United Airlines and Chase Are Launching a New, Feature-Packed Credit Card

Here's everything we know about the United Quest℠ Card set to come out on March 21.

Here's everything we know about the United Quest℠ Card set to come out on March 21.

Chase and United Airlines already offer several airline credit cards together, but a new addition is coming soon. On March 21, they launch the United Quest℠ Card.

Technically, this card replaces the United Platinum Class Visa, an older, discontinued United card. Even though that card was discontinued, existing cardholders could keep using it. But Chase and United are now getting rid of it entirely and sending the United Quest℠ Card to Platinum Class cardholders.

Those cardholders received a notice about the upcoming change, and that notice included details on the new United card. As a result, we have enough info for a detailed first look at what it offers.

United Quest℠ Card features

The United Quest℠ Card will have a $250 annual fee. For that, you get the following benefits:

• $125 annual credit towards United purchases each account year (note that this means those first $125 in United purchases won't earn miles)
• Up to 10,000 miles per account year (get 5,000 miles back when you take an award flight, up to twice per year)
• Free first and second checked bag
• Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit
• 3 points per $1 on United purchases
• 2 miles per $1 on all other travel purchases, at restaurants, and on select streaming services
• 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases
• Priority boarding
• Premier upgrades on award tickets
• 25% back on in-flight purchases of food, beverages, and Wi-Fi with United

The only thing we don't yet know is the card's sign-up bonus. All the other United Airlines cards have sign-up bonuses, so it's almost guaranteed that the United Quest℠ Card will have one, too.

Comparing the United credit cards

The United Quest℠ Card will fit between two other United cards in the lineup:

• The New United℠ Explorer Card ($95 annual fee)
• The New United Club℠ Card ($525 annual fee)

While all three credit cards share some perks, they also have unique benefits. The United Quest℠ Card is the only one of the three to offer a $125 United credit and up to 10,000 bonus miles every year. It's also the only one that earns 2 miles per $1 on select streaming services. The other two cards don't offer that as a bonus category.

Other than select streaming services, all three United cards have the same bonus categories, albeit with different rates on United purchases. The The New United℠ Explorer Card earns 2 miles per $1. The United Quest℠ Card earns 3 miles per $1. And the The New United Club℠ Card earns 4 miles per $1.

The main area where the United Quest℠ Card is lacking is airport lounge access. There has been no mention of lounge access for this card. The The New United Club℠ Card includes a complimentary United Club℠ membership providing access to those lounges. Even the The New United℠ Explorer Card gets you two United Club℠ passes per year.

Besides that probable issue, the United Quest℠ Card looks like a great value among travel credit cards. It will work best for frequent United flyers who want more than the The New United℠ Explorer Card offers, but don't want to shell out over $500 for the The New United Club℠ Card.

Applying for the United Quest℠ Card

If you're interested in applying for the United Quest℠ Card, keep in mind that you'll likely need good credit (a FICO® Score of 670 or higher) to qualify. Since this is a Chase card, it's also subject to Chase's 5/24 rule. That rule means Chase generally only approves you for a card if you've opened fewer than five credit cards in the last 24 months.

The United Quest℠ Card will be available on March 21, at least to cardholders of the United Platinum Class Visa. There's no confirmation yet about when the card will be open to new applicants. Chase and United probably won't wait long, though, so expect to see it soon.