.

Checked baggage may never exceed 115 linear inches. Most baggage may never exceed 100 pounds. Musical instruments and mobility devices, however, may weigh up to 165 pounds. Overweight bags (weighing over 70 pounds but less than 100) can cost up to $200 each. Oversized bags measuring more than 62 linear inches also incur a fee, which is dependent on the flight destination and subject to change.

Please note that if a bag is more than one of these things—extra, overweight, or oversized—you’ll be charged more than one service fee. Extra bags are permitted only when there is space available on the plane.

Fragile and/or Bulky Items

If you happen to be flying with an oversized, bulky or fragile item that is too delicate to transport as checked baggage, you may choose to purchase a ticket for it and have it sit next to you or in another open seat. This item and ticket purchase must be approved by a United Airlines agent.

Some examples of cabin-seat baggage that would be approved by United may include the following:

  • large musical instruments
  • electronic devices (cameras, computer hardware, medical devices)
  • artifacts
  • garment bags

Please note the following cabin-seat baggage restrictions:

  • Item(s) must not exceed 165 pounds (75 kg).
  • Item(s) must be safely covered in a way that avoids injury to other customers.
  • Item(s) must be secured in a seat adjacent to the owner.
  • Item(s) must be properly secured by a seat belt to avoid shifting during flight.
  • Item(s) must not restrict access to, or use of, any regular or emergency exit or aisle of the cabin.
  • Item(s) must not obscure any customer’s view of “seatbelt,” “no smoking” or “exit” signage.
  • Item(s) must not contain dangerous goods.
  • Item(s) must be reserved in advance and applicable charges paid.

You can read more on United’s cabin-seat baggage restrictions here.

Exceptions and Waivers

Both active-duty U.S. military personnel and their dependents and MileagePlus Premier members and their travel companions can have checked baggage fees waived. For these flyers, a maximum weight of 70 pounds is enforced rather than the standard 50 pounds.

Active-duty military personnel and their dependents receive 3 complimentary checked bags for personal travel, 2 for travel orders, and 5 for official business travel. MileagePlus Premier Silver members receive 1 complimentary checked bag on most domestic and select international economy flights, Gold receive 2 complimentary checked bags on economy flights, and Platinum and 1K members receive 3 complimentary checked bags on economy flights. All premium cabin travel permits 3 complimentary checked bags for those with Silver, Gold, Platinum, or 1K status.

Some destinations such as flights to San Salvador and Havana have additional restrictions in place when it comes to complimentary checked baggage. See these here.

Credit Cards That Give You a Free Checked Bag With United Airlines

As you can see, United Airlines does not offer free checked baggage to just any customer, as some budget airlines do, but there are a couple of ways to check a bag for free when you’re a United passenger. 

Not a member of the military or a United Airlines favorite customer? A United Airlines credit card might be the way to go for you. United offers five different credit cards through Chase bank and all cardholders receive at least one checked bag for free.

Here’s how many free bags you can check when you’re a United cardholder:

  • United℠ Explorer Card: 1
  • United Club℠ Infinite Card: 2
  • United℠ Presidential Plus℠ Card: 2
  • UnitedSM Business Card: 1
  • United ClubSM Business Card: 2

According to United, having the United℠ Explorer Card (first card on the list above) can save you up to $140 per round trip! The primary card holder plus one companion on the same United reservation both get their first standard checked bag for free on all United-operated flights. You’ll have to make the purchase with the United Explorer card for the deal.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

  • Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
  • Best Airlines Credit Cards
  • Best Hotel Credit Cards
  • Best Business Credit Cards
  • Best Cash Back Credit Cards
  • Best Overall in 2022

Filed Under: Airlines Tagged With: United Airlines

Credit Score Needed for Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express in 2022

May 16, 2022 by Rosemarie Clancy Leave a Comment

image credit: card.americanexpress.com
Full disclosure: We may receive financial compensation when you click on links and are approved for products from our advertising partners. Opinions and product recommendations on FlyerGeek are those of our writers and have not been influenced, reviewed or approved by any advertiser. Learn more about how we make money.

Many people sign up for a credit card to get bonus miles and points for travel, but some prefer their rewards in the form of cash. The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express (terms apply) is a good cash back card that offers bonus earning opportunities in popular everyday spending categories.

The card doesn’t have an annual fee, and it offers 0% introductory APR on purchases for 15 months followed by a variable APR of between 14.74% to 24.74% after that. It also comes with a $200 welcome bonus which is credited on your statement once you meet the minimum spend of $2,000 in the first six months.

✈️ Looking for a new credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

  • Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
  • Best Airlines Credit Cards
  • Best Hotel Credit Cards
  • Best Business Credit Cards
  • Best Cash Back Credit Cards
  • Best Overall in 2022

Bonus Categories

Cardholders earn 3% cash back on up to $6,000 in purchases at US supermarkets per year. You won’t max out this bonus category unless you spend more than $500 a month on groceries.

Purchases at gas stations and select department stores including Bloomingdale’s, JCPenney, Kohl’s, Macy’s and Nordstrom earn 2% cash back, and all other eligible purchases earn 1% cash back per dollar spent.

Cash back is received in the form of reward dollars that can be cashed in at a rate of one penny per point, so 25,000 points = $25.00, which is the minimum amount needed to get a statement credit.

Who is the Amex Blue Cash Everyday Card For?

This card is good for someone who doesn’t want to pay an annual fee for a credit card, but still wants to earn rewards for their spending. While many travel rewards cards offer bonuses for travel and dining, the bonus categories on the Amex Blue Cash Everyday rewards those that use their card to buy groceries and gas.

The $200 welcome bonus is also accessible for people that don’t spend $1,000 or more a month. Many travel rewards cards require a minimum spend of $3,000 or more in the first three months of having the card. The Amex Blue Cash Everyday card gives you half a year to meet the $2,000 in spend needed to earn the bonus, which amounts to less than $350 a month in spending.

It’s also a good choice for someone who wants to finance a big purchase and pay over time without having to pay interest because it has no interest on purchases for the first 15 months followed by a variable APR of between 14.74% to 24.74% after that. Most travel rewards cards do not offer 0% interest for purchases.

This card is probably not the best option for someone who travels frequently for business and eats out often, but it’s a great choice for families that prepare most meals at home and travel primarily by car. It’s also good for someone who frequents the department stores that offer double rewards.

Credit Score Range Typically Required

Your credit score needs to be 700 or more, which means it has to be on the high end of a good score which is between 690 and 719. Or your score needs to be in the excellent range, which is 720 to 850. 

Both FICO and VantageScore use a range of 300-850 to determine credit scores. If your score is in the fair range (630-689) or below, then you will most likely not get approved for the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express.

What’s included in my credit score?

Just over a third (35%) of your FICO credit score is based on your payment history, and another 30% is calculated based on the amount owed. These two factors together make up two-thirds of the overall score. 

Your credit history, which looks at the length of time you have been granted credit, makes up 15% of the model, and new credit and the mix of credit mix account for 10% each. These last two metrics are concerned with how many new lines of credit you have applied for and the different types of credit you have, which can include home, car and student loans in addition to credit cards.

Income Level Required

In addition to reviewing your credit score, and even possibly modifying the weight given to the factors involved in it, American Express also asks what your income is on your credit card application. They also ask what your housing cost is to help them determine your ability to pay your credit card bills.

There is no specific income requirement for the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card, but what you make is one of the important factors when deciding whether or not to approve your application. It will also come into play when Amex decides what credit limit the card will come with if your application is successful.

Odds of Approval

If your credit score is good to excellent, your income levels are sufficient, and you’re not carrying too much debt on your credit cards, you have a good chance of getting approved.

A typical successful applicant would be someone who has had a mix of credit over a number of years, a good payment history on those lines of credit, and someone who hasn’t opened a lot of new credit lines recently. 

Your credit card balance should also not exceed more than 30% of your combined credit lines. A lower debt-to-credit ratio improves your odds, and likewise a higher ratio of debt to credit will decrease your odds. But keep in mind that this is only one factor being considered.

American Express Rules

Your credit score and other factors noted above are not the only things that come into play when your application is getting reviewed. Like most credit card issuers, American Express has certain rules that may block you from getting approved.

For example, you can only apply for two American Express cards in a 90-day period, and you have to wait five days in between applications. Also, you can only have five active Amex cards with a preset spending limit at a time, including both personal and business cards. Popular cards like American Express® Gold Card (terms apply) and The Platinum Card® from American Express cards (terms apply) don’t count as they don’t have a pre-set limit.

Also, another important consideration is that you will only receive the welcome bonus one time for each of its products, so if you’ve ever had the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express before and gotten a welcome bonus, you will not be eligible for the $200 bonus if you apply again.

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

If you are thinking about signing up for the Blue Cash Everyday card, but you’ve had it before or you want to earn greater rewards, you might want to consider the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express (terms apply).

This mid-tier version of the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card does have a $95 annual fee in the second year, but it includes a statement credit of $300 as a welcome bonus once you spend $3,000 in the first six months. 

If your spend is closer to $500 a month rather than just a few hundred, this might be the better option for you because the annual fee is waived the first year and the bonus earnings are greater. 

Bonus Categories for the Blue Cash Everyday vs. the Blue Cash Everyday Preferred

The Preferred version of the card lets you earn 6% cash back at US supermarkets up to $6,000, which is double the rewards offered by the no-annual-fee Blue Cash Everyday card. Subscriptions to select US streaming services also earn 6% cash back with the Preferred card. This is not a bonus category for the Blue Cash Everyday card so it only earns 1% cash back for streaming.

You’ll also earn 3% cash back at domestic gas stations and eligible transit such as buses, trains, parking, rideshare, taxis, tolls and other transit costs. The Blue Cash Everyday card only earns 2% at gas stations and no bonus rewards on transit. All other purchases on the Blue Cash Everyday Preferred card earn 1% cash back.

0% Introductory Offers for Blue Cash Everyday vs. the Blue Cash Everyday Preferred

The Blue Cash Everyday Preferred by American Express offers a 0% intro APR for the first year (12 months), but that is 3 months less than the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card offers, so if you want longer to pay off a balance for a big purchase then the no-annual fee version might be a better choice. The Preferred card also has a variable APR after the 12 month intro period of between 14.74% to 24.74%.

Both cards offer a buy now, pay later Plan It financing option that allows you to split up large purchases into monthly installments. Any plan created during either card’s intro 0% APR period will have no plan fees. Plans created for purchases after the introductory period ends will have a monthly plan fee of up to 1.33% of each purchase over $100 based on the length of time in the plan, the APR that would normally apply and other factors.

Travel and Shopping Benefits

Both the Amex Blue Cash Everyday and the Preferred version come with the same package of travel benefits and shopping protection. If you use your card to pay for a car rental, you can decline the collision damage waiver and you will have secondary coverage for theft or damage in a covered territory.

Cardholders also have access to the Global Assist Hotline when they travel more than 100 miles from home including help with lost luggage, translations, and legal and medical emergencies, though the card member will be responsible for costs by third-party service providers.

Both cards also come with protection on purchases made with the card. If you need to return something you bought with the card and the merchant won’t take it back, Amex will refund you up to $300 per item with a maximum of $1,000 per calendar year. You also get theft and accidental damage protection on purchases up to 90 days and $1,000 per occurrence for a maximum of $50,000 per calendar year.

Credit Score Needed for Amex Blue Cash Everyday Preferred

The Preferred version of the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card requires a similar credit score and history as the no-annual fee version, so you should compare both cards to see which is a better fit for your needs.

If you want to take some of the guesswork out of whether you will be approved for either one of these cards, especially if your credit score is borderline and you’re not sure if you qualify, you can see if you pre-qualify on the American Express site. 

It’s not guaranteed that you will be approved if you do pre-qualify, but it is a good indicator of whether you will be successful in obtaining a particular Amex card.

Bottom Line

If you’re in the market for a credit card that offers cash back on everyday spending like groceries and gas and you don’t want to pay an annual fee, then the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express is a great choice. It offers a good cash back welcome offer and the minimum spend is very manageable.

If you can meet a slightly higher minimum spend ($3,000 vs. $1,000 in the first six months), then the Blue Cash Everyday Preferred will get you more rewards for your gas station and supermarket purchases. The Preferred version also offers 6x bonus rewards on streaming services so the typical family can really rack up rewards with these bonus categories.

The downside of the Everyday Preferred card is that it does carry a $95 annual fee, which is waived the first year. The extra $100 welcome bonus ($300 for the Preferred vs. $200 for the no-annual-fee version) can offset that difference, but once the annual fee kicks in you would have to evaluate whether you spend enough in the bonus categories to maximize the rewards and justify the annual fee.

Both cards require the same good to excellent credit score, but the Preferred version may have a higher threshold of creditworthiness because mid-tier cards often have higher lines of credit. But if you have excellent credit, the Preferred version offers greater rewards and you can always downgrade to the no annual fee version after the first year if you want to avoid the annual fee. 

If you carry several credit cards in your wallet, the Blue Cash Everyday Card by American Express or the Preferred version can be a great addition that lets you earn 2x, 3x or 6x on categories outside of travel and dining which are the most popular bonus categories for most travel rewards cards.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

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Filed Under: Credit Card Reviews Tagged With: Amex

How to get United Airlines Elite Premier Status + is it worth it in 2022?

May 14, 2022 by Lauren Graves Leave a Comment

image credit: united.com
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United Airlines is known for two things:

  • having a ton of flight routes (including ultra long haul flights)
  • and having one of the best (if not the best) frequent flyer programs.

MileagePlus is well known for having valuable miles that don’t expire and a wide variety of awards to choose from. Even basic members who don’t travel often get preferential treatment and save more when flying, but fans of the airline know that being an elite member is the way to go.

Here’s how to reach elite status with United Airlines loyalty program, MileagePlus, and what elite membership with this particular airline looks like.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

  • Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
  • Best Airlines Credit Cards
  • Best Hotel Credit Cards
  • Best Business Credit Cards
  • Best Cash Back Credit Cards
  • Best Overall in 2022

About MileagePlus Membership

If you’re not already a MileagePlus member, this is your sign to enroll.

There is no fee for becoming a MileagePlus member. Just fill out this form with your personal information to create an account. You must be over the age of 18 to join, but parents can create an account on their children’s behalf.

Miles you rack up as a MileagePlus member can be used to book award travel, pay for seat upgrades, stay at hotels, pay for rental cars, and so much more. You can also use your miles to book travel for someone else, whether that’s flight tickets or hotel reservations. But we’ll go into more detail about how to use your miles later on in this article.

MileagePlus miles don’t expire as of 2019, but you do need to keep your account in good standing in order to make sure they’re still there when you need them. Always update your personal information when it changes and respond to communication from United Airlines promptly if there is a problem to avoid having your account closed. While some people have had success in getting their miles back in these scenarios, it’s not guaranteed and may cost you.


Anyone can earn miles, but premier members earn the most. To become a premier member, you need points.

Earn Points to Reach Elite Status

From now through January 31, 2023, it’s actually easier than ever to reach premier status within the MileagePlus program. This is because United has lowered the point and flight requirements to reach elite status and allowed United credit cardholders to earn points on their spending too.

Here are some of the best ways to earn enough points to qualify for premier status through the MileagePlus program.

Fly With United Airlines

image credit: united.com

Starting with the obvious, you can earn miles by taking flights through United Airlines. 

For United flights and tickets issued by United for flights on partner airlines, points are not calculated by distance traveled but by Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) and Premier Qualifying Flights (in other words, it goes by how much you spend not how far you fly). For partner flights booked outside of United, points are calculated by distance.

You can increase your status with a combination of PQF and PQP or PQP. Here are the points and flight thresholds for each premier membership tier.

  • Premier Silver – 8 PQF and 3,000 PQP OR 3,500 PQP
  • Premier Gold – 16 PQF and 6,000 PQP OR 7,000 PQP
  • Premier Platinum – 24 PQF and 9,000 PQP OR 10,000 PQP
  • Premier 1K – 36 PQF and 13,500 PQP or 15,000 PQP

Contrary to how it seems, you can’t qualify for premier status with PQP alone. Even with the minimum number of PQP required you need to fly at least four segments on United or United Express flights to be eligible to bump up your level.

Lifetime Gold, Platinum, and 1K status are possible. If you reach one million miles, you will be a Premier Gold member for life. If you reach two million miles, you will be a Premier Platinum member for life. And if you reach three million miles, you will be a Premier 1K member for life. Unless you reach lifetime status, you need to qualify for premier each year.

In addition to earning points when you fly, members earn miles (but you already knew that).

Certain flight classes and routes are eligible to earn more miles than others. For example, business and first class tickets earn you more miles than economy tickets. In fact, Basic Economy tickets earn 50% premier qualifying miles while Premium Plus tickets earn 150% premier qualifying miles. Here’s what each fare class earns in bonus miles.

You also earn points more easily with premier status regardless of what flight classes you choose. For example, base MileagePlus members do not earn any bonus miles when they fly, but Premier Platinum members earn four miles per dollar on top of the five miles per dollar granted to everyone for a total of nine miles per dollar spent.

  • Base members: 5 miles/dollar
  • Premier Silver members: 7 miles/dollar 
  • Premier Gold members: 8 miles/dollar
  • Premier Platinum members: 9 miles/dollar
  • Premier 1K members: 11 miles/dollar

No matter what your membership status, you can only earn up to 75,000 miles on any single flight.

Please note that you only earn miles when you’re the one doing the traveling. If you, for example, book a flight for another MileagePlus member or non-member, you will not receive points in your account for that trip unless you also take it yourself.

Purchase Preferred Seats

You can earn more PQP per ticket when you pay for seat upgrades. Economy Plus seating and subscriptions and other types of preferred seating qualify you for more points, and you can earn even more when you pay for upgrades. Upgrade to a higher flight class such as Polaris or First Class or pay for a seat with more legroom or closer to the door.

Not all flights offer seat upgrades and some make them available after booking rather than during. Premier members, those who have booked premium seating, and Chase cardholders who spend at least $25,000 per year are prioritized for upgrades on the waitlist. You are not guaranteed an upgraded seat unless you receive confirmation from United before checking in.

Only upgrades you pay for earn you PQP. You can use your miles to purchase MileagePlus Upgrade Awards, but you won’t get any points for it. And if your loyalty status qualifies you for free upgrades, these won’t earn points either.

Use Accelerators

You also have the option to purchase additional award miles at a reduced price when you are making a booking with United’s “Accelerator” products. These are specifically designed to help you pad your account with miles (not points). 

Award Accelerator lets you add award miles to your purchase when making a flight booking. These are discounted off their base price and go right into your account within 24 hours. Premier Accelerator lets you specifically by elite qualifying miles. You need to purchase miles through Award Accelerator in order to apply Premier Accelerator boosts.

Fly With a Partner Airline

image credit: staralliance.com

United partners with a number of other airlines through the Star Alliance network. You are eligible to earn premier qualifying credit on flights you take through partner airlines when you are a MileagePlus member of any status.

Preferred partners within the Star Alliance network include (but are not limited to) Air China, All Nippon Airways, Air Canada, SWISS International Airlines, and Lufthansa. MileagePlus partners include Singapore Airlines, SAS, Aegean Airlines, EgyptAir, Olympic Air, and Air India.

See a complete list of United Airlines preferred Star Alliance partners and MileagePlus partners here. Note that Aer Lingus, Aeromar, Boutique Air, Cape Air, Hawaiian Airlines, Vistara, and Silver Airways, though currently or previously part of the Star Alliance network or MileagePlus network, do not participate in the MileagePlus program.

Preferred partner flights earn more than MileagePlus partner flights. You can earn up to 1,500 PQP when you fly first or business class with a preferred partner or 1,000 when you fly first or business with a MileagePlus partner. Economy and Premium Economy points are capped at 750 for preferred partner flights and 500 for MileagePlus partner flights.

To determine how many PQP a partner flight will earn, determine how many award miles you would be eligible for if you were booking a United Airlines flight (reference the previous section to see how many miles per dollar you’ll earn based on your loyalty status) and:

  • Divide by five for preferred partners or 
  • Divide by six for MileagePlus partners

Your award status may make you eligible for miles bonuses as well, though they may not exceed the maximums above and do not count as part of your base miles.

Certain flight classes such as Basic Economy and certain destinations such as Cuba and Venezuela are not eligible to earn PQP at this time (subject to change). 

If you book a flight on a partner airline but purchase the ticket through United, your award miles will be calculated using the price of your fare. If you book a flight on a partner airline and purchase the ticket through that airline, your award miles will be calculated using the flight distance and fare class.

Tickets purchased from United usually earn more miles than tickets purchased through a partner, but that shouldn’t stop you from capitalizing on opportunities to earn MileagePlus points when flying internationally. 

Use Your Credit Card

United MileagePlus Chase Cardmembers are now eligible to earn points on their annual spending in addition to bonus miles for their accounts. PQP earned through card spending can be applied up to 1K status as long as you still have enough PQF to level up. Only United Presidential Plus and United Presidential Plus Business cardmembers can work their way up to 1K with card PQP and other PQP without having to meet PQF requirements.

The more elite your card, the more you can earn.

All cardholders can earn 500 PQP for every $12,000 they spend, up to 1,000 points per year for the majority of cardholders but up to 3,000 points per year for MileagePlus Select, Club, Club Infinite, and Quest cardholders. Presidential Plus cardholders can earn up to 10,000 a year by earning 500 PQP for every $12,000 they spend.

All cardholders except Presidential Plus cardholders can earn up to 5,000 PQP in a year. Presidential Plus cardholders can earn up to 10,000.

You still need to have enough PQF or ther PQP to qualify for Premier 1K status because it’s not possible to get there through just credit card spending, but points you get using your card can really add up.

United Airlines offers several different branded credit cards in partnership with Chase Bank. These include the following:

  • United Gateway℠ Card
  • United℠ Explorer Card
  • United Quest℠ Card
  • United Club℠ Infinite Card

Note that the United MileagePlus Select has been discontinued and is no longer available to new customers and the Club card is now the Club Infinite card. Read more about these cards below. You may also be interested in our best credit cards for United Airlines frequent flyers guide as well.

United Gateway℠ Card

This card earns two miles for every dollar spent on United purchases, fuel purchases, and transportation and rideshare purchases and one mile for every dollar spent on everything else. Earn up to 20,000 bonus miles when you spend $1,000 or more within three months of opening your account. There is no annual fee.

United℠ Explorer Card

This card earns two miles for every dollar spent on United purchases, dining, and hotels and one miles on everything else. Earn up to 70,000 bonus miles in total. Earn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Plus, earn an additional 10,000 miles after you spend $6,000 total on purchases in the first 6 months your account is open. The annual fee for the United Explorer card is $95 after the first year.

United Quest℠ Card

This is the newest card in the lineup. Earn 70,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 or more within three months of opening your account. This card earns three miles for every dollar spent on United purchases (including airfare, cruises, hotel bookings, car rentals, transportation, etc.); two miles for every dollar spent on all other travel, dining, and streaming services; and one mile for every dollar spent on everything else.

United Club℠ Infinite Card

This is the most elite United credit card there is. Earn up to 100,000 bonus miles when you use your card to spend $5,000 or more within three months of opening your account. This card earns four miles for every dollar spent on United purchases, two miles for every dollar spent on dining, and one mile for everything else. The annual fee for the United Club Infinite card is $525.

How to Earn More Miles

What good is a loyalty account without a balance? Here are a few of the best ways to earn miles besides flying.

Shop and Dine Through MileagePlus

If you don’t have anywhere to go anytime soon, just stay where you are and use the MileagePlus shopping and dining portals to earn miles on purchases you’d be making anyway.

MileagePlus shopping is a portal that lets members earn miles shopping online or in-person at select stores. According to United, members earn an average of 3,123 miles annually just by shopping.

There are over 900 stores featured in the MileagePlus shopping portal and most of them earn you about a mile or half mile per dollar you spend. Different retailers offer different bonuses, and the deals always rotate. Shop online right through the portal or shop in-person by linking a credit or debit card to your MileagePlus account and paying with that.

Sometimes, you can earn as much as three or four miles per dollar. Often, however, extra miles are limited to certain spending categories. For example, you can earn up to four miles per dollar at Sam’s Club right now, but only on spending toward new memberships. Be sure to read the fine print and shop the places offering extra miles. There may also be miles caps.

Refer Friends

If you have a co-branded United MileagePlus credit card, one of the fastest and easiest ways to earn miles is to refer people. All cardmembers can earn 10,000 bonus miles for every friend they refer up to five friends of 50,000 miles per year. Just share your unique referral link with a friend and they can use it to sign up.

People you refer have their pick of any MileagePlus credit card available and do not have to get the same card as you.

Buy More Miles

While we don’t typically recommend purchasing miles outright, this is a pretty easy way to bulk up your account. Before buying miles through MileagePlus, calculate the cost of each mile. MileagePlus miles are estimated to be worth about 1.6 cents apiece, so you’ll want to keep this in mind. Look for discounts and BOGO offers 

You can use this option if you’re really close to reaching elite status but not quite there or if you see a great deal on miles. Otherwise, we suggest you try the above methods for getting award miles.

How to Use Miles

You can use your miles in a number of ways. You can use them to purchase award travel, bump up your seat class, or book hotels.

Buy Award Tickets

Most premier members use their miles to fly. To book award travel, use this link and sign into your account. This tool shows only available award tickets for your destination and preferences. Award travel is often limited to select flights and seats, so it helps to not be too picky.

Book Hotels, Cars, and Cruises

Flights aren’t the only kind of travel you can book with miles. You can also pay for hotel stays, rental cars, and even cruise trips using your MileagePlus balance by making reservations through United Hotel Awards, Cruise Awards, or Car Awards. 

If you have a loyalty account with a particular rental car company or cruise or hotel chain, be sure to enter your loyalty ID when checking out to earn points for that account too.

Purchase Gift Cards and Experiences

If you download the MileagePlus X app, you can use your miles to purchase physical or electronic gift cards at stores and restaurants.

MileagePlus members also have exclusive access to events and experiences through MileagePlus Exclusives. Examples include concerts, wine tastings, and private tours. Some VIP events are reserved only for members with premier status.

Transfer Miles to Someone Else

If you’re feeling generous or want a simple gift, you can always transfer some of your miles to another MileagePlus member’s account. It costs $7.50 per 500 miles to do this.

Perks of Elite Status – Is It Worth It

You’re probably wondering whether making the effort to reach elite status is worth it. To that, we say absolutely. Because MileagePlus miles never expire, this loyalty program is definitely more rewarding than others that’ll have you scrambling to keep your miles from voiding. MileagePlus miles also don’t have as significant a markup as other airlines, so you get more for your “buck.”

And although earning points more easily as a premier member is a definite plus, elite status comes with a number of perks and advantages besides miles in your account. Premier members get: 

  • Priority boarding and check in
  • Complimentary seat upgrades whenever they’re available
  • Free checked bags on every flight
  • Early access to seats for themselves and their travel companions (plus access on sold-out flights)
  • Fees waived for changes and cancellations
  • Premier status with Marriott Bonvoy and Hertz

Click here to see the full benefits chart for premier members.

Final Thoughts

All in all, we have to agree that the MileagePlus loyalty program is one of the best out there. Achieving premier status is not as difficult as it is for some other frequent flyer programs and rewards members with miles, perks, and savings. It’s definitely worth climbing the ladder to premier status for the miles that don’t expire and the freebies.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

  • Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
  • Best Airlines Credit Cards
  • Best Hotel Credit Cards
  • Best Business Credit Cards
  • Best Cash Back Credit Cards
  • Best Overall in 2022

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