United Club℠ Infinite Card Review: The Card for Lounge Access

The United Club℠ Infinite Card is a top choice if you fly United often enough that you can qualify for elite status. With this card, you’ll enjoy United Club membership, priority boarding and free checked bags. Plus, you’ll earn 4X miles on United purchases — one of the highest rates available — letting you earn elite status quicker.

While the $525 annual fee may seem steep, it's actually less than the cost of a standalone United Club membership. For most United travelers, the United℠ Explorer Card is sufficient. But if you’re always up in the air on a United plane, the United Club Infinite Card is essential.

The United Club℠ Infinite Card is designed for frequent travellers who fly United Airlines often enough that lounge access is worth it. With this card, you'll enjoy United Club membership, priority boarding and free checked bags. It also stands out with a generous 4X miles on United purchases, surpassing the typical 3X rate offered by many co-branded cards.

As United’s flagship card, it’s packed with valuable benefits. You can earn a substantial sign-up bonus of 80,000 miles after spending $5,000 within the first three months — equivalent to $1,120 when redeemed for flights. The card also includes comprehensive travel insurance, credits for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS and no foreign transaction fees.

However, the card comes with a $525 annual fee. If you’re an occasional traveller, the United℠ Explorer Card might be a better fit, offering a more affordable annual fee with the option for lounge access. Meanwhile, consider the United Quest℠ Card if you’re only focused on earning elite status and can forgo lounge access for a more affordable annual fee.

The United Club Infinite is one of the rare cards that allows you to earn 4X miles from flights. It also offers high rewards in other categories:

• Four miles per $1 spent on United purchases
• Two miles per $1 spent on other travel and dining
• One mile per $1 spent on all other purchases

The card lets you earn United MileagePlus miles, which can be redeemed for United airfare, hotel stays, rental cars, gift cards and more. Redeeming for United flights and seat upgrades gives you the best value for your miles at 1.25 cents per mile. Miles never expire, giving you flexibility with planning your redemptions.

The United Club Infinite Card allows you to earn Premier qualifying points (PQP) that contribute to your MileagePlus Premier status.

All your purchases from the card earn 25 PQPs for every $500, with the ability to accumulate up to 10,000 PQPs per year. This is enough for you to qualify for Premier Gold status. However, to achieve Gold status, you’ll need to spend $200,000 in total with your card. It’s better to think of the PQPs you earn through spending as tailwinds to getting Premier status.

The United Quest℠ Card is chock full of benefits that cater to frequent United flyers, including the following highlights:

Unlimited Lounge Access: The card comes with a United Club membership, which offers unlimited access to over 45 United Club locations and participating Star Alliance lounges worldwide. These lounges provide a quiet, comfortable space with complimentary bar service, snacks and Wi-Fi. Considering that a one-time lounge pass is $59 and full membership is $650, the card quickly pays for itself if you frequently fly and need lounge access.

Sign-Up Bonus: You can earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 within the first three months of account opening. If you redeem these miles for flights, they could be worth up to $1,120 — enough for a roundtrip ticket to Europe.

High Rewards Rate: The United Club Infinite Card stands out with 4X miles on United purchases — an impressive rate, especially when many airline cards cap their rewards at 3X for branded purchases. The 2X miles on travel and dining is another strong feature, particularly because the travel category is broadly defined. You’ll earn high rewards on a wide range of expenses, including non-United airfare, trains, local transit, hotels, car rentals, taxis, rideshares, cruises and tolls.

Premium Travel Perks: The card offers up to $100 in statement credits every four years for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS. As a cardholder, you’ll also enjoy IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status, which provides valuable hotel perks like complimentary room upgrades, late check-out and bonus points on stays at IHG properties. Additionally, the card grants you Avis President's Club membership, giving you access to premium car rental benefits such as guaranteed upgrades and expedited service.

Travel Insurance: The United Club Infinite comes with a comprehensive set of travel insurance coverages that can be a lifesaver for frequent travelers. It includes trip cancellation and interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, trip delay reimbursement and an auto rental collision damage waiver.

Before deciding if the United Club Infinite Card is right for you, consider the following drawbacks:

High Annual Fee: The card’s $525 annual fee is its most significant drawback. Although this fee is lower than the cost of a standalone United Club membership, it could be a dealbreaker if you don’t travel frequently enough to make it worthwhile. If you’re seeking a more affordable United card with lounge access, the United℠ Explorer Card might be a better option.

Limited Rewards Flexibility: The United MileagePlus miles you earn with this card are primarily valuable for United-related purchases, making the rewards less flexible than those of other travel cards. If you prefer more versatile redemption options, this card might not suit your needs. For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® also offers lounge access but provides greater flexibility when using your rewards.

We compare the United Club Infinite Card with other United co-branded cards to help you determine which one aligns best with your travel habits and priorities.

We also compare the United Club Infinite with another travel card to help you make an informed choice.

Pairing your United Club Infinite with other cards can be a smart strategy for maximizing the rewards you receive from your purchases.

We reviewed the United Club Infinite Card alongside 20 other airline cards, concentrating on key features. Our scoring is based on the following weights:

• Expected Value for Travelers (40%): Measures rewards and perks minus annual fees.
• Airline Scope (20%): Rates the number of destinations the airline flies to.
• Offer ROI (15%): Assesses the return on investment from introductory bonus offers.
• Airline Rewards Rate (10%): Evaluates rewards earned on airline expenditures.
• Foreign Transaction Fees (5%): Rates the presence of foreign transaction fees.
• Issuer Satisfaction (5%): Based on J.D. Power's issuer satisfaction study.
• Recommended Credit (5%): Availability to different credit scores.