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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 1307780 times)

Offline Dovdovmoneytree

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5760 on: October 31, 2022, 02:34:25 PM »
I booked two separate flights one for myself and another for my wife and child. Paid both with United miles and paid taxes with my United card. Mine gives me a free bag, the other does not. Any idea why?? Both are economy.

Online Yehudaa

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5761 on: October 31, 2022, 02:39:57 PM »
I booked two separate flights one for myself and another for my wife and child. Paid both with United miles and paid taxes with my United card. Mine gives me a free bag, the other does not. Any idea why?? Both are economy.
Pretty sure the free checked bag from the United cards is only for cardholder and a companion on the same reservation.

Offline Dovdovmoneytree

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5762 on: October 31, 2022, 06:03:52 PM »
Pretty sure the free checked bag from the United cards is only for cardholder and a companion on the same reservation.

Oh, that explains it. I used my card for both flights... Thanks

It seems like just paying the taxes triggers the free bag, I always thought this was not so black on white?

Offline Shaya E

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5763 on: October 31, 2022, 06:46:13 PM »

It seems like just paying the taxes triggers the free bag, I always thought this was not so black on white?
Its actually very clear that it does. The blurry area is when booking through chase travel portal using UR and paying some of it with your card. According to the terms it shouldn't work but it usually does

Offline koslo

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5764 on: November 01, 2022, 01:38:44 PM »
can i get a business card while in 5 24

Offline Shaya E

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5765 on: November 01, 2022, 01:40:23 PM »
can i get a business card while in 5 24
Nope

But there were reports a while back about cobranded cards not always having 5/24 enforced. Don't know if that's still a thing though.

Offline alan519

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5766 on: December 04, 2022, 01:12:18 PM »
I always get the bummer end as I use Amex platinum with united as my preferred airline and lose the fee bag. Any ideas how to work that issue out?

Offline foseph

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5767 on: January 08, 2023, 02:11:25 PM »
Oh, that explains it. I used my card for both flights... Thanks

It seems like just paying the taxes triggers the free bag, I always thought this was not so black on white?
i guess i messed up a bit, if i used Chase pts for all the tix is there a way to add the card after the fact to get free bags?

Offline Shaya E

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5768 on: January 08, 2023, 02:57:43 PM »
i guess i messed up a bit, if i used Chase pts for all the tix is there a way to add the card after the fact to get free bags?
Sometimes paying any charge on the card will trigger the benefits. I'm not sure what the smallest charge is but some ideas can be paying for a seat or paying for a bag.

Offline UKinNYS

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5769 on: January 17, 2023, 04:15:36 PM »
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/17/united-airlines-ual-earnings-q4-2022.html
would love to have @Dan listen in to earnings call and report some nuggets!