Last updated: October 3, 2026
Chase raised the welcome offers on all four personal United cards at the start of October 2026. The biggest number is 100,000 miles on the United Club card. The best deal isn’t that one.
The best deal is the United Explorer: 80,000 miles and a $0 annual fee for the first year. Chase is calling it “our best offer returns.” I’d put it at the top of almost any United flyer’s list this fall.
Here’s every offer, what it’s worth after fees, and who should get which card.
The Offers
| Card | Bonus | How to earn it | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Gateway | Up to 50,000 | 40,000 after $1,000 in 3 months + 10,000 for adding an authorized user | $0 |
| United Explorer | Up to 80,000 | 70,000 after $3,000 in 3 months + 10,000 for adding an authorized user | $0 first year, then $150 |
| United Quest | Up to 90,000 + 500 PQP | 80,000 after $4,000 in 3 months + 10,000 for an authorized user; 500 PQP after first purchase | $350 |
| United Club | Up to 100,000 | 90,000 after $5,000 in 3 months + 10,000 for adding an authorized user | $695 |
Every top number includes 10,000 miles for adding an authorized user in the first three months. If you have a partner or family member you trust with a card, that’s an easy 10,000 miles. Count it.
Chase hasn’t published an end date. These are limited-time offers, so don’t assume they’ll last through the holidays.
What Each Offer Is Worth in Year One
United miles don’t have a fixed value. I use 1.2 cents per mile as a working estimate for typical economy and saver redemptions. Your number can be much higher on partner business class or lower on expensive dynamic awards.
| Card | Bonus value at 1.2¢ | First-year fee | Easy credits | Year-one net |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gateway | $600 | $0 | — | ~$600 |
| Explorer | $960 | $0 | — | ~$960 |
| Quest | $1,080 | $350 | $200 United travel credit | ~$930 |
| Club | $1,200 | $695 | — | ~$505, plus lounge access |
All of these values are estimates, and the Explorer comes out on top without counting any of its perks. You also don’t need to spend $4,000 or $5,000 to get there.
Card by Card
United Explorer: Get This One
Eighty thousand miles with no fee in year one is the cleanest offer on the board. You also get a free first checked bag, two United Club one-time passes a year, Group 2 boarding, and what Chase describes as “over $500 in annual partner credits.”
The free bag alone covers the $150 fee from year two if you check a bag on a couple of round trips a year with a companion on the same reservation. If you don’t, downgrade or cancel before the second fee posts. Our is the United Explorer worth it calculator runs the year-two math with your own numbers.
United Quest: Better Than It Looks
The Quest’s $350 fee scares people off, but it comes with a $200 United travel credit, an annual 10,000-mile award flight discount, two free checked bags and Group 2 boarding. If you fly United a few times a year, the travel credit and the award discount nearly cover the fee on their own.
The 90,000-mile bonus is the second-best deal here. I’d only pick it over the Explorer if you’re sure you’ll use the travel credit and the award discount every year. Otherwise, start with the Explorer.
United Club: Only for Hub Loyalists
At $695, this card is a United Club membership with miles attached. If you fly out of a United hub often and would buy a Club membership anyway, it’s a reasonable way to get one. If you don’t, the 100,000-mile bonus is not enough to justify the fee. Two Explorer club passes a year are plenty for most people.
United Gateway: The Starter Card
No annual fee and 50,000 miles is a respectable offer, and Chase calls it its “best offer ever” for this card. It’s the right card if you want a no-fee United card to keep for years, or if the Explorer’s $150 fee from year two bothers you. You’ll get less in benefits, but you won’t pay for anything.
Before You Apply
- Chase’s 5⁄24 rule applies. If you’ve opened five or more personal cards from any bank in the last 24 months, Chase will likely deny you. See our Chase 5⁄24 guide.
- Each card’s bonus is once per 24 months. Chase’s terms say the card is available if you don’t hold it and haven’t received a new cardmember bonus for it in the past 24 months.
- Think about the slot. If you’re under 5⁄24 and don’t have a Sapphire card yet, a Sapphire Preferred might be the better first card. It earns flexible points that transfer to United 1:1, plus Hyatt and a dozen other partners.
- Don’t use a United card for everyday spending. Get the bonus, use the perks, and put your groceries and dining on a card that earns 3x or more.
The Verdict
Get the Explorer. Eighty thousand miles for no first-year fee beats everything else in the lineup on value. Pick the Quest only if you’ll use its $200 travel credit and award discount every year. Pick the Club only if you’d pay for United Club membership anyway. The Gateway is for people who want a no-fee United card to keep for good.
Not sure an airline card is the right move for your spending? The MaxPoints optimizer compares co-brand cards with flexible-points cards using your actual budget.
Sources: Chase’s United card pages (Explorer, Quest, Gateway, Club) as of October 3, 2026. The 1.2 cent mile value and year-one net values are estimates. Offers change without notice; check the application page before applying.
