I have been a United Airways flyer longer than I can bear in mind. Rising up in Chicago, I acquired my MileagePlus quantity once I was 2 years previous, and I’ve stayed loyal to the airline ever since — even after transferring away from a serious hub.
After welcoming a child late final yr, although, I am at the moment behind on my aim to requalify for Premier Gold standing on the yr’s midway level; I’ve earned simply over 4,000 of the Premier qualifying factors of the 12,000 (or 10,000 PQPs plus 30 Premier qualifying flights) I am going to must lock it in for 2026. Fortunately, there is a new United Quest℠ Card (see charges and costs) welcome supply that can assist remedy my downside and supply tons of extra perks besides.
At the moment, new cardholders can earn 100,000 miles and three,000 PQPs after spending $4,000 on qualifying purchases within the first three months from account opening. This supply is so good I’d even get my husband, who does not at the moment maintain any United standing, to use for it, too.
Here is why I am contemplating making use of for the United Quest Card, and why you may need to as properly.
Perks of United Premier standing
I’ve had United Premier standing for years, and I’ve at all times deeply valued the related advantages, particularly Gold Premier standing. The power to e book myself and a companion straight into Economic system Plus has constantly been crucial to me — particularly as a tall one that usually flies lengthy itineraries between the West Coast and the Midwest, East Coast or Europe.
However my elite standing has by no means are available handier than since my daughter was born. By reserving her as a lap toddler on my husband’s ticket and treating him as my companion, I can get my complete household into the additional legroom seats, which is clutch as she will get squirmier and squirmier. Or, when it is simply the 2 of us and I do not need to hold her on my lap your entire flight, I can e book a separate Economic system Plus spot for her automobile seat. That is an enormous win, contemplating that an Economic system Plus improve can price greater than $100 per individual, relying on the flight.
I additionally love incomes miles at an elevated price and gaining access to diminished award-ticket costs, particularly since I am going to want much more miles to fly my household as soon as my daughter ages out of lap-infant territory.
The way to obtain elite standing — and hold it — with the United Quest Card
Proper now, the Quest card is sporting a best-ever welcome supply of 100,000 miles and three,000 PQPs after spending $4,000 on qualifying purchases within the first three months from account opening. Since PQPs are usually earned primarily based on spending on United flights, taking out the cardboard — which has an annual payment of $350 — might save me hundreds of {dollars} and provides me an enormous enhance towards my Premier Gold aim.
For these, like my husband, who do not at the moment have standing, the welcome supply’s PQP part is much more important. Reaching Premier Silver requires both 15 Premier qualifying flights and 5,000 PQPs or 6,000 PQPs outright. Which means the three,000 that include the Quest will, at minimal, get you midway to elite standing.
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It is a compelling proposition, particularly as my daughter is getting much less and fewer considering sitting in our laps on flights. Since I can solely convey one companion into Economic system Plus, getting free entry to Economic system Plus at check-in can be helpful for my husband once we’re all flying collectively. Plus, Quest cardholders get two checked luggage totally free, which might give him the identical allotment I’ve as a Gold member, even when he is touring with out me.
The Quest will even assist us requalify for standing yr after yr, even with out a huge welcome supply. Cardholders get a bounce begin on PQP incomes annually with a 1,000-point bonus, and the cardboard earns 1 PQP per $20 spent on purchases (as much as 18,000 PQPs per yr).
Associated:United Premier standing: What it’s and easy methods to earn it
United Quest best-ever welcome supply
As a brand new dad or mum, I’ve an alternative choice for making certain I hold my Gold standing subsequent yr: placing it on maintain with the airline. United is certainly one of a number of airways that provides standing extensions for parental go away.
Nonetheless, if I’m going that route, I will be sacrificing an enormous profit: the 100,000 MileagePlus miles the Quest is at the moment providing new cardholders. That is simply the second time within the card’s historical past that it is supplied this many miles — it as soon as awarded the identical determine to those that took it out when it launched again in 2021.
Whereas PQPs are used solely to qualify for elite standing, MileagePlus miles are what you utilize to e book award flights. Incomes 100,000 miles is greater than sufficient for a world trip. I can get from Portland, Oregon, to Portugal in financial system for 40,000 miles every manner (as I am doing later this yr) and have 20,000 miles nonetheless leftover for my subsequent journey. Or, I might save them for a fancier trip in United’s lie-flat Polaris enterprise class, particularly since we have been seeing widespread award availability from the U.S. to locations like London, Paris and Rome for 80,000 miles one-way.
Backside line
I really like holding MileagePlus Premier standing, and for me, it is an indispensable a part of my journey expertise — particularly now that I’ve a household.
Whether or not you at the moment maintain standing or not, the United Quest card’s welcome supply will propel you towards the spending threshold in an effort to get pleasure from perks like free entry to Economic system Plus and elevated incomes charges on income tickets.
Plus, the Quest’s present supply will web you sufficient miles for an opportunity to place these new advantages to make use of.
