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Boasting a portfolio of over 20 cards, Jarrod has been an expert in the points and miles space for over 6 years. He earns and redeems over 1 million points per year and his work has been featured in o...
Juan has extensive experience in writing and editing content related to credit cards, loyalty programs, and travel. He has been honing his expertise in this field for over a decade. His work has been ...
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United Quest℠ Card
U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's 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.
The United Quest card is a fantastic option for United flyers looking to earn more miles and enhance their flights.
U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's 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.
The newest addition to United’s lineup of cards is the United Quest℠ Card. With it, you can bolster your United MileagePlus miles, thanks to the bonus categories, while enjoying the card’s many perks designed to help save you money on each United flight.
2x miles per $1 spent on travel, dining, and select streaming services
$125 annual United credit
2 5,000-mile anniversary award flight credits
Free first and second checked bag for you and 1 traveling companion
Priority boarding
25% back on United inflight purchases
Complimentary Premier Upgrades on United-operated award tickets (when available)
Expanded award availability
Up to 6,000 Premier Qualifying Points
Up to $100 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS credit
Travel and shopping protections including trip delay insurance, lost/delayed luggage insurance, rental car insurance, purchase protection, and extended warranty protection
Cons
Does not earn transferable rewards
Does not offer airport lounge access
$250 annual fee
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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.
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Great Card If
You are a United frequent flyer
You book a couple of United award tickets each year
You’re looking for a card that mirrors low-level elite status with United
Don’t Get If
You hardly ever fly United
You prefer a card that earns transferable rewards
You want a card that offers airport lounge access
United Quest Card — Is It Worth It?
The United Quest card is a great choice for United frequent flyers, even if you just book a handful of United award tickets each year using the card’s anniversary award flight credits.
With it, you can really enhance your United flights, as the card mimics low-level elite status with United, offering perks such as free checked bags, priority boarding, reward seat upgrades, and discounts on inflight purchases.
United Quest Card Top Benefits
United Quest Card Travel Benefits
The United Quest card comes loaded with benefits that United flyers will love and regularly take advantage of.
$125 Annual United Credit — Purchase a United flight with your United Quest card and get $125 as a statement credit. This perk alone effectively lowers the card’s annual fee to $125.
5,000-Mile Anniversary Award Flight Credits — Up to 2 times each year, you’ll receive 5,000 miles back in your account after taking a United-operated award flight — saving you up to 10,000 miles each year.
Free Checked Bags — You and 1 companion on the same reservation will each receive your first and second standard checked bag free when you pay for your flight with the United Quest card.
Priority Boarding — You and any traveling companions will be able to board in Group 2, along with United Premier Silver and Star Alliance Silver members.
25% Back on United Inflight Purchases — Receive a statement credit when you use your United Quest card to purchase food, beverages, or Wi-Fi on board.
Complimentary Premier Upgrades — When flying on a United-operated award ticket, you’ll be eligible for a space-available seat upgrade to the next cabin class.
Expanded Award Availability — By holding a co-branded United card, you’ll have no restrictions or blackout dates on award flights.
Up to 6,000 Premier Qualifying Points — You’ll earn 25 PQPs for every $500 you spend on the card to help you reach higher levels of United elite status.
United Quest Card Travel and Purchase Protections
The United Quest card also helps keep you covered when things don’t go as planned by offering a solid list of travel and purchase protections.
Trip Delay Coverage — If your flight is delayed by more than 12 hours, or overnight, you’ll be reimbursed up to $500 towards necessary expenses such as lodging and meals.
Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance — If you have to cut your trip short or cancel due to covered situations including severe weather, you’re covered up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip towards non-refundable expenses.
Lost or Delayed Baggage Insurance — If your baggage is delayed by more than 6 hours, you’ll be covered up to $100 per day for 3 days towards essentials. You’re also covered for up to $3,000 towards luggage that is lost or damaged by the carrier.
Rental Car Insurance — Receive primary rental car insurance that covers theft and collision damage to your rental vehicle and kicks in prior to your personal auto insurance.
Purchase Protection — Purchases made with the card are covered for up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per year in case of theft or accidental damage up to 120 days from the purchase date.
Extended Warranty Coverage — Products purchased with your card that have extended warranties of 3 years or less will be extended by 1 additional year.
How To Earn and Redeem Your United Miles
The United Quest card includes quite a few bonus categories to help you earn more miles, but using your card isn’t your only option. You could also add a Chase credit card that earns Ultimate Rewards, shop through the United shopping portal, and many more options that we cover in our best ways to earn lots of United miles.
Before you know it, you’ll have a big balance of miles to redeem. Then comes the question, how should you spend them? To help answer that, you can get some inspiration from our guide to the best ways to redeem your United miles.
Alternative Cards to the United Quest Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
If you prefer a card with a lower annual fee that earns flexible rewards, then the Chase Sapphire Preferred card would be a great option. It offers multiple bonus categories, access to transfer partners (including United), and excellent travel protections.
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's 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.
A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.
A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
60,000 points
$1,200
$95
21.49%-28.49% Variable
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 cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® card is one of the best travel rewards cardson the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.
Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.
Pros
5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
5x points on select Peloton purchases over $150 (through March 31, 2025)
5x points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025)
Cons
$95 annual fee
No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
For those who want a United co-branded credit card, but feel the annual fee on the United Quest card is too steep, the United Explorer card is a great alternative.
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's 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.
With priority boarding privileges, no foreign transaction fees and more, MileagePlus members will definitely enjoy their partnered card.
Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
50,000 bonus miles
$600
$95
21.99% - 28.99% Variable
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 cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)
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
2x miles per $1 on United purchases, dining purchases (including delivery services), and hotel stays
1x mile per $1 on all other purchases
First checked bag free for you and up to 1 traveling companion
Cons
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 annual fee
Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95.
Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on dining, hotel stays, and United® purchases
Up to $100 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS fee credit
25% back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights and on Club premium drinks when you pay with your Explorer Card
Free first checked bag - a savings of up to $160 per roundtrip. Terms Apply.
Enjoy priority boarding privileges and visit the United Club℠ with 2 one-time passes each year for your anniversary
Plus, you’ll get perks including 2 United Club passes each year, free checked bags, priority boarding, 25% back on United inflight purchases, and expanded United award availability.
Frequently Asked Questions
What credit score do I need for the United Quest card?
There is no set credit score that you’ll need for United Quest card approval. Your credit score is just one of the many factors that Chase will use when determining whether to approve you for the card. But all things considered, if you have a credit score higher than 700, you should feel pretty confident about your approval odds.
Is the United Quest card worth it?
If you are a frequent United flyer, and/or can easily take advantage of the card’s many benefits, including an annual United credit, the 5,000-mile anniversary award flight credits, free checked baggage, priority boarding, and other card perks, then yes, the United Quest card would most definitely be worth it to you.
What is the best United Airlines credit card?
That really depends on what you’re looking for in a United credit card. If you want a low annual fee card that mirrors low-level elite status within the United program, perhaps the United Explorer card would be the best fit for you.
If you’re okay with paying a higher annual fee to earn more points and receive significantly more benefits, you should consider the United Quest card.
If you want a premium card that includes United Club access as a perk of card membership, the United Club Infinite card is probably for you.
How many miles does it take to get a free flight on United?
United no longer publishes an award chart, so award prices can vary depending on the route, season, and other factors. But generally, award flights start at 12,500 miles per direction on domestic economy tickets.
Is the United Quest card metal?
No, the United Quest card is plastic and purple in color.
Boasting a portfolio of over 20 cards, Jarrod has been an expert in the points and miles space for over 6 years. He earns and redeems over 1 million points per year and his work has been featured in outlets like The New York Times.
This bonus value is an estimated valuation calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.