United Explorer Card’s Limited-Time 70K Bonus Offer Is Back

Chase is once again offering one of its best welcome bonus offers on the United℠ Explorer Card — and it’s one that should be on your radar.

New applicants can earn 70,000 bonus miles after meeting minimum spending requirements, and the card has a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $150, giving you a full year to evaluate the card’s value.

After Chase refreshed its United Airlines MileagePlus^® credit card lineup in 2025, the United Explorer card’s benefits have only improved, making it one of the strongest airline credit cards currently available.

Here’s what you should know about this elevated bonus offer.

Limited-Time Welcome Offer for United Explorer Card Applicants

United Airlines offers a huge range of credit cards, catering to everyone from frequent flyers chasing elite status to occasional travelers seeking useful perks without paying a hefty annual fee. The United Explorer card falls squarely into the latter category.

It’s the second tier up from the United Gateway℠ Card with a $0 annual fee, but the United Explorer card delivers more real value. Right now, eligible applicants can earn 70,000 bonus miles by spending $3,000 in the first 3 months after account opening.

LIMITED-TIME OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

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.

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)

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

Is the United Explorer Card Worth It?

For starters, cardholders earn 2x miles on United purchases, hotel stays booked directly with the hotel, and dining, and 1x miles on all other eligible purchases. Other United-specific benefits include a complimentary checked bag for you and up to 1 traveling companion (terms apply), 2 United Club 1-time passes each year (usable by the primary cardholder, an authorized user, or guests traveling with them), priority boarding, and a 25% discount on purchases for inflight food and beverages and United Club premium drinks.

Based on these perks alone, the United Explorer card is a strong fit for travelers who fly United occasionally but don’t travel frequently enough to justify a premium credit card with full lounge access. For many, the 2 one-time annual United Club passes strike the perfect balance, perhaps for flights with longer layovers.

Big Range of Statement Credits

Though Chase increased the annual fee of the United Explorer card by around $50 last year, the issuer also added a lot more benefits to provide ongoing value in its 2025 portfolio refresh.

Many of these benefits are new as of the last year, so let’s dive into what you can expect:

• 10,000-mile award flight discount annually after you spend $20,000 on the card each calendar year
• $100 in United TravelBank cash (which works like a flight credit) after you spend $10,000 on the card each calendar year
• $50 as a statement credit on your first and second prepaid hotel stays purchased directly through United Hotels with your United Explorer card, up to $100 each anniversary year
• Up to $5 back in monthly statement credits for ride-sharing purchases, for up to $60 in value each calendar year. Yearly opt-in is required to unlock this benefit
• $25 in United TravelBank cash, for up to $50 in value each anniversary year, for your first and second Avis or Budget car rentals booked directly through cars.united.com
• $10 Instacart credit monthly, for up to $120 in value each calendar year, for purchases made directly through Instacart. Benefits end December 31, 2027.
• $100 annual statement credit when you book flights directly with JSX

When it comes to statement credits, you may not maximize every available benefit, as some require specific spending habits that won’t align with every lifestyle. That said, several credits are easy for travelers to use, including up to $5 back each month on ride-sharing services and potential annual discounts on hotels booked through the United Hotels platform.

In total, though, there’s over $500 in partner-benefit value on the table — and cardholders can mix and match them to find what works best for them.

Few lower-annual-fee cards offer a credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS applications, but this one does every 4 years. It’s also a Visa with no foreign transaction fees, a must-have for international travel.

Best Ways To Maximize 70,000 United Miles

United cardholders can also access cardmember preferred award pricing, which can help you find lower mileage rates on select flights. Eligible pricing is clearly labeled when you search for award tickets on the United Airlines website. (Because United is a member of the Star Alliance, cardholders can also redeem miles across dozens of international partners, including airlines such as Lufthansa.)

For domestic travel, United MileagePlus miles are among the most flexible currencies to have. Saver-level awards can start as low as 4,500 miles on short or inexpensive routes, and United’s partnership with JetBlue gives travelers access to 2 domestic airlines by using a single rewards currency.

If you need travel inspiration, United operates an extensive network to Hawaii from major hubs, including Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO). One-way flights to destinations such as Honolulu (HNL), Maui (OGG), and Kona (KOA) can cost as low as 14,100 miles, meaning the 70,000-mile welcome offer could easily cover 2 round-trip tickets with miles left over.

There are also flash sales throughout the year that are exclusive to cardholders. In the past, we’ve seen Caribbean routes drop to around 12,000 miles and even long-haul destinations like Bangkok (BKK) priced at roughly 35,000 miles, highlighting just how far MileagePlus miles can stretch.

Final Thoughts

The United Explorer card is one of our favorite airline credit cards thanks to perks like a complimentary first checked bag on United flights (terms apply), useful travel statement credits, and 2 annual United Club passes. With the welcome offer now elevated for a limited time, you’ll want to apply before it’s too late.