Rewards Plan
Sign up Bonus
Our Rating
0% Intro
Annual Fee
APR
- Global Entry/ TSA PreCheck
- Priority Boarding
- Reward Redemption Challenges
- High Annual Fee
Rewards Plan
Sign up Bonus
0% Intro
PROS
- Global Entry/ TSA PreCheck
- Priority Boarding
CONS
- High Annual Fee
- Reward Redemption Challenges
APR
21.49% - 28.49% variable APR
Annual Fee
$250
0% Intro
N/A
Credit Requirements
Good - Excellent
The United Club℠ Infinite Card stands out among the best premium airline credit cards, targeting United's frequent flyers.
The card earns 4x miles on United Airlines purchases, 2x miles on all other travel purchases, dining and eligible delivery services and 1x miles on all other purchases, as well as a sign-up bonus of 90,000 bonus miles after qualifying purchases.
The card's standout features include a $125 annual United purchase credit, up to two 5,000-mile award flight credits each year, and the chance to earn up to 6,000 Premier Qualifying Points annually. Cardholders can redeem miles for award travel on United and its partner airlines, with the card offering a unique feature of a 5,000-mile rebate for booking an award ticket twice a year.
Additional perks include two free checked bags for both the cardholder and a companion, priority boarding, and a 25% discount on eligible inflight purchases. You’ll also receive a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit every four years. The card offers primary auto collision damage waiver on eligible rentals, along with a range of valuable insurances, including coverage for baggage delay, lost luggage, trip delays, and trip cancellations.
While the card offers valuable benefits for United Airlines loyalists, such as free checked bags and priority boarding, its perks are primarily geared towards United-related spending. If you're not a frequent flyer, general travel cards may be a better fit.
How can I redeem the earned miles?
Miles can be redeemed for award travel on United and its partner airlines, offering flexibility in flight options.
How does the annual purchase credit work?
The annual purchase credit of $125 is automatically applied to eligible United purchases made with the card.
Can the earned Premier Qualifying Points help in achieving elite status?
Yes, the card offers up to 6,000 Premier Qualifying Points annually, contributing towards United Airlines Premier status.
What insurance coverage does the card provide?
The card offers various insurances, including baggage delay, lost luggage reimbursement, trip delay reimbursement, and trip cancellation/interruption insurance.
Can the earned Premier Qualifying Points help in achieving elite status?
Yes, the card offers up to 6,000 Premier Qualifying Points annually, contributing towards United Airlines Premier status.
Pros & Cons
Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of the United Quest Card:
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
United Club Passes | High Annual Fee |
$125 Annual United Purchase Credit | Checked Baggage Benefit Limitations |
TSA PreCheck or Global Entry Fee Reimbursement | Unpredictable Award Redemption Rates |
No Foreign Transaction Fees | Reward Redemption Challenges |
25% Discount on In-Flight Purchases | |
Free Check Bags & Priority Boarding |
- United Club Passes
Every year on your membership anniversary, you can receive two United Club one-time passes. You'll have access to workspaces and complimentary snacks and beverages in the United Club.
- Global Entry/TSA PreCheck Credit
You can receive up to $100 in statement credit as reimbursement for your application fee every four years if you charge it to your card.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
Like many Chase bank credit cards, there are no foreign transaction fees when you use your card to make purchases outside of the United States.
- Priority Boarding
You and your traveling companions on the same reservation will be invited to board your United flights before the general public.
- $125 Annual United Purchase Credit
Cardholders receive an annual $125 credit towards United Airlines purchases, effectively offsetting a significant portion of the $250 annual fee.
- Free Checked Bags
The primary cardmember and a companion traveling with the same reservation can receive their first and second standard bags checked free on United flights when you book with your card. This has the potential to save you up to $320 per round trip.
- 25% Discount on In-Flight Purchases
If you pay with your Quest card, you'll receive a 25% statement credit for purchases of WiFi, food, and beverages made on United flights.
- High Annual Fee
The annual fee is quite high and stands on $250. The annual fee that is not waived for the first year.
- Checked Baggage Benefit Limitations
While the card offers free checked bags for the cardholder and one companion, the benefit is limited to one companion, potentially impacting larger travel groups.
Annual Fee
- Reward Redemption Challenges
While the card offers various redemption options, including awards for flights, the dynamic nature of United's award pricing may pose challenges for some users in maximizing the value of their miles.
Additional Perks
- 5,000 Mile Credits: Beginning with your first card anniversary, you'll receive 5,000 miles back into your account when you use your miles to book a United or United Express award flight. Each year, you can receive up to two credits.
- Trip Cancellation Insurance: You'll be covered for up to $6,000 per trip and up to $1,500 per person if your trip is cut short due to severe weather, illness, or other covered events on your pre-paid, non-refundable fares.
- Baggage Insurance: You can claim up to $100 per day for three days as reimbursement for essential purchases if your bags are delayed for more than six hours. If your checked or carry-on bags are damaged or lost by your carrier, you'll be covered for up to $3,000 per passenger.
- Trip Delay Reimbursement: If your common carrier flight is delayed for more than 12 hours, you will be reimbursed for unreimbursed expenses up to $500 per ticket.
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver: The card offers rental car insurance – if you charge your entire rental cost to your United Quest card, you will receive auto rental collision damage coverage for most domestic and international rental cars.
- Visa Concierge: You will receive complimentary Visa Signature Concierge Services.
- Exclusives for United MileagePlus Cardmembers: You can also use your miles to gain access to exclusive experiences such as virtual events or winemaker dinners.
- Purchase Protections: Your new purchases are covered for theft and damage for 120 days, with a cap of $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per year. You can also add a year to the manufacturer's warranty on eligible products.
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Simulate Your Rewards: How Much You Earn?
The Quest card provides a decent rate on United purchases as well as many more options for getting travel rewards benefits (car rental, cruises etc).
So, if you fly at least twice a month or spend more than $7,000 on travel purchases each year, the annual fee for the Quest card may be worth it.
| |
|---|---|
Spend Per Category | United Quest℠ Card
|
$5,000 – U.S Supermarkets | 5,000 miles |
$3,000 – Restaurants
| 6,000 miles |
$3,000 – Airline | 9,000 miles |
$3,000 – Hotels | 6,000 miles |
$4,000 – Gas | 4,000 miles |
Estimated Total Points | $30,000 miles |
Estimated Annual Value | ~$540 |
How to Maximize the United Quest Card?
There are a couple of things you can do to get the most out of your United Quest℠ Card :
- Prioritize Travel: While you can redeem your United Explorer or United Quest miles for shopping or other rewards, the best redemption rates are usually found with travel deals. So, try to prioritize travel, even if it means waiting to accumulate enough miles for your plans.
- Be Flexible With Your Travel Dates: If possible, try to be flexible with your travel dates as well as your destinations. This will allow you to search through the various redemption options to find the best value for your miles. Try out a few different itineraries to see which one works best for you.
- Don't Assume Miles Are the Best Option: While redeeming your miles might seem like the obvious choice, it’s not always the best value. For example, if you’re booking an economy flight across the country, you might only get about 1 cent per mile. In this case, it could be better to pay cash and save your miles for a more valuable redemption later.
- Use Your Card On Board: Both cards provide 25% back in the form of statement credit for in-flight purchases such as WiFi, food, and beverages when paid for with your card. If you fly frequently, this could amount to hundreds of dollars per year.
- Use the Referral Program: If you want to boost your mile balance, refer a few family members and friends. You will receive a 20,000 mile bonus for each referral who applies and is accepted. With this program, you can earn up to 100,000 miles per anniversary year.
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Redemption Options
The United Quest card has a different tier structure for rewards. It gives you three miles for every dollar you spend with United, two miles for other travel, select streaming and dining purchases, and one mile for everything else.
The redemption methods are the same regardless of which Chase United card you choose. You can use your miles to fly to over 1,300 destinations around the world via the Star Alliance network, which includes United and other well-known airlines.
You can also use your miles for car rentals and hotel reservations through the CarAwards and HotelAwards programs. If you prefer to shop, you can use your miles to buy home goods, electronics, and other items from your favorite brands at the MileagePlusAwards website.
How It Compared To Other United Cards?
When compared to other United cards, such as the United℠ Explorer Card and the United Club℠ Infinite Card, the United Quest℠ Card stands out for its elevated benefits and rewards potential.
Compared to the United Explorer Card, the United Quest℠ Card offers a higher welcome bonus, increased earning rates, and valuable perks like the $125 annual United purchase credit and two United Club passes every year. While both offers decent perks such as priority borading and free checked bags and TSA Precheck reimbursement, the Quest is more premium card – but also more expsnive as the Explorer card annual fee is only $95 ($0 first year).
In contrast, when compared to the United Club℠ Infinite Card, the United Quest℠ Card has a lower annual fee, making it a more accessible option for a broader range of travelers. However, the Infinite Club offers better perks including United Club Membership, IHG Platinum elite status and more free checked bags.
The United Gateway℠ Card is the lowest tier card and serves as a more basic option with no annual fee, suitable for those seeking a straightforward card with United benefits.
When To Consider It?
Here are the main cases you'll want to consider the United Quest℠ Card :
- You are a frequent United Flyer: If you travel frequently, you will quickly offset the higher annual fee and begin accumulating rewards and perks.
- You also want to earn rewards for non-travel purchases: the United Quest card offers a higher reward rate for dining and select streaming services, compared to other United cards.
- You'll accumulate enough points for award flights twice a year: You'll receive up to 10,000 miles back into your account each year in the form of two 5,000 rebates when you use your miles to book United flights. For frequent flyers, this can be a fantastic feature.
Compare The Alternatives
If you're looking for a credit card with airline and travel benefits – the United Quest card is definitely an option, but there are some good alternatives you may want to explore:
|
|
| |
|---|---|---|---|
The Platinum Card® from American Express | Chase Sapphire Reserve® | Capital One Venture X Rewards | |
Annual Fee | $695. See Rates & Fees | $550 | $395 |
Rewards |
1X – 5X
5X points on up to $500,000 spent on directly-booked airfare and flights and prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel (per calendar year), 2X points on prepaid car rentals through American Express Travel and 1X points on all other purchases
|
1X – 10X
5X total points on air travel and 10X total points on hotels, car rentals and dining when you purchase through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, immediately after earning your $300 annual travel credit. Also, earn 3x points on dining at restaurants and travel (after meeting the $300 travel credit), then 1x points per dollar spent on all other purchases.
| 1X – 10X
10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars when booking via Capital One Travel, 5 miles per dollar on flights and 2 miles per dollar on all eligible purchases
|
Welcome bonus |
80,000 points
80,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership
|
60,000 points
60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
| 75,000 miles
75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
|
Foreign Transaction Fee | $0. See Rates & Fees | $0 | $0
|
Purchase APR | See Pay Over Time APR | 21.99% – 28.99% variable APR | 19.99% – 29.74% (Variable) |
FAQ
The United Quest card offers auto rental collision damage waiver protection. If you charge the entire rental and decline the collision insurance from the rental company, you’ll enjoy primary coverage against collision damage or theft.
No, The Quest card doesn't have a cap on how many miles you can earn in any statement year.
The Quest card requires good to excellent credit, but Chase does not disclose any minimum income requirements. However, Chase will use your income to determine your credit limit, which may require proof of income.
Yes, Chase uses the Star Alliance network of airlines for its rewards program. So, while you may get additional perks for using your miles for United flights, you can use your miles for flights with a number of other airlines including SkyWest, Trans States, Air Canada, Aer Lingus, Lufthansa, and GoJet.
While Chase does send out pre-approval letters for some of its cards on occasion, pre-approval is not available, and you must submit an application and have Chase pull your credit.
The starting credit limit for the United Quest is $5,000. However, depending on your credit limit and income, your initial credit limit may be higher.
This depends on how you redeem the miles. Typically, United flights will offer the best redemption deal and you can expect approximately 2 cents per mile. However, this can be as low as 1 cent per mile, depending on the specific flight or redemption deal.
If you’re a frequent flyer with United, the Quest card will offer some great rewards. If you’re currently not getting good travel rewards and you want to make the most of your travels, these cards do represent a good option.
Yes, you'll get trip cancellation/interruption protection. So, if your trip is canceled by a covered situation, you can claim up to $6,000 per trip and up to $1,500 per person.
The card is specifically designed to offer great rewards for United travel. This does mean that there are not great rewards for other purchases. So, if you’re looking for an all round card for good credit, these cards are not the right choice for you.
Compare United Quest Card
The Quest card has recently launched in order to provide a premium alternative to the old Explorer card. How they compared & is it worth it?
United℠ Explorer Card vs United Quest℠ Card: Which is Better?
While having the same annual fee, we think the Delta SkyMiles Platinum is a better choice than the United Quest card. Here's why.
United Quest vs. Delta SkyMiles Platinum: Side By Side Comparison
The United Infinite card offers luxury benefits that the Quest card doesn't, but for most consumers, it is not worth the higher annual fee.
The United Quest card offers better airline benefits, but we don't think it worth the higher annual fee, unless you're a frequent flyer.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority vs. United Quest Card: Which Card Is Best?
While having higher annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is a clear winner with much higher total cashback and better premium travel perks.
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United Quest
