How I Score More Saver Awards With This Hidden United Cardholder Perk

Updated: June 6, 2025, 8:30am CDT

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What Is United’s Saver Award Availability?
How To Find United Saver Award Space
Final Thoughts

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United has several credit cards issued by Chase. While there are many reasons to apply for these airline cards, my favorite feature is the access to Saver Awards. This benefit is included with several United credit cards but is barely mentioned or publicized by either Chase or United.

However, this feature has saved my family thousands of MileagePlus miles over the years. Let me explain the value of this underrated perk to you.

What Is United’s Saver Award Availability?

For starters, United Airlines designates a few fare classes on its own flights as “Saver Awards.” These are the cheapest available reward tickets in the United MileagePlus program.

If you’re curious about the technical side of how Saver Award availability works, economy Saver Awards fall under the XN fare class, while Business Everyday Awards are categorized in the JN fare class. An additional Saver Award fare class, IN, offers expanded business and first-class availability, though it’s reserved exclusively for United Premier Platinum and 1K elite status members.

United elite status members, as well as those with United credit cards, get access to this additional award space with United. If you’re not eligible, United won’t display these additional Saver Award options to you, which is likely why many people aren’t aware of this outstanding credit card benefit.

United Credit Cards With Access to Saver Award Space

Scoring cheaper award flights can save you thousands of miles. Fortunately, all United cardholders get Saver Award availability access on United-operated flights, which is great news even if you hold the $0-annual-fee The New United Gateway℠ Card.

To access Saver Awards, log in to your United account and ensure your United credit card is linked to your profile. If you manage United accounts for friends and family, ensure you’re logged into an account with an eligible United credit card. That way, you can be sure you’re always seeing the lowest award price.

LIMITED-TIME OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

The New United Gateway℠ Card

U.P. Rating

The United Gateway card is a great option for those looking to earn more United miles without paying an annual fee.

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)

The New United Gateway℠ Card

The United Gateway card is a great option for those looking to earn more United miles without paying an annual fee.

Welcome OfferEarn 30,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Plus, 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases. Learn more.
30,000 miles

UP's Offer Valuation*:
$360

Annual Fee

APR

0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 months; after that, 20.49% - 28.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The New United Gateway℠ Card is a great option for those looking to earn more United miles without wanting to pay a credit card annual fee. Plus, the card offers other solid benefits like a 25% back on United inflight purchases, purchase protection, and rental car insurance.

Pros & Cons

Pros

2x miles per $1 on United purchases
2x miles per $1 at gas stations and on local transit and commuting, including rideshare services, taxicabs, train tickets, tolls, and mass transit
1x mile per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

If you are a frequent United flyer, other cards offer more perks
It does not earn transferable rewards

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Limited-Time Offer: Earn 30,000 bonus miles
0% intro APR for the first 12 months from account opening on purchases & no annual fee.
2x miles on United^® purchases
2x miles at gas stations, on local transit and commuting
1x mile on all other purchases
25% back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights and on Club premium drinks when you pay with your Gateway Card
Earn 2 checked bags after you spend $10,000 in a calendar year
Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

APR: 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 months; after that, 20.49% - 28.99% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

LIMITED TIME OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

The New United℠ Explorer Card

U.P. Rating

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

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)

The New United℠ Explorer Card

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

Welcome OfferEarn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
60,000 miles

UP's Offer Valuation*:
$720

Annual Fee

$150

APR

20.49% - 28.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

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 New 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

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Limited-Time Offer: Earn 60,000 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
Enjoy priority boarding privileges and visit the United Club℠ with 2 one-time passes each year for your anniversary
Free first checked bag - a savings of up to $160 per roundtrip. Terms Apply.
Up to $120 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck^® or NEXUS fee credit
Earn a $100 United travel credit after spending $10,000 on purchases with your United℠ Explorer Card within a calendar year
Over $400 in partner credits each year
Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

APR: 20.49% - 28.99% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

United MileagePlus Frequent Flyer Program

LIMITED-TIME OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

The New United Quest℠ Card

U.P. Rating

The United Quest card is a fantastic option for United flyers looking to earn more miles and enhance their flights.

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)

The New United Quest℠ Card

The United Quest card is a fantastic option for United flyers looking to earn more miles and enhance their flights.

Welcome OfferEarn 70,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
70,000 miles + 500 PQP

UP's Offer Valuation*:
$840

Annual Fee

$350

APR

20.49% - 28.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

Enter: The New United Quest℠ Card. With it, you can bolster your United MileagePlus miles, thanks to the bonus categories, while enjoying the card’s many perks designed to help save you money on each United flight.

With an annual fee that falls between The New United℠ Explorer Card and The New United Club℠ Card, the United Quest card makes for a fantastic card option for United frequent flyers.

Pros & Cons

Pros

5x miles on stays through Renowned Hotels and Resorts
3x miles per $1 on United purchases
2x miles per $1 spent on travel, dining, and select streaming services

Cons

Does not earn transferable rewards
Does not offer airport lounge access

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Limited-time Offer: Earn 70,000 bonus miles and 500 PQP
3x miles on United^® purchases
2x miles on dining, select streaming services, and all other travel
1x mile on all other purchases
Receive a $200 United^® travel credit and 10,000-mile award flight discount on each account anniversary
Earn a 10,000-mile award flight discount after spending $20,000 each calendar year to use toward an eligible award flight
Earn 2 global Economy Plus^® seat upgrades after spending $40,000 on purchases each calendar year
Get a jump start on earning Premier status with 1,000 Card Bonus PQP each year, awarded within 6 to 8 weeks after February 1 each year, starting in 2026.
Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

APR: 20.49% - 28.99% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

LIMITED TIME OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

The New United Club℠ Card

U.P. Rating

Perfect for frequent United flyers who want premium perks like United Club access and free baggage benefits.

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)

The New United Club℠ Card

Perfect for frequent United flyers who want premium perks like United Club access and free baggage benefits.

Welcome OfferEarn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
90,000 miles

UP's Offer Valuation*:
$1,080

Annual Fee

$695

APR

20.49% - 28.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The New United Club℠ Card is a premium card designed for the most dedicated of United frequent flyers who are looking for a card that provides the opportunity to earn extra United MileagePlus miles and receive lounge access via a yearly United Club membership.

United frequent flyers will find that the United Club card provides an enhanced experience on their United flights thanks to the money saved on each flight and the conveniences it provides.

Pros & Cons

Pros

4x miles per $1 on United purchases
2x miles per $1 on travel and dining purchases
Complimentary United Club membership

Cons

$695 annual fee
Does not earn transferable rewards

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Limited-Time Offer: Earn 90,000 bonus miles
4x miles on United^® purchases
2x miles on dining and all other travel
1x mile on all other purchases
United Club℠ card membership - at least a $750 value
Free first and second checked bags - a savings of up to $360 per roundtrip (terms apply) - and Premier Access^® travel services
Earn a 10,000-mile award flight discount after $20,000 in purchases to use toward an eligible award flight - up to two times each calendar year
Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

APR: 20.49% - 28.99% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

The New United℠ Business Card

U.P. Rating

A business card from Chase for United loyalists with benefits such as free checked bags and discounts on inflight purchases.

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)

The New United℠ Business Card

A business card from Chase for United loyalists with benefits such as free checked bags and discounts on inflight purchases.

Welcome OfferEarn 75,000 bonus miles and 2,000 PQP after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
75,000 miles + 2,000 PQP

UP's Offer Valuation*:
$900

Annual Fee

$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150.

APR

20.49% - 28.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The New United℠ Business Card is a compelling option for traveling business owners that are also frequent United flyers. Not only will this Chase business card help you earn more United miles, but it also offers great perks such as free checked bags, priority boarding, a discount on inflight purchases, and much more.

Pros & Cons

Pros

2x miles per $1 on United purchases
2x miles per $1 on dining
2x miles per $1 at gas stations and office supply stores, and on local transit and commuting

Cons

Doesn’t earn transferable rewards
Other United cards are more rewarding for United purchases

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Earn 75,000 bonus miles and 2,000 PQP after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150.
2x miles on United^® purchases, dining including eligible delivery services, at gas stations, office supply stores, and on local transit and commuting.
1x mile on all other purchases. Plus, employee cards at no additional cost - miles earned from their purchases accrue in your account so you can earn rewards faster.
Receive a 5,000-mile "better together" bonus each anniversary when you have both the United℠ Business Card and a personal Chase United^® credit card.
Enjoy a free first checked bag - a savings of up to $160 per roundtrip (terms apply), 2 United Club℠ one-time passes per year, and priority boarding privileges.
Receive a $125 United travel credit after making 5 United^® flight purchases of $100 or more each calendar year with your United℠ Business Card.
Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

APR: 20.49% - 28.99% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

The New United Club℠ Business Card

U.P. Rating

The United Club Business card is a great option for frequent United flyers looking for United Club access.

The New United Club℠ Business Card

The United Club Business card is a great option for frequent United flyers looking for United Club access.

Welcome OfferEarn 80,000 bonus miles plus 2,000 PQP after spending $5,000 on qualifying purchases in the first three months of opening an account.
80,000 miles + 2,000 PQP

UP's Offer Valuation*:
$960

Annual Fee

$695

APR

20.49%-28.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The New United Club℠ Business Card is a premium card option for dedicated United loyalists seeking a card that offers complimentary United Club access, helps them earn and retain status, and doesn’t skip on the benefits.

From free checked bags to upgrades on award tickets and the ability to earn Premier qualifying points, there is plenty to the United Club Business card that United flyers are sure to love.

Pros & Cons

Pros

2x miles per $1 spent on United purchases
1.5x miles per $1 spent on all other purchases
Complimentary United Club membership

Cons

$695 annual fee
Earning rate for United purchases is poor compared to other United cards

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Earn 80,000 bonus miles plus 2,000 PQP after spending $5,000 on qualifying purchases in the first three months of opening an account
Earn 2x miles on United purchases
Earn 1.5x miles on all other purchases
Earn 5x miles on stays purchased through Renowned Hotels and Resorts for United^® Cardmembers
Employee cards at no additional cost
United Club℠ membership included – at least a $750 value per year – with the ability to unlock United Club All Access Membership
Earn 2 global Economy Plus^® seat upgrades each year
Free first and second checked bags for you and a companion, save up to $320 per round-trip
Up to $50 in credits on United FareLock purchases annually
Up to $200 in credits on Renowned Hotels and Resorts for United^® Cardmembers annually
Up to $150 in credits on rideshare purchases annually
Up to $100 in United travel credits on Avis or Budget purchases annually
Up to $200 in credits on JSX purchases annually
25% back on United inflight purchases
No foreign transaction fees
Complimentary Instacart+ Membership (terms apply)
Up to $240 in Instacart credits annually (terms apply)

Financial Snapshot

APR: 20.49%-28.99% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: $0

Hot Tip:

Before applying for any United credit card, it’s important to know about updates made to the United card lineup in May 2025. While the specifics differ by card, most changes involve higher annual fees in exchange for added benefits, such as new travel statement credits and annual award flight discounts.

How To Find United Saver Award Space

Here’s a real-life example of how access to Saver Awards can save you thousands of miles on an award search. I did a sample search for United flights between Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and London Heathrow (LHR).

Before I logged into my MileagePlus account, this is what I saw:

united award availability ewr lhr — Award space without Saver Award availability. Image Credit: United Airlines

By logging into my United MileagePlus account, which is connected to my United credit card, I immediately see the additional (XN) fare class availability.

united increased award availability ewr lhr — Enhanced United award availability from New York to London for cardmembers. Image Credit: United

It shows the same flights, but instead of costing 44,700 MileagePlus miles, they only cost 40,000 miles. You can also see that United Economy is labeled with the “extra” (XN) fare class, and there’s even a callout that “Cardmembers save 11%.”

In this case, you’re only saving 4,700 miles per person, but I’ve had experiences where the cardmember price was a much bigger difference. The actual savings you can achieve will vary depending on the flight and availability of the Saver Awards.

Last year, when I was helping a friend book transatlantic flights for his family, having a United credit card instantly saved him 15,000 miles per person. Since he was booking 5 tickets, he saved a total of 75,000 MileagePlus miles by booking Economy Saver Award flights.

Hot Tip:

Delta Air Lines offers a similar perk for those who have an eligible Delta cobranded card. You can save 15% off award tickets on Delta-operated flights, though this discount applies to any fare class.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re a frequent traveler or planning a special vacation, having access to these Saver Awards can save you thousands of miles on flights and offer more opportunities to explore the world for less. If you’re serious about maximizing your United miles, securing one of these key airline credit cards is a smart move that can pay off.