Chase Sapphire Preferred Card vs. United Explorer Card [Detailed Comparison]

Should you get an airline or a travel credit card — and is there really a difference between them?

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card and The New United℠ Explorer Card exemplify this common debate you may have when opening a new account. Both travel credit cards are issued by Chase, but there are more significant differences between the 2 popular cards than you may think.

Buckle up for an in-depth comparison of these starter cards!

Overview

First, let’s see the earning rates, benefits, and ongoing fees side by side:

Comparing Welcome Bonus Offers

When applying for any card, you may be eligible to earn a welcome bonus offer as a new applicant. With the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, you earn a big boost of Ultimate Rewards points, while the United Explorer card comes with a sizable offer of MileagePlus miles.

Here are the current welcome offers you can expect from these 2 cards:

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

BEST BEGINNER CARD

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

60,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$1,200

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.99% - 28.24% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
• 3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services
• 2x points on all other travel worldwide

Cons

• $95 annual fee
• No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
• 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99% - 28.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

United Explorer Card

LIMITED TIME OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

The New United℠ Explorer Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

With priority boarding privileges, no foreign transaction fees and more, MileagePlus members will definitely enjoy their partnered card.

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)

The New United℠ Explorer Card

With priority boarding privileges, no foreign transaction fees and more, MileagePlus members will definitely enjoy their partnered card.

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

60,000 miles

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$720

Annual Fee

$150

APR

20.49% - 28.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

You travel United all the time, but you have heard that there could be ways to make your travel experiences even better, including priority boarding, free bags, and more miles.

You should consider The New United℠ Explorer Card, because this card does all that and more!

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x total miles per $1 on hotel stays through United Hotels
• 2x miles per $1 on United purchases, dining purchases (including delivery services), and hotel stays
• 1x mile per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

• $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $150
• Does not earn transferable rewards

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Limited-Time Offer: Earn 60,000 bonus miles
• $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150
• 2x miles on United^® purchases, dining, and hotel stays when booked with the hotel
• Enjoy priority boarding privileges and visit the United Club℠ with 2 one-time passes each year for your anniversary
• Free first checked bag - a savings of up to $160 per roundtrip. Terms Apply.
• Up to $120 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck^® or NEXUS fee credit
• Earn a $100 United travel credit after spending $10,000 on purchases with your United℠ Explorer Card within a calendar year
• Over $400 in partner credits each year
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.49% - 28.99% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

United MileagePlus Frequent Flyer Program

Hot Tip:

When applying for a new card, you’ll want to get the best welcome offer available. Using the CardMatch tool is a great way to see if you have targeted offers based on your credit history and other factors.

Points vs. Miles

As a general travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card earns Ultimate Rewards points. Since these points are tied to Chase and not to a specific airline or hotel program, you can redeem your rewards for virtually any purchase.

On the other hand, the United Explorer card earns United MileagePlus miles. Your miles can be redeemed for flights on United’s website, so they’re mostly locked into redemptions for United flights or its Star Alliance partners, like Air Canada or Singapore Airlines.

The United Explorer card offers an interesting perk for those who spend at least $20,000 each calendar year. Cardholders can unlock a 10,000-mile award flight discount, which can help to reduce the cost of mileage redemptions with the program.

Earning Potential

Another point of consideration is our valuations of points and miles in various reward currencies. We value Chase Ultimate Rewards points at 2 cents, while we estimate that United MileagePlus miles are worth 1.2 cents — especially given the program’s constant devaluations.

Bottom Line:

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card often outearns the United Explorer card. In addition, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers bonus points on everyday spending categories, such as online groceries and streaming services, allowing you to earn rewards beyond travel.

Redemption Options

With the United Explorer card, the best way to use your miles is to redeem them on United or partner award flights or upgrade your existing flights. While other options, like gift cards and hotels, exist, they will likely result in suboptimal value and are generally not recommended.

But let’s say you’re not loyal to an airline like United. Earning rewards through a general travel card (like the Chase Sapphire Preferred card) is almost always the better long-term option.

That’s because the Chase Ultimate Rewards program offers many opportunities to book travel that are not limited to 1 carrier. You can transfer your Ultimate Rewards points at a 1:1 ratio to over 10 airline and hotel loyalty programs, including United MileagePlus. In other words, if you’ve got 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points, you can transfer any amount in 1,000-point increments to the United MileagePlus program (up to 60,000 miles in this case).

But you can turn those Ultimate Rewards points into other reward currencies, too, like Marriott Bonvoy, Southwest Rapid Rewards, and World of Hyatt points, to name a few. There’s a great deal of international airline loyalty programs in the mix, and understanding those sweet spots is where you can get maximum value from your Ultimate Rewards points — to the tune of 2 to 4 or more cents per point.

Conversely, you can redeem your Ultimate Rewards points to book virtually any flight, hotel, rental car, or excursion through Chase Travel. In this fashion, your points are worth 1.25 cents apiece, which is still a great value compared to the (much more) limited use of United MileagePlus miles.

Hot Tip:

Use our unique transfer partner tool calculator to determine exactly how many points or miles you need for your redemption. It also considers any active transfer bonuses, a great way to get even more value from your transferable points, like Chase Ultimate Rewards!

Statement Credits

Both cards offer useful statement credits and partner benefits that can be used to offset the cost of the annual fees. In March 2025, United and Chase refreshed their lineup of credit cards and introduced many more statement credits to the United Explorer card in particular.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

• $50 hotel credit: Receive an annual statement credit of up to $50 toward hotel stays booked through the Chase Travel portal.
• DoorDash DashPass subscription: Get a 1-year membership to DashPass and unlock free delivery fees and lower service fees on eligible DoorDash and Caviar orders. Activate by December 31, 2027.

United Explorer Card

• Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS: Receive up to $120 as a statement credit when you charge your Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee to your United Explorer card.
• DoorDash DashPass subscription: Get a 1-year membership to DashPass and unlock free delivery fees and lower service fees on eligible DoorDash and Caviar orders. Activate by December 31, 2027.
• $100 United TravelBank cash: Earn $100 in United TravelBank cash after you spend $10,000 on purchases each year.
• Up to $100 in United Hotel credits: Receive $50 back as a statement credit on your first and second prepaid hotel stay purchase directly through United Hotels.
• Up to $60 for ride-sharing: Enroll to receive up to $5 back as a statement credit each month on ride-sharing purchases (annual opt-in required).
• Up to $50 in credits for Avis or Budget purchases: Receive $25 in United TravelBank cash for your first and second Avis or Budget car rental booked directly through cars.united.com.
• Up to $100 in credits on JSX purchases: Get up to $100 back as a statement credit each year when you book flights directly with JSX.
• Instacart+ membership and up to $120 of Instacart credits yearly: You get a 3-month complimentary Instacart+ membership, and after the complimentary membership ends, you are automatically enrolled in Instacart+ with a 25% discount on the annual rate. Plus, you can receive a $10 Instacart credit monthly for purchases made directly with your card. Service fees and terms apply for both benefits. Benefits end December 31, 2027.

Air Travel Advantages

Concierge and Travel Assistance

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card and United Explorer cards are Visa Signature cards, so you can contact the Visa Signature Concierge 24/7 via the dedicated phone line. The concierge can assist with everyday or special requests, such as booking travel, purchasing concert tickets, or making dinner reservations.

Advantages Exclusive to the United Explorer Card

When you apply for a United Explorer card, you’re likely in it for the carrier-specific perks. The most commonly advertised benefit on the card is free checked bags, which can be a substantial money-saving perk depending on how often you fly with United.

The United Explorer card comes with a slew of perks when you’re flying with the carrier:

• Free first checked bag for the primary cardholder and 1 companion on your reservation when you fly on United-operated flights
• Up to $100 in United TravelBank cash after spending $10,000 on eligible card purchases each calendar year
• Up to $50 in United TravelBank cash: Receive up to $25 for your first and second Avis and Budget Car Rental booked directly through cars.united.com each card anniversary year.
• Priority boarding for the primary cardholder and travel companions booked on the same reservation
• 2 United Club one-time passes annually (the primary cardholder or an authorized user must be present to use the passes)
• 10,000-mile award flight discount after spending $20,000 in a calendar year
• 25% back on United inflight and club premium drink purchases, received as a statement credit
• Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS: Receive up to $120 as a statement credit when you charge your Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee to your United Explorer card.
• Earn 1 PQP for every $20 spent on the card, up to 1,000 PQPs each year.

Partner benefits can add more value for travelers:

• Up to $60 in ride-sharing credits: Enroll and receive up to $5 back as a statement credit each month on ride-sharing purchases.
• Up to $100 in JSX Credits: Get up to $100 back as a statement credit each anniversary year when you book flights directly with JSX (a semiprivate carrier) with the United Explorer card.

The most valuable perks are the free checked bags, which can cost $40 each way. If you’re the type of flyer who likes to visit the United Club but can’t justify paying hundreds of dollars for a more premium card with lounge access, getting 2 passes per year may be just the happy medium, as one-time passes typically cost $59 out of pocket.

You can earn more benefits, such as United TravelBank cash, by meeting certain spending thresholds with the card. In addition, spending in certain areas, such as ride-sharing purchases and JSX, can unlock more statement credit savings.

Hotel Program Privileges

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

• $50 hotel credit: Receive an annual statement credit of up to $50 toward hotel stays booked through the Chase travel portal.

United Explorer Card

• Up to $100 in United hotel credits: Receive $50 back as a statement credit on your first and second prepaid hotel stay purchase directly through United Hotels.

Travel Insurance and Protection Perks

Chase offers some of the best-in-class travel protections for its cardholders, and the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and the United Explorer card are certainly no exceptions. Let’s see what’s on the table if you need to use your credit card’s travel benefits and protections.

Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance

Next time you rent a car, decline any car rental loss and damage insurance the rental car company provides. Both cards offer primary rental car insurance that covers theft and collision damage on most rental cars in the U.S. and abroad. If you ever need to tap into this benefit, you’d receive reimbursement up to the car’s actual cash value.

Trip Interruption, Cancellation, and Delay Coverage

When you purchase eligible trip costs with either card, and your trip is interrupted or canceled by a covered reason, you may qualify to get reimbursed for your nonrefundable travel expenses. However, the coverage limits are different for each card. Let’s take a look.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card can reimburse you up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip in prepaid travel expenses. The maximum for 12 months is $40,000. Your immediate family members are also covered if you purchased their trip expenses with your card, even if you’re not on the same trip. You also receive trip delay coverage for disruptions of more than 12 hours or requiring an overnight stay. You can receive up to $500 per person per trip when a covered delay disrupts your travels for more than 12 hours.

The United Explorer Card also provides similar trip interruption and cancellation insurance terms. However, the maximum coverage limits are up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip, significantly smaller than the benefit amounts on the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. However, the trip delay coverage remains the same: If your common carrier travel is delayed more than 12 hours or requires an overnight stay, you and your family can receive up to $500 in reimbursement.

Lost and Delayed Baggage Coverage

Both cards offer baggage coverage, reimbursing up to $3,000 per passenger for checked or carry-on luggage damaged or lost by the airline or other common carrier travel provider.

Shopping Showdown: Benefits and Protections

Outside the travel scope, these cards offer excellent everyday benefits worth mentioning.

Earn Bonus Rewards for Shopping

Shopping portals are an underrated way to earn bonus points and miles on card purchases.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Chase offers a shopping portal at chase.com/ultimaterewards that allows you to earn up to 20 additional Ultimate Rewards points per $1 at hundreds of online retailers.

United Explorer Card

The United shopping portal operates similarly but does not require you to hold the United Explorer card to access it. Anyone with a MileagePlus frequent flyer number can shop through the portal and earn bonus miles.

Purchase Protection

Both the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and the United Explorer card offer purchase protection for damage or theft of eligible items purchased with your card for the first 120 days. The Chase Sapphire Preferred card provides coverage of up to $500 per item, while the United Explorer card provides coverage of up to $10,000 per item.

Extended Warranty

If you purchase an item with either card with an original manufacturer’s warranty of 3 years or less, the extended warranty benefit extends coverage by an additional year.

Fees and Additional Users

Annual Fees

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is beginner-friendly with its $95 annual fee.

Meanwhile, the United Explorer card has a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $150. While it costs more in the long run, taking advantage of its introductory annual fee can be a great way to see whether this airline card matches your travel style.

Adding Additional Users

Adding authorized users to either the Chase Sapphire Preferred card or the United Explorer card is free. Authorized user cards also earn rewards, which are pooled into the primary cardholder’s balance.

No Foreign Transaction Fees

Any solid travel card should waive foreign transaction fees when making a purchase in a different currency. Fortunately, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and the United Explorer card do not charge foreign transaction fees.

Everything Else You Need To Know

To qualify for the Chase Sapphire Preferred card or the United Explorer card, you should have a good to excellent credit score. As they’re both issued by Chase, you might need to brush up on the Chase 5/24 rule before applying.

Even if you have the necessary credit requirements to qualify, if you’ve opened more than 5 credit cards from any issuer in the past 24 months, you’ll have a hard time getting approved for either one.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve considered applying for either card, we hope this in-depth comparison guide has made your decision much easier.

The United Explorer card is worth applying for United loyalists who want extra perks when they fly on the Chicago-based carrier. Some statement credits are more useful than others and can help justify the higher annual fee.

On the other hand, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is far superior if you aim to rack up points and save money on travel across various airlines and hotels. Most credit cards can’t beat the flexibility of Ultimate Rewards points.

That said, there’s no reason why you can’t have both cards, especially since neither has an exorbitant annual fee. While the Chase Sapphire Preferred card provides better earning rates in almost every bonus category, the United Explorer card has interesting perks like a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS credit, and a free checked bag just by holding the card.

Crunch the numbers to see if the annual fees are worth paying in the long run. No matter which card you get, understanding the perks of each card can help you make the most of your yearly membership cost.