United Explorer Card 40,000 Bonus Miles

Earn 40,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

With a $95 annual fee that’s waived for the first year, this credit card is best suited toward flyers that spend a lot.

Nonetheless, this card’s valuable benefits, like free bags and limited lounge access, and expanded bonus categories can easily make up for its annual fee, even if you don’t fly United regularly.

The card is practical. It helps with common hassles while flying United, especially dealing with luggage, whether you check it in or carry it aboard. Plus, its ability to earn 2X miles on restaurant purchases and hotel stays makes it an ideal everyday credit card, not just when you’re flying United.

United Explorer Card Summary

With the UnitedSM Explorer Card: • With this card, you can earn 40,000 bonus miles after spending $2k in 3 months • Annual fee is waived for the first year, then $95 thereafter. • Earn 2X Miles per $1 spent at restaurants, hotel stays, & purchases from United; 1X miles for all other purchases • Get up to $100 Global Entry / TSA Pre✔® Fee Credit • Get your first bag checked for free (up to $120 savings per roundtrip) when you using your Card to purchase your ticket • Get priority boarding perks & visit the United Club with 2 one-time passes each year for your anniversary Learn More About This Card Here

Earning 40K United Explorer Bonus Miles

Take advantage of the 40,000 MileagePlus bonus miles promotion. Compare this with other card bonuses.

To get the 40,000 bonus miles, charge at least $2,000 to your card within the first 3 months of opening your account.

Here are some ideas to meet the spending requirement:

Earn 2X United Miles

Earn 2X on eligible United purchases with the United^SM MileagePlus Explorer Card. These include airfare, bag fees, seat upgrades, and in-flight food, beverage and Wi-Fi.

Also earn 2X miles on restaurant purchases and hotel stays. These common bonus categories makes it easy to earn more points everyday.

All other purchases earn 1X mile per dollar.

Your miles don’t expire as long as you’re in good standing.

Redeem Rewards

Redeem your miles for flights, United Airlines purchases, hotel bookings, car rentals, experiences, and more. The value you get per mile will depend on how you redeem. You can use miles for practically any purchase from United, although some options will give you a much better value than others.

Generally, miles are most valuable when used for United award flights and seat upgrades. Redeeming for flight tickets gives you more flexible options. You can redeem for a United Airlines flight or a MileagePlus or Star Alliance® member airline.

In most cases, it’s best to look for  Saver Award and Everyday Award routes in particular. This will usually give you the best value for your miles, though you may occasionally find a great deal elsewhere.

United-Specific Cardholder Benefits

The United Explorer Card comes with some extra perks, unrelated to how much you spend on the card. The estimated value of these perks is over $200 if you manage to use them each year. This is more than enough to cover your annual fee.

The most valuable benefit is a free first checked bag for you and a traveling companion. This is available on United-operated flights only. To qualify, you must purchase tickets using your card and be one of the people traveling on the flight. It’s usually $25 per checked bag on United. So, if you’re traveling with 2 people and on 2 flights in one itinerary, the value of this benefit is estimated to be up to $100.

In addition, being a United Explorer Cardholder also entitles you to two United Club passes each year. Each pass gives you admission to a United Club in participating airports. You can enjoy complimentary beverages, snacks, Wi-Fi, work spaces, and more. Each pass is worth $59, which already covers your annual fee.

If you pay for your United travels using this card, you also get to enjoy some luxury perks. These include priority boarding and hotel/resort privileges.

To earn priority boarding on United flights, you must add the MileagePlus® number to your reservation. This benefit applies to you and those traveling with you on the same reservation.

Last but not least, enjoy in-flight discounts on food, beverages and WiFi on board United-operated flights. You’ll get 25% back as statement credit. Just make sure you pay with your United Explorer card.

More United Explorer Cardholder Benefits

Global Entry / TSA PreCheck Fee Credit: This perk covers your application fee for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Get up to $100 in statement credit every four years.

Partner Airlines: You can earn and use MileagePlus miles on over 35 airlines worldwide with Star Alliance member airlines and other members.

Star Alliance member airlines include:

Other worldwide partners include:

Conclusion

The Chase United^SM Explorer Card has some worthy cardholder benefits. It features a free first checked bag for up to 2 people, 2 United Club passes, and up to $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit. Using even just one of these benefits can cover the annual fee. In addition, it has recently modified how cardholders can earn their miles, making it easier with the 2X bonus miles on restaurant purchases and hotel stays.

However, unless you’ll fly on United more than once a year, some of this card’s best features will leave you unimpressed. If you fly United less, don’t spend that much on your card, or would rather have more flexibility, try looking for general travel credit cards, or even cash back cards. You can check some out on our list of credit card promotions. Although these will usually result in a lower rewards rates, you’ll get the added benefit of extra freedom.

Learn more about this card and its features here.

Other Credit Cards To Consider

More Flexibility:

With the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards® • 2X points on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases. • Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel Learn More About This Card Here

Simpler Rewards:

With the Capital One® Venture® Rewards Card: • Enjoy a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles once you spend $3,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $500 in travel • Earn 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Plus earn 10X miles on thousands of hotels, through January 2020; learn more at hotels.com/venture • Named ‘The Best Travel Card' by CNBC, 2018 • Receive up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✔® • Fly any airline, stay at any hotel, anytime; no blackout dates. Plus transfer your miles to over 12 leading travel loyalty programs • Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn • No foreign transaction fees • $0 intro annual fee for the first year; $95 after that Learn More About This Card

Other Airlines:

With the Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express: • Earn 30,000 Bonus Miles after you use your new Card to make $1,000 in purchases within your first 3 months and a $50 Statement Credit after you make a Delta purchase with your new Card within your first 3 months. • Earn 2 miles for every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta. • Earn one mile for every eligible dollar you spend on purchases. • Check your first bag free on Delta flights – that’s a savings of up to $240 per round trip for a family of four. • Settle into your seat sooner with Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding. • Enjoy a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95. • Terms Apply. • See Rates & Fees Learn More About This Card