United Gateway℠ Card review
This may be the card you've been looking for if you frequently fly with United Airlines but you are not interested in paying an annual fee. This credit card skips the fee, saving you money so you can focus on earning rewards.
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- Annual Fee
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Key Features
descriptionEditor Analysis:
- Cardholders earn on more than just United purchases. Earn two miles per dollar on United purchases, plus at gas stations and on local transit and commuting costs.
- Considering the fact that this card doesn't charge an annual fee, it offers a nice and easy-to-earn limited-time bonus of 30,000 bonus miles after spending just $1,000 in the first three months.
- Enjoy 25% back on United in-flight purchases, issued in the form of a statement credit.
- If United Airlines is truly your go-to airline, you may stand to earn higher rewards with one of United's annual-fee cards. Be sure to evaluate how much you'll use the card and consider whether or not an annual-fee card might be worth it for you.
card_name benefits
If United is your airline of choice, the CardName can be a valuable addition to your wallet. Offered by Chase, the card features ample opportunities to earn frequent flyer miles with spending on both travel and everyday purchases. Even better, there’s no annual fee required.
The CardName also offers extras that include bonus miles, travel perks and partner benefits. Let’s break those down one at a time, starting with bonus miles.
Earning miles with the card_name
Limited-time Offer: Earn 30,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open
Then, every purchase made with the card earns additional miles. These are awarded based on the type of purchase:
- Earn 2x miles on United® purchases, including tickets, in-flight food and Wi-Fi and baggage service charges
- Earn 2x miles at gas stations
- Earn 2x miles on local transit and commuting
- Earn 1x mile on all other purchases
card_name travel perks
Earning miles for travel is only one benefit of the CardName. When you use your card, you also get the following perks to make every trip more rewarding:
- Enjoy 25% back on United in-flight purchases, issued in the form of a statement credit
- Access to United Card Events from Chase, which are private, curated experiences available for purchase
- Room upgrades, complimentary breakfast and other amenities at properties in The Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection
- Auto rental collision damage waiver coverage
- Trip cancellation/trip interruption insurance
- Complimentary access to Visa Signature Concierge Service, which is available 24 hours a day
Other benefits of the card_name
The travel benefits alone make the CardName an appealing choice. However, they aren’t the only perks that come with your account. You’ll also benefit from the following:
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
- Purchase protection
- Extended warranty protection
With benefits ranging from bonus miles to a free DoorPass membership – and all offered with no annual fee – there is little reason not to apply for the CardName if you are a frequent United flyer. However, to get the most from the card, you’ll need to be a MileagePlus member.
card_name MileagePlus
MileagePlus is the loyalty program for United Airlines. Miles earned with the CardName will be applied to your MileagePlus account and can be redeemed for travel, gift cards, merchandise and more.
One of the best parts of the MileagePlus program is that miles can be redeemed for any United-operated flight with no blackouts or restrictions. Miles can also be redeemed for flights on partner airlines, and you won’t ever have to worry about your MileagePlus miles expiring.
In addition to earning miles with your CardName, you’ll also earn miles for every flight you take with United or a partnering airline. United Airlines is part of the Star Alliance, which has 25 members including Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines. United also has a dozen other worldwide partners such as Aer Lingus and Hawaiian Airlines.
Potential downsides of the card_name
The main downside of the CardName is that those who don’t use United Airlines frequently may find its value limited. If you prefer to travel with a variety of carriers, you may be better off with a card that offers a more flexible rewards program, such as American Express Membership Rewards points or Chase Ultimate Rewards.
How the card_name compares to other cards
CardName vs. CardName
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Either of these co-branded cards can be a good choice for fans of United Airlines, but if you are a frequent traveler and don’t mind paying an annual fee, the CardName may have a slight edge.
While both cards offer two miles per dollar spent on United purchases, the CardName also awards two miles per dollar spent on dining and hotels. Of course, if you travel infrequently and rarely eat out, you may find the two miles per dollar spent on gas stations and transit offered by the CardName to be more rewarding.
As for the welcome offer, the CardName is more lucrative, with a limited-time chance to earn 60,000 miles after you spend $3,000 in the first three months.
A final consideration is the additional perks offered by the CardName that are not available on the CardName. These include two United Club one-time passes per year, free checked bag for you and a companion, priority boarding and a credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership.
CardName vs. CardName
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While the CardName is specifically designed for MileagePlus members, the CardName earns ThankYou® Points which some people might find more flexible. These points can be used for travel through Citi’s travel rewards system or redeemed for gift cards, shopping or cash rewards. Citi is a CardRatings advertiser.
As with the CardName, there is a new cardholder bonus available with the CardName. However, you’ll need to spend significantly more – $4,000 within three months – to earn the CardName bonus of 75,000 points. However, new cardholders can also earn 10 points per $1 spent on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com; three points per $1 spent on air travel and other hotel purchases, at restaurants, supermarkets, gas and EV charging stations; and one point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Earning potential is also different between the two cards. While the United card offers bonus points for United, gas station and transit purchases, the CardName has bonus earning opportunities on more categories. With the Citi card you’ll earn three points per dollar spent on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, hotels and air travel. All other purchases earn one point per dollar spent.
The CardName charges a AnnualFees annual fee, but it also comes with a $100 hotel savings benefit. That will deduct $100 from a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com.
Who should apply for the CardName?
The CardName is ideal for those who travel regularly with United Airlines or its partners and don’t want to pay an annual fee. While its benefits aren’t as flashy or lucrative as some other travel cards, it is a solid option with little to no downsides for United fans.
Frequently asked questions
Do you get free baggage with the card_name?
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Our Methodology
Survey methodology: CardRatings commissioned Op4G in September 2023 to conduct surveys among 1,869 cardholders nationwide. CardRatings website analytics from Jan. 1, 2023-Aug. 31, 2023 were used to determine a selection of the most popular cards and additional cards were included to add survey breadth. Responses to each of nine questions were given on a scale of 1-10 and respondents’ scores were then averaged under broad topics. To determine the overall score, responses from questions 1-8 were summed and the answer to "How likely are you to recommend this card to a friend, coworker or family member?" was double weighted. Current Scores reflect scores from the most recent survey (2023); “Past Scores” reflect scores from the 2022 survey.
Disclaimer:The information in this article is believed to be accurate as of the date it was written. Please keep in mind that credit card offers change frequently. Therefore, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this article. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accurate information. See the online credit card application for full terms and conditions on offers and rewards. Please verify all terms and conditions of any credit card prior to applying.
This content is not provided by any company mentioned in this article. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed here are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any such company. CardRatings.com does not review every company or every offer available on the market.
