United Quest Card Review 2024: Benefits That Soar

• Introducing the United Quest Card
• Quick Facts
• What Is the United Quest Card Best For?
• United Quest Card Rewards
• Other United Quest Card Benefits
• Fine Print
• How the United Quest Card Stacks Up
• Is the United Quest Card for You?
• Methodology

The United Quest℠ Card is United’s mid-tier premium credit card. Its welcome bonus is impressive, but the $125 annual purchase credit toward United flights, up to two 5,000-mile flight credit each anniversary year and opportunity to earn 6,000 Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs) will keep cardmembers around after the first year.

The card is targeted at United Airlines frequent flyers who want to boost their United Airlines Premier status. The card offers free checked bags for the cardmember and a companion, increased bonus miles on United flights and other categories and the opportunity to earn Premier status faster through spending on the card.

What makes the United Quest℠ Card stand out is that the benefits are a bit more useful than other offerings in its class. The auto rental collision damage waiver benefit is primary. And the annual purchase credit is more usable than many other cards’ companion certificates.

• $250 annual fee
• Earn 3 miles per dollar on United® purchases, 2 miles per dollar on dining, select streaming services and all other travel and 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases
• Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months
• Get up to $125 in credits toward United flights each account anniversary year
• Get up to 10,000 miles back after the first anniversary year when you book United award flights

The United Quest℠ Card is best for those who find themselves on a United Airlines flight two or three times per year. Perks like an annual $125 statement credit to offset United Airlines purchases and two 5,000-mile rebates each year after booking award flights justify the $250 annual fee for United flyers.

The card is best for couples or solo travelers who check bags when they fly. It offers two free checked bags for you and a partner on your reservation—saving potentially $320 per round-trip flight.

Earning Rewards

The United Quest℠ Card earns rewards as miles in United Airlines’ MileagePlus program. Like many airline credit cards, its most generous rewards are granted for flights on United Airlines. The card awards 3 miles per dollar on United® purchases, 2 miles per dollar on dining, select streaming services and all other travel and 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.

The United Quest Card offers a welcome bonus of 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.

In addition to MileagePlus miles, the card can earn up to 6,000 Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs). Silver Status starts at 12 Premier Qualifying Flights and 4,000 PQPs or 5,000 PQPs without flying the minimum 12 qualifying flights.

Redeeming Rewards

By far the most valuable use of MileagePlus miles is for award travel on United and its vast network of partners, which includes Star Alliance airlines such as Asiana, Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines and non-alliance partners like Aer Lingus and Eurowings. United’s award pricing is dynamic, so the best way to estimate how many MileagePlus miles are required for your trip is to search at United.com. Some of United Airlines’ featured awards start as low as 11,400 miles.

The card has a rare feature: It rewards you when you redeem miles. Twice per year, starting after your first anniversary holding the card, you’ll get a 5,000 mile rebate for booking an award ticket. Not only that, the card puts you on the upgrade list when you redeem miles for a domestic award ticket.

In addition to awards for flights, MileagePlus offers upgrade awards, an option to upgrade most tickets using miles or a combination of miles and a cash copay. Pricing for upgrade awards is based on region and fare class.

MileagePlus offers a number of additional ways to use MileagePlus miles including hotel, car and cruise awards, merchandise redemptions, gift cards and experiences. Generally, these redemption options will not provide as much value as awards for travel on United Airlines and its partners.

Rewards Potential

Using data from various government agencies, Forbes Advisor has developed estimates for how much a family in the 70th percentile of income spends annually in various categories. The 70th percentile of wage-earning households brings in $118,438 annually and has $39,337 in expenses that can be charged to credit cards. These figures are used to estimate the potential rewards from this credit card.

United Quest℠ Card Rewards Potential
Category	Earning Rate	Estimated Annual Spend	Estimated Annual Earnings
United Airlines purchases	3X	$770	1,935
Other travel	2X	$4,945	9,890
Dining and streaming services	2X	$5,301	10,602
All other purchases	1X	$28,321	28,321
			50,748 United MileagePlus Miles

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The total earned by our sample household would be 50,748 United MileagePlus miles—in addition to the welcome bonus. Because everyone’s spending patterns differ, we suggest you look at your shopping habits and compare the rewards earned for any card you are considering.

• Free checked bags. The first and second checked bags are free for the primary cardholder and one companion when you pay for your travel with the card.
• Discounted in-flight purchases. Receive 25% back on in-flight food, drinks and Wi-Fi on United when you use your card.
• Up to $100 credit toward Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS. You won’t have to pay for the application fee for select trusted traveler programs as long as you hold the card.
• No foreign transaction fees. Some cards charge a fee (often 3%) every time you make a purchase that’s processed outside the U.S.—this card does not.
• Priority boarding. The primary cardholder and companions on the same reservation will get to board in Group 2 when flying United, which is before most other passengers.
• $125 annual United purchase credit. Your credit card will effectively pay for your first $125 in United expenses each cardmember year.
• Expanded award availability. Enjoy expanded award availability when you use miles to book any United-operated flight, any time, with no restrictions or blackout dates.
• Baggage delay insurance. Reimbursement for essential purchases like toiletries and clothing for baggage delays over six hours up to $100 a day for three days.
• Lost luggage reimbursement. Covers checked or carry-on luggage that is damaged or lost up to $3,000 per passenger.
• Trip delay reimbursement. Reimburses meals and lodging, up to $500, caused by a trip delay of more than 12 hours or requiring an overnight stay.
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance. Reimbursement of up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip for your pre-paid, non-refundable passenger fares, if your trip is canceled or cut short by sickness, severe weather and other covered situations.
• Travel accident insurance. When you pay for your air, bus, train or cruise transportation card, you’re eligible to receive accidental death or dismemberment coverage of up to $500,000.
• Auto rental collision damage waiver. Decline the rental company’s collision insurance and charge the entire rental cost to your United Quest℠ Card. Coverage is primary and provides reimbursement up to the actual cash value of the vehicle for theft and collision damage for eligible rental cars in the U.S. and abroad.
• Purchase protection. Covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft, up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per year.
• Extended warranty protection. Extends the time period for the U.S. manufacturer’s warranty by an additional year, on eligible warranties of three years or less.
• Zero liability protection. You won’t be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
• Complimentary DashPass. Get one free year of DashPass, which includes $0 delivery fees and reduced service fees at DoorDash and Caviar, with activation.

Interest Rates

• Regular APR: 21.99% - 28.99% Variable
• Purchase intro APR: N/A
• Balance transfer intro APR: N/A

Fees

• Annual fee: $250
• Balance transfer fee: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
• Foreign purchase transaction fee: $0

United Quest℠ Card vs. Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

Most U.S. domestic airlines offer a mid-tier premium credit card similar to the United Quest℠ Card. It can be useful to look at a competing airline’s offering to determine if a card provides value relative to what else is available. The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card is Delta’s upper mid-tier offering, though its $350 annual fee is substantially higher (Terms apply, see rates & fees).

When it comes to earning miles, the cards are comparable. The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card offers 3 miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels, 2 miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets and 1 mile per dollar on other eligible purchases. While the United Quest℠ Card does not offer increased earnings for supermarket spending, the 2 United miles per dollar earned on travel including hotels, car rentals and other airlines could eclipse additional earnings on groceries for a frequent traveler.

In terms of benefits, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card offers the better value proposition. Most impressively, the card offers an annual Companion Certificate that allows you to bring along a friend for just the cost of taxes and fees (max $250) on any Delta-operated round-trip coach flight within the U.S. (including Alaska and Hawaii) or to Mexico, the Caribbean or Central America. The card also provides up to $120 in annual rideshare credits ($10 per month for Uber, Lyft and other partners), up to $120 in annual Resy credits ($10 per month to be used at participating restaurants) and up to $150 in annual Delta Stay credits (to offset prepaid hotel stays booked through Delta).

While the United Quest℠ Card may have technically less value to offer, its benefits are easier to use. The $125 credit to offset United Airlines purchases goes a long way to offset the card’s annual fee—as does its two free checked bags perk on United flights for the cardholder and a companion. And the up to 10,000 miles in award flight credits each year will automatically activate for United award flights after the first cardmember anniversary.

United Quest℠ Card vs. United Club℠ Infinite Card

If you’re a frequent United Airlines flyer, you may also be interested in the United Club℠ Infinite Card, United’s ultra-premium card.

The United Club℠ Infinite Card matches the mileage earnings of the United Quest℠ Card on travel but boosts earnings on United purchases to 4 miles per dollar. The United Club℠ Infinite Card includes most of the travel benefits of the United Quest Card, including two free checked bags for the cardmember and a companion, up to a $100 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS fee credit and a suite of travel and purchase insurance benefits including a primary auto rental collision damage waiver.

Notably absent from the current iteration of the United Club℠ Infinite Card are the two 5,000-mile reward flight credits each cardmember year.

The most compelling reason to choose the United Club℠ Infinite Card is the United Club membership, which provides United Club access for the cardmember and a traveling companion. If you travel often, having lounge access can provide incredible value, both as a refuge to get work done and as a place to get in-person rebooking assistance in the case of flight cancellations and delays.

The United Club℠ Infinite Card has an annual fee of $525 and currently offers a welcome bonus: 80,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

United Quest℠ Card vs. American Express® Green Card*

For the frequent traveler wanting a single card for travel expenses, but who flies only occasionally on United Airlines, take a look at the American Express® Green Card*.

The American Express® Green Card* earns American Express Membership Rewards, a transferable points program that can allow you to access awards across a variety of airlines and hotels, in addition to other redemption options. The Amex Green Card earns 3 points per dollar on travel and transit including flights, hotels, taxis, rideshare services, trains, parking and more, 3 points per dollar on eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and 1 point per dollar on other purchases.

The Amex Green Card offers two annual credits that frequent travelers can use: up to $189 annual statement credits toward membership in CLEAR® Plus and an up to $100 LoungeBuddy credit that can be used to purchase airport lounge access passes through the LoungeBuddy app.

The American Express® Green Card* might be a better card for you if you fly frequently across a number of airlines, won’t make use of the free checked bag benefit of the United Quest℠ Card, and will use the CLEAR and LoungeBuddy credits.

The American Express Green card has an annual fee of $150 and offers a welcome bonus: Earn 40,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 6 months.

If you’re even an infrequent United Airlines flyer, this card has solid ongoing value. The annual fee adds value with an easily usable $125 annual United purchase credit. Between the 5,000-mile award flight credits for redeeming miles, free checked bags, the opportunity to earn a higher tier of Premier status and the other included benefits, United flyers will almost certainly get value from the United Quest℠ Card well in excess of the annual fee.

Forbes Advisor considers a variety of criteria when assigning credit cards a rating. Cards are graded based on numerous factors, including:

• Annual fees
• Welcome bonus offers
• Ongoing earning rates
• Value of individual points or miles
• Included travel or merchant credits
• Additional cardholder benefits

Card features we expect cardholders to use the most often are weighted more heavily in our ratings. Altogether, the factors come together to provide a star rating for each individual card.

Read more: How Forbes Advisor rates credit cards.

To view rates and fees for Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card please visit this page.