The
United Quest Card is a good credit card to consider if your credit score is
700 or higher and you fly with United Airlines frequently. It is one of the best United credit cards available right now, according to WalletHub’s calculations, and it offers a big initial bonus, good ongoing rewards, and annual flight credits. These features can help you get your money’s worth after paying the Quest Card’s
$350 annual fee. You’ll also need to pay your monthly bill in full to avoid expensive interest charges.
What I Like About the United Quest Card
70,000 miles and 1,000 Premier qualifying points for spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months
The miles are worth around
$847 in United airfare, according to WalletHub’s research. The Premier qualifying points contribute to elite status in the
United MileagePlus program, and you’d ordinarily have to charge $500 to the card in a year just to get 25 points. Altogether, this is the most valuable bonus among United credit cards right now.
1 - 3 miles per $1 spent
The
United Quest Card offers
3 miles per $1 spent with United, 2 miles per $1 spent on dining, select streaming services and all other travel, and 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. The travel and dining bonus categories have fairly broad definitions, fortunately.
Dining includes purchases from restaurants as well as eligible delivery services. Travel includes airfare, hotels, trains, local transit, tolls, cruise lines, car rentals, taxis, ride share services and more.
The key to maximizing the card’s value is to use it mainly for purchases in the categories that will earn you bonus miles. You could use a card with
2% cash back on all purchases for everything else, or employ a collection of elite cards for different types of purchases and follow the
Island Approach.
$200 United credit each year
Starting from when you open an account, you will receive credits for the first $200 in United purchases that you make every 12 months. This benefit basically cuts the annual fee in half for loyal United customers. It’s also accompanied by a 10,000-mile award flight discount.
25% back on eligible United purchases
Food, drinks and Wi-Fi charged to the
United Quest Card during a United flight get you 25% back. The same rebate applies to premium drink purchases in United Club airport lounges, should you buy a pass or an annual membership. Complimentary United Club access is not among the
United Quest Card’s perks.
Other travel perks
The
United Quest Card gets you 2 global Economy Plus® seat upgrades. You’ll also have rental car insurance and trip cancellation/interruption insurance. Similarly, you’ll get a 10,000-mile discount on an award flight if you spend $20,000 in a year.
In addition, if you apply for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS, make sure to charge the application fee to the card because you’ll get a credit for the cost. You’ll also have access to benefits such as rental car insurance and trip cancellation/interruption insurance.
What I Don’t Like About the United Quest Card
$350 annual fee
The
United Quest Card isn’t the most expensive United credit card, but it’s also far from the cheapest. Still, even with the fee factored in, a frequent flyer could save around $2,000 over the first two years with this card, according to our calculations.
20.24% - 28.74% (V) APR
The
United Quest Card does not offer a low introductory APR. Its high regular rate will apply to any balance carried from month to month, so it’s best to pay your full statement balance by the due date each month. Doing so enables you to take advantage of the card’s grace period and avoid interest charges.
700+ credit score recommended
You need
good credit to get
United Quest℠ Card. A credit score of
700+ will give you good odds of being approved. You can
check your credit score for free here on WalletHub.
Note: This review is not provided, commissioned or endorsed by any issuer. Opinions and ratings are our own.
