I’ve added the United Airlines MileagePlus Club credit card from Chase to my page dedicated to mile and point earning credit cards. While this card doesn’t offer bonus miles for signing up like the MileagePlus Explorer card does, there are many other benefits that are equally appealing depending on your travel habits. Among them:
- Annual United Club membership (up to a $475 value): As a MileagePlus Club Card member, you and your eligible travel companion have unlimited access to more than 50 United Club locations, as well as access to participating Star Alliance® affiliated lounges around the globe.
- Premier Access travel services: Save time at the airport with priority check-in, security (where available), boarding and baggage handling benefits.
- Check your first and second bag for free: You and a companion can each check your first and second standard bag for free on United flights when you pay for your tickets with the Card (a savings of up to $240 round trip).
- Earn 1.5 award miles per $1 spent; 2 award miles per $1 spent on United purchases.
- Your miles don’t expire as long as you’re a cardmemeber: You keep them until you use them.
- You won’t pay close-in booking fees on award tickets: As a MileagePlus Club Card member, you can book United award tickets for close-in dates without having to pay an additional booking fee.
- Use miles for any seat, any time, on any United flight: There are no restrictions or blackout dates. If seats are available for sale, they can be redeemed at the MileagePlus Standard Award level – a benefit reserved for Card members and MileagePlus Premier members.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Receive special treatment with Hyatt Hotels & Resorts and Avis: Accept the invitation to join an exclusive Avis® program and also enjoy automatic enrollment in the Platinum Level of Hyatt’s Gold Passport®.
- Enjoy Luxury Collection Hotel & Resort privileges: Stay in style with room upgrades, complimentary breakfast and other special Cardmember-only amenities at more than 700 of the finest hotels, resorts and spas in the United States and around the world.
The annual fee is $395, but they are currently offering a $95 statement credit after your first purchase. The current APR for this card is 15.24% variable.
As other bloggers have pointed out, this card has some core advantages over the United Explorer card (excluding the obvious United Club membership), including the elimination of foreign transaction fees, an extra 0.5 miles per dollar spent on regular purchases and allowing two checked bags for free instead of one.
Why don’t they give any bonus miles with approval on this card?
@Jason: They decided to market this card featuring the “free” annual club membership in lieu of bonus miles like the Explorer card. Some may value that more than the “up to” 40k miles on the other card.
I don’t see the point of this card. If you want club access then you probably travel a lot and are a frequent flyer. If so then you have most of the other benefits otherwise. Seems like United don’t understand the needs of their FFs.
If you are a heavy domestic flyer, even a 1K, you don’t get club access, so this is a great deal because it is about the same price as a membership, but it has 1.5x points, Hyatt Platinum, and other perks. Apparently the whole first year fee is waived in some offers, I think it was Mommy Points that had a post about that, but I’m not sure.
I’ve written about getting the fee waived the first year, but I believe the offer I found (through Million Mile Secrets) is targeted to 1Ks.
http://hackmytrip.com/2012/04/14/spring-app-o-rama/
There are also some discount codes inside the clubs (which presumes you already have membership). I think it’s worth it if you don’t already have the membership, but the remaining perks aren’t especially valuable. If you are high status though, this card is better than the UA Explorer card IMO.
@Kris @Scottrick: Yes, there are first year fee waivers out there. They’re on the applications located in United’s Red Carpet Clubs… oops… United Clubs in the airports. I’ll look to see if I can pick some up next week when I’m there.
i only wish there were a chip & signature or chip & pin option for this card…
“Yes, there are first year fee waivers out there.”
Are these waivers regardless of status?
The first year free offer is, to my knowledge, only available in the brochures found inside United Club locations. If you are not a member of the club, you can still pop in and ask for a club card brochure.