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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 1444961 times)

Offline HoKo

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5740 on: November 01, 2021, 09:13:50 AM »
it worked! I booked the ticket and my reservation shows that I have a free checked bag. Only thing is that it didn't allow me to enter my Mileage plus number during the booking process. So I entered it after the ticket was purchased. And then I added that trip to my United account via "my trips" and now it shows a free bag

Congrats. Thanks for coming back and updating the thread.

Offline davidd75

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5741 on: November 16, 2021, 05:33:08 PM »
The offers for you on your online account seems to still bypass 5/24 as my DW was approved despite way above 5/24

Offline davidd75

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5742 on: November 22, 2021, 01:25:57 PM »
The offers for you on your online account seems to still bypass 5/24 as my DW was approved despite way above 5/24

anybody else with recent bypass success?

Offline Dan

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5743 on: December 21, 2021, 03:08:38 PM »
anybody else with recent bypass success?
UA and Southwest consumer cards haven't had 5/24 rules of late.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline HoKo

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5744 on: December 21, 2021, 04:51:05 PM »
UA and Southwest consumer cards haven't had 5/24 rules of late.

Thoughts about going for both (UA & WN) cards while 5/24 has been relaxed? Sort of feel like it's asking for trouble/putting eyes on my account with the 2nd app.

Offline as2

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5745 on: December 22, 2021, 04:12:01 PM »
Thoughts about going for both (UA & WN) cards while 5/24 has been relaxed? Sort of feel like it's asking for trouble/putting eyes on my account with the 2nd app.
Only one way to find out...
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Offline HoKo

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5746 on: December 22, 2021, 06:55:27 PM »
Only one way to find out...

Indeed, I already got approved for WN over 5/24...I don't think I'm gonna push it further

Offline yos9694

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5747 on: February 08, 2022, 06:28:00 PM »
Bought an award ticket on United but didn't use the Explorer card for the taxes. What are the odds in 2022 that I can get free checked bags at the airport by showing the card?

Offline Flash613

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5748 on: February 09, 2022, 04:23:25 PM »
If I am a united gateway holder may I apply for united explorer and get the bonus if I am not 5/24?

Offline HoKo

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5749 on: February 09, 2022, 04:29:21 PM »
If I am a united gateway holder may I apply for united explorer and get the bonus if I am not 5/24?

Yes

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5750 on: March 09, 2022, 03:29:14 PM »
Booking a UA Basic Economy flight for 6 people. Paying with MR, so using the card Explorer to pay is not an option. Is the carryon connected to the charge just like the bags are, or is it not contingent? Additionally, is the free carry on benefit for all companions, or is it limited to 2, like the bags are? TIA
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Offline ah giten

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5751 on: September 06, 2022, 03:08:54 AM »
Belongs in the "mistakes we make playing these games" thread....
I booked with TK on United, and I had in mind to pay the taxes with my UA CC, of course I just used another card.
Is there any way to change the payment with TK after it was issues?

2 agents I spoke to said it can't be done, unless I go down to a ticketing office. I tried via email, but didn't get back a response.

Any recourse?

Offline Shaya E

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5752 on: September 06, 2022, 01:38:29 PM »
Belongs in the "mistakes we make playing these games" thread....
I booked with TK on United, and I had in mind to pay the taxes with my UA CC, of course I just used another card.
Is there any way to change the payment with TK after it was issues?

2 agents I spoke to said it can't be done, unless I go down to a ticketing office. I tried via email, but didn't get back a response.

Any recourse?

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 EliyahuF

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5753 on: September 06, 2022, 07:53:07 PM »
Can I pay yearly fee with points? Or is that just with the United Quest?

Offline HoKo

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5754 on: September 06, 2022, 10:42:48 PM »
Can I pay yearly fee with points? Or is that just with the United Quest?

Yes you can do that. See here: https://choices.unitedmileageplus.com/


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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5755 on: September 14, 2022, 06:49:36 PM »
If I’m currently applying for a card, is there any way to get the benefits applied to I booking I want to make today? Can I get a temporary number? If not, is it any different if I apply during the booking process?

Offline Shaya E

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5756 on: September 15, 2022, 04:12:55 PM »
If I’m currently applying for a card, is there any way to get the benefits applied to I booking I want to make today? Can I get a temporary number? If not, is it any different if I apply during the booking process?
Sometimes your benefits get automatically added to your reservation even if you don't pay with the card. You can also use your card to pay for something small like a seat after you've made the reservation and sometimes that will attach your benefits. If you don't get it attached automatically sometimes the airport agents will attach it at check-in.

Thats all if you make the reservation and then get the card, obviously if you have a way to pay with the card to begin with that's better. I haven't been able to figure out the requirements but sometimes you can add a chase card to a mobile wallet as soon as you get approved for it

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5757 on: October 30, 2022, 12:00:55 AM »
If I book a united flight using chase points through the chase portal and pay a few dollars on the united card- should I get a free bag?  its not showing up on my united account as 1 bag free?

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5758 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.

Offline Yehudaa

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #5759 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.