United℠ Explorer Card
United℠ Explorer Card
Card details
Earn 60,000 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 $140 per roundtrip. Terms Apply.
Enjoy priority boarding privileges and visit the United Club℠ with 2 one-time passes each year for your anniversary
Get one-year complimentary DashPass, a membership for both DoorDash and Caviar that provides unlimited deliveries with $0 delivery fees and lower service fees on eligible orders. After that, you are automatically enrolled in DashPass at the current monthly rate. Activate by 12/31/24.
Rates, fees & offers
Annual fee
$0 intro for the first year, then $95
Rewards rate
1x-2x
Bonus offer
Earn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
Intro APR
N/A
Ongoing APR
APR: 20.74%-27.74% Variable APR
Cash Advance APR: 29.24%, Variable
Penalty APR: 29.99%, Variable
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
None
Recommended credit score
Compare to other cards
 United℠ Explorer Card | ||
|---|---|---|
| Learn more | Learn more | |
Annual fee$0 intro for the first year, then $95 | Annual fee$99 | Annual fee$199 |
Regular APR20.74%-27.74% Variable APR | Regular APRSee Terms | |
Intro APRN/A | Intro APR0% intro APR for 15 billing cycles on balance transfers made within 45 days of account opening. | Intro APRN/A |
Recommended Credit Score |
Recommended Credit Score |
Recommended Credit Score |
NerdWallet review
By Erin El Issa
Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This may influence which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.
Rating details
5
Editor's overall rating
Pros and cons
Pros
Bonus categories
Luxury perks
New cardholder bonus offer
Free checked bag
Cons
Has annual fee
Rewards have limited flexibility
United fliers, rejoice — the United℠ Explorer Card is a fantastic card to rack up the miles on your airfare and redeem them for free flights. It offers 2 MileagePlus miles per dollar spent on purchases from United; 2 miles per dollar spent on restaurant purchases and hotel stays; and 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases.
There's also a sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.. Miles can be used on any United flight, as well as flights on any of the other Star Alliance airlines. The United℠ Explorer Card boasts great United perks for cardholders, including a free checked bag for you and a traveling companion, priority boarding and two free United Club passes per year.
The United℠ Explorer Card has an annual fee of $0 intro for the first year, then $95, and no foreign transaction fees. The free checked bags could save you up to $120 per round trip, making up for the card's annual fee. This card is best for regular United fliers who check bags; otherwise, you're probably better off with a general travel card.
Want to learn more? Check out our full review of the United℠ Explorer Card for additional details.
