Sign-Up Bonus, Earning Categories, and Points
When you sign up for the United Club card, you could have the opportunity to earn a big chunk of United miles thanks to a sign-up bonus. To earn the bonus, you’ll have to meet a minimum spend requirement within a designated time frame.
Check out the summary table above to get the most up to date details on the sign-up bonus.
To continue earnings United miles, you can use this card on your purchases with United Airlines and earn 2X miles per dollar spent. Unlike many other co-branded airline cards, you can actually earn more than 1X mile per dollar spent on all other purchases: the United Club card allows you to earn 1.5X miles per dollar spent.
This is a premium credit card, and the annual fee matches what you would expect at $450.
Bottom Line: The United Club card from Chase earns 2X miles per dollar with United Airlines and 1.5X miles per dollar on other purchases and comes with a $450 annual fee.
United Club Card Benefits
If you don’t have elite status with United, just holding the United Club card can give you several of the benefits that are often only available to elite status flyers.
As a cardholder, you and a companion are eligible for 2 free checked bags on flights operated by United Airlines. This can save you a ton of money if you fly with United regularly. Your bags will also receive priority handling.
Keep in mind, you must book the flight with your United Club card and your companion must be on the same reservation as you.
Priority baggage handling isn’t the only Premier Access perk you will receive though. You will also enjoy priority check-in, which can be vital when you’re running late and need to check a bag. Plus, you’ll get priority boarding privileges to ensure you have overhead compartment space for your carry-on bag.
One final Premier Access perk is priority security screening. This benefit is not available at all airports, but where it is available you can jump the line.
All of these benefits will help you travel as if you had elite status with United.
For those who book economy class award tickets, you’ll love the fact that you will also receive access to extra economy award space. Additionally, the $75 close-in booking fee will be waived regardless of class of service thanks to this card.
Like many Chase cards, you will also receive a number of travel and purchase protection benefits.
The United Club card also comes with no foreign transaction fees, so you can use the card while abroad without any worries of extra fees tacked on to charges.
Bottom Line: The United Club card gives you the perks of elite status and access to business class lounges around the world.
United Miles and Elite Status
United, like other major U.S. carriers, awards redeemable miles based on the price of your cash tickets. Without status, you will earn 5X miles per dollar spent on the base fare of your United tickets.
If you hold elite status with United Airlines, you will earn even more miles:
- Premier Silver – 7X miles per dollar
- Premier Gold – 8X miles per dollar
- Premier Platinum – 9X miles per dollar
- Premier 1K – 11X miles per dollar
When paying with the United Club card, you will earn an additional 2X miles per dollar spent on top of that.
As long as you keep the card open, the MileagePlus miles you earn won’t expire.
Luxury Travel Benefits of the Card
One amazing perk that even elite status members don’t get is United Club lounge access. Just by being a cardholder, you will receive a full membership to United Clubs. Even top-level elite status members don’t get this perk!
Just think about this: a United Club membership costs $550 unless you maintain Premier 1K elite status ($450 if you do so). This means most people will pay less for the annual fee, but it comes with tons of other benefits.
To take things to the next level, you’ll also receive access to Star Alliance business class lounges whenever you fly with United Airlines or one of their Star Alliance partners. This means you could be flying Turkish Airlines out of Istanbul, Turkey and have access to the famous Turkish business class lounge while waiting for your flight.
As a cardholder, you will also have access to the Luxury Hotel & Resorts Collection. When you book through this program and use your United Club card to pay, you’ll receive a number of benefits including:
- Early check-in and late checkout (when available)
- Breakfast for 2 (daily)
- Special property benefit
- Upgrades (when available)
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
So, not only can you have a better flying experience, you can have a better hotel experience too.
You will also receive elite status at World of Hyatt and Hertz. At World of Hyatt, your status level will be bumped up to the Discoverist level, which can provide access to:
- Late checkout (upon request)
- Premium Wi-Fi
- Room Upgrades (when available)
With Hertz, you can enroll as a member of the Hertz President’s Circle, which can get you upgrades and access to increased availability of rental cars.