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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 1464588 times)

Offline shmu

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #1600 on: May 05, 2013, 03:28:53 PM »
when I activated my card and asked to add a employee card they said there is a $25 annual fee for that.
 

Offline Shmulyg

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #1601 on: May 05, 2013, 03:30:22 PM »
when I activated my card and asked to add a employee card they said there is a $25 annual fee for that.
HUCA. It's free.

Offline Nafster

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #1602 on: May 05, 2013, 04:21:18 PM »
Trying to churn this card. I applied with a new FFN, spent $1,000, the statement closed but I did not receive the 30K sign up bonus. Does this happen often that? Should I SM that I did not receive my sign up bonus of the 30K? Or try going straight for the 50K + $50 offer? What are the chances of them giving it to me as I am churning this card (had it once before.)

Anyone know if this is common? I didn't get my 5K for the additional card I opened immediately. Should I sm for 30K, 50K or wait for another billing cycle?

Offline sky121

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #1603 on: May 05, 2013, 04:24:26 PM »
Anyone know if this is common? I didn't get my 5K for the additional card I opened immediately. Should I sm for 30K, 50K or wait for another billing cycle?

Is this your first card?  WhaT have you received so far? Did you spend the 1k yet?
"Not all who wander are lost"

Offline Nafster

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #1604 on: May 05, 2013, 04:28:11 PM »
No. 2nd time around. Trying to churn. Applied with new FFN, completed the 1K spending. Only received the miles for the $ I spent. Did not receive any sign up bonus or 5K bonus for the authorized user.

Offline Shmulyg

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #1605 on: May 05, 2013, 04:37:51 PM »
No. 2nd time around. Trying to churn. Applied with new FFN, completed the 1K spending. Only received the miles for the $ I spent. Did not receive any sign up bonus or 5K bonus for the authorized user.
Are you sure you entered your new FFN properly? You can check by looking to which FF account the miles you got for spending post.

Offline sky121

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #1606 on: May 05, 2013, 04:48:46 PM »
No. 2nd time around. Trying to churn. Applied with new FFN, completed the 1K spending. Only received the miles for the $ I spent. Did not receive any sign up bonus or 5K bonus for the authorized user.

Did you hit the 1k close to closing date?
"Not all who wander are lost"

Offline thaber

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #1607 on: May 05, 2013, 05:02:14 PM »
Question on this card - one of the perks, and the main reason i keep it, is Award availability on all flights. However I'm trying to book a flight (LAX-JFK) which has both coach and business seats available for sale, and its not showing up at all as an award. Anyone know what's going on?

Offline jaywhy

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #1608 on: May 05, 2013, 05:51:12 PM »
Question on this card - one of the perks, and the main reason i keep it, is Award availability on all flights. However I'm trying to book a flight (LAX-JFK) which has both coach and business seats available for sale, and its not showing up at all as an award. Anyone know what's going on?
The perk is expanded Saver Award availability, not guaranteed award availability on all flights. The available award seats must have been taken already. If there are still seats for sale, they may open up the day before or day of flight.

Offline Nafster

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #1609 on: May 05, 2013, 06:01:15 PM »
Did you hit the 1k close to closing date?

Yes I hit the 1K on the 24th and statement closed the 27th. Does that make a difference. Shouldn't the information reflect immediately? Should I wait another billing cycle? Or sm now for 30K or 50K?

Offline thaber

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #1610 on: May 05, 2013, 06:30:23 PM »
The perk is expanded Saver Award availability, not guaranteed award availability on all flights. The available award seats must have been taken already. If there are still seats for sale, they may open up the day before or day of flight.

From the card website it would seem to be gauranteed availability:

Primary cardmembers can use their miles to book any available seat, any time on any United-operated flight when they redeem miles at the MileagePlus Standard Award level. No limitations, no restrictions and no blackout dates on available seats if you provide your MileagePlus number before starting the award booking process.

Offline MEIR613

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #1611 on: May 05, 2013, 06:32:33 PM »
From the card website it would seem to be gauranteed availability:

Primary cardmembers can use their miles to book any available seat, any time on any United-operated flight when they redeem miles at the MileagePlus Standard Award level. No limitations, no restrictions and no blackout dates on available seats if you provide your MileagePlus number before starting the award booking process.
Did you see that

Offline thaber

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #1612 on: May 05, 2013, 09:24:33 PM »
Did you see that
yes, but I'm getting none at all, for example, on any of the red-eye flights from lax-jfk on 5/8/13. they're simply not showing up, but are available for purchase. I'm not looking for Saver availability, just availability

Offline thaber

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #1613 on: May 05, 2013, 09:30:32 PM »
UPDATE: Now I'm showing more flights, I think I might still be missing some. Really weird. And yes, I'm sure I was signed in before.

Offline jaywhy

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #1614 on: May 05, 2013, 11:38:28 PM »
From the card website it would seem to be gauranteed availability:

Primary cardmembers can use their miles to book any available seat, any time on any United-operated flight when they redeem miles at the MileagePlus Standard Award level. No limitations, no restrictions and no blackout dates on available seats if you provide your MileagePlus number before starting the award booking process.
Even standard awards are unavailable?

Offline thaber

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #1615 on: May 05, 2013, 11:46:37 PM »
Even standard awards are unavailable?
It seems like everything is back now, I dunno what happened there.

Offline TDweck

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #1616 on: May 06, 2013, 09:29:32 AM »
I have had the old Miliage Plus card since 07'  and just got approved yesterday (after recon) for explorer personal and business.  Will i have any trouble with getting the bonus?  Called CS and they said bonuses wernt loaded yet but there shouldnt be a problem.

Anything to worry about?
« Last Edit: May 06, 2013, 10:00:24 AM by TDweck »

Offline Dan

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #1617 on: May 06, 2013, 09:33:19 AM »
Yes I hit the 1K on the 24th and statement closed the 27th. Does that make a difference. Shouldn't the information reflect immediately? Should I wait another billing cycle? Or sm now for 30K or 50K?
If you finish within 1 week of closing it can post on your next statement.
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 mordy44

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #1618 on: May 06, 2013, 02:05:49 PM »
Can someone confirm that Chase still matches via SM?

Offline judahk88

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Re: United MileagePlus Explorer Card
« Reply #1619 on: May 06, 2013, 02:06:10 PM »
Can someone confirm that Chase still matches via SM?
confirmed