The United Membership℠ Card (see charges and costs) is United Airways’ premium private bank card for its most loyal flyers, whereas the United Quest℠ Card (see charges and costs) is one in all two mid-tier choices.
Since each playing cards underwent important modifications in March, now is a good time to guage which choice is Most worthy for United loyalists.
In the event you’re a United frequent flyer and questioning whether or not to use for one or the opposite, this information ought to assist you to decide which is finest for you.
United Quest Card vs. United Membership Card comparability
| Card | United Quest Card | United Membership Card |
|---|---|---|
| Annual payment | $350 | $695 |
| Welcome bonus | Earn 100,000 bonus miles and three,000 Premier qualifying factors (PQPs) after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months your account is open. | Earn 80,000 miles after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. |
| Incomes charges |
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| United advantages |
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| Different advantages |
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United Quest Card vs. United Membership Card welcome bonus
Primarily based on TPG’s July 2025 valuations, the bonus miles are value $1,300. Supply ends Aug. 20.
The United Membership card at the moment affords a welcome bonus of 80,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. Primarily based on TPG’s July 2025 valuations, these bonus miles are value $1,040.
The United Membership card requires $1,000 in further spending to earn fewer bonus miles, a short-term purpose for a number of cardholders to maybe go together with the United Quest.
Winner: United Quest Card. The upper welcome supply and bonus PQPs give this card an edge over the United Membership.
United Quest Card vs. United Membership Card advantages
Each playing cards supply advantages particularly for flying United, so let us take a look at overlapping advantages first.
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Shared advantages
In the event you’re chasing standing, the Membership Card is the higher alternative. You will earn 1 Premier qualifying level per $15 spent in your card (as much as 28,000 PQPs annually); the Quest affords a decrease price of 1 PQP per $20 (with a decrease cap of 18,000 PQPs annually).
Then, from February 2026, you may get a lift of 1,500 PQPs annually with the United Membership — in comparison with 1,000 PQPs with the Quest.
Distinctive advantages of the Quest Card
As a mid-tier United bank card, the United Quest affords first rate advantages for frequent United flyers and a spread of assertion credit.
The cardboard’s $350 annual payment is sort of excessive. Nevertheless, the $200 in United TravelBank money you may obtain every anniversary yr is a simple approach to scale back it by greater than half. Assertion credit with retailers like Avis, JSX and ride-hailing providers additional offset it.
You will obtain a ten,000-mile low cost on an award flight annually after your first cardmember anniversary — and may earn a second after spending $20,000 in a calendar yr.
A giant draw back of this card is that it does not present lounge entry.
Distinctive advantages of the Membership Card
Conversely, the United Membership is for United loyalists who need lounge entry and enhanced journey perks.
One of many biggest advantages of its $695 annual payment is a complimentary United Membership membership. The membership prices $750 by itself, so the truth that the United Membership Card affords it for much less makes the cardboard worthwhile. You too can unlock United Membership All Entry membership by spending $50,000 in your card in a calendar yr or holding MileagePlus Premier Gold standing.
This card affords most of the similar assertion credit because the Quest, however at increased quantities. These credit assist offset its hefty annual payment, which is nearly double that of the Quest.
Winner: United Membership Card. Lounge entry and elevated assertion credit are exhausting to beat.
Incomes miles with the United Quest Card vs. the United Membership Card
The playing cards have a reasonably comparable incomes construction, other than two variations:
- The United Membership card earns 1 further mile per greenback spent on United flights and different United purchases.
- The United Quest card earns 1 further mile per greenback spent on choose streaming providers and eating.
Each playing cards additionally earn 5 miles per greenback spent on pay as you go resort reservations by Famend Inns and Resorts and 1 mile per greenback spent on all different purchases.
Winner: United Membership Card. The marginally increased incomes price on United purchases provides this card the benefit.
Redeeming miles with the United Quest Card vs. the United Membership Card
Each playing cards help you earn United miles by bank card spending, that are routinely deposited into your MileagePlus account. You possibly can redeem factors for United flights, United Categorical flights, and flights on Star Alliance carriers and accomplice airways.
An alternative choice is utilizing your United miles to pay your bank card’s annual payment — although this sometimes affords poor worth in comparison with flight redemptions.
When redeeming United miles, you may get one of the best worth when reserving saver-level tickets as a result of they’re priced the bottom.
TPG bank card author Chris Nelson enjoys redeeming his United miles for inter-Europe flights. He just lately redeemed miles for a flight from Barcelona to Munich for less than 8,000 miles.
Winner: Tie. These playing cards each earn United miles, which will be redeemed by the MileagePlus program.
Ought to I get the United Quest Card or the United Membership Card?
In the event you’re a semifrequent United flyer, the United Quest is the cardboard for you. You will get precedence boarding, free checked luggage and a few helpful assertion credit. Nevertheless, the United Membership unlocks enhanced advantages, bigger assertion credit and complimentary lounge entry.
How one can swap from the United Quest Card to the United Membership Card
To change from the Quest Card to the Membership Card, name the cellphone quantity on the again of your bank card and request the product change. Simply be aware you will not be eligible to earn the United Membership card’s welcome bonus.
Backside line
Each playing cards are premium choices for frequent United flyers.
In the event you’re a die-hard United loyalist who needs lounge entry and is OK with a giant annual payment, the United Membership card will match properly in your pockets. In any other case, the cheaper United Quest card nonetheless affords priceless United perks and a beneficiant set of assertion credit.
For extra particulars, see our full critiques of the United Quest Card and United Membership Card.
Apply right here: United Quest Card
Apply right here: United Membership Card
