United Gateway℠ Card Review: Decent Rewards, No Annual Fee

The United Gateway℠ Card is a solid choice for infrequent travelers who want to earn United miles. It offers no annual fee and 2X miles on United purchases, gas and local transit, along with a sign-up bonus. However, if you often fly United, you might find this card's benefits lacking compared to other options from the airline.

The United Gateway is the entry-level card in United’s lineup, tailored for occasional travelers who want to earn United miles on purchases without paying an annual fee. The 2X miles on United purchases, gas and local transit make it a great way to maximize your travel spending.

Key features include 20,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 in the first three months, a 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases, then a variable APR of 21.49% - 28.49% after that and coverage for trip cancellation and rental car insurance.

Note that the card lacks travel perks like free checked bags and early boarding. Frequent United flyers might prefer other co-branded cards with more benefits, like the United℠ Explorer Card.

The United Gateway℠ Card allows you to earn United MileagePlus miles, which you can redeem for flights and upgrades at an estimated value of 1.25 cents per mile. While you can also use your miles for hotels, car rentals and more, these redemptions usually offer less value.

With the card, you earn valuable rewards from United flights and some travel categories:

• Two miles per dollar on United Airlines purchases
• Three miles per dollar on hotel stays booked through United Hotels
• Two miles per dollar on local transit and commuting
• Two miles per dollar at gas stations
• Two miles per dollar local transit and commuting, including rideshare services, taxicabs, train tickets, tolls and mass transit
• One mile per dollar on all other purchases

When flying United as a MileagePlus member, you automatically earn miles based on your membership status, ranging from 5X to 11X. Using this card to book your flight adds extra miles on top of those. United MileagePlus miles can also be redeemed for flights within the Star Alliance network, which includes 26 member airlines worldwide. Your miles won’t expire as long as your account stays active, allowing you to save them without worrying about losing their value.

The United Gateway Card lets you earn United miles without paying an annual fee, in addition to other perks:

No Annual Fee: Unlike several travel cards, you don’t have to pay an annual fee to get this card. It’s a no-frills option that lets you in on the United MileagePlus program.

Sign-up Bonus: Earn 20,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 in the first three months. If redeemed for a United flight, that’s worth $280.

0% Intro APR on Purchases: The card offers a 0% introductory APR on purchases for the first 12 months, ,then a variable APR of 21.49% - 28.49% after that. This can be particularly useful for financing travel expenses without incurring interest.

Travel Insurance: This card provides Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, reimbursing up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip for non-refundable fares. It also includes an auto rental collision damage waiver, which covers theft and damage to a rental car.

If you’re a frequent traveler, the United Gateway Card lacks the bells and whistles that you normally want on your travel card, including these potential drawbacks:

Limited Travel Benefits: This card lacks travel perks like free checked bags, priority boarding and lounge access. If you fly frequently, these missing benefits could lead to significant extra costs and inconvenience, especially on longer trips or when traveling with companions. The United Explorer Card lets you access premium perks for an annual fee.

Inflexible Rewards: You’ll only get the best redemption value if you redeem your miles for award flights or seat upgrades on United or Star Alliance partners. This limits your options, as you’re unable to use your miles for a variety of travel expenses. If you find the card too restrictive, consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.

No Elite Status Progress: The miles earned with this card do not count toward United Premier Status. For United loyalists aiming to achieve or maintain elite status, this can be a significant drawback, as you're missing out on earning Premier qualifying points (PQPs) on your purchases. All other United cards earn PQPs, but they come with annual fees.

We compare the United Gateway Card with other United co-branded cards to help you decide if it is right for your needs.

Below, we compare the United Gateway Card with another travel card to help you make an informed decision.

Pairing the United Gateway Card with another card can be a good strategy for maximizing your purchases.

We evaluated the United Gateway Card among 20 airline cards, focusing on key features with the following weights to generate our rankings:

• Expected Value to the Traveler (40%): Measures the expected monetary value of rewards and perks minus the annual fees for a frequent traveler.
• Airline Scope (20%): Rates the number of destinations the airline flies to, which is crucial for frequent travelers.
• Offer ROI (15%): Evaluates the return on investment from the introductory bonus offers.
• Foreign Transaction Fees (5%): Rates the absence of foreign transaction fees, beneficial for international travelers.
• Issuer Satisfaction (5%): Based on J.D. Power's issuer satisfaction study, reflecting customer satisfaction with the card issuer.
• Recommended Credit (5%): Indicates the credit score range required for approval, with higher scores being more inclusive.