For over 30 years, consumers have been able to have a Chase UnitedMileagePlus Visa credit card in their wallet. If you love this card and have been worried that it will go away, fret no more. Chase, United Airlines and Visa have extended their partnership until 2029.
Co-branded credit cards are a staple of the credit card industry, and this long-running portfolio of cards is no different.
"United Airlines, Chase and Visa have a longstanding partnership that delivers top benefits to customers to help them get the most out of their travel, while returning robust value to our respective businesses," said Luc Bondar, United's vice president of Loyalty, in a statement. "This extension strengthens ties with our partners at Chase and Visa and is expected to drive growth across our industry-leading credit card portfolio, enhance our cardholders travel experience and provide more opportunities to easily earn and redeem miles to travel United's industry leading route network."
Consumers have three options for personal cards: the United Explorer card, United Club card and the United TravelBank card. It also has one United-branded business card.
The low-end card in the portfolio is the United TravelBank card. It has no annual fee and a TravelBank Cash rewards program, which can help you pay for flights on United. You earn two percent when you buy airline tickets from United and 1.5 percent on all other purchase. An additional perk is 25 percent back on inflight purchases. Its current new cardholder bonus is $150 in United TravelBank cash after you spend $1,000 in the first three months you have the card.
The mid-tier card is the United Explorer card, which was launched in 2018. This card has a $95 annual fee that's waived for the first year. With this card you earn miles for every dollar you spend—two per dollar on United, restaurant and hotel purchases, and one per dollar spent on all other purchases. Other benefits include a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre-Check. You also get a free checked bag when you fly on United. Its current new cardholder offer is 60,000 miles for spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months you have the account.
The top-tier card in this portfolio is the United Club card. For a $450 annual fee, you can get a wealth of extra travel benefits, including United Club membership and two free checked bags on your United flights. Its rewards structure offers 1.5 miles per dollar spent on all purchases. Its current new cardholder offer is 75,000 bonus miles for spending $3,000 in the first three months you have the card.
United's Business card, which was launched earlier this year, gives two miles per dollar spent on purchases with United, on commuting and public transportation, and at gas stations, office supply stores and restaurants. Cardholders get an annual travel credit on United and one free checked bag. Its annual fee is $99. For new cardholders, Chase and United are offering 100,000 bonus miles for spending $10,000 on the card within the first three months you have it.
All cards in the portfolio have a 17.99 to 24.99 percent variable APR on purchases and balance transfers. None of the cards have foreign transaction fees. The cards that include free checked bags offer even more value, as United just raised baggage fees by $5 per bag. The first checked bag will now cost $35, and a second bag will cost $45.
This is a revamp of the Chase portfolio, and the bank will no longer be issuing the United Presidential Plus, United MileagePlus Awards and United MileagePlus Select consumer cards to new cardholders.
