First-year winner
United Club Card
$175 Year 1 edge
$1,791 vs $1,616
Compare Cards
Stack up the better credit card
Compare two cards side by side with your real spend, credits, fees, and rewards.
Card A
Card B
Monthly spend
Start with spending categories
Monthly Total
$2,430/mo
Reward assumptions
Credits & benefits
Count the credits and perks you actually expect to use. Credit rows start with conservative default values; edit them for your own merchant, timing, or travel friction.
Card A
United Club Card
Counted benefits
$920
Credits
$920
Cash-like credits counted in the model
Perks
None
Optional user-valued benefits
Credit
$200 Renowned Hotels and Resorts Credit
Travel Credits · Listed $200/yr
Receive up to $200 back as statement credits on eligible prepaid Renowned Hotels and Resorts stays.
Credit
$150 Rideshare Credits
Travel Credits · Listed $150/yr
Enroll to receive up to $150 back as statement credits each calendar year on eligible rideshare purchases.
Credit
$100 Avis or Budget United Travel Credits
Travel Credits · Listed $100/yr
Receive United TravelBank cash for eligible Avis or Budget rentals booked through cars.united.com.
Credit
$240 Instacart Credits
Other · Listed $240/yr
Receive up to $240 in Instacart credits each calendar year for eligible Instacart purchases.
Credit
$200 JSX Credits
Travel Credits · Listed $200/yr
Receive up to $200 back as statement credits each anniversary year on eligible JSX flights.
Credit
Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS Fee Credit
Tsa Global Entry · Listed $30/yr
Receive a statement credit of up to $120 every four years for a qualifying application fee.
Perk
United Club Card Membership
Lounge Access · No listed cash value
Primary cardmembers receive United Club access for themselves and eligible travel companions under United Club rules.
Perk
Free First and Second Checked Bags
Other · No listed cash value
The primary cardmember and one companion can each receive first and second standard checked bags free on eligible United itineraries.
Card B
United Explorer Card
Counted benefits
$560
Credits
$560
Cash-like credits counted in the model
Perks
None
Optional user-valued benefits
Credit
$100 United Travel Credit
Travel Credits · Listed $100/yr
Earn a United travel credit after spending $10,000 with the card within a calendar year.
Credit
$100 United Hotels Credits
Travel Credits · Listed $100/yr
Receive up to $100 back as statement credits on eligible prepaid United Hotels stays.
Credit
$60 Rideshare Credits
Travel Credits · Listed $60/yr
Enroll to receive up to $60 back as statement credits each calendar year on eligible rideshare purchases.
Credit
$50 Avis or Budget United Travel Credits
Travel Credits · Listed $50/yr
Receive United TravelBank cash for eligible Avis or Budget rentals booked through cars.united.com.
Credit
$120 Instacart Credits
Other · Listed $120/yr
Receive up to $120 in Instacart credits each calendar year for eligible Instacart purchases.
Credit
$100 JSX Credits
Travel Credits · Listed $100/yr
Receive up to $100 back as statement credits each anniversary year on eligible JSX flights.
Credit
Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS Fee Credit
Tsa Global Entry · Listed $30/yr
Receive a statement credit of up to $120 every four years for a qualifying application fee.
Perk
Free First Checked Bag and Priority Boarding
Other · No listed cash value
The primary cardmember and one companion can receive a first checked bag free and priority boarding on eligible United itineraries.
Verdict
United Club wins year 1. United Explorer wins long term.
Winner after year 1
United Explorer Card
$125 ongoing edge
$816 vs $691
Long-term breakeven: the higher-reward option needs roughly $89,910 per year in this spend mix to overcome the fee and benefit gap.
Chase
United Club Card
Year One
$1,791
Welcome offer + annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
After Year 1
$691
Annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
Annual Rewards
$466
1.60% effective return
Welcome Offer
$1,100
Current listed first-year bonus value
Credits + Perks
$920
$920 credits + $0 perks
Bonus Spend
$5,000
3 mo window · $1,667/mo pace · Doable
Why it wins
- • Comes with a particularly strong welcome offer.
- • Your expected credit usage offsets most of the annual fee.
- • Stays usable for international purchases.
Watch for
- • The points value case is thinner without transfer-partner flexibility.
Chase
United Explorer Card
Year One
$1,616
Welcome offer + annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
After Year 1
$816
Annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
Annual Rewards
$406
1.39% effective return
Welcome Offer
$800
Current listed first-year bonus value
Credits + Perks
$560
$560 credits + $0 perks
Bonus Spend
$3,000
3 mo window · $1,000/mo pace · Comfortable
Why it wins
- • Still delivers meaningful first-year upside from the welcome offer.
- • Your expected credit usage offsets most of the annual fee.
- • Stays usable for international purchases.
Watch for
- • The points value case is thinner without transfer-partner flexibility.
Spend Mix Math
Where the value actually comes from
Category returns are based on the spend mix you entered, your point-value assumption, and the benefits you chose to count.
Dining
2x
$5,400
United Club
$108
2.00%
United Explorer
$108
2.00%
Groceries
1x
$7,800
United Club
$78
1.00%
United Explorer
$78
1.00%
Travel
5x
$3,000
United Club
$150
5.00%
United Explorer
$90
3.00%
Gas
1x
$1,920
United Club
$19
1.00%
United Explorer
$19
1.00%
General
1x
$11,040
United Club
$110
1.00%
United Explorer
$110
1.00%
Total annual spend
$29,160 across this mix
United Club$466
United Explorer$406
Raw Breakdown
Full side-by-side details
Use the spec table below when you want the literal field-by-field differences in rewards, benefits, transfer partners, fees, and approval profile.
| Metric | United Club Card | United Explorer Card |
|---|---|---|
| Costs | ||
| Annual fee | $695 | $150 |
| Foreign transaction fee | None | None |
| Rewards | ||
| Dining rewards | 2x | 2x |
| Other rewards | 2x 2X miles on travel purchases outside United. | — |
| Travel rewards | 5x 5X miles on eligible United purchases; 2X on other travel; 5X on eligible Renowned Hotels and Resorts stays. | 3x 3X miles on eligible United purchases; 2X on hotel stays booked with the hotel. |
| All rewards | 1x | 1x |
| Offer | ||
| Welcome offer | Earn up to 110,000 bonus miles + 3,000 Premier qualifying points Earn 100,000 bonus miles + 3,000 PQP after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months, plus 10,000 bonus miles after adding an authorized user in the first 3 months. | Earn up to 80,000 bonus miles Earn 70,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months, plus 10,000 bonus miles after adding an authorized user in the first 3 months. |
| Benefits | ||
| Estimated benefits | ~$920/yr | ~$560/yr |
| Benefit highlights | $200 Renowned Hotels and Resorts Credit · $150 Rideshare Credits · $100 Avis or Budget United Travel Credits · +5 more | $100 United Travel Credit · $100 United Hotels Credits · $60 Rideshare Credits · +5 more |
| Profile | ||
| Credit needed | Excellent | Good |
| Network | — | visa |
| Reward type | Miles | Miles |
Costs
Annual fee
United Club Card
$695
United Explorer Card
$150
Foreign transaction fee
United Club Card
None
United Explorer Card
None
Rewards
Dining rewards
United Club Card
2x
United Explorer Card
2x
Other rewards
United Club Card
2x
2X miles on travel purchases outside United.
United Explorer Card
—
Travel rewards
United Club Card
5x
5X miles on eligible United purchases; 2X on other travel; 5X on eligible Renowned Hotels and Resorts stays.
United Explorer Card
3x
3X miles on eligible United purchases; 2X on hotel stays booked with the hotel.
All rewards
United Club Card
1x
United Explorer Card
1x
Offer
Welcome offer
United Club Card
Earn up to 110,000 bonus miles + 3,000 Premier qualifying points
Earn 100,000 bonus miles + 3,000 PQP after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months, plus 10,000 bonus miles after adding an authorized user in the first 3 months.
United Explorer Card
Earn up to 80,000 bonus miles
Earn 70,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months, plus 10,000 bonus miles after adding an authorized user in the first 3 months.
Benefits
Estimated benefits
United Club Card
~$920/yr
United Explorer Card
~$560/yr
Benefit highlights
United Club Card
$200 Renowned Hotels and Resorts Credit · $150 Rideshare Credits · $100 Avis or Budget United Travel Credits · +5 more
United Explorer Card
$100 United Travel Credit · $100 United Hotels Credits · $60 Rideshare Credits · +5 more
Profile
Credit needed
United Club Card
Excellent
United Explorer Card
Good
Network
United Club Card
—
United Explorer Card
visa
Reward type
United Club Card
Miles
United Explorer Card
Miles