Table of Content
The United℠ Explorer Card has been a popular favorite for United flyers for many years. It has a low annual fee, but you can enjoy some great perks. In 2021, United launch the United Quest℠ Card – which supposed to offer better rewards for loyal customers, with higher annual fee. But is it really worth it?
The main difference, however, is in the reward structures that are in place. That is where this review will concentrate its efforts, so you can determine which of these Chase credit cards is the best fit for you and if you really need it.
General Comparison
Simulation: Which Card Gives More Rewards?
Both cards offers similar rewards, while the Quest card offers a bit more value per every $1 spend. Therefore, the main questions you should ask yourself is how much I'm going to use this card?
The Quest card offers better rate on United purchases and much more options to get higher rate when it comes to travel (car rental, cruises etc). So, if you fly at least 2 times/month or spend +$7,000 on travel purchases every year, the Quest card may worth its annual fee. Also, the Quest offers a bit more perks (more on this in the next section).
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Spend Per Category | United℠ Explorer Card | United Quest℠ Card
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$5,000 – U.S Supermarkets | 5,000 miles | 5,000 miles |
$3,000 – Restaurants
| 6,000 miles | 6,000 miles |
$3,000 – Airline | 6,000 miles | 9,000 miles |
$3,000 – Hotels | 6,000 miles | 6,000 miles |
$4,000 – Gas | 4,000 miles | 4,000 miles |
Estimated Total Points | $27,000 miles | $30,000 miles |
Estimated Annual Value | ~ $486 | ~$540 |
Compare The Perks
There are a few different benefits associated with both of these credit card options. Some of these will be common to both the United Quest℠ and United℠ Explorer, while others will be different.
Here is a quick look at what you can expect on both cards:
- Purchase Protections: Your new purchases are covered for 120 days against theft and damage with a cap of $10k per claim and $50k per year. You can also extend the manufacturer warranty on eligible products by an additional year.
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver: If you charge your entire rental cost to your United card, you’ll receive auto rental collision damage coverage for most rental cars domestic and abroad.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees: When you pay for purchases outside the U.S with your card, there are no foreign transaction fees. However, this is a common feature in best travel cards.
- Global Entry/ TSA PreCheck Credit: TSA Precheck has some great benefits for travelers, You can receive up to $100 in statement credit as reimbursement every four years for your application fee when you charge it to your card.
- Trip Delay Reimbursement: If your common carrier travel has a delay of over 12 hours, you’ll be covered for unreimbursed expenses up to $500 per ticket.
- Trip Interruption/Trip Cancelation Insurance: If your trip is cut short or canceled due to severe weather, sickness or other covered situations, you can be reimbursed up to $1,500 per person or $6,000 per trip for any non refundable, pre-paid passenger fares.
- Statement Credit for United Inflight Purchases: You’ll get 25% back for purchases of food, drinks and WiFi on board United flights if you pay with your United Quest card.
- Priority Boarding: The primary cardmember and their companions using the same reservation on United flights will be invited to board prior to general boarding.
- Baggage Insurance: You can claim up to $100 per day for three days if your bags are delayed over six hours as reimbursement for essential purchases. If your check or carry on bags are damaged or lost by your carrier, you’ll also have up to $3,000 per passenger in coverage
- Visa Concierge: You can receive complimentary access to Visa Signature Concierge Services 24 hours a day. This can help you to make dinner reservations, find tickets to events and even have some help to send the perfect gift.
- Premium Upgrades: You can enjoy complimentary Premier Upgrades when you’re traveling on an award ticket for United operated flights.
- United MileagePlus Cardmember Exclusives: You can also use your miles to access exclusive experiences such as virtual events or winemaker dinners.
- Access to the Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection: There are over 1,000 luxury hotels and resorts in the collection and you can enjoy room upgrades, early check in and late check out if available, along with other amenities including complimentary breakfast.
- United Club Passes: You can receive two United Club one times passes every year on your membership anniversary. In the United Club, you’ll enjoy complimentary snacks, beverages, WiFi and access to workspaces.
However, there are some unique benefits for each card:
United℠ Explorer Card
- First Free Checked Bag: The primary cardholder and a companion traveling with the same reservation can have their first standard checked bag for free. This can save you up to $140 for each roundtrip.
- Earn PQPs: With the United Quest Card, you can earn up to 1,000 Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) annually, receiving 500 PQP for every $12,000 spent on card purchases.
United Quest℠ Card
- Purchase Credit: You’ll receive up to $125 in statement credit each year as a reimbursement for your United purchases charged to your card.
- 5,000 Mile Credits: Starting with your first card anniversary, you’ll get a 5,000 miles back into your account after you take a United or United Express award flight booked with your miles. You can receive up to two credits each year.
- 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.
Earn PQPs: With the United Quest Card, you can earn up to 6,000 Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) annually, receiving 500 PQP for every $12,000 spent on card purchases.
Compare The Drawbacks
No credit card or financial product is perfect, so it is important to be aware of the potential downsides of each card before you make your final decision about which one is best for you.
Here we’ll highlight some of the possible negatives of both cards:
United℠ Explorer Card
- Limited Non Travel Rewards
Apart from the limited time offer for the DashPass, there are no real incentives for non travel rewards. You can earn a few miles for non travel purchases, but this does make this card not really suitable for everyday use
- Limited Free Check Bag Options
Although the first check bag is free for you and one travel companion, if you’re traveling as a family, you’ll still need to pay check fees for their bags and any second bags you and your companion have.
United Quest℠ Card
- No Annual Fee Waiver for the First Year
Unlike the United Explorer, there is no first year annual fee waiver, so you will need to offset the cost immediately.
- No Lounge Access
Since this is designed to be the upgraded United travel card, it is surprising that there is no lounge access or priority pass options included in the package.
Redemption Options
Regardless of which Chase United card you choose, the redemption methods are the same. You can use your miles using the Star Alliance network, which includes United and other popular airlines to access over 1,300 destinations around the world.
You can also use the CarAwards and HotelAwards programs to use your miles for car rentals and hotel bookings. However, if you prefer shopping, you can visit the MileagePlusAwards site to use your miles to purchase home goods, electronics and other items from your favorite brands.
How to Maximize Cards Benefits?
Since both cards operate in a similar way, these tips to maximize your rewards apply to either card.
- Prioritize Travel: Although you can redeem your United Explorer or United Quest miles for shopping or other rewards, you’ll typically get the best redemption rates with the travel deals. So, try to prioritize travel, even if you have to wait to accumulate sufficient miles for your plans.
- Be Flexible About Your Travel Dates: If it’s possible, try to be flexible about your travel dates and even your destinations. This will allow you to browse the various redemptions to get the best value for your miles. Try a few different itineraries to calculate which one works out best.
- Don’t Assume Miles are Best: Although you may want to redeem your miles, don’t automatically assume that using miles is the best option. For example, if you’re looking at an economy cross country flight, it may work out that you are only getting 1 cent per mile. In this case, you would be better off paying cash and saving your miles for a better deal.
- Use Your Card On Board: Both cards offer 25% back in the form of statement credit for your inflight purchases including WiFi, food and beverages when you pay with your card. If you’re a frequent flyer, this could add up to hundreds of dollars each year.
- Take Advantage of the Referral Program: If you want to give your miles balance a boost, refer a few family members and friends. For every referral that applies and is approved, you’ll get a 20,000 mile bonus. There is the potential to earn up to 100,000 miles per anniversary year with this program.
Customer Reviews: Which Card Wins?
United℠ Explorer Card
Satisfied cardholders report that this card offers excellent perks for travelers that may not be offered with other cards, such as the car rental insurance. This is a great feature if you pay the entire rental cost with your car and decline the rental company’s collision cover. You don’t even need to involve your auto insurance company if you’re involved in an accident, as Chase will cover the cost of the claim.
Negative reviews report that the support for disputing charges is lacking. Some customers have found that reporting issues can be a frustrating and time consuming process with very little success. Additionally, since the redemptions are handled by MileagePlus, you can get stuck between two departments if there is an issue.
United Quest℠ Card
Satisfied cardholders report that this card has some excellent benefits that more than easily cover the higher annual fee. For example, if you frequently fly with two bags, you’ll save up to $320 per roundtrip for you and a travel companion.
Negative reviews report similar issues to the United Explorer. Redemption can be a little tricky as you need to go through the MileagePlus portal and it can sometimes be difficult to work out whether you’re getting a good redemption rate.
When You Might Want the Explorer Card?
The United℠ Explorer Card is a great option that could be good if you:
- You’re unsure how much you will travel in the first year: The Covid-19 pandemic has made travel a little uncertain for many people, so if you’re not sure about your travel plans for the first year, you’ll appreciate not having to pay an annual fee.
- You tend to travel light: If you typically only travel with one bag, you’ll not have to pay any check bag fees, but if you tend to travel with several bags and several companions, the United Quest may be a better option.
When You Might Want the Quest Card?
The United Quest℠ Card is a better option if you:
- You’re a frequent United Flyer: If you typically travel regularly, you’ll be able to quickly offset the higher annual fee and start 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, which you would only earn the base 1 mile per dollar rate with the United Explorer.
- You’ll accumulate sufficient points for award flights twice a year: You’ll get up to 10,000 miles back into your account each year, in the form of two 5,000 rebates when you book United flights with your miles. This can be a fantastic feature for very frequent flyers.
Bottom Line
If you prefer to travel with United, either of these cards can provide a great way to earn rewards and enjoy perks as you fly. From priority boarding to additional insurance, you can quickly start to accumulate rewards and have a more enjoyable flying experience when you pay for your flights using your Chase United card.
However, there are some key differences between the cards that will determine which is a better option for you.
Compare The Alternatives
If you're looking for a credit card with airline rewards – there are some good alternatives you may want to consider:
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United℠ Explorer Card | Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card | Citi®/AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® | |
Annual Fee | $95 ($0 first year) | $99, $0 intro first year. See Rates and Fees. | $99 (waived for the first 12 months)
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Rewards |
1X – 2X
2x per $1 spent on United purchases, hotel accommodations, restaurants & eligible delivery services and 1x per $1 spent on all other purchases
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1X – 2X
2X miles on delta purchases, at restaurants worldwide (including take-out and delivery in the U.S) and at U.S. supermarkets, and 1x miles on all other eligible purchases
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1X – 2X
2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants, and 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
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Welcome bonus |
60,000 miles
60,000 miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open
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40,000 Miles
40,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months
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50,000 Miles
50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
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Foreign Transaction Fee | $0 | $0. See Rates and Fees. | 0% |
Purchase APR | 21.99% – 28.99% variable | 20.99%-29.99% Variable | 21.24% – 29.99% (Variable) |
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