United Chase Card Upgrades: Fees & Benefits

United MileagePlus and Chase have decided to shake things up with their co-branded credit cards. And by “shake things up,” I mean they’ve slapped on higher fees while sprinkling in a few new benefits for good measure. This makes one wonder—is this overhaul a blessing or a curse? That really depends on how you, as a consumer, view these changes and what value you place on flashing your way to elite status. Plus, I’ve got the scoop on some Val Seny ski resort changes at United Club access, which tie into this grand announcement.

United MileagePlus overhauls credit card portfolio

Welcome to the spanking new world of United MileagePlus credit cards! They’re promising an upgraded value proposition, effective right now for newcomers and existing cardholders. Yes, you might pay more annually, but let’s talk about those jazzy perks. Think airline and rideshare credits, and Instacart goodies. Plus, there are pathways to achieve coveted status that simply weren’t on the map before.

Now, these adjustments affect United’s five co-branded Chase credit cards with annual fees. Let’s break down the details, starting with personal cards, then zooming over to the business cards, all lined up by those yearly fees.

United Explorer Card changes ($150 annual fee)

First up, the United Explorer Card—your gateway to United’s card world with a bumped-up annual fee. It’s risen from a paltry $95 to a more robust $150. However, it does throw in a few snazzy new benefits:

• Up to $60 in annual rideshare credits, dished out as $5 monthly credits, with a yearly opt-in needed
• Up to $100 in statement credits on United Hotels, with two $50 credits annually
• Up to $100 in yearly statement credits for JSX flights
• Up to $120 in annual Instacart credits, wrapped up as $10 monthly doses, plus three free months of Instacart+ membership
• A $100 United Travel Bank credit awaits you after spending $10,000 in a year
• Slash 10,000 miles off a future ticket, for no less than $20,000 spent yearly
• Pile on Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) with one for every $20 spent—up to 1,000 PQPs each year

United Quest Card changes ($350 annual fee)

On to the United Quest Card, your middle-tier, more premium option. The annual fee here steps up from $250 to $350, but the benefits try to make up for it:

• An alluring $200 United Travel Bank credit at the start and on every anniversary
• Knock down 10,000 miles from a future ticket every anniversary year
• Score up to $100 in rideshare credits yearly, broken into mostly $8 monthly credits, peaking at $12 in December
• Up to $150 back in statement credits for stays at Renowned Hotels and Resorts
• Claim up to $150 in JSX flight statement credits every year
• Up to $180 in yearly Instacart credits, with complimentary Instacart+ for three months
• Build up one PQP for every $20 spent, reaching up to 18,000 PQPs each year, plus 1,000 PQPs annually, starting 2026

United Club Card changes ($695 annual fee)

For the crème de la crème, meet the United Club Card. The annual fee spikes from $525 to a steep $695. Here’s what you get in return:

• Up to $150 in yearly rideshare credits, mostly at $12 monthly intervals but up to $18 in December
• Reclaim up to $200 back on stays at Renowned Hotels and Resorts annually
• Pick up $200 in JSX flight credits each year
• $240 in Instacart credits per annum—the monthly kind, matched with a full Instacart+ membership
• Chop off 10,000 miles from a future ticket following $20,000 yearly, and double it for $40,000
• Earn one PQP for every $15 thrown in, capping at 28,000 PQPs annually, and 1,500 more PQPs kickstarting in 2026

United Business Card changes ($150 annual fee)

Let’s chat business—the United Business Card, to be precise. The annual fee escalates from $95 to $150, making way for a host of perks:

• Up to $100 in annual rideshare credits, parceled out as $8 monthly, with that December boost to $12
• Enjoy up to $100 in United Hotels credits yearly, split into two $50 half-yearly increments
• Take advantage of $100 JSX flight credits each anniversary year
• Receive up to $120 in Instacart credits, doled out monthly, plus a free three-month Instacart+ membership
• Land a $125 United Travel Bank credit after five United purchases of $100 each year
• Bag one PQP for every $20 spent, climbing to 4,000 PQPs annually

United Club Business Card changes ($695 annual fee)

Lastly, there’s the United Club Business Card—the big boss of business cards. The annual fee climbs from $450 to $695, but here’s a taste of what you get:

• Claim up to $150 annually in rideshare credits, with a December uptick to $18
• Scoop up to $200 annually in statement credits for Renowned Hotels and Resorts stays
• Snag $200 annually in JSX flight credits
• Acquire $240 in yearly Instacart credits, activated monthly, plus enjoy a complimentary Instacart+ bonus
• Rack up one PQP per $15 spent, soaring to 28,000 PQPs yearly

My take on United MileagePlus credit card changes

What do I think of United’s revamp of its credit card lineup? Well, it seems United and Chase are following the herd by loading these cards with more “perks” to keep those slots in your wallet from gathering dust. Break out the budget sheets for rideshare credits, monthly Instacart bumps, hotel savings, the whole nine yards. But the catch? Assigning actual value to these flashy benefits can be a befuddling affair.

With a slew of higher annual fees, the casual United flyer might still find value in holding onto a United Explorer Card for all the “basic” perks like free checked bags. But if you’re chasing real value, the United Quest Card looks like the sweet spot.

The real eye-opener here is United’s leap into bonus status territory with card spending. They’ve finally joined American and Delta in congregating high-status club members purely through spending. Before now, United’s caps on PQPs from card expenditure were stingy. But like a dramatic plot twist, that all changes.

But rewind a moment. It’s jaw-dropping just how much you’d need to spend to claim top-tier travel glory—$420,000 for 28,000 PQPs to make Premier 1K with the swankiest cards. That’s a climb higher than American and Delta ask for their top tiers, but note Delta’s brush with backlash and subsequent adjustments to SkyMiles lay that all bare.

Bottom line

So, United MileagePlus and Chase have overhauled their card offerings in a sea of fee hikes and new perks. But those new goodies, mainly credit-form ones, demand strategy to maximize, which may leave a mixed taste.

The headline-grabber is United’s expanded path to elite status through savvy spending. It’s no shocker, considering American and Delta have sprinted ahead in nurturing this trend while United lags no longer in jumping aboard.

And now we’re left pondering—what’s your take on United & Chase’s credit card shakeup?