Is United Airlines Launching a Rewards Debit Card? Here’s What We Know So Far.

Updated: October 17, 2025, 10:12am CDT

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New United Airlines Debit Card — What We Know
Will United’s Debit Card Be a Good Deal?
Final Thoughts

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Just weeks after Southwest Airlines announced a rewards-earning debit card, United Airlines seems poised to do the same.

Leaked details shows what looks like the upcoming debit card’s earning rates, spend bonuses, and earning caps.

Here’s what we know about United’s upcoming debit card and whether or not it will be a good deal.

New United Airlines Debit Card — What We Know

If these plans come true, it looks like United Airlines is about to get into the rewards debit card arena, just like Southwest is doing.

United’s upcoming debit card — dubbed the United MileagePlus^® Debit Rewards — will earn United MileagePlus miles in exchange for a $4 monthly fee. This monthly fee is waived if you maintain an average monthly balance of $2,000 in your account.

Details were first shared by @SoFi_Insider on X (formerly Twitter).

United MileagePlus Debit Rewards Leak — United MileagePlus Debit Rewards card. Image Credit: United Airlines

The debit card will earn United MileagePlus miles at relatively underwhelming rates. It earns 1 United mile per $1 spent on United purchases and 1 mile per $2 spent everywhere else. So, if you spend $100 on groceries, you would earn 50 United miles. This is far less than what United’s cobranded credit cards offer, which earn at least 1 mile per $1 spent on all purchases.

Further, cardholders can earn 2,500 bonus miles when they spend $10,000 on their debit card in a single year, which slightly increases the card’s value proposition. Other leaked information includes a 70,000-mile cap on annual earnings; however, it’s unclear if this refers to miles earned by spending or if the card earns miles on interest and that the interest is capped. This is because the cap is based “on your account balance.”

The United debit card will run on Visa’s debit card network and be powered by SoFi Technologies’ Galileo Financial Technologies platform. This card-issuing platform makes it easier for airlines and other companies to issue co-branded debit cards and has over 158 million active accounts.

Further, Sunrise Banks N.A. is United’s banking partner for its upcoming debit card. Like other U.S. checking accounts, United debit card funds will be FDIC-insured up to $250,000. This is the same bank that backs the existing Wyndham Rewards debit card and upcoming Southwest Rapid Rewards debit card.

Again, this information is based on leaks for the time being. We reached out to United Airlines for comment and hadn’t received anything prior to publication. After publishing this story, we received a reply in which a United spokesperson declined to comment on this development.

Will United’s Debit Card Be a Good Deal?

Information is limited, but given what we know now about the upcoming United debit card’s earn rates, we don’t believe this card will be a good deal for most travelers. The card earns an effective 0.5 miles per $1 spent on everyday purchases, which is less than half of what United’s no-annual-fee credit card earns on everyday purchases.

United 737 900er ORD — United Airlines Boeing 737-900 landing in Chicago (ORD). Image Credit: Ehsan Haque

Further, many United credit cards earn bonus miles on common everyday purchases like dining and gas. You can also transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards and Bilt Rewards points to United MileagePlus at a 1:1 transfer ratio. You can transfer these points to other airlines and hotel loyalty programs as well, giving you significantly more flexibility than earning United miles outright.

That said, if you’re unable to be approved for a rewards-earning credit card, an airline debit card might be worth considering. This way, you can earn something in return for your everyday expenses until you’re eligible for a credit card.

Hot Tip:

We don’t recommend using a debit card to pay for flights, hotels, rental cars, or other travel expenses. These cards have significantly fewer travel protections than travel credit cards, which often include benefits like rental car damage waivers, trip delay coverage, and trip cancellation and interruption insurance. Many credit cards also include extensive purchase protection benefits.

Final Thoughts

Leaked information shows that United is working on a co-branded debit card that will earn United miles on all purchases. That said, it looks like the card’s earn rates will be lower than United’s existing co-branded credit cards and will have a waivable $4 monthly fee.

As discussed, this card will not be a good deal for most travelers, given its low earning rates. It will only be worth considering if you aren’t eligible for a rewards-earning credit card. That said, you might lose out on interest, free ATM withdrawals, and other benefits offered by a checking account from another bank by opting for this product instead.