United Quest℠ Card
vs. United Gateway℠ Card

The United Quest℠ Card and United Gateway Card are both excellent choices for United Airlines loyalists. The United Quest is the better option for frequent travelers, offering high rewards on United purchases, travel and dining, along with valuable perks like free checked bags and a substantial sign-up bonus. Despite its $250 annual fee, the benefits can outweigh the cost for regular United flyers.

However, the United Gateway remains a strong contender for those seeking a no-annual-fee option with basic rewards on United purchases and everyday spending.

The United Quest is likely to be better for frequent United Airlines travelers who can take advantage of its high rewards on United purchases, travel, and dining.

It offers valuable perks like free checked bags and a $125 annual United credit, which can help offset its $250 annual fee. However, it may not be suitable for those who don't travel often or prefer a card with no annual fee.

The United Gateway is likely to be better for individuals who prefer a no-annual-fee card while still earning rewards on United Airlines purchases. It's a great option for those who travel occasionally and want to earn miles on everyday expenses like gas and local transit.

However, it may not be the best choice for frequent travelers seeking extensive travel perks, as it lacks benefits like free checked bags and priority boarding.

A point-by-point comparison of the United Quest and United Gateway cards covers APRs, fees, rewards, and more. For instance, if you're focused on earning miles, the Quest offers three miles per $1 on United purchases, compared with two miles with the Gateway, making Quest more rewarding for frequent United flyers.

Overall, the United Quest card offers better rewards value, particularly for frequent United flyers, with higher earning rates on United purchases and travel-related categories. The miles earned can be redeemed for United airfare, hotel stays, and more, valued at approximately 1.4 cents each.

The United Gateway card provides a more modest rewards structure, making it suitable for those who prefer no annual fee and still earn miles on United purchases and everyday spending like gas and transit.

Below, you'll find a detailed table of the rewards categories for each card, allowing you to compare their offerings at a glance.

United Quest and United Gateway cards both offer miles that can be redeemed for United flights, hotel stays, rental cars or gift cards. While miles don't expire, the redemption options are primarily limited to United and its partners, which may not suit those seeking broader flexibility.

United Quest offers superior benefits for frequent travelers with free checked bags and priority boarding, enhancing the travel experience. By contrast, United Gateway appeals to budget-conscious users with inflight purchase discounts and no foreign transaction fees. Both cards cater to different traveler needs, with United Quest providing more value for those flying United regularly.

The United Quest card offers a range of perks that cater to frequent travelers and those seeking to enhance their travel experience with United Airlines.

Travel perks

• Free first and second checked bags for the primary cardmember and one companion
• Priority boarding for the cardmember and companions on the same reservation

Status

• Earn up to 6,000 Premier qualifying points (PQP) annually
• Premier Points Intro Offer provides additional qualifying points

Insurance & protections

• Comprehensive trip insurance covering cancellations, interruptions and delays
• Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver offering primary coverage for rental cars

Credits & discounts

• Up to $125 annual United purchase credit
• Up to $100 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS fee credit every four years
• 25% back on United inflight and Club premium drink purchases

All other perks

• One-year complimentary DashPass membership for DoorDash and Caviar

The United Gateway Card offers a range of perks that cater to budget-conscious travelers and everyday optimizers, providing value through travel-related benefits and everyday savings.

Travel perks

• Free checked first bags for you and a companion
• Priority boarding for United flights

Status

• Earn Premier Qualifying Points toward elite status

Insurance & protections

• Comprehensive travel insurance including trip cancellation and baggage delay

Credits & discounts

• $125 annual United purchase credit
• Up to $100 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS fee credit
• 25% back on United inflight purchases

All other perks

• Complimentary DashPass membership for food delivery

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.