The New United℠ Explorer Card vs. The New United Quest℠ Card
While the Explorer card can be an approachable starter card, The New United Quest℠ Card could make sense for the more devoted traveler. It comes with a steep $350 annual fee but much richer benefits. Every year, cardholders receive $200 in United TravelBank cash and a 10,000-mile award discount, so your next airfare purchase will be more affordable, whether you’re paying with cash or miles.
Another selling point of the Quest card is its Premier qualifying points benefit. Cardholders will receive 1,000 PQPs each qualifying year, starting in 2026, just for having a card account open and in good standing. You’ll earn another 1 PQP for every $20 spent on the United Quest card, up to 18,000 PQPs per year. Loyal United flyers seeking status will find these benefits invaluable.
The New United℠ Explorer Card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Many of Chase’s premium cards earn Ultimate Rewards® points, which are freely convertible to airline miles including United. That makes the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card an intriguing alternative way to earn United airline miles. Its $95 annual fee is slightly more affordable than holding the United Explorer, and its rewards opportunities are stronger, too: You’ll earn 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2 points per dollar on all other travel purchases and 1 point per dollar on other purchases.
Where this card stands out, though, is the option to have greater flexibility in redeeming points. Instead of being locked into United miles, you can transfer them to various other airlines or hotels, redeem points at 1.25 cents through the Chase Travel booking portal or choose cash back at a flat rate of 1 cent per point.
By choosing the Sapphire Preferred, you’ll lose out on United-specific benefits (like free checked bags) but can still enjoy general travel perks like no foreign transaction fees, trip protections and a $50 annual credit toward hotels booked with Chase Travel.
The New United℠ Explorer Card vs. AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®*
If you’re not loyal to United Airlines and are open to earning miles with another airline, the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®* has some advantages over what the United Explorer offers. Right off the bat, its welcome offer is one of the easiest to earn in the market. You’ll get 60,000 bonus miles after your first purchase and paying the $99 annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days of account opening. The earning rates on this card are otherwise uninspiring, with nearly every purchase earning a single mile per dollar spent.
That leaves the benefits when flying as the primary reason to choose this card. You’ll get the first bag free for up to four companions on the same reservation, with preferred boarding, statement credits on in-flight Wi-Fi purchases and discounts on food and beverage onboard. Another major advantage of this card is its balance transfer offer, which the United Explorer does not offer: 0% intro APR on eligible balance transfers for 15 billing cycles, followed by a regular APR of 21.24% – 29.99% variable APR on purchases and balance transfer. Balance transfer must be completed within 45 days of account opening and a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, applies.