If you happen to maintain the United℠ Explorer Card (see charges and charges), you are more likely to fly comparatively usually with United Airways and worth the cardboard’s precedence boarding perk, checked bag privilege and two annual United Membership passes.
However what when you’re in search of extra advantages?
That is the place the United Quest℠ Card (see charges and charges) is available in.
Sure, the annual price is greater. Nevertheless, when you leverage the cardboard’s a number of assertion credit, Premier qualifying level (PQP) head begin and better incomes charges, there may very well be a robust argument for upgrading your card.
Remember, although, that the United Quest Card is at the moment providing the best welcome supply in its historical past, so now may very well be an excellent time to use for it outright. With the Quest, you may earn 100,000 bonus miles and three,000 Premier qualifying factors after spending $4,000 within the first three months of account opening.
You will not be eligible for the bonus when you improve from the United Explorer, so for now, you could need to apply outright and get the bonus as a substitute of upgrading.
Evaluating the United Explorer to the United Quest
Earlier than we get right into a deep dive about why you could need to improve your United card, this is a side-by-side comparability of every card’s advantages.
| Card | United Explorer | United Quest |
|---|---|---|
| Annual price | $0 introductory annual price for the primary yr, then $150 | $350 |
| Incomes charges |
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| United advantages |
|
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| Assertion credit |
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Associated: Who ought to (and should not) get the United Quest Card?
Why improve from United Explorer to United Quest
Now that you have seen a side-by-side comparability of the United Explorer and United Quest advantages, listed here are eight explanation why upgrading to the United Quest could also be the very best transfer for you.
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You are over 5/24 and might’t get the opposite card by a brand new utility
If you happen to determine you are prepared for the United Quest, you could be pressured to amass it by upgrading.
Why? That might be Chase’s 5/24 rule. If you happen to’ve opened 5 (or extra) bank cards with any issuer over the earlier 24 months, you may virtually definitely be denied when attempting to open a brand new Chase card, no matter your credit score rating or some other issue.
If you happen to encounter this utility restriction, you could not be capable to get the United Quest except you request a product change from one other United bank card. If you happen to’re over 5/24, you will not be capable to get the cardboard by making use of.
Associated: Need to open a brand new Chase card? Here is the way to calculate your 5/24 standing
You are fantastic with paying a better annual price
New candidates for the Explorer Card pay an introductory annual price of $0 for the primary yr and $150 every following yr. The Quest Card has an annual price of $350. That is a distinction of $200.
If you happen to’ve determined that Quest’s advantages outweigh its greater annual price, then you could be prepared for a product change.
You commonly spend cash with United and need to earn extra miles
The Quest Card earns 8 miles per greenback spent on United flights and three miles per greenback spent on all different United purchases. The Explorer earns 7 miles per greenback spent on United flights and a pair of miles per greenback spent on different United purchases.
If you happen to’re interested in what number of miles you may earn in a yr, think about how a lot cash you spent with United throughout the final 12 months. You’d earn an extra mile on all these purchases when you maintain the Quest.
So, when you spend ceaselessly or considerably with United, the maths might come out that it is a greater choice so that you can earn extra on that spending.
Associated: When does it make sense to spend on a cobranded bank card?
You may use United TravelBank money
United TravelBank is basically a financial savings account you should use to take care of funds for United purchases. You need to use money in United TravelBank to pay for flights with United or United Categorical or give it as a present. You need to use your funds alone or with most different fee varieties, and you’ll redeem funds from TravelBank with out a minimal stability requirement.
If this appears like the kind of service you’d take pleasure in utilizing, the United Quest offers a significantly better United TravelBank profit than the United Explorer.
With the Quest, you may obtain an automated $200 in United TravelBank money every account anniversary yr and after account opening. This basically wipes out greater than half of the $350 annual price.
In the meantime, the Explorer offers $100 in TravelBank money after you spend $10,000 on purchases in a calendar yr. With the Quest Card, it is automated, however with the Explorer, it is incentivized by spending.
You may have only a few bank cards and need to maximize the perks of every card
If you do not have a pockets stuffed with bank cards, you could end up leaning into the advantages of your one card greater than somebody who has a swath of playing cards with advantages to handle.
Each the United Explorer and the United Quest include an extended listing of assertion credit on all the pieces from Instacart and ride-hailing providers to resort stays booked by a journey portal and automobile leases with Avis and Funds.
The United Quest’s assertion credit are price extra, so if you end up seeking to maximize a number of assertion credit, you may get extra worth with the Quest.
Associated: United bank cards add assertion credit and better annual charges — is it price protecting your card?
You are chasing United elite standing
The United Quest Card offers higher PQP earnings towards United Premier standing than the United Explorer Card.
With both card, you’ll be able to earn 1 PQP for each $20 you spend, and your whole earnings are capped. Nevertheless, you’ve got a considerably greater threshold on the Quest than with the Explorer. You possibly can earn as much as 18,000 PQPs annually by spending on the United Quest. You possibly can solely earn as much as 1,000 PQPs with spending on the Explorer.
Plus, beginning in 2026, you may obtain a 1,000 PQP bonus award after Feb. 1 annually with the United Quest.
You examine 2 luggage when flying with United a minimum of 5 occasions a yr
The Quest Card affords two free checked luggage for you and a companion booked on the identical reservation. By comparability, the Explorer Card affords only one free checked bag per particular person for you and that companion.
So, ask your self this query: How usually do you examine a second bag in your journeys with United Airways?
If the reply is greater than 4 occasions per yr, getting a free second checked bag from the Quest Card could make sense.
When flying domestically with United or United Categorical, a second checked bag will value a minimum of $45 per particular person in every route (provided that you pay prematurely — including a second bag inside 24 hours of departure prices $50). Meaning you’d incur an extra $90 per round-trip flight.
The distinction in annual charges from the Explorer Card to the Quest Card is $200. If you happen to take two round-trip flights and a single one-way (5 whole flights), that is $225 for one traveler, which offsets the Quest’s $200 additional in annual charges.
Do not forget that no matter whether or not you’ve got the Explorer Card or the Quest Card, it’s essential to pay for the flight along with your United cobranded bank card to qualify for the free checked bag(s) profit.
Associated: These bank cards can get you free checked luggage in your subsequent flight
You spend greater than $20,000 on a United card annually
Each the United Explorer and the United Quest have some spend-incentivized perks. Nevertheless, if you are going to put a variety of spending on a United bank card, you are going to earn extra when you do it on the Quest.
After spending $20,000 on the United Explorer, you may obtain a ten,000-mile award flight low cost, which is an efficient profit.
Nevertheless, you may mechanically obtain one 10,000-mile award flight low cost with the United Quest — and you may obtain one other 10,000-mile award flight low cost when you spend $20,000 with that card.
If you happen to spend $40,000 on the United Quest, you can even obtain two world Economic system Plus seat upgrades, which is a strong incentive to maintain utilizing the cardboard.
And, as talked about above, your PQP incomes cap is eighteen occasions greater (18,000 to 1,000) on the United Quest.
Associated: Easy methods to get most worth from the United MileagePlus program
Issues that will not change when you improve
If you happen to improve from the United Explorer to the United Quest, there are lots of variations in advantages. Nevertheless, it’s price noting that some points stay the identical between each of those playing cards:
- No international transaction charges
- Precedence boarding privileges on United flights
- Journey and buy protections
- Earn 2 miles per greenback spent on eating and supply providers
- As much as a $120 reimbursement on an utility price for World Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus (legitimate each 4 years)
- A 25% low cost on inflight purchases when paying along with your card on United- and United Categorical-operated flights
Moreover, a advantage of upgrading your card (moderately than making use of for a brand new card) is that you’ll protect your credit score historical past on that account. Credit score age is likely one of the components that make up your credit score rating.
Associated: What is an efficient credit score rating?
What to think about earlier than you improve
Other than merely evaluating the advantages of your present card to the opposite card you are contemplating for a product change, there are some things you must take into consideration earlier than taking any motion.
Do not forget that you will not be eligible for a welcome supply on the United Quest when upgrading from the United Explorer. These affords are just for new purposes, not altering from an present card to a different bank card. If you happen to’d be eligible for a welcome bonus, think about whether or not (or how a lot) it issues to you that you simply forgo the bonus when altering to the brand new card.
If you happen to do need to earn the United Quest Card’s present bonus of 100,000 bonus miles and three,000 Premier qualifying factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months your account is open, you may have to submit a brand new utility.
As beforehand talked about, that is the United Quest’s best-ever welcome supply, so you could need to apply for that card outright whereas the bonus is working.
Additionally, keep in mind that the welcome bonus you earned once you opened your card has circumstances. You must at all times plan to maintain a bank card for a minimum of a yr to keep away from having the bonus factors or miles confiscated by the financial institution.
Associated: 4 main issues earlier than upgrading your bank card
Easy methods to improve from the Explorer Card to the Quest Card
If you happen to’re able to improve from the United Explorer to the United Quest, you may have to name the quantity on the again of your bank card. Clarify to the consultant that you simply need to improve your card to the Quest Card.
Be clear with the agent on the telephone that you simply need to change to the brand new card to make sure that Chase would not course of a brand new card utility or shut your present card by mistake.
The telephone consultant will usually have to learn you a compulsory disclosure. It will embody issues like adjustments in advantages, when your new card ought to arrive within the mail and necessary details about when you’ll begin paying the upper annual price.
Take note of the disclosure, and ask questions on something that appears unclear. When you conform to the phrases, the telephone agent will course of the change. You must be capable to proceed utilizing your present card till the brand new one arrives within the mail.
Associated: The last word information to bank card upgrades
Backside line
There’s by no means an ideal selection for all vacationers, however when you think about how a lot you fly with United and the way you worth every card’s perks, you could determine that the United Quest is well worth the improve.
If that sounds such as you, name the quantity on the again of your Explorer Card to provoke the method.
Associated: One of the best bank cards to make use of for United flights
