5 Flights You Can Book With the United Explorer Card’s 70K Welcome Offer

I’m not what you’d call a loyal United flyer. But every so often, a welcome offer on a United co-branded credit card pops up that’s simply too valuable to ignore. That’s exactly how I felt about the United℠ Explorer Card’s limited-time welcome offer that’s available through May 20, 2026:

• Earn 70,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in the first three months of opening an account, plus $0 annual fee for the first year.

After meeting the minimum spending requirements, I ended up with 73,000 MileagePlus miles. As someone who doesn’t usually focus much on United, that pool of bonus miles opened up more options than I expected.

From domestic trips to international partner awards, this bonus offer can stretch further than many travelers expect — let me show you how.

United Explorer Card Overview

Besides the limited-time elevated offer of 70,000 United MileagePlus bonus miles after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months, with a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $150, the United Explorer card comes with a set of practical airline perks that can make it worth keeping long after the bonus points post.

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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.

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United℠ Explorer Card

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

Welcome Offer

Earn 70,000 United MileagePlus^® bonus miles after spending $3,000 on qualifying purchases in the first three months of opening an account, plus $0 annual fee for the first year.

50,000 70,000 bonus miles

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$840

Annual Fee

$150

APR

19.74% - 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 card application.

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 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

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Card Highlights

• Earn 70,000 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
• Free first checked bag - a savings of up to $160 per roundtrip. Terms Apply.
• Priority boarding on United^® flights
• 2 United Club one-time passes per year - over a $100 value
• Over $500 in partner credits each year
• Up to $120 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck^® or NEXUS fee credit
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.74% - 28.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

United MileagePlus Frequent Flyer Program

This combination makes the card especially appealing for travelers who occasionally fly United (like me) but still want a better airport experience with priority boarding, 2 one-time annual United Club passes, built-in protections, and an easy way to earn MileagePlus miles without committing to a premium United credit card.

For starters, we value United miles at about 1.2 cents apiece, which means this welcome offer alone is worth around $840 at a conservative estimate. Here are some ways I’d redeem 70,000 United miles, along with ideas you might want to consider based on your travel style.

1. Book 3 Economy Flights to Europe

If a Europe trip feels expensive, this is where United miles really shine — especially for small groups or families.

After meeting the spending requirement on the United Explorer card, you’d have close to (or already over) 75,000 miles, which is enough to cover 3 one-way economy tickets to Europe. For example, you could book flights to Madrid for around 25,000 miles per person and $5.60 in taxes and fees, getting 3 people across the Atlantic for the cost of 1 welcome bonus offer.

And Spain isn’t your only option. United’s award pricing to Europe often starts around 25,000 miles each way in economy, so you can fly to cities all across the continent. If you’re traveling solo, that same bonus can easily cover your round-trip flight with miles left over to put toward your next trip.

2. Book a United Polaris Business Class Flight to Europe

If business class is more your style, this is where things get even more exciting. United Polaris is United’s long-haul business class, and it’s designed to get you across the Atlantic feeling rested, not wrecked, thanks to a lie-flat seat, upgraded dining, and lounge access before your flight.

One-way awards in United Polaris to Europe start at 80,000 miles.

That might sound like a big number at first, but after meeting the welcome offer spending requirement, you’re actually just a small amount of additional spending away from booking this outright. This is one of the most comfortable ways to make an overnight flight part of the experience rather than just endure it.

And the value here can be outstanding. Cash fares for Polaris flights to Europe regularly top $2,500 one-way.

That means redeeming 80,000 miles for a ticket at that price gives you more than 3 cents per mile in value — not a bad way at all to redeem the welcome bonus offer of the United Explorer card!

3. Book Multiple Economy Flights to the Caribbean

Short-haul international trips can be an excellent use of miles, and the Caribbean is one of the strongest examples. Award flights from the U.S. to many Caribbean destinations can start as low as 6,800 United miles one-way in economy, making it possible to stretch your balance across multiple trips.

For example, you could fly from Newark (EWR) to Punta Cana (PUJ), Dominican Republic, in the middle of winter for under 7,000 miles plus about $54 in taxes, a tough deal to beat when you’re trying to swap cold weather for a beach getaway without spending much.

One thing to keep in mind is that taxes and fees aren’t the same for every Caribbean island. Some routes come with higher government taxes than others, so it’s smart to compare the total out-of-pocket cost of using miles versus paying cash.

Still, for warm-weather trips that don’t require a ton of miles, this is one of the easiest ways to get serious value. With prices this low, your 70,000-mile earned welcome bonus offer could fly your whole family — or a good group of friends — to the Dominican Republic or other Caribbean islands, turning a single bonus into an actual beach vacation.

4. Book Round-Trip Flights to South America

Not all South America awards cost the same, and that’s where this redemption gets interesting. United divides the continent into separate regions, and flights to the northern part typically require fewer miles than going farther south.

Economy awards from the U.S. to this region can start at around 28,000 miles one-way on United-operated flights. Business class is also within reach. Seats in United’s business cabin on these routes can start at roughly 55,000 miles one-way. However, if you’re flying a Star Alliance partner airline, pricing can often be a bit higher but still reasonable for an international trip.

Think flights like Newark (EWR) to Bogotá (BOG), Colombia; Houston (IAH) to Lima (LIM), Peru; or Washington, D.C. (IAD), to Quito (UIO), Ecuador, all of which are within reach without burning a huge chunk of miles.

5. Short Flights, Including Alaska and Canada

Not every great use of miles involves long-haul flights. Short trips can offer some of the best value, especially when cash fares for a quick flight suddenly spike or when you’re booking multiple tickets and want to keep costs down.

United’s dynamic pricing can really work in your favor here. Short flights within the continental U.S. can sometimes cost just 5,000 miles one-way.

For quick getaways, family visits, or positioning flights, using a small number of miles like this can stretch your balance surprisingly far. Head a bit farther, and the rates are still reasonable: Flights to Alaska can start around 6,500 miles, while routes to Canada often begin at about 7,500 miles each way.

Final Thoughts

The current 70,000-mile welcome offer on the United Explorer card can go a lot further than most people realize. When you compare those redemptions to the cash cost of airfare, it’s easy to pull thousands of dollars in travel value from this bonus offer.