United Airlines Launches New Rewards Debit Card

Updated: November 4, 2025, 7:01am CST

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United Airlines Launches MileagePlus Debit Rewards Card
Is United’s Debit Card a Good Deal?
Final Thoughts

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Just weeks after Southwest Airlines announced a rewards-earning debit card, United Airlines has done the same.

We first learned that this card was coming back in September, but details were scarce until the card launched today, November 4, 2025.

What does the new MileagePlus^® Debit Rewards Card offer, and should you add it to your wallet? Let’s take a closer look to help you make a decision.

United Airlines Launches MileagePlus Debit Rewards Card

United Airlines has entered the rewards debit card arena, following in the footsteps of Southwest Airlines.

United’s new debit card — dubbed the United MileagePlus^® Debit Rewards — earns 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.

The card includes a welcome offer for new account holders, which is rare on debit cards: Earn 10,000 bonus miles after spending $500 on purchases in the first 4 months after opening your account.

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

The debit card earns 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. As such, spending $100 on groceries would earn you 50 United MileagePlus miles. This is far less than what United’s co-branded credit cards offer, which earn at least 1 mile per $1 spent on all purchases.

Additionally, cardholders can earn 2,500 bonus miles when they spend $10,000 on their debit card in a calendar year, which slightly increases the card’s value proposition. An interesting feature is that cardholders can earn up to 70,000 bonus miles annually, based on their average daily account balance, earned as follows:

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Average Daily Balance	Annualized Bonus Miles (1/12 of This Awarded Monthly)
Less than $2,500	None
$2,500 to $4,999.99	2,500
$5,000 to $9,999.99	5,000
$10,000 to $24,999.99	15,000
$25,000 to $49,999.99	30,000
$50,000 or more	70,000

The United debit card runs on Visa’s debit card network and is 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.

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

Is United’s Debit Card a Good Deal?

Frankly, we don’t think this card is 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

Furthermore, many United credit cards earn bonus miles on common everyday purchases, such as 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 also transfer these points to other airlines and hotel loyalty programs, providing significantly more flexibility than earning United miles directly.

Plus, credit cards offer purchase and travel protections that debit cards don’t. Additionally, a spokesperson for United confirmed that the debit card doesn’t offer any way to spend toward MileagePlus elite status, like you can do with the airline’s credit cards.

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 offer significantly fewer travel protections than travel credit cards, which often include benefits such as rental car damage waivers, trip delay coverage, and trip cancellation and interruption insurance. Many credit cards also include extensive purchase protection benefits.

Final Thoughts

United Airlines has launched a co-branded debit card that earns United miles on all purchases, with a $4 monthly fee that can be waived by maintaining a sufficient balance in your checking account. The card’s earn rates are lower than United’s existing co-branded credit cards.

As discussed, this card isn’t a good deal for most travelers, given its low earning rates. It’s only 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.

Take all of these things into consideration when deciding whether you should apply for an account with the new United Airlines debit card.