Changes Are Coming to United Credit Cards and Pay Yourself Back

It looks like changes are coming soon to your United Airlines co-branded credit card.

Messages on recent cardholder statements indicate that, as of April 1, 2025, these cards will see changes to which purchases qualify for the Pay Yourself Back benefit.

Let’s take a look.

Changes to United Credit Cards and Pay Yourself Back

So far, we’re seeing the same message on cardholder statements for the United Gateway℠ Card, United℠ Explorer Card, and the United℠ Business Card. It reads as follows:

“Starting April 1, 2025, only purchases of $50 or more in the United airfare purchases category will be eligible for Pay Yourself Back.”

Presently, Chase’s Pay Yourself Back program allows United cardholders to redeem MileagePlus miles at a rate of 1.5 to 1.75 cents per mile toward their card’s annual fee, if it has one, or toward recent United purchases at 1 cent per mile in value. However, the message shown on recent card statements means this situation is changing.

Going forward, it appears that cardholders will only be able to redeem miles through Pay Yourself Back toward United Airlines airfare purchases of at least $50. That’s very different from the current offer.

What Does This Change Mean for Cardholders?

Chase has updated and extended its Pay Yourself Back categories multiple times, so another change isn’t a massive surprise. Moreover, we don’t know what the redemption rates will be with this new setup on April 1. They could remain 1 cent per mile or change to something else.

We value United MileagePlus miles at 1.2 cents apiece. Redeeming your miles toward your card’s annual fee at 1.5 or 1.75 cents per mile is definitely above-average value. It’s not flashy or fun, though, and there are definitely ways to redeem your United miles for even better value. Redeeming miles toward United purchases at 1 cent is definitely a subpar redemption value.

Final Thoughts

Starting on April 1, changes are coming to United Airlines’ co-branded credit cards and how cardholders can use their miles through Pay Yourself Back. Based on messages on recent cardholder statements, only purchases of airfare with United that cost at least $50 will qualify for Pay Yourself Back. That sounds like the option to redeem miles against your card’s annual fee could go away, though we haven’t been able to confirm that yet.

We have reached out to Chase to clarify. We haven’t received a response but will be sure to update this story when we do.