In case you maintain the United℠ Explorer Card (see charges and charges), you are prone to fly comparatively usually with United Airways and worth the cardboard’s precedence boarding perk, checked bag privilege and two annual United Membership passes.
However what should you’re in search of extra advantages?
That is the place the United Quest℠ Card (see charges and charges) is available in.
Sure, the annual payment is larger. Nonetheless, should you leverage the cardboard’s a number of assertion credit, Premier qualifying level (PQP) head begin and better incomes charges, there might be a robust argument for upgrading your card.
Take into accout, although, that the United Quest Card is presently providing the very best welcome supply in its historical past, so now might be a great time to use for it outright. With the Quest, you can earn 100,000 bonus miles and three,000 Premier qualifying factors after spending $4,000 within the first three months of account opening.
You will not be eligible for the bonus should you improve from the United Explorer, so for now, you could wish to apply outright and get the bonus as a substitute of upgrading.
Evaluating the United Explorer to the United Quest
Earlier than we get right into a deep dive about why you could wish to improve your United card, this is a side-by-side comparability of every card’s advantages.
| Card | United Explorer | United Quest |
|---|---|---|
| Annual payment | $0 introductory annual payment for the primary 12 months, then $150 | $350 |
| Incomes charges |
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| United advantages |
|
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| Assertion credit |
|
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Associated: Who ought to (and should not) get the United Quest Card?
Why improve from United Explorer to United Quest
Now that you have seen a side-by-side comparability of the United Explorer and United Quest advantages, listed below are eight the explanation why upgrading to the United Quest could also be one of the best transfer for you.
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You are over 5/24 and might’t get the opposite card by a brand new software
In case you determine you are prepared for the United Quest, you could be compelled to amass it by upgrading.
Why? That might be Chase’s 5/24 rule. In case you’ve opened 5 (or extra) bank cards with any issuer over the earlier 24 months, you may nearly definitely be denied when attempting to open a brand new Chase card, no matter your credit score rating or every other issue.
In case you encounter this software restriction, you could not have the ability to get the United Quest except you request a product change from one other United bank card. In case you’re over 5/24, you will not have the ability to get the cardboard by making use of.
Associated: Need to open a brand new Chase card? This is how one can calculate your 5/24 standing
You are high-quality with paying the next annual payment
New candidates for the Explorer Card pay an introductory annual payment of $0 for the primary 12 months and $150 every following 12 months. The Quest Card has an annual payment of $350. That is a distinction of $200.
In case you’ve determined that Quest’s advantages outweigh its larger annual payment, then you could be prepared for a product change.
You repeatedly spend cash with United and wish to earn extra miles
The Quest Card earns 8 miles per greenback spent on United flights and three miles per greenback spent on all different United purchases. The Explorer earns 7 miles per greenback spent on United flights and a couple of miles per greenback spent on different United purchases.
In case you’re interested by what number of miles you can earn in a 12 months, think about how a lot cash you spent with United throughout the final 12 months. You’d earn an extra mile on all these purchases should you maintain the Quest.
So, should you spend often or considerably with United, the maths may come out that it is a greater possibility so that you can earn extra on that spending.
Associated: When does it make sense to spend on a cobranded bank card?
You may use United TravelBank money
United TravelBank is actually a financial savings account you should utilize to take care of funds for United purchases. You need to use money in United TravelBank to pay for flights with United or United Categorical or give it as a present. You need to use your funds alone or with most different cost varieties, and you may redeem funds from TravelBank with no minimal stability requirement.
If this seems like the kind of service you’d take pleasure in utilizing, the United Quest gives a a lot better United TravelBank profit than the United Explorer.
With the Quest, you may obtain an computerized $200 in United TravelBank money every account anniversary 12 months and after account opening. This primarily wipes out greater than half of the $350 annual payment.
In the meantime, the Explorer gives $100 in TravelBank money after you spend $10,000 on purchases in a calendar 12 months. With the Quest Card, it is computerized, however with the Explorer, it is incentivized by spending.
You might have only a few bank cards and wish to maximize the perks of every card
If you do not have a pockets filled with bank cards, you could end up leaning into the advantages of your one card greater than somebody who has a swath of playing cards with advantages to handle.
Each the United Explorer and the United Quest include an extended checklist of assertion credit on the whole lot from Instacart and ride-hailing providers to resort stays booked by a journey portal and automobile leases with Avis and Funds.
The United Quest’s assertion credit are value extra, so if you end up trying to maximize a number of assertion credit, you may get extra worth with the Quest.
Associated: United bank cards add assertion credit and better annual charges — is it value preserving your card?
You are chasing United elite standing
The United Quest Card gives higher PQP earnings towards United Premier standing than the United Explorer Card.
With both card, you possibly can earn 1 PQP for each $20 you spend, and your whole earnings are capped. Nonetheless, you have got a considerably larger threshold on the Quest than with the Explorer. You may earn as much as 18,000 PQPs every year by spending on the United Quest. You may solely earn as much as 1,000 PQPs with spending on the Explorer.
Plus, beginning in 2026, you may obtain a 1,000 PQP bonus award after Feb. 1 every year with the United Quest.
You test 2 baggage when flying with United at the least 5 occasions a 12 months
The Quest Card presents two free checked baggage for you and a companion booked on the identical reservation. By comparability, the Explorer Card presents only one free checked bag per individual for you and that companion.
So, ask your self this query: How usually do you test a second bag in your journeys with United Airways?
If the reply is greater than 4 occasions per 12 months, getting a free second checked bag from the Quest Card could make sense.
When flying domestically with United or United Categorical, a second checked bag will value at the least $45 per individual in every route (provided that you pay prematurely — including a second bag inside 24 hours of departure prices $50). Meaning you’d incur an extra $90 per round-trip flight.
The distinction in annual charges from the Explorer Card to the Quest Card is $200. In case you take two round-trip flights and a single one-way (5 whole flights), that is $225 for one traveler, which offsets the Quest’s $200 further in annual charges.
Keep in mind that no matter whether or not you have got the Explorer Card or the Quest Card, you need to pay for the flight together with your United cobranded bank card to qualify for the free checked bag(s) profit.
Associated: These bank cards can get you free checked baggage in your subsequent flight
You spend greater than $20,000 on a United card every year
Each the United Explorer and the United Quest have some spend-incentivized perks. Nonetheless, if you are going to put plenty of spending on a United bank card, you are going to earn extra should you do it on the Quest.
After spending $20,000 on the United Explorer, you may obtain a ten,000-mile award flight low cost, which is an effective profit.
Nonetheless, you may mechanically obtain one 10,000-mile award flight low cost with the United Quest — and you will obtain one other 10,000-mile award flight low cost should you spend $20,000 with that card.
In case you spend $40,000 on the United Quest, you can even obtain two international Economic system Plus seat upgrades, which is a strong incentive to maintain utilizing the cardboard.
And, as talked about above, your PQP incomes cap is eighteen occasions larger (18,000 to 1,000) on the United Quest.
Associated: Methods to get most worth from the United MileagePlus program
Issues that will not change should you improve
In case you improve from the United Explorer to the United Quest, there are numerous variations in advantages. Nonetheless, it’s value noting that some points stay the identical between each of those playing cards:
- No international transaction charges
- Precedence boarding privileges on United flights
- Journey and buy protections
- Earn 2 miles per greenback spent on eating and supply providers
- As much as a $120 reimbursement on an software payment for International Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus (legitimate each 4 years)
- A 25% low cost on inflight purchases when paying together with your card on United- and United Categorical-operated flights
Moreover, a good thing about upgrading your card (somewhat than making use of for a brand new card) is that you’ll protect your credit score historical past on that account. Credit score age is likely one of the elements that make up your credit score rating.
Associated: What is an effective credit score rating?
What to think about earlier than you improve
Except for merely evaluating the advantages of your current card to the opposite card you are contemplating for a product change, there are some things you must take into consideration earlier than taking any motion.
Keep in mind that you will not be eligible for a welcome supply on the United Quest when upgrading from the United Explorer. These presents are just for new functions, not altering from an current card to a different bank card. In case you’d be eligible for a welcome bonus, think about whether or not (or how a lot) it issues to you that you simply forgo the bonus when altering to the brand new card.
In case you do wish to earn the United Quest Card’s present bonus of 100,000 bonus miles and three,000 Premier qualifying factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months your account is open, you may have to submit a brand new software.
As beforehand talked about, that is the United Quest’s best-ever welcome supply, so you could wish to apply for that card outright whereas the bonus is operating.
Additionally, keep in mind that the welcome bonus you earned whenever you opened your card has circumstances. You need to all the time plan to maintain a bank card for at the least a 12 months to keep away from having the bonus factors or miles confiscated by the financial institution.
Associated: 4 main concerns earlier than upgrading your bank card
Methods to improve from the Explorer Card to the Quest Card
In case you’re able to improve from the United Explorer to the United Quest, you may have to name the quantity on the again of your bank card. Clarify to the consultant that you simply wish to improve your card to the Quest Card.
Be clear with the agent on the cellphone that you simply wish to change to the brand new card to make sure that Chase would not course of a brand new card software or shut your present card by mistake.
The cellphone consultant will sometimes have to learn you a compulsory disclosure. It will embody issues like adjustments in advantages, when your new card ought to arrive within the mail and vital details about when you’ll begin paying the upper annual payment.
Take note of the disclosure, and ask questions on something that appears unclear. When you comply with the phrases, the cellphone agent will course of the change. You need to have the ability to proceed utilizing your present card till the brand new one arrives within the mail.
Associated: The last word information to bank card upgrades
Backside line
There’s by no means an ideal alternative for all vacationers, however when you think about how a lot you fly with United and the way you worth every card’s perks, you could determine that the United Quest is well worth the improve.
If that sounds such as you, name the quantity on the again of your Explorer Card to provoke the method.
Associated: One of the best bank cards to make use of for United flights
