Who ought to (and should not) get the United Quest card?

Metro Loud
10 Min Read


United Airways has a stable bank card lineup consisting of 4 private playing cards, with the United Quest℠ Card (see charges and costs) discovering itself in a candy spot.

This mid-tier product sits between the United℠ Explorer Card (see charges and costs), with a $0 introductory annual price for the primary 12 months after which a $150 annual price, and the United Membership℠ Card, with a $695 annual price (see charges and costs).

The Quest Card contains a $350 annual price and lots of perks for semifrequent United flyers.

Past the preliminary welcome bonus, let’s dig a little bit deeper to see who ought to — and who should not — get the United Quest Card.

Key advantages

New candidates can earn 100,000 bonus miles and three,000 Premier qualifying factors after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.

Based mostly on TPG’s July 2025 valuations, the bonus factors are value $1,300 (not together with the PQPs). That is the very best ever supply we have seen on this card, because of the beneficiant quantity of bonus PQPs.

Whereas the welcome supply could also be sufficient motive to get you on board, the United Quest Card additionally has different perks that can doubtless make you wish to maintain on to it for the long term, together with:

  • $200 credit score: After account opening and every anniversary 12 months, cardholders will obtain $200 in United TravelBank money that can assist offset the $350 annual price.
  • As much as 20,000 miles in award flight reductions: Mechanically get a ten,000-mile low cost every cardholder anniversary (starting along with your first anniversary). You’ll be able to then earn one other 10,000-mile low cost after spending $20,000 in a calendar 12 months.
  • Checked bag profit: Two free checked baggage for the cardholder and a companion on the reservation.
  • Boarding and improve privileges: Precedence boarding and complimentary space-available upgrades when flying on award tickets, when you have United elite standing.
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
  • Resort credit score: As much as $150 in credit for Famend Accommodations and Resorts
  • Airline credit score: As much as $150 in JSX credit
  • Rental automobile credit score: As much as $40 every in United TravelBank Money for the primary two Avis or Finances automobile leases booked by means of United Vehicles every account anniversary 12 months
  • Experience-hailing credit score: As much as $8 in month-to-month assertion credit for ride-hailing companies, plus a bonus of $4 (for a complete of $12) in December.
  • Seat upgrades: Earn two world Financial system Plus upgrades after spending $40,000 on purchases every calendar 12 months in your card
  • As much as a $120 credit score for International Entry or TSA PreCheck each 4 years
  • 25% again on United inflight purchases (contains Wi-Fi, meals and drinks)
  • No overseas transaction charges
  • Journey cancellation/interruption insurance coverage and journey delay reimbursement
  • Buy safety

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The $200 in TravelBank money is a superb card profit that helps cowl many of the Quest’s $350 annual price. In the meantime, the cardboard presents two checked baggage free, a profit that can also be discovered on the costlier $695-per-year United Membership Card.

United planes on tarmac
GARY HERSHORN/GETTY IMAGES

The opposite perks — comparable to 25% again on United inflight purchases, no overseas transaction charges, a International Entry or TSA PreCheck credit score and journey protections — are additionally discovered on each the United Membership and Explorer.

Bonus class incomes charges

The United Quest Card has a reasonably broad array of bonus classes. You may earn:

  • 8 miles per greenback spent on United flights (5 miles for being a MileagePlus member and three for being a Quest cardholder)
  • 5 miles per greenback spent on pay as you go resorts booked by means of Famend Accommodations and Resorts
  • 3 miles per greenback spent on United purchases
  • 2 miles per greenback spent on all non-United journey
  • 2 miles per greenback spent on eating and choose streaming
  • 1 mile per greenback spent on all different purchases

Who ought to get the United Quest Card?

In the event you’ve determined you need a United card, let’s slender down why the United Quest Card is likely to be the very best match for you.

You fly United semi-frequently

There are key variations among the many United Explorer, Quest and Membership playing cards.

In less complicated phrases, the Explorer card matches the “occasional United flyer” a few times per 12 months mould, Quest cardholders match the “semifrequent United flyer” class and most Membership cardholders are “frequent United flyers” who get pleasure from lounge entry.

Taking a deeper dive into the advantages, nonetheless, reveals that the Quest Card is (principally) a superior card to the Explorer Card, although you have to to fly United a handful of instances per 12 months to actually make the cardboard value it.

United Premier Access check-in
ZACH HONIG/THE POINTS GUY

The Explorer Card’s solely tangible benefit is 2 one-time United Membership passes (that the first or approved cardholder have to be current to redeem) yearly and, after all, a decrease $150 annual price (that does not apply throughout your first cardholder 12 months).

However for semifrequent United flyers, you may simply offset the Quest Card’s $350 annual price. The $200 in TravelBank money must be straightforward to make use of and canopy a big portion of the annual price.

Lastly, if you’re a heavy packer — and ever plan to test two baggage — the Quest Card must be in your listing.

Who should not get the United Quest Card?

You need United Membership lounge entry

In order for you entry to United Membership lounges, the Quest is probably going not a great match for you. It doesn’t include any lounge privileges, and you aren’t getting any visitor passes.

United Club LGA Terminal B
The United Membership at LaGuardia Airport (LGA). BRENDAN DORSEY /THE POINTS GUY

As a substitute, contemplate the United Membership Card. The perennial perk of the Membership Card is a United Membership membership, which generally prices $750 per 12 months for a common United MileagePlus member. As a substitute, you may pay $695 per 12 months and get entry to United Golf equipment for the first cardholder and one grownup companion and any youngsters underneath the age of 18 for so long as you maintain the cardboard.

You are over 5/24

To be able to be permitted for any Chase card topic to its 5/24 rule — together with the United Quest Card — you can not have opened 5 or extra private bank cards throughout all banks within the final 24 months. In the event you’re over 5/24, contemplate a card from one other issuer.

Associated: What to do after you attain 5/24

You do not worth United miles

In the event you do not personally contemplate United miles a beneficial foreign money, then the United Quest Card most likely does not make sense for you. As a substitute, you may take a look at a transferable factors card, such because the Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card (see charges and costs), that gives extra redemption flexibility.

Backside line

For many who plan to fly United, the United Quest Card is a terrific, mid-tier possibility. The $200 United journey credit score per 12 months makes the $350 annual price value it, particularly since it is a distinctive perk that is not duplicated on the opposite United bank cards. Plus, the wonderful limited-time welcome supply makes this card much more engaging.

To be taught extra, learn our full evaluate of the United Quest Card.


Apply right here: United Quest Card


Associated: The perfect bank cards for flying United

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