Chase United Club Credit Card [2020.3 Update: Discontinued, Existing Cardholders Can Choose Whether to Upgrade]

【2020.3 Update】This card has been discontinued and replaced by the United Club Infinite. Existing cardholders can choose whether to upgrade. For the new card, see:

【2020.2 Update】According to DOC, this card will be changed from Visa Signature to Visa Infinite, and the annual fee will increase to $525. From March 15 to May 17, the welcome bonus will be increased to 100,000; after the 17th it will return to 50,000. Existing cardholders can choose to upgrade or keep the original annual fee. This memo did not mention any benefit changes. Visa Infinite used to have a $100 air discount, and that has now been removed as well. My guess is that there will not be any meaningful improvement in benefits.

The biggest use of this card is access to United Club plus two free checked bags, so it is a good fit for people who fly UA frequently. If that is what you need, you could apply now and lock in the $450 annual fee. If there really is a meaningful improvement in benefits later, then you can consider upgrading.

【2020.1 Update】The welcome bonus on this card has increased to 75,000, worth about $1,200, which is still more than the $450 annual fee. Also, two free checked bags on UA flights can save you quite a bit in baggage fees. After holding the card for a year, downgrading to the “no annual fee UA card” or something similar like the United Travel Bank is also a pretty good option.

• Chase United Club  (75,000 bonus miles after spending 3,000 within three months)

United Club Credit Card Overview

Highlights

• UA and Star Alliance lounges: Simply by holding the card, you get a United Club Membership (official price $550), with unlimited access to UA lounges and some Star Alliance member lounges.
• Two free checked bags: On flights operated by UA, you can check two bags for free, and one traveling companion can also get two free checked bags (must be on the same reservation). You need to use this credit card to purchase the ticket or pay the taxes and fees on an award ticket to receive this benefit. See “UA free checked baggage explanation” for details.
• 1.5x on all purchases: This is the only credit card that earns 1.5x miles unconditionally. If you spend a lot and need UA miles, 1.5x is still 50% more than 1x.
• Award ticket advantages:
  • You can see XN fare-class award space, greatly improving your chances of finding award tickets.
  • The $75 close in booking fee within 21 days is waived on award tickets.
• Premier Access when flying: Priority check-in, priority security screening, priority baggage handling, etc. See the official explanation for details.
• Metal card: Heavy and premium-feeling.
• Includes all the benefits of the UA Explorer except the two club passes: Rental car insurance, MPX 25% mileage bonus, extra rewards through the mileage shopping portal, bonus points for registering promotions, etc. See the “UA Explorer card” + “hidden benefits of UA cards” for details.
• Downgrade option: Can be downgraded to the no annual fee UA MileagePlus card.

Cons

• The annual fee is as high as $450, and there is no good way to offset it through other methods. The AMEX Platinum, with the same annual fee, can offset its fee through airline credits and AMEX Offers, and it also has similar airport lounge benefits.
• If you do not need the baggage and lounge benefits, the mid-tier United Explorer credit card is enough, and it also has a welcome bonus.

My Take

The main benefit of this card is unlimited access, while you hold the card, to UA airport lounges and some participating Star Alliance affiliated lounges worldwide. Also, tickets and award tickets purchased with this card both come with two free checked bags. This is an excellent card for frequent UA business travelers. Of course, the card also earns at least 1.5 mile/$ on all spending, which makes it a favorite for some heavy spenders as well.

Of course, even if you are not a business traveler, it can still make sense to get this card for one year. After all, 50,000 miles are worth around $800, which is still more than the $450 annual fee. And two free checked bags on UA flights can also save you a lot in baggage fees. After one year, downgrading to the “no annual fee UA card” or something similar like the United Travel Bank is also a pretty good option.

Application

• Approval difficulty: I recommend applying after at least one year of credit history. Once you are established with Chase, this card is fairly easy to get.
• Application status:Check online (log in with your Chase account; if you just applied, it may not show up yet); phone: 888-338-2586
• Things to note
  • During the application, you will be asked to enter your UA membership number, so remember to fill it in.
  • Before applying, please read “Chase bank rules”. This card is subject to the “Chase 5/24 rule”.
  • If you apply for multiple Chase credit cards in one day, the Hard Pulls may be combined, reducing the impact on your credit score. For details, see “AOR introduction”.
  • Applicants are only eligible for the welcome bonus if they have not received the welcome bonus on this card within the past 24 months. For details, see “Churn introduction”.
  • If you are not instantly approved, you can call 888-245-0625 to speed up the review. For details, see “Reconsideration tips”.

Application Link