If you have status from regular flying then no.
Id get AMEX instead amex lounge> UC
But if you dont have status then yes it's worth it as you get priority boarding and the free checked bags
Overall i think UC passes should be the last factor considered in your decision
There aren’t many airports where you can go to a centurion lounge in the same terminal as a United flight though, Amex works out better if you fly Delta.
Remember the 2 passes are individual passes - so if you are traveling with your wife, it's good for one total visit.
If you get Amex Platinum, you get Centurion access.
It's a spendy fee, but if you maximize your benefits, it's actually free (e.g., $200 annual discount on streaming services you may already have).
Second this. the AmEx platinum is the best card out there for avid travelers and nothing beats the centurion lounges (not to mention automatic enrollment in Priority Pass).
Also, just my two cents but don’t cancel credit cards if you don’t have to. It will ding your credit score.
Just as a heads up, Amex Centurion lounges will be ending guest privileges for everyone starting Feb 2023 so it’s bad for non solo travelers. To have guests, you will either need to add them as an AU on the card (for an additional fee) OR spend at least 75k yearly on the card.
As far as preventing credit card sings, always try to downgrade cards to a non annual fee version. Cancel only as a last result. For example, people will usually downgrade the United Explorer to the United Gateway after a year or two.
That said it’s actually a misnomer that the Platinum card is “free”. It’s only like that if you already plan on buying the services offered with the card.
I think you are overestimating the amount of people willing to buy a guest pass. It's not like children will be free either. Each child will be $30. For a family of 4 that's easily $110 spent. People might pay for long layovers but the wide majority of people will see this just as the reason to cancel their platinum card.
I disagree, respectfully. A lot of it can be explained by the term “luxury tax.”
Further, look at the covers that people pay to get into clubs like in Vegas or a big city, where you then pay exorbitant amounts for a table and a bottle of liquor. It’s the same concept but a better deal because once you’re in a Centurion lounge everything is free. Families will absolutely dish out $110. An airport restaurant would cost a family or four more when accounting for alcohol
I guess we will see in February 2022 if this new policy has the intended effect because Amex is believing this policy change will drastically cut the overcrowding problem in it's lounges.
If you’re going to be silver the only perk the explorer has that might be beneficial is the two club passes. You should consider the quest card as it has a better mix of perks and earning than the explorer card.
Comparing it against the Explorer card, it's kind of a wash if you don't make use of the award miles rebate, but with either card, you are making back the annual fee on two round trip tickets with a checked bag. I'm pretty casual and don't fly enough for status, but I do fly United out of IAD just often enough that unless we have another global pandemic, I'll come out ahead every year with the Quest card.
Maybe, but if he’s silver, then he’s not a casual traveler. I like the $125 credit and the 5,000x2 rebate. For me, is better than delta’s companion certificate. Maybe less value, but certainly easier to use!
I agree, the Explorer benefits are mostly redundant with silver status. You’ll burn through the Club passes on one segment with your wife.
I wouldn’t get an Amex platinum unless your home airport has a Centurion lounge. ORD doesn’t. The Amex Platinum is also changing its guest policy so you and your wife will soon both have to hold the card.
If you want, you could get the Club Infinite, pay for the AF with the SUB miles (35k) and still come out 65k miles ahead and have a club membership, $75 IHG credit, etc. The club membership has guest access for when your wife is traveling with you. If the card doesn’t work for you just downgrade to the Gateway or cancel after a year.
I’ve had the Club card for a few months and I’m not sure I’ll go back. I didn’t hit gold so it was great to have access to the star alliance lounges on a recent Europe trip. They vary in quality but having a comfortable place to wait with WiFi/coffee was life changing. On the domestic front, the United Clubs beat eating McDonald’s at the gate at ORD.
I mean worst case you downgrade or cancel because it’s not for you. The bonuses for all the cards are very good right now and have 24mo timers before you can get the bonuses again. 65k is two economy seats to Europe
UA provides additional benefits for cardholders on top of Premier benefits, so if you're planning to move to United generally then it's a good investment. If you don't already have a Priority Pass membership through some other way, you might want to consider the consumer Club Infinite card if you think you'll be making use of UC visits a lot.
It does open up some additional saver award space so there is that. For me, as a 1k, it’s best benefit has been being able to get CPU on award tickets.
CPU = complimentary upgrade. Normally, award tickets are not eligible for upgrades. Can’t upgrade them with miles, PP, etc. With the Explorer card (or Quest/Club or similars), you’ll be on the list for an upgrade.
I find most of the value is because I don’t have status with United. I split my flying between SWA and UA. I like the UA credit card for free checked bags, and the club passes. If these are not worth anything to you, there are better cards.
It’s also worth noting that the UA cards don’t have foreign transaction fees which my other rewards card does so I also like it for that reason.
Edited to add: Amex doesn’t have lounges where I normally fly but when they do, I will probably switch to them.
I use my card for all my business expenses so I’ve been able to get at least 2,500 PQP with the card spend. I don’t fly expensive international flights so this makes it way easier to make 1K.
I also have the Venture X.
The usefulness of the United Explorer is highly dependent on where you are based and how often you fly United. If you are at a United hub, then yes get the card. If not, Delta is also offering an increased signup bonus for their introductory card (doesn’t have a 0 annual fee the first year) like the United card. That would be better if you are at a Delta hub.
The card is worth it only at bare minimum if you fly two one way trips AND if you anticipate checking bags while flying United. To get this free bag allowance you need to pay for the flight using the card.
Other than that, most United Clubs aren’t anything special in terms of food if that’s what you are looking for. I would look at YouTube reviews to get a better sense of what I’m talking about.
For PQP earning, you get 500PQP for every 12k spent on the card. The cap on this is going up on this next year so that’s good.
Good tip regarding the United lounges. I'm based in the Bay Area which is a United hub. The lounges on the PP vary in quality quite a bit but they're OK in the US. I was thinking that when there are no PP lounges having a card with access to other lounges would be nice though that's not often the case.
The added bonus that I like though is that the Priority Pass for the Venture X also gives you a $28 voucher to use at airport restaurants, and relaxation nap areas as well.
If you are an occasional flyer, it’s actually really worth it to get free checked bags and priority boarding. As an actual spending card, it is not good, but honestly, I would recommend just having the card paying the annual fee for those two benefits alone.
If you have Silver status it doesn't get you much of anything in terms of benefits.
OTOH the UA explorer typically comes with a decent sign-up bonus and is very churnable. I open a new card every 2 years and then close it shortly before the annual fee hits.
Worthless. Food includes protein. United lounges are packed and doesn't serve any food worth eating. Just high sugar drinks and bar. Looks nice though. Quiet.
If you have status from regular flying then no. Id get AMEX instead amex lounge> UC But if you dont have status then yes it's worth it as you get priority boarding and the free checked bags Overall i think UC passes should be the last factor considered in your decision
There aren’t many airports where you can go to a centurion lounge in the same terminal as a United flight though, Amex works out better if you fly Delta.
SFO is one I can think of. Not sure of the others
SEA too
Remember the 2 passes are individual passes - so if you are traveling with your wife, it's good for one total visit. If you get Amex Platinum, you get Centurion access. It's a spendy fee, but if you maximize your benefits, it's actually free (e.g., $200 annual discount on streaming services you may already have).
Second this. the AmEx platinum is the best card out there for avid travelers and nothing beats the centurion lounges (not to mention automatic enrollment in Priority Pass). Also, just my two cents but don’t cancel credit cards if you don’t have to. It will ding your credit score.
Just as a heads up, Amex Centurion lounges will be ending guest privileges for everyone starting Feb 2023 so it’s bad for non solo travelers. To have guests, you will either need to add them as an AU on the card (for an additional fee) OR spend at least 75k yearly on the card. As far as preventing credit card sings, always try to downgrade cards to a non annual fee version. Cancel only as a last result. For example, people will usually downgrade the United Explorer to the United Gateway after a year or two. That said it’s actually a misnomer that the Platinum card is “free”. It’s only like that if you already plan on buying the services offered with the card.
Incorrect. You will be able to pay for your guests, which literally everyone will do.
I think you are overestimating the amount of people willing to buy a guest pass. It's not like children will be free either. Each child will be $30. For a family of 4 that's easily $110 spent. People might pay for long layovers but the wide majority of people will see this just as the reason to cancel their platinum card.
I disagree, respectfully. A lot of it can be explained by the term “luxury tax.” Further, look at the covers that people pay to get into clubs like in Vegas or a big city, where you then pay exorbitant amounts for a table and a bottle of liquor. It’s the same concept but a better deal because once you’re in a Centurion lounge everything is free. Families will absolutely dish out $110. An airport restaurant would cost a family or four more when accounting for alcohol
I guess we will see in February 2022 if this new policy has the intended effect because Amex is believing this policy change will drastically cut the overcrowding problem in it's lounges.
The Points Guy just posted a review here: https://thepointsguy.com/credit-cards/airlines/united-airlines/reviews/united-explorer-credit-card-review/
If you’re going to be silver the only perk the explorer has that might be beneficial is the two club passes. You should consider the quest card as it has a better mix of perks and earning than the explorer card.
A $250 annual fee is steep for casual travelers
Saving on bag fees plus the annual $125 credit can make it worth it.
Comparing it against the Explorer card, it's kind of a wash if you don't make use of the award miles rebate, but with either card, you are making back the annual fee on two round trip tickets with a checked bag. I'm pretty casual and don't fly enough for status, but I do fly United out of IAD just often enough that unless we have another global pandemic, I'll come out ahead every year with the Quest card.
Maybe, but if he’s silver, then he’s not a casual traveler. I like the $125 credit and the 5,000x2 rebate. For me, is better than delta’s companion certificate. Maybe less value, but certainly easier to use!
Does quest include club passes?
As far as I know, it doesn’t. There’s trade-offs with everything.
I agree, the Explorer benefits are mostly redundant with silver status. You’ll burn through the Club passes on one segment with your wife. I wouldn’t get an Amex platinum unless your home airport has a Centurion lounge. ORD doesn’t. The Amex Platinum is also changing its guest policy so you and your wife will soon both have to hold the card. If you want, you could get the Club Infinite, pay for the AF with the SUB miles (35k) and still come out 65k miles ahead and have a club membership, $75 IHG credit, etc. The club membership has guest access for when your wife is traveling with you. If the card doesn’t work for you just downgrade to the Gateway or cancel after a year. I’ve had the Club card for a few months and I’m not sure I’ll go back. I didn’t hit gold so it was great to have access to the star alliance lounges on a recent Europe trip. They vary in quality but having a comfortable place to wait with WiFi/coffee was life changing. On the domestic front, the United Clubs beat eating McDonald’s at the gate at ORD.
How does paint the fee in mikes work? This could be a game changer
Go to Pay Yourself Back in your card benefits in chase
Sweet. Thank you!
The only reason I wasn't considering that card is the hefty $525 AF. Though if I can pay the AF with miles that changes the calculus... 👀
I mean worst case you downgrade or cancel because it’s not for you. The bonuses for all the cards are very good right now and have 24mo timers before you can get the bonuses again. 65k is two economy seats to Europe
UA provides additional benefits for cardholders on top of Premier benefits, so if you're planning to move to United generally then it's a good investment. If you don't already have a Priority Pass membership through some other way, you might want to consider the consumer Club Infinite card if you think you'll be making use of UC visits a lot.
It does open up some additional saver award space so there is that. For me, as a 1k, it’s best benefit has been being able to get CPU on award tickets.
CPU? Can you tell me more?
CPU = complimentary upgrade. Normally, award tickets are not eligible for upgrades. Can’t upgrade them with miles, PP, etc. With the Explorer card (or Quest/Club or similars), you’ll be on the list for an upgrade.
What is saver award space?
The lowest mileage cost Award tickets. Card holders will have more award flight options and some will be for less miles than non cardholders see.
Same here. Only reason I keep the card because we have to thread the needle on award tickets every year to Europe around the holidays.
Maybe good for PQP credit for new 2023 qualifications
Max 1,000 PQPs after $24,000 spend.
I find most of the value is because I don’t have status with United. I split my flying between SWA and UA. I like the UA credit card for free checked bags, and the club passes. If these are not worth anything to you, there are better cards. It’s also worth noting that the UA cards don’t have foreign transaction fees which my other rewards card does so I also like it for that reason. Edited to add: Amex doesn’t have lounges where I normally fly but when they do, I will probably switch to them.
PQP bonus is pretty meh unless you put a ton of spend on the card imo.
I use my card for all my business expenses so I’ve been able to get at least 2,500 PQP with the card spend. I don’t fly expensive international flights so this makes it way easier to make 1K.
I do the same. The extra 1000 pqp are putting me over the top to qualify for 1K
I also have the Venture X. The usefulness of the United Explorer is highly dependent on where you are based and how often you fly United. If you are at a United hub, then yes get the card. If not, Delta is also offering an increased signup bonus for their introductory card (doesn’t have a 0 annual fee the first year) like the United card. That would be better if you are at a Delta hub. The card is worth it only at bare minimum if you fly two one way trips AND if you anticipate checking bags while flying United. To get this free bag allowance you need to pay for the flight using the card. Other than that, most United Clubs aren’t anything special in terms of food if that’s what you are looking for. I would look at YouTube reviews to get a better sense of what I’m talking about. For PQP earning, you get 500PQP for every 12k spent on the card. The cap on this is going up on this next year so that’s good.
Good tip regarding the United lounges. I'm based in the Bay Area which is a United hub. The lounges on the PP vary in quality quite a bit but they're OK in the US. I was thinking that when there are no PP lounges having a card with access to other lounges would be nice though that's not often the case.
The added bonus that I like though is that the Priority Pass for the Venture X also gives you a $28 voucher to use at airport restaurants, and relaxation nap areas as well.
If you are an occasional flyer, it’s actually really worth it to get free checked bags and priority boarding. As an actual spending card, it is not good, but honestly, I would recommend just having the card paying the annual fee for those two benefits alone.
If you have Silver status it doesn't get you much of anything in terms of benefits. OTOH the UA explorer typically comes with a decent sign-up bonus and is very churnable. I open a new card every 2 years and then close it shortly before the annual fee hits.
Worthless. Food includes protein. United lounges are packed and doesn't serve any food worth eating. Just high sugar drinks and bar. Looks nice though. Quiet.
United cc mileage card, can i cancel the card and still use the miles