The United Quest℠ Card (see rates and fees) gives United Airlines loyalists another option within the carrier’s lineup of cobranded cards. It’s a mid-tier option built for those who fly enough with the airline to want a couple of perks without shelling out over $500 for an annual fee on a super-premium credit card.
United’s shake-up of its entire credit card portfolio might have you considering a cobranded airline credit card.
If you’re wondering whether the United Quest Card is the right choice for you, here are five reasons you should consider adding it to your wallet.
Valuable welcome bonus
It’s always fun to get a card with a large welcome bonus, and the United Quest has an outstanding bonus offer.
New cardholders can receive a welcome bonus of 90,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
TPG’s April 2025 valuations peg United miles at 1.35 cents each, making the bonus worth $1,215.
The welcome offer is enough to offset the annual fee in your first year alone, but the perks don’t stop there.
Statement credits offset the annual fee
The United Quest has a $350 annual fee, placing it between the United℠ Explorer Card (see rates and fees) — which has a $0 annual fee in the first cardholder year, then $150 — and the United Club℠ Card (see rates and fees) — which has a much higher $695 annual fee.
To help offset that cost, you get $200 in United TravelBank cash after account opening and annually on your account anniversary. This cash can be used toward United or United Express-operated flights, effectively dropping the annual fee to $150.
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The statement credits don’t stop there. Cardholders receive:
- Up to $150 when prepaying for hotel accommodations through Renowned Hotels and Resorts
- Up to $100 in ride-hailing credits (up to $8 a month from January through November and up to $12 in December)
- Up to $15 in monthly Instacart credits
- Up to $150 in credit toward JSX purchases
Tallied together, the perks listed above are worth over $500 combined if you maximize each of them. And if you count the $200 TravelBank credit, you’re looking at more than $700 in perks — a value worth double the annual fee of the United Quest Card.
Additionally, you’ll get up to $120 in statement credits for your TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee every four years.
Earn miles on more than just United flights
Airline cobranded credit cards aren’t traditionally super rewarding when it comes to earning bonus points or miles on spending outside of that airline, but that’s not the case with the United Quest.
You’ll earn 3 miles per dollar spent on United purchases; 2 miles per dollar spent on all other travel (which includes flights on other airlines), select streaming services and dining; and 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases.
There are other cards that earn a higher rate of return on popular categories like travel, dining and streaming services, but if you’re looking to rack up United miles, it’s great to see this card award bonus miles on more than just United flights.
Perks for frequent United flyers
If you are a semifrequent United flyer, the United Quest Card comes with some solid perks to help enhance your flying experience and pad your United MileagePlus balance at the same time.
Every account anniversary year, you’ll get a 10,000-mile credit, plus an opportunity to earn an additional 10,000 miles after spending $20,000 in a calendar year. This can potentially save you 20,000 miles each year, worth up to $270, according to our April 2025 valuations.
As a cardholder, you can also earn two global Economy Plus seat upgrades after spending $40,000 on purchases each calendar year.
Additionally, you’ll get elitelike benefits, including priority boarding, 25% back on United inflight purchases, complimentary premier seat upgrades on flights paid for with miles (when available and if you have elite status) and the first two checked bags free on United flights for you and up to one other companion on the reservation.
Elite status boost
As a United Quest Card holder, your purchases can help you reach elite status faster by earning PQPs after you meet a spending threshold.
You’ll earn 1 PQP for every $20 spent on purchases (up to 18,000 PQPs in a calendar year) toward Premier status qualification, up to the Premier 1K level. This is a boon for those on the cusp of achieving the next tier of elite status but are short on PQPs.
Plus, cardholders receive 1,000 bonus PQPs on Feb. 1 each year, starting in 2026.
Related: United Premier status: How to earn it — and is it worth it?
Bottom line
There is a lot to love about the United Quest Card, starting with the welcome bonus and the wide range of statement credits that offer more value than the card’s annual fee.
Remember, however, that this card does abide by Chase’s 5/24 rule. If you’ve opened five or more new accounts in the past 24 months, your application for this card will most likely be denied. However, having a different United credit card does not automatically disqualify you from getting this card.
For more information, please read our full review of the United Quest Card.
Apply here: United Quest Card