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United MileagePlus Explorer Guide to Benefits

Matching is not guaranteed anymore YMMV

Personal Card
Public offer in the Bank is 50K+5K                            Sign up for the 30+5K offer. You can get matched to the higher offer by sending a secure message after you are approved to be matched to the 55K + $50 offer that you say your colleague received.

If its your:
First time: After you sign for the 30k + 5k for adding an AU offer, you can SM Chase to match you to the 55k + $50 offer.
2nd+: Sign up with a new Frequent Flyer # (FFN), and SM AFTER receiving the first 30k. Make sure to create the new FFN with United BEFORE submitting the Application to Chase, or they'll default to your previous number, even if you leave the field blank.

Make sure to add an AU to receive the final 5k, for a total of 55k +$50.

Business Card
On the business card, you can get matched to 50k.
Follow the same process as the personal card.
Note: There is no 5k bonus for adding an AU to the biz card, so when you SM, make sure to ask to be matched to the 50k offer, not a 55k offer which doesn't exist for this card.


It could take up to a week to get a response from the Secure Message Center

Here is a link within your United account, which some DDFers have reported to received a 50k offer for the Explorer card, and the annual fee waived for the Club Card.

If u have a UMPE card and NO status, then you can do upgrades from a coach pts booking to bus/1st pts booking for just incremental pt + taxes, no fees. If you don't have the card they said they'd charge the all-dreaded rebooking fee of $100/person (always the chance to get it waived).
« Last edited by Aerial Dag on July 02, 2019, 04:40:26 PM »

Author Topic: United MileagePlus Explorer Card  (Read 1614988 times)

Offline moka509

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5660 on: February 17, 2020, 10:28:10 PM »
I am looking to book a flight using United. The flight is pretty well priced relative to using united points so I was planning on using UR points instead to book the flight. Is there any way to book using UR and still get the benefits of my United business CC (e.g., first checked bag free, etc.) so I can purchase the basic economy ticket?

On a related note, if I have the united business card and was using that to purchase the tickets and getting those benefits, is there any reason to not purchase the basic economy tickets? Seems to me you get all the benefits except pre choosing a seat but I can always pay extra for that, still comes out less then getting reg economy.

Offline as2

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5661 on: February 18, 2020, 03:33:16 PM »
I am looking to book a flight using United. The flight is pretty well priced relative to using united points so I was planning on using UR points instead to book the flight. Is there any way to book using UR and still get the benefits of my United business CC (e.g., first checked bag free, etc.) so I can purchase the basic economy ticket?

On a related note, if I have the united business card and was using that to purchase the tickets and getting those benefits, is there any reason to not purchase the basic economy tickets? Seems to me you get all the benefits except pre choosing a seat but I can always pay extra for that, still comes out less then getting reg economy.
You can put a small part of the charge on your UA credit card. If you don't care for the seat selection, just book basic.
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Offline yelped

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5662 on: February 18, 2020, 08:08:03 PM »
You can put a small part of the charge on your UA credit card. If you don't care for the seat selection, just book basic.
Except that Chase Travel/Expedia use their own CC to make the payment. United does not see that you used their CC.

Offline as2

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5663 on: February 19, 2020, 12:25:43 PM »
Except that Chase Travel/Expedia use their own CC to make the payment. United does not see that you used their CC.
Speaking from experience? I was under the impression it worked with a small charge. Even if they don't recognize it as the card, you should be able to show them the charge or receipt.
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Offline yelped

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5664 on: February 19, 2020, 12:49:14 PM »
Speaking from experience? I was under the impression it worked with a small charge. Even if they don't recognize it as the card, you should be able to show them the charge or receipt.
Many people here reported it. I never tried it myself. You will have to fight with United to add the free baggage manually.

Offline BarryLincoln

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5665 on: February 19, 2020, 07:21:11 PM »
Except that Chase Travel/Expedia use their own CC to make the payment. United does not see that you used their CC.
+1

Offline farmbochur

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5666 on: February 19, 2020, 08:05:30 PM »
Risk is opportunity

Offline as2

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5667 on: February 19, 2020, 11:53:44 PM »
Good to know. Makes no sense that when booking via OTA you'll lose card benefits. UA should probably do something about that. Meh, who am I kidding.
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Offline moka509

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5668 on: February 20, 2020, 12:39:24 PM »
Thanks all. After much deliberation, ended up just booking using my United card and will save my points for later use. I booked basic economy and paid for advance seating. Came out a bit lower than standard economy and effectively the only difference is that I can't cancel or change the flight. The $ savings made it worth it.

Offline pointer

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5669 on: February 20, 2020, 12:41:51 PM »
Good to know. Makes no sense that when booking via OTA you'll lose card benefits. UA should probably do something about that. Meh, who am I kidding.
Makes a lot of sense. Just like hotels wont honor elite status, united is encouraging to book direct.

Offline as2

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5670 on: February 20, 2020, 12:56:20 PM »
Makes a lot of sense. Just like hotels wont honor elite status, united is encouraging to book direct.
The difference is, the hotels tell you, you only get the benefits when booking direct. UA says you need to put some/all of the charge on your card. If I book using my UA card, I'm entitled to my benefits, so it's not right that I should have to fight for them.
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Offline Jeremiah

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5671 on: April 13, 2020, 09:25:07 AM »
Not sure if this has been mentioned before but has anyone noticed the new united club infinite card? 100k sign up bonus

Offline justmeha

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5672 on: June 09, 2020, 12:55:50 AM »
if i get the club card does that prevent me from getting a bonus in the future (assuming i close it before i get a new united card)?
and if yes for how long?

Offline lcm

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5673 on: July 21, 2020, 08:16:14 PM »
My apologies if this question was asked before.
If the club card and the explorer both waive the AF for the first year, and I plan on downgrading to the no AF card after the first year, is there any reason not go for the club card?
Thanks

Offline pointer

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5674 on: July 21, 2020, 08:18:22 PM »
My apologies if this question was asked before.
If the club card and the explorer both waive the AF for the first year, and I plan on downgrading to the no AF card after the first year, is there any reason not go for the club card?
Thanks
No bonus points with the club card.

Offline lcm

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5675 on: July 21, 2020, 08:21:26 PM »
No bonus points with the club card.
What do you mean bonus points? Thought it has 75,000 sign up bonus?

Offline pointer

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5676 on: July 21, 2020, 08:24:05 PM »
What do you mean bonus points? Thought it has 75,000 sign up bonus?
Not with AF waived.

Offline yungermanchik

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5677 on: July 21, 2020, 08:28:28 PM »
The personal explorer card gives 40k points for a $2k spend and the business explorer card gives 60k for a $3k spend. The other benefits seem equal. Both have the fee waived for the first year. Assuming you can get to the $3k spend, is there any reason to get the personal over the business?
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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5678 on: July 21, 2020, 08:37:33 PM »
Not with AF waived.
You mean the bonus only posts once you pay the AF?!

Offline pointer

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5679 on: July 21, 2020, 09:00:44 PM »
You mean the bonus only posts once you pay the AF?!
There are different offers all the time.
The current offer is $0 intro AF.
 
Previously, the offer was 75000 (even 100k) miles but the AF was not waived.
« Last Edit: July 21, 2020, 09:05:35 PM by pointer »