Card Review: Chase United Quest
United Airlines (United) traditionally had Tier 2 and Tier 5 cards; the United Explorer card and the United Club Infinite card have annual fees of $99 and $525, respectively. The landscape changed in 2021 when United released the United Quest card with an annual fee of $250, which makes the card a Tier 3 card. The United Quest card is one of the best United-branded credit cards on the market and can provide amazing values with its lucrative sign-up bonus offer and valuable benefits. Whether you are a United loyalist or fly United once or twice a year, the United Quest card deserves a spot in your wallet.
The United Quest card by Chase is a great keeper card for United loyalists or those who fly United once or twice a year!
Sign-Up Bonus & Multipliers
The United Quest card currently offers a sign-up bonus of 80,000 United miles after spending $5,000 in three months. With a 1.2 cents per point valuation, the sign-up bonus is worth $960. The United Quest card earns 3X miles per dollar on United Airlines purchases and 2X miles per dollar on all other forms of travel, including airfare, hotels, trains, rideshare services, taxis, cruises, tolls, and resorts. Cardmembers earn 2X miles per dollar on dining, meal delivery services, and select streaming services. All other purchases earn 1X miles per dollar on all other purchases. Be aware that you will start earning 3X United miles back on United Airlines purchases after using your $125 annual United purchase credit.
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Annual Fee & Benefits
The annual fee for the United Quest card is $250, and it comes with valuable benefits and perks to effectively offset the annual fee.
$125 Annual United Purchase Credit
Cardmembers will receive a $125 United Purchase credit on every anniversary year. This benefit alone will slash the $250 annual fee in half. The $125 credit can be used towards flights, inflight purchases, and United Club access. If you don’t foresee yourself flying United Airlines this year, you can even use the credit on even TravelBank to ensure your credit doesn’t go to waste.
If you cannot use your $125 United purchase credit, redeem it using TravelBank so you can utilize the credit in the future.
Two 5,000-mile Anniversary Award Flight Credits
The United Quest card comes with two 5,000-mile flight credits after your first card anniversary. The credits work as reimbursements; after you book an award flight with your United miles, you will get 5,000 United miles deposited into your United MileagePlus account. Because you would redeem the benefit each time you book an award flight, you will need to book two award flights to fully utilize this benefit. With a 1.2 cents valuation, each 5,000-mile credit is worth about $60.
Remember to redeem your United miles and receive award flight credits! Photo by Chris Leipelt from Unsplash.
Free First and Second Checked Bags
You may already have status with United Airlines, but you and a companion on the same reservation will get up to two free checked bags with the United Quest card. The first and second checked bags cost $35 and $45, respectively, without the card. If two people were to check two bags each, it would cost $160 for all checked bags. Note that you will have to pay for your ticket with your United Quest card to check your luggage for free.
Free checked bags will save you a lot of money especially if you were to travel with a companion. Photo by Tommaso Pecchioli from Unsplash.
Reimbursed Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Application Fees
Cardmembers can get up to $100 in statement credit when the United Quest is used to pay for the application. I would highly suggest using this benefit for a Global Entry application since it includes TSA PreCheck. Global Entry can save you hours of waiting time in line over a year if you travel often internationally. You can use this credit every four years and apply it to a friend or family member if your Global Entry membership is covered by another card.
Other Benefits
Other than the major benefits and perks mentioned above, cardmembers will receive 25% back on United inflight purchases such as food, beverages, and Wi-Fi. In addition, the primary cardmember and companions on the same reservation are eligible for priority boarding. Lastly, the card comes with travel and purchase protections to keep your traveling experiences and transactions safe and sound.
If you’d like to enjoy an alcoholic beverage with your inflight meal, use your United Quest card to receive 25% off. Photo by Toni Osmundson from Unsplash.
Summary
The United Quest card is a Tier 3 premium travel card by Chase. The United Quest card currently offers a sign-up bonus of 80,000 United miles after spending $5,000 in three months. With a 1.2 cents per point valuation, the sign-up bonus is worth $960. While it has an annual fee of $250, it is effectively offset by a $125 annual United purchase credit and two 5,000-mile anniversary award flight credits. The primary cardholder and companions can receive first and second checked bags for free and will experience priority boarding when flying on the same reservation. The card provides reimbursement for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fees and gives a 25% discount towards inflight purchases such as food, beverages, and Wi-Fi. I’m not a United loyalist, but the free checked bag benefit alone makes the United Quest card worth it since I often travel with my companion. Moreover, the $125 annual United purchase credit makes the $250 annual fee more digestible. If you are thinking of applying for the United Quest card, do it sooner than later to secure the elevated 80,000 United miles as a sign-up bonus.
If you’d like to apply for the Chase United Quest Card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! https://www.referyourchasecard.com/215m/OHE2WFT2YS
