United Membership Card overview
The United Membership℠ Card (see charges and charges) is the best card for United Membership lounge entry — bar none. This card makes quite a lot of sense for avid United followers, however those that do not fly the airline not less than a number of occasions a 12 months will battle to get optimistic worth out of the annual price. Card ranking*: ⭐⭐⭐
* Card ranking relies on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.
Premium airline playing cards have gotten extra widespread. United Airways’ providing on this area, the United Membership, has a $695 annual price that may sound excessive till you issue within the United Membership membership included with it. Membership usually prices $750 per 12 months for nonelite members.
Most airline playing cards solely supply 2-3 factors or miles per greenback spent on airline purchases, however the United Membership Card units the usual with its spectacular incomes charges. Moreover, it gives a variety of advantages that may improve your United expertise, from safety to touchdown, making it extra pleasant.
The really helpful credit score rating for the United Membership card is not less than 740, however it might be potential to get authorised with a decrease credit score rating.
Let’s dive into the top-tier United Membership Card to see if it is smart for you.
United Membership professionals and cons
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United Membership welcome supply
New candidates for the United Membership Card can earn 90,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months after account opening.
Primarily based on TPG’s November 2025 valuation of United miles at 1.4 cents per mile, these bonus miles are price a strong $1,260. This bonus is simply 10,000 miles shy of the very best welcome supply we have seen on this card.
Moreover, you are solely eligible for welcome bonuses for this card as soon as each 24 months. Listed below are the precise eligibility phrases:
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“This card product is offered to you should you shouldn’t have this card and haven’t acquired a brand new Cardmember bonus for this card previously 24 months.”
This can be a Chase-issued card, which implies it is topic to the issuer’s notorious 5/24 rule. In case you have opened 5 or extra card accounts previously 24 months (throughout all issuers, not simply Chase), you’ll most likely be denied for this one.
Associated: One of the best playing cards to get after you hit 5/24
United Membership advantages
The United Membership Card affords a variety of advantages, together with assertion credit and journey protections, that may assist offset its excessive annual price.
United Membership membership
The spotlight of the United Membership Card is a United Membership membership, which gives limitless entry to over 45 United Membership places worldwide.
You will additionally be capable of deliver up one visitor and any dependents below the age of 21. Contemplating this profit prices as much as $750 every year, this perk alone makes up for the cardboard’s $695 annual price. That stated, this profit does not imply a lot should you aren’t going to go to a United Membership not less than a number of occasions every year.
Cardholders can unlock a United Membership All Entry membership by holding MileagePlus Premier Gold standing or spending $50,000 on their card in a calendar 12 months. United Membership membership is cut up into two tiers, with All Entry membership being the upper tier. A United Membership All Entry membership consists of two complimentary company and Star Alliance lounge entry.
Moreover, should you earn a United Membership All Entry membership and add a certified consumer, you may be granted 4 one-time United Membership passes. Nonetheless, to make use of these passes, the first cardholder or approved consumer should be touring with the visitor.
For many, these one-time passes will probably be arduous to make use of (except you incessantly journey with a big get together) since you possibly can already herald two company without spending a dime with a United Membership All Entry membership.
Trusted Traveler price credit score
In case you do not have already got International Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus, the United Membership Card will refund your utility price (as much as $120) as soon as each 4 years. Vacationers who have already got the profit can all the time reward this perk to a member of the family or pal.
Different assertion credit
Cardholders will obtain the next assertion credit every year:
- As much as $200 for Famend Inns and Resorts for United cardmember bookings. By reserving by this resort assortment, cardholders can get pleasure from unique advantages like a complimentary each day breakfast for 2 and room upgrades, if obtainable. (Cardholders should prepay for his or her reserving to obtain their assertion credit score.)
- As much as $150 for ride-hailing purchases, doled out as $12 every month from January to November and $18 in December. (Yearly activation is required.)
- As much as $100 in United TravelBank money for Avis and Funds automotive leases booked by automobiles.united.com and paid for with this card and as much as $50 in TravelBank money per rental.
- As much as $200 in JSX assertion credit when reserving straight with JSX.
- As much as $240 in Instacart assertion credit for purchases made straight by Instacart with this card, given as two $10 credit every month (by Dec. 31, 2027).
IHG Platinum Elite standing
The first United Membership cardholder is eligible for complimentary Platinum Elite standing with IHG One Rewards. Perks at this standing stage embody complimentary room upgrades, prolonged checkout and bonus factors on stays.
Associated: The award vacationers information to IHG One Rewards
Elitelike perks
The cardboard comes with the next flight-related perks:
- Two free checked luggage (for the first cardholder and one journey companion on the identical reservation paid for with the cardboard)
- Premier Entry (which incorporates precedence check-in, safety screening, boarding and baggage dealing with the place obtainable)
- 25% again on United inflight purchases
- Expanded award availability
These perks will not be as compelling when you have United elite standing, however they’re priceless for many who have but to earn it.
Frequent United flyers, notably those that stay near airports with a United Membership, can discover worth within the perks that associate with this card’s greater annual price.
Elite standing spending shortcut
United Membership Card holders can earn as much as 28,000 Premier qualifying factors per calendar 12 months. You will additionally earn 1 PQP per $15 spent in your card. After all, that can require spending a whopping $420,000 to totally maximize, however it nonetheless is perhaps inside attain for some.
Beginning in 2026, cardholders may also get a bonus of 1,500 PQPs every year as a jump-start to incomes United elite standing.
10% mileage low cost on United financial system saver awards
The first United Membership Card member may also be capable of e book United financial system saver awards on United flights inside the continental U.S. and Canada for 10% fewer miles than awards obtainable to most people.
In case you are a Membership Card holder, you will note the mileage distinction as soon as logged in to your MileagePlus account. For instance, a saver award could present as 5,000 miles if you find yourself not signed in, however the identical award will present as 4,500 miles if signed in to your account.
This dietary supplements the prevailing perk of entry to expanded award availability for all United cobranded cardholders. Understand that the ten% mileage low cost is offered on cheaper United bank cards.
Award flight reductions
Cardholders can earn a ten,000-mile low cost on award tickets after spending $20,000 every calendar 12 months with their United Membership card (legitimate as much as two occasions per calendar 12 months for 20,000 miles).
Journey and buy protections
With this card, you will get varied journey safety advantages, together with:
Rental automotive privileges
Major cardholders can join a complimentary Avis President’s Membership membership, which generally requires a major quantity of spending with Avis. President’s Membership members obtain complimentary upgrades of two automotive courses (topic to availability), assured automotive availability once you e book not less than 24 hours prematurely and expedited rental service.
DoorDash
Cardholders get a complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership, which gives limitless DoorDash and Caviar deliveries with $0 supply charges and decrease service charges on eligible orders, for one 12 months. (It’s essential to activate it by Dec. 31, 2027.)
Instacart
Cardholders obtain a complimentary Instacart+ membership, which incorporates limitless supply and $0 supply charges on eligible orders. (Activation by Dec. 31, 2027, is required to benefit from this profit.)
Associated: Flights, bank cards and extra: The right way to earn miles with the United MileagePlus program
Incomes miles on the United Membership
The incomes charges on the United Membership are a part of what finally units it aside from different cobranded airline bank cards.
Cardholders earn:
- 9 miles per greenback spent on United flights (5 miles earned as a MileagePlus member, plus 4 miles earned from having the Membership Card)
- 5 miles per greenback spent on resort stays booked by Famend Inns and Resorts once you prepay in your reserving
- 4 miles per greenback spent on all different United purchases
- 2 miles per greenback spent on all different journey purchases
- 2 miles per greenback spent on eating
- 1 mile per greenback spent on all the pieces else
Since Chase is the issuer, this card’s journey and eating classes are broadly outlined, simply as they’re with Chase Final Rewards bank cards just like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and charges) and the Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card (see charges and charges). Meaning you will have a neater and fewer annoying time determining when to make use of your card.
In case you have both of those playing cards, you will wish to use them for basic journey and eating spending, as TPG’s November 2025 valuations point out that Chase Final Rewards factors are price greater than United miles.
However should you do not have already got both of these playing cards, you will nonetheless be capable of earn rewards on these purchases with the United Membership Card.
Redeeming miles on the United Membership
When you’re able to redeem miles, United does have some candy spots in its MileagePlus program. United would not publish an award chart, which implies award redemption charges could be unpredictable.
Nonetheless, there are different methods to search out worth in this system, equivalent to reserving associate awards with United miles. United would not cross on gasoline surcharges on associate awards, so it can save you lots of of {dollars} per ticket when reserving awards like first-class tickets on Lufthansa by United.
I just lately redeemed 84,700 United miles for a Polaris enterprise class improve on a flight between Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport (EWR) and Cape City Worldwide Airport (CPT), a improbable deal contemplating the flight was over 15 hours lengthy.
Miles aren’t simply nice for business-class worldwide flights, however may also be very helpful for home journeys.
Which playing cards compete with the United Membership?
There are a variety of playing cards which might be aggressive with the United Membership:
- In order for you a decrease annual price: The United℠ Explorer Card (see charges and charges) is filled with helpful perks equivalent to a International Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus utility price assertion credit score, two annual one-time United Membership passes and your first checked bag free — simply justifying its affordable $150 annual price ($0 introductory price for the primary 12 months). To study extra, learn our full overview of the United Explorer.
- In order for you a extra all-around card: The Chase Sapphire Most popular Card is likely one of the best-known journey rewards bank cards. It earns bonus factors on widespread spending classes like journey and eating. Plus, cardholders can entry Chase’s 13 switch companions to maximise the worth of their rewards. To study extra, learn our full overview of the Sapphire Most popular.
- In order for you tons of perks: The Platinum Card® from American Categorical is likely one of the high premium journey rewards playing cards. As a cardmember, you will earn priceless Membership Rewards factors, obtain a variety of annual assertion credit every calendar 12 months and luxuriate in entry to an intensive community of airport lounges worldwide. (Enrollment is required for choose advantages and phrases apply.) To study extra, learn our full overview of the Amex Platinum.
For extra choices, take a look at our full record of the very best United journey playing cards and the very best airline playing cards.
Associated: Why you will wish to pay the $95 annual price on the Chase Sapphire Most popular
Backside line
In case you fly on United flights a number of occasions every year, the United Membership Card is price contemplating regardless of its excessive annual price. You will get nice incomes charges for a cobranded card, a robust lineup of perks and assertion credit, United Membership entry and strong journey protections.
Remember to take this chance to start out stockpiling MileagePlus miles in your subsequent dream vacation spot with this welcome supply.
Apply right here: United Membership Card
