United℠ Explorer Card
vs. United Quest℠ Card

The United Explorer Card and the United Quest Card are both excellent choices for frequent United flyers. However, the United Explorer is the better card due to its lower annual fee and valuable perks, like free checked bags and United Club passes.

Nevertheless, the United Quest Card is a strong contender, offering higher rewards on United purchases and additional travel credits for those who fly United frequently and can leverage the extra benefits.

MoneyGeek's United card comparison breaks down the card details, rewards and perks to help you decide which is right for you.

The United Explorer Card is likely to be better for you if you want a lower annual fee and more value perks, like two United Club one-time passes per year. This card is great for occasional United flyers who want benefits like free checked bags and priority boarding.

The United Quest Card will likely be better for frequent United flyers who want to maximize their travel rewards and benefits. This card offers higher rewards rates on United purchases, travel, dining and select streaming services. It also provides valuable perks like an annual $125 United purchase credit, two free checked bags and up to 10,000 miles in award flight credits each year. However, the high annual fee may not be suitable for those who do not travel frequently or cannot fully utilize the card's benefits.

Point-by-point comparisons of APRs, fees, required credit, rewards, introductory offers and other features help you determine which card best meets your needs. For example, if you're looking for higher rewards on United purchases, the Quest Card offers three miles per $1, compared to the Explorer's two miles per $1.

The United Quest Card has better rewards value due to its higher earning rates on United purchases and additional categories like streaming services. Both cards use United MileagePlus miles, valued at approximately 1.4 cents.

However, the United Quest Card earns three miles per $1 spent on United purchases, compared to two miles per $1 with the United Explorer Card. Additionally, the Quest Card offers two miles per $1 on select streaming services, which the Explorer Card does not. Below is a table summarizing the bonus categories for each card.

Both the United Explorer and United Quest cards offer flexible redemption options. Cardholders can use miles for United airfare, hotel stays, car rentals and more without worrying about expiration. However, redemption is limited to United and its partners, which may restrict flexibility for some users.

The United Quest card offers superior benefits for frequent travelers, with two free checked bags and a $125 annual United purchase credit. In contrast, the Explorer card provides one free checked bag and two United Club passes annually. Both cards offer priority boarding, but the Quest card's additional perks — like award flight credits — make it more valuable for those who travel often.

Travel Perks

• Free checked bag for you and a companion, saving up to $200 per roundtrip
• Priority boarding for you and your companions, allowing you to board before general passengers
• Two United Club one-time passes per year, valued at over $100

Status

• Earn up to 1,000 Premier qualifying points (PQP) annually, contributing to your United loyalty status

Insurance & Protections

• Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver offers primary coverage for rental cars, valued at $160
• Travel Insurance covers baggage loss/delay and trip cancellation with a $155 value

Credits & Discounts

• Up to $100 ID Statement Credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS every four years
• 25% discount on in-flight food, beverages and Wi-Fi purchases

All Other Perks

• One-year complimentary DashPass membership for DoorDash and Caviar, offering unlimited deliveries with no delivery fees

Travel Perks

• Two free checked bags for you and a companion, saving up to $360 per roundtrip
• Priority boarding for you and companions on the same reservation

Status

• Earn up to 6,000 Premier qualifying points (PQP) annually

Insurance & Protections

• Comprehensive trip insurance covering cancellations, interruptions and delays
• Auto rental collision damage waiver

Credits & Discounts

• Up to $125 in statement credits for United purchases each account anniversary year
• Up to 10,000 miles in award flight credits each year, starting with your first anniversary
• Up to $100 credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS every four years
• 25% back on United in-flight and Club premium drink purchases

All Other Perks

• One-year complimentary DashPass membership for DoorDash and Caviar, offering $0 delivery fees on eligible orders

MoneyGeek's scoring process evaluates each card based on multiple use cases, ensuring the scores reflect the cards' strengths. In this comparison, the scores shown represent the best performance of each card in the 'Airline' category. Several factors determine this score:

• Expected value for travelers: Measures the monetary value of rewards and perks minus the annual fees for frequent travelers.
• Airline scope: Rates the number of destinations the airline flies to, which helps inform the breadth of travel options for the airline program.
• Introductory offer ROI value: Assesses the return on investment (ROI) from the card's sign-up bonus.
• Airline rewards rate for travelers: Evaluates the rewards earned on airline expenditures for frequent travelers.
• Issuer satisfaction: Based on customer satisfaction ratings from studies like J.D. Power.
• Foreign transaction fees: Rates the card's fees for international transactions.
• Recommended credit: Indicates the credit score range required for approval.

For more details on our scoring process, review our ranking methodology.