United Club Business Card – Full Review [2024]

Great Card If

• You are a United Airlines loyalist and are looking for a card that will help you reach higher levels of elite status
• You want United Club access

Don’t Get If

• You seldom fly with United Airlines
• You want a card that earns transferable rewards

United Club Business Card — Is It Worth It?

For business owners who fly frequently with United and are looking for United Club access, the United Club Business card is absolutely worth it.

Usually, United Club access costs $650 each year, but holding the United Club Business card gets you and 2 guests complimentary access each time you travel.

Add in that the card can help save you money on checked bags and inflight purchases and allows you to help spend your way towards United elite status.

When you consider all of the benefits the card offers, it’s easy to see why it is a compelling option for United flyers.

United Club Business Card Top Benefits

United Travel Benefits

When judging an airline rewards card, one of the most important aspects to consider is what perks the card offers when flying with the airline. Here is what the United Club Business card gives you:

• Complimentary United Club Access — You and up to 2 guests traveling with you can visit any United Club worldwide.
• Free Checked Bags — Receive your first and second checked bag free for you and 1 traveling companion on United flights.
• Premier Access Travel Services — Receive priority check-in, security screening (where available), boarding, and baggage handling privileges.
• Premier Upgrades on Award Tickets — You and a traveling companion on a United award ticket can receive a complimentary upgrade to the next class of service (if available).
• 25% Back on United Inflight Purchases — Applies to food, beverage, and Wi-Fi purchases when you pay with your card.
• Complimentary Avis President’s Club Status — Enjoy free 2-car class upgrades, guaranteed car availability, expedited rental service, and more.
• Earn Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) — Earn 25 PQPs for every $500 you spend on purchases, up to 1,000 PQPs each year, towards your United status.

Card Protections

Here is how your United Club Business card keeps you covered when things go wrong:

• Trip Delay Insurance — If your flight is delayed by 12 hours or more, you and any traveling companions are covered for up to $500 in unreimbursed expenses such as meals and lodging.
• Lost Luggage Insurance — If an airline loses your luggage, or items inside are damaged, you are covered for up to $3,000 per passenger.
• Baggage Delay Insurance — Receive up to $100 a day in coverage towards items such as clothes and toiletries for every day your baggage is delayed, up to 3 days total.
• Rental Car Insurance — Primary coverages that include theft and collision damage for most rental cars in the U.S. and abroad.
• Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance — If your trip is canceled or cut short by a covered situation, you can be reimbursed up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip for non-refundable expenses.
• Purchase Protection — Items purchased with the card are covered for 120 days from purchase against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
• Price Protection — If an item purchased in the U.S. is advertised for less than you bought it within 90 days, you can be reimbursed the difference up to $500 per item and $2,500 per year.
• Return Protection — Reimbursement for items that the store won’t take back within 90 days of purchase, up to $500 per item, $1,000 per year.
• Extended Warranty Coverage — Adds 1 year of additional warranty coverage to eligible warranties of 3 years or less.

How To Earn and Redeem Your United Miles

While the United Club Business card earns 2x points per $1 on United purchases and 1.5x points per $1 on all other purchases, it isn’t the only way to rack up United miles. You’ve actually got quite a lot of options when it comes to ways to earn more miles, so we’ve put together a guide that shows you the best ways to earn more United miles.

Once you’ve built up a nice balance of United miles, then comes the fun part of redeeming them! While there is no wrong way to redeem your miles, there are ways that are objectively better than others. With that, check out some of the best ways to redeem your United miles for max value.

Alternative Cards to the United Club Business Card

The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express

If you’re looking for an ultra-premium card with all of the bells and whistles, the Amex Business Platinum is likely to be the card for you.

ELEVATED OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express

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.

This card is ideal for business travelers who enjoy luxury travel and are looking for a card loaded with benefits!

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express

This card is ideal for business travelers who enjoy luxury travel and are looking for a card loaded with benefits!

Welcome Offer

Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.

150,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$3,300

Annual Fee

$695

APR

19.49% - 28.49% Variable

Credit Recommended

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)

Why We Like This Card

The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express is a premium travel rewards card tailored toward business owners who are frequent travelers with a high number of annual expenses.

When you factor in the large number of perks that the card offers like the best airport lounge access at over 1,400 lounges, along with tons of annual credits, it’s easy to see why this card can is a top option for frequent traveling business owners.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x Membership Rewards points per $1 on flights and prepaid hotels at Amex Travel
• Access to over 1,400 worldwide airport lounges as part of the American Express Global Lounge Collection
• Get 50% more Membership Rewards points (1.5 points per $1) on eligible purchases in key business categories, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more (cap applies)

Cons

• High annual fee of $695 (rates & fees)
• Airline fee credit does not cover airfare, only incidentals like checked bags

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Welcome Offer: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
• 5X Membership Rewards^® points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases.
• Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on each eligible purchase at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
• Unlock over $1,000 in statement credits on select purchases, including tech, recruiting and wireless in the first year of membership with the Business Platinum Card^®. Enrollment required. See how you can unlock over $1,000 annually in credits on select purchases with the Business Platinum Card^®, here.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to the Card.
• $189 CLEAR^® Plus Credit: Use your card and get up to $189 in statement credits per calendar year on your CLEAR^® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use the Business Platinum Card^®.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection^® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market as of 03/2023.
• $695 Annual Fee.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.49% - 28.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

This card is best in class when it comes to airport lounge access by giving you access to 8 different airport lounge networks including Amex Centurion lounges, Delta Sky Clubs when flying Delta, and Priority Pass lounges upon enrollment.

While the annual fee for the card is high, it also packs in a ton of value in annual credits for you to use each year. Plus, American Express Membership Rewards points are some of the most valuable points out there for those looking to redeem rewards for business and first-class award tickets.

United℠ Business Card

For those that are frequent United flyers, but don’t quite need the level of perks that the United Club Business card provides, the United Business card is a good middle ground.

United℠ Business 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.

A business card from Chase for United loyalists with benefits such as free checked bags and discounts on inflight purchases.

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

United℠ Business Card

A business card from Chase for United loyalists with benefits such as free checked bags and discounts on inflight purchases.

Welcome Offer

Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

Earn 75,000 bonus miles

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$900

Annual Fee

$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99

APR

21.99% - 28.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

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 Credit Recommended (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The United Business card is a compelling option for traveling business owners that are also frequent United flyers. Not only will the card help you earn more United miles, but it also offers great perks such as free checked bags, priority boarding, a discount on inflight purchases, and much more.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99.
• 2x miles per $1 on United purchases
• 2x miles per $1 on dining

Cons

• Doesn’t earn transferable rewards
• Other United cards are more rewarding for United purchases

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
• $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99.
• Receive a 5,000-mile "better together" bonus each anniversary when you have both the United℠ Business Card and a personal Chase United^® credit card.
• Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on United^® purchases, dining including eligible delivery services, at gas stations, office supply stores, and on local transit and commuting.
• Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. Plus, employee cards at no additional cost - miles earned from their purchases accrue in your account so you can earn rewards faster.
• Enjoy a free first checked bag - a savings of up to $160 per roundtrip (terms apply), 2 United Club(SM) one-time passes per year, and priority boarding privileges.
• $100 United^® travel credit after 7 United flight purchases of $100 or more each anniversary year.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 21.99% - 28.99% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

You’ll still earn the same 2x miles per $1 on United purchases, and still receive free checked bags, a 25% discount on inflight purchases, and priority boarding.

That said, while you’ll no longer have complimentary United Club access, you’ll still receive 2 United Club 1-time passes each year — all for a far more reasonable annual fee.