BEST CREDIT CARDSBEST CREDIT CARDSUNITED CLUB INFINITE CARD REVIEW: WORTH IT FOR LOUNGE LOVERS

United Club Infinite Card Review: Worth It for Lounge Lovers

Get unlimited access to United's airport lounges for less than the price of a stand-alone membership, along with free checked bags and a great rewards rate for United purchases.
Gregory Karp Author Avatar
Mar 12, 2024 11:43 a.m. PDT
Edited by
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4.5

NerdWallet rating
The bottom line:

If you consider lounge access a must-have and you frequently fly (and check bags on) United, then this card's jumbo annual fee can be a relative bargain. Occasional travelers should look elsewhere, maybe even to a different United card.

Pros
  • High rewards rate
  • Lounge membership
  • New cardholder bonus offer
  • Free checked bag
Cons
  • High annual fee
  • Rewards have limited flexibility
  • Requires excellent credit
United Club℠ Infinite Card Image
United Club℠ Infinite Card
Annual Fee

$525

Regular APR

21.99%-28.99% Variable APR

Intro APR

N/A

Rec. credit score

Apply Now
on Chase's website
on Chase's website

Annual Fee

$525

Regular APR

21.99%-28.99% Variable APR

Apply Now
on Chase's website
on Chase's website
  • Annual fee

    $525

  • Rewards rate

    1x-4x

  • Bonus offer

    Earn 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

  • Intro APR

    N/A

  • Ongoing APR

    APR: 21.99%-28.99% Variable APR

    Cash Advance APR: 29.99%, Variable

    Penalty APR: Up to 29.99%

  • Balance transfer fee

    Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

  • Foreign transaction fee

    $0

More details from Chase
  • Earn 80,000 bonus miles after qualifying purchases
  • Earn 4 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases
  • Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on all other travel and dining
  • Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
  • Free first and second checked bags - a savings of up to $320 per roundtrip (terms apply) - and Premier Access® travel services
  • 10% United Economy Saver Award discount within the continental U.S. and Canada
  • Earn up to 10,000 Premier qualifying points (25 PQP for every $500 you spend on purchases)
  • Member FDIC

Compare to Other Cards

ANNUAL FEE
$525
REGULAR APR
21.99%-28.99% Variable APR
INTRO APR
N/A
RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE
ANNUAL FEE
$0 intro for the first year, then $95
REGULAR APR
21.99%-28.99% Variable APR
INTRO APR
N/A
RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE
ANNUAL FEE
$95
REGULAR APR
21.49%-28.49% Variable APR
INTRO APR
N/A
RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE
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Detailed review: United Club℠ Infinite Card

For frequent flyers on United Airlines who enjoy escaping the hubbub and congestion of the airport terminal, the United Club℠ Infinite Card allows access to the carrier’s exclusive lounges.

The card also provides accelerated rewards on United purchases and some nice perks.

But that premium experience comes at a premium cost annually: $525.

The card is chock-full of features and benefits, but ultimately the decision comes down to whether you want unlimited United Club access, something no other credit card can provide.

United Club℠ Infinite Card: Basics

Card type: Airline.

Annual fee: $525.

Sign-up bonus: Earn 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Ongoing rewards:

  • 4 miles per dollar spent on United purchases.

  • 2 miles per dollar spent on all other travel.

  • 2 miles per dollar spent on dining.

  • 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.

NerdWallet values United miles at 1.2 cents each. This is a baseline value, drawn from real-world data on hundreds of economy routes, not a maximized value. In other words, you should aim for award redemptions that offer 1.2 cents or more in value from your United miles.

Interest rate: The ongoing APR is 21.99%-28.99% Variable APR.

Foreign transaction fee: None.

Perks:

  • United Club membership.

  • First and second checked bags free for you and a companion on your reservation.

  • Up to $100 Global Entry, TSA Precheck or NEXUS fee credit.

  • 25% off inflight purchases.

  • Premier Access travel services (see below).

  • A one-year complimentary DashPass membership for both DoorDash and Caviar. Terms apply.

🤓Nerdy Tip

This card underwent significant changes in March 2020. United Club℠ Card customers will not be automatically moved to the United Club℠ Infinite Card, according to the issuer. However, they can call Chase to ask whether they are eligible to switch. The old version of the card is no longer accepting applications.

Benefits and perks

Lounge membership

A regular membership to United Club airport lounges generally costs $650 a year. So if you’re planning to join anyway, it’s a no-brainer to get the credit card instead and save money.

Membership offers access to more than 45 United Club locations, as well to airport clubs of participating partners in the Star Alliance airline group. One-time passes to United Club lounges cost $59. So, based on lounge visits alone, you’ll need to enter the club about nine times to break even on the credit card’s annual fee.

In the lounges, many of which have been renovated in recent years, you’ll generally find bar service, light snacks, free Wi-Fi and usually quieter and more comfortable surroundings than an airport gate.

United Club members can bring one adult and dependent children under age 21, or up to two adult guests, according to membership rules. Authorized users on a card account do not receive their own United Club membership and are eligible for access only if they are traveling with the primary cardmember.

Sign-up bonus

Sign-up bonuses can change, but frequent-flyer miles you can earn as a new cardholder are usually enough for one, or even several, round-trip domestic flights in economy if you figure such flights cost 25,000 miles each. The current offer: Earn 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Rewards

The 4 miles per dollar spent on United purchases is especially good for an airline card and will help you rack up frequent-flyer miles as you buy airfare, for example. The double miles on non-United travel purchases and restaurant spending is good because the bonus categories are useful to travelers. And the definition of travel is nice and broad: airfare (non-United), trains, local transit, cruise lines, hotels, car rentals, taxicabs, resorts, ride shareservices and tolls.

However, spending on the card does not earn progress toward elite-flyer status on the airline like other premium airline cards offer. It also offers no annual companion certificate, like some other premium airline cards offer. As an example, Delta Air Lines' airport lounge credit card, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, offers both. Terms apply (see rates and fees).

Extra free bags and premier access

You and a companion traveling on your reservation can each get your first two checked bags free. The first bag typically costs $35; the second, $45. So this perk alone could save as much as $320 on a single round trip.

The top-tier United Airlines card also gives you and your companions on the same reservation more than priority boarding. It comes with Premier Access, a type of elite status that includes priority airport check-in, security screening (where available), boarding and baggage handling.

Global Entry, TSA Precheck or NEXUS credit

This statement credit for TSA Precheck, Global Entry or NEXUS is worth up to $100 every four years and can be used to cover your application fees for these programs. All statuses last for five years.

Other perks

The card includes numerous other benefits, such as 25% off onboard purchases when you pay with the card, primary rental car coverage, perks at some hotels and resorts and additional benefits at Avis rental cars.

As a Visa Infinite card, it also comes with perks offered by the Visa network.

Drawbacks and considerations

A high annual fee

The most obvious drawback is the card’s annual fee of $525. However, the fee is on par with other premium cards, including airline cards that offer airport lounge access.

United Club membership is the primary selling point of the United Club℠ Infinite Card. If you don't consider it important to park yourself in the lounge on every trip, take a look at this card's more basic sibling, the United℠ Explorer Card. It gives you two one-time United Club passes each year, along with a free checked bag for you and a companion, for an ongoing annual fee that's far lower: $0 intro for the first year, then $95. The sign-up bonus: Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

For the difference in annual fee, you can buy seven additional one-time passes to the lounge for a total of nine per year.

Limitations on free checked bags

The primary cardmember and one traveling companion on the same reservation are each eligible to receive their first two checked bags free. Two checked bags each is nice and might suffice for many trips, but many other airlines offer a free checked bag for far more travel companions. For example, American Airlines’ comparable card, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®, offers a free checked bag for the cardholder plus eight companions, potentially worth $540 roundtrip. And Delta Air Lines' lower-tier card, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, also offers free checked bags for a total of nine travel partners (terms apply — see rates and fees).

Less flexibility

If you mix your flying with other airlines, a general travel card might be a better fit. For those looking for premium perks, good choices include the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express.

For a lower annual fee in a general travel card, check out the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.

How the United cards stack up

For United loyalists, the other choices among consumer cards are the United Quest℠ Card, United℠ Explorer Card and the United Gateway℠ Card, which offer lesser rewards and perks without the big fee and without unlimited airport lounge access.

Here’s how the United Airlines consumer cards compare on key features:

United Gateway℠ Card

United℠ Explorer Card

United Quest℠ Card

United Club℠ Infinite Card

ANNUAL FEE

$0.

$0 intro for the first year, then $95.

$250.

$525.

BONUS OFFER FOR NEW CARDHOLDERS

Earn 20,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

Earn 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

FREE CHECKED BAGS

None.

First checked bag free for you and one companion on your reservation.

First and second checked bags free for you and one companion on your reservation.

First and second checked bags free for you and one companion on your reservation.

REWARDS ON SPENDING WITH UNITED AIRLINES

2 miles per $1.

2 miles per $1.

3 miles per $1.

4 miles per $1.

REWARDS ON OTHER SPENDING

• 2 miles per $1 at gas stations.

• 2 miles per $1 on local transit and commuting.

• 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases.

• 2 miles per $1 at restaurants.

• 2 miles per $1 on hotels (when booked directly with the hotel).

• 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases.

• 2 miles per $1 spent on all other travel (including other airlines, hotels, car rentals and more).

• 2 miles per $1 on dining (including takeout and delivery).

• 2 miles per $1 on select streaming services.

• 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases.

• 2 miles per $1 on all other travel.

• 2 miles per $1 on dining.

• 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases.

AIRPORT LOUNGE ACCESS

None.

2 United Club one-time passes each year.

None.

Annual membership to all United Club locations, plus select Star Alliance lounges.

CREDIT FOR TSA PRECHECK, GLOBAL ENTRY OR NEXUS

None.

Up to $100 every four years.

Up to $100 every four years.

Up to $100 every four years.

Alternate Pick: Lower fee
2 lounge visits a year for a lot less

Less-frequent United travelers should consider this option, which gives you a pair of one-time passes to the United Club each year plus a free checked bag for you and a traveling companion. You earn 2 miles per dollar on tickets purchased from United and 1 mile per dollar on everything else. There's a nice sign-up offer, too. Annual fee: $0 intro for the first year, then $95.

How to decide if it's right for you

Frequent flyers on United Airlines have one overriding reason to get the United Club℠ Infinite Card: United Club airport lounge access. It’s an easy decision to forgo the stand-alone club membership, which is more expensive, and instead get the card, which carries the same benefits. You’ll also get some enhanced perks over the lower-fee United co-branded card and nice bonus categories for reward miles. If United isn’t your go-to airline, a general travel card — some of which have premium features and similar fees — might suit you better.

To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, see this page.

To view rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, see this page.

To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, see this page.

Methodology

NerdWallet reviews credit cards with an eye toward both the quantitative and qualitative features of a card. Quantitative features are those that boil down to dollars and cents, such as fees, interest rates, rewards (including earning rates and redemption values) and the cash value of benefits and perks. Qualitative factors are those that affect how easy or difficult it is for a typical cardholder to get good value from the card. They include such things as the ease of application, simplicity of the rewards structure, the likelihood of using certain features, and whether a card is well-suited to everyday use or is best reserved for specific purchases. Our star ratings serve as a general gauge of how each card compares with others in its class, but star ratings are intended to be just one consideration when a consumer is choosing a credit card. Learn how NerdWallet rates credit cards.

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