The United Quest℠ Card is a must-have for any savvy traveler looking to maximize their rewards and enjoy an upgraded flying experience on United.
This travel rewards credit card not only comes with a $125 annual United credit, but it also offers up to 10,000 award miles every year, two free checked bags, and a range of valuable travel protections to give you peace of mind on your adventures.
But why just take our word for it when you can find out for yourself? In this comprehensive guide, we’ll leave no stone unturned as we delve deeper into every aspect of the United Quest Card.
From its lucrative rewards program and valuable travel protections to its annual fees and potential drawbacks, we’ll cover all the essential information you need to know to make an informed decision about whether this card is the perfect addition to your wallet.
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- 3X Miles on United Airlines
- 2X Miles on Dining, Streaming, and Other Travel
- $125 Annual United Statement Credit
- Global Entry/TSA PreCheck Credit
- Two 5,000-Mile Anniversary Award Flight Credits
- Free First and Second Checked Bags
- Priority Boarding
- Primary Rental Car Insurance
- $250 Annual Fee
Welcome Bonus
The United Quest Card currently offers the following welcome bonus:
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Earning Points
The United Quest Card offers nice bonus categories to earn extra miles, including:
- 3 miles per dollar on United purchases (immediately after earning your $125 annual United purchase credit);
- 2 miles per dollar on all other travel, including airfare, trains, local transit, cruise lines, hotels, car rentals, taxicabs, ride-share services, and tolls;
- 2 miles per dollar on dining purchases, including eligible delivery services;
- 2 miles per dollar on select streaming services (including Disney+, Hulu, Netflix); and
- 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
Annual Fee
The United Quest Card has a $250 annual fee, which is offset as detailed below by a $125 United Credit, two 5,000-mile anniversary award flight credits, free first and second-checked bags, priority boarding, and travel protections.
You can also add authorized users for no additional cost.
Card Benefits on United Airlines
The United Quest Card offers the following benefits for United Airlines:
$125 United Credit
Card members receive a $125 credit for United Airlines purchases each account year. This credit can be used for purchases like flights, seat upgrades, baggage fees, in-flight services, and more.
Up to 10,000 Miles Back on Awards
Automatically receive 5,000 miles back in your account after taking a United-operated award flight booked with your miles, up to twice every anniversary year starting after your first anniversary.
First and Second Bags Free
The primary cardholder and one traveling companion on the same reservation are eligible to receive their first and second bag for free when you use the Quest card to purchase your United-operated flight.
Checked bags are typically priced at $35 for the first bag and $45 for the second bag each way. That’s about $320 worth of savings for two travelers on a roundtrip flight.
Priority Boarding
You and your companions on the same reservation enjoy priority boarding in Group 2. This also allows you to bypass the Basic Economy restriction on bringing a carry-on bag.
25% Discount for In-flight Purchases
This card offers 25% back in the form of an account statement credit on purchases of food, beverages, and Wi-Fi, onboard United when you pay using your card.
Award Upgrades for Premier Members
Normally United Premier members only receive complimentary upgrades on cash tickets.
But holding this card also makes Premier members eligible for upgrades when using their miles on award tickets.
Extra Elite Points
Cardmembers earn 500 Premier Qualifying Points for every $12,000 they spend each calendar year up to 6,000 PQPs.
Potential 5,000 Mile Bonus
You can unlock an annual 5,000-mile bonus by holding this card in addition to the United℠ Business Card (review).
Other Card Benefits
The United Quest Card also offers these other card benefits:
Primary Rental Car Insurance
Primary rental car insurance covers any damage to a rental car when you pay for the rental using this card.
But you still need to maintain liability car insurance to cover damage to another person or property.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
This card has no foreign transaction fees on purchases outside the U.S., which is helpful if you travel internationally to help you avoid paying a 3% fee on those international purchases.
Complimentary DashPass Membership
This card offers a one-year DashPass membership for free, which includes DoorDash and Caviar, offering unlimited deliveries with free delivery fees and reduced service fees for eligible purchases The offer must be activated by December 31, 2024.
Once the free membership is over, you will be automatically enrolled in DashPass at the prevailing monthly rate.
Global Entry / TSA PreCheck / NEXUS Credit
This card offers a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS fee credit of up to $100 every four years.
TSA PreCheck is a membership program offering dedicated airport security lines and faster security screening (typically 5 minutes or less) at more than 200 airports across the United States and includes over 81 airlines.
Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck and expedited immigration upon arrival from an international trip back to the United States.
The NEXUS program is designed to facilitate expedited travel between the United States and Canada by providing pre-approved individuals with streamlined border clearance and enhanced security measures.
Trip Delay Insurance
This card offers trip delay insurance when you purchase your flight with this card.
This reimburses you for reasonable expenses things like hotels, food, transportation, and other necessary items.
Flights are increasingly delayed or canceled, and it is too risky to not use a card that offers free trip delay insurance.
Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance
Trip cancellation and interruption insurance reimburses you for non-refundable expenses if your trip is interrupted or canceled for a covered reason such as illness, severe weather, or an accidental injury when you pay for your travel expenses with this card.
Baggage Delay Insurance
Baggage delay insurance can reimburse you for the cost of necessary personal and business items if (1) you purchased your trip with this card and (2) your bag is delayed by a common carrier like an airline, train, ferry, or cruise ship, etc.
Common reimbursable items include clothing, toiletries, and phone chargers, which can be a life-saver when you are without your bag.
Lost Luggage Reimbursement
Lost luggage reimbursement covers the cost to repair or replace your luggage and the contents inside if your bag is lost or damaged during a covered trip.
You must purchase the trip with this card, and it will also cover immediate family members traveling with you.
Extended Warranty
Credit card extended warranty protection adds up to an additional year of coverage for eligible purchases on manufacturer’s warranties up to 3 years.
Coverage matches the protection provided by the original warranty so that damage or defect would have to be covered by the original warranty for extended warranty coverage.
Purchase Protection for 120 Days
Purchase protection can save you a lot of money if you bought an eligible item that is damaged or stolen within 120-days.
For example, if accidentally dropped your new phone or laptop and broke the screen, you could file a claim to get it replaced if it was purchased within the last 120 days.
Pros and Cons
Take a moment to review these pros and cons to help you decide whether the United Quest card is the right fit for you.
Pros
- $125 Annual United Purchase Credit
- Two free checked bags for the cardholder and one companion (when paying for a flight with Quest card)
- Two 5,000-mile anniversary award flight credits
- Primary car rental insurance
Cons
- No United Club passes like the lower annual fee United℠ Explorer Card.
- $250 annual fee.
Card Alternatives to the United Quest Card
Before deciding whether you should get this card or not, it’s worth considering that there are other cards available that offer comparable, or in some cases, even superior benefits to the United Quest Card. Here are some alternative options for you to consider.
United℠ Explorer Card
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- 2X Miles on United Purchases, Dining, and Hotel Stays
- 2 United Club One-Time Passes Per Year
- Free First Checked Bags for Two People
- Up to $100 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or Nexus Credit
- 25% Savings on United In-Flight Food and Drinks
- Priority Boarding
- Primary Rental Car and Trip Delay Insurance
- $0 Intro Annual Fee, Then $95 Per Year
The United℠ Explorer Card (review) is one of my favorite cards to keep long-term because of the great benefits when flying United, including:
- Free first checked bag when you pay using the Explorer card;
- Two free United Club passes each account anniversary;
- Priority boarding for you and companions on the same reservation;
- Extra award space when redeeming your United miles;
- 25% back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages, and Wi-Fi on United; and
- Premier upgrades on award tickets.
Even if you’re not a frequent United flyer, the money-saving perks and travel benefits of this card can still make it a worthwhile choice.
Besides the airline-specific benefits, the United Explorer card offers purchase protection, extended warranty, and trip cancellation/interruption insurance, providing peace of mind while traveling.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
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- $300 Annual Travel Credit
- 10x Points on Hotels and Rental Cars and 5x Points on Flights Booked Through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- 3x Points on Dining, Takeout, & Eligible Food Delivery
- 50% More Redemption Value
- Priority Pass Airport Lounge Access
- Trip Delay and Trip Cancellation Insurance
- Primary Rental Car Insurance
- $550 Annual Fee
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® (review) is a great option for travelers who want premium perks such as airport lounge access and top-tier travel protections.
The Sapphire Reserve has a $550 annual fee, but you receive an annual easy-to use $300 travel credit and access to 1,300 Priority Pass airport lounges.
Plus, great benefits such as trip delay insurance, primary rental car insurance, trip cancellation insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, purchase and return protection, extended warranty, and no foreign transaction fees.
Cardmembers also earn extra points with:
- 5x points on flights and 10x points on hotels and car rentals through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
- 3x points on travel.
- 3x points on dining, and food delivery purchases.
- 1x points everywhere else.
One thing to remember is that you won’t earn points on your first $300 in travel purchases each cardmember year since the $300 travel credit covers those purchases.
You can also cash out points at a 50% bonus (1.5 cents per point) when redeeming points towards travel or transfer the points to Chase’s airline and hotel partners.
United Club℠ Infinite Card
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- 4X Miles on United Purchases
- 2X Miles on Dining, Travel, Transit, and Rideshare
- United Club Airport Lounge Access
- IHG Platinum and Avis President’s Club Elite Status
- Free First and Second Checked Bags
- Primary Rental Car Insurance
- Trip Delay and Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance
- $525 Annual Fee
The United Club℠ Infinite Card (review) offers United Club membership for the primary cardholder if you have a same-day boarding pass for travel on United, a Star Alliance partner, or a contracted partner.
You can also bring two adults or one adult and dependent children under 21 years of age as guests.
The card also offers 4 miles per dollar spent on United purchases, 2 miles per dollar spent on travel and dining, and 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases.
Plus, you and one companion can get your first and second checked bags free on United-operated flights when you buy the tickets with your card.
Is the United Quest Card Worth It?
The United Quest card is a credit card designed for travelers who may not fly often enough on United Airlines to justify the large annual fee of the United Club℠ Infinite Card (review), but still want to enjoy additional benefits beyond what the United℠ Explorer Card (review) provides.
As a mid-tier card, the United Quest offers a range of benefits that can make travel more convenient and enjoyable, including a higher sign-up bonus, annual points bonuses, and various travel perks and protections. Some of the notable benefits include TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fee credit, priority boarding, and access to expanded award availability.
Overall, the United Quest card can be a valuable addition to your wallet, but it’s important to make sure that it aligns with your individual travel habits and priorities.
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- 3X Miles on United Airlines
- 2X Miles on Dining, Streaming, and Other Travel
- $125 Annual United Statement Credit
- Global Entry/TSA PreCheck Credit
- Two 5,000-Mile Anniversary Award Flight Credits
- Free First and Second Checked Bags
- Priority Boarding
- Primary Rental Car Insurance
- $250 Annual Fee
