Originally created in May 1981, United Airlines’ MileagePlus program is among the most well-established in the airline industry and has far-reaching benefits for its loyal members. Following the airline’s 2010 merger with Continental Airlines, the two carriers adopted MileagePlus as the new company’s loyalty program, allowing it to expand significantly.

With dozens of partner programs across the Star Alliance, MileagePlus has an extensive reach, making its coveted miles all that much more valuable to the average flyer. One of the fastest and most simple ways to acquire United Airlines’ miles is by opening an account with one of the carrier’s cobranded credit cards, all of which serve a unique sector of the market.

Notably, United currently offers 77 different international credit cards across countries that range from Uruguay to Japan, according to the company’s website. However, the airline offers four personal credit cards through its American banking partner, JPMorgan Chase & Co, all of which are incredibly popular in the United States, alongside a number of small business-focused credit cards.

When deciding which of these many credit cards could be right for you, there are a number of different factors that are necessary for one to consider. In this article, we will take a deeper look at what exactly comes along with the four credit cards offered by United Airlines.

United Gateway Card

Annual fee: $0

Mile accrual schedule:

1. 2 miles per $1 spent on United Airlines purchases
2. 2 miles per $1 spent on gas, local transit, or commuting
3. 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases

United’s least-known card is likely its Gateway Card, which is noteworthy for lacking an annual fee, something that can be appealing to some in the market. Likely aimed at those seeking a card that will help them accrue miles without committing to a sizable annual fee, the card does offer some benefits despite its relatively limited offerings.

For starters, the Gateway Card’s signup bonus is nothing to be excited about, at just 20,000 miles after an expenditure of $1,000 on the card within the first three months of the account being open. While generous when one considers the lack of an annual fee, the card’s accrual schedule is weaker in comparison to the other cards on this list.

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As with all United credit cards, those holding them are entitled to travel protection, as well as no foreign transaction fees when making purchases abroad. According to Nerd Wallet, the card is a nice introduction to United’s credit card network but lacks many of the key benefits provided by its premium offerings.

United Explorer Card

Annual fee: $95, waived first year

Mile Accrual Schedule:

1. 2 miles per $1 spent on United Airlines purchases
2. 2 miles per $1 spent on eligible hotel purchases
3. 2 miles per $1 spent on dining (including eligible delivery services)
4. 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases

The United Explorer Card is the airline’s standard offering and competes with other cards like Delta’s American Express Skymiles Gold for this largest sector of the market. With an annual fee of just $95, United beats out many of its competitors (including the Delta Amex Gold) in this category.

Photo: United Airlines

The real benefits of the Explorer Card, however, come with the travel experience, as the card offers passengers a free first-checked bag, alongside priority boarding and two one-time passes to the United Club, the airline’s premium lounge. The card’s welcome offer is generous as well, providing 50,000 bonus miles when one spends $3,000 in the first three months of an account being opened.

United Quest Card

Annual fee: $250

Mile accrual schedule:

1. 3 miles per $1 spent on United Airlines purchases
2. 2 miles per $1 spent on eligible hotel purchases
3. 2 miles per $1 spent on dining
4. 2 miles per $1 spent on all other travel purchases (including rideshare, gas, tolls, and other categories)
5. 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases

With such a superior accrual schedule, it is not difficult to see why the United Quest Card comes along with a higher annual fee. Considering that the card offers a $125 statement credit for eligible United purchases, it offers significantly increased benefits for around the same total fees as the Explorer card.

According to the Chase website, the card’s welcome offer is fairly generous at 60,000 bonus miles, alongside 500 premier qualifying points. In addition, the card also offers two free checked bags, alongside a number of other statement credits and travel benefits.

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United Club Infinite Card

Annual fee: $525

Mile accrual schedule:

1. 4 miles per $1 spent on United Airlines purchases
2. 2 miles per $1 spent on eligible hotel purchases
3. 2 miles per $1 spent on all other kinds of travel
4. 2 miles per $1 spent on dining
5. 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases

The clear and most obvious selling point of the United Club Infinite Card is undoubtedly its included membership to the United Club, the airline’s premium lounge. However, the card does offer a number of other benefits that help support its hefty annual fee.

Photo: United Airlines

For starters, the signup bonus for this card is rather high, at 80,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 in the first three months, which is offered alongside a slew of other credits, anniversary bonus miles, and travel benefits. However, the welcome offer does not include premier qualifying points, making the Quest card better for one seeking to gain higher United status.