If you maintain the United℠ Explorer Card (see charges and charges), you are doubtless to fly comparatively usually with United Airlines and worth the card’s precedence boarding perk, checked bag privilege and two annual United Club passes.
But is it doable you’d profit from extra?
That’s the place the United Quest℠ Card (see charges and charges) is available in. Yes, the annual charge is larger. However, in case you’d leverage the card’s a number of assertion credit, Premier qualifying level head begin and better incomes charges, there might be a robust argument for upgrading your card.
If you are contemplating a transfer up from the Explorer to the Quest, you have come to the proper place. Let’s go into eight the explanation why this transfer could also be the best choice for you.
Comparing the United Explorer to the United Quest
Before we get right into a deep dive about why it’s your decision to upgrade your United card, here is a side-by-side comparability of every card’s advantages.
| Card | United Explorer | United Quest |
|---|---|---|
| Annual charge | $0 introductory annual charge, then $150 | $350 |
| Earning charges |
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| United advantages |
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| Statement credit |
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Related: Who ought to (and should not) get the United Quest Card?
Why upgrade from United Explorer to United Quest
Now that you’ve got seen a side-by-side comparability of the United Explorer and United Quest advantages, let’s get into some particular circumstances during which upgrading would make sense for you.
You’re over 5/24 and might’t get the different card by a brand new software
If you resolve you are prepared for the United Quest, you might be pressured to purchase it by upgrading.
Why? That can be Chase’s 5/24 rule. If you have opened 5 (or extra) bank cards with any issuer over the earlier 24 months, you will nearly actually be denied when attempting to open a brand new Chase card — no matter your credit score rating or some other issue.
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If you encounter this software restriction, you might not be in a position to get the United Quest except you request a product change from one other United bank card. If you are over 5/24, you will not give you the chance to get the card by making use of.
Related: Want to open a brand new Chase card? Here’s how to calculate your 5/24 standing
You’re wonderful with paying the next annual charge
New candidates for the Explorer Card pay an introductory annual charge of $0 for the first 12 months and $150 each following 12 months. The Quest Card has an annual charge of $350. That’s a distinction of $200.
If you have determined that Quest’s advantages outweigh its larger annual charge, then you might be prepared for a product change.
You commonly spend cash with United and wish to earn extra miles
The Quest Card earns 8 miles per greenback spent on United flights and three miles per greenback spent on all different United purchases. The Explorer earns 7 miles per greenback spent on United flights and a couple of miles per greenback spent on different United purchases.
If you are inquisitive about what number of miles you can earn in a 12 months, contemplate how a lot cash you spent with United throughout the final 12 months. You’d earn a further mile on all these purchases in case you maintain the Quest.
So, in case you spend ceaselessly or considerably with United, the math might come out that it is a greater choice for you to earn extra on that spending.
Related: When does it make sense to spend on a cobranded bank card?
You’ll use United TravelFinancial institution money
United TravelFinancial institution is basically a financial savings account you need to use to preserve funds for United purchases. You can use money in United TravelFinancial institution to pay for flights with United or United Express or give it as a present. You can use your funds alone or with most different cost varieties, and you may redeem funds from TravelFinancial institution and not using a minimal steadiness requirement.
If this seems like the sort of service you’d take pleasure in utilizing, the United Quest supplies a significantly better United TravelFinancial institution profit than the United Explorer.
With the Quest, you will obtain an automated $200 in United TravelFinancial institution money every account anniversary 12 months and after account opening. This basically wipes out greater than half of the $350 annual charge.
Meanwhile, the Explorer supplies $100 in TravelFinancial institution money after you spend $10,000 on purchases in a calendar 12 months. With the Quest Card, it is automated, however with the Explorer, it is incentivized by spending.
You have only a few bank cards and wish to maximize the perks of every card
If you do not have a pockets stuffed with bank cards, you might end up leaning into the advantages of your one card greater than somebody who has a swath of playing cards with advantages to handle.
Both the United Explorer and the United Quest include a protracted checklist of assertion credit on every part from Instacart and ride-hailing companies to lodge stays booked by a journey portal and automotive leases with Avis and Budget.
The United Quest’s assertion credit are value extra, so if you end up trying to maximize a number of assertion credit, you will get extra worth with the Quest.
Related: United bank cards add assertion credit and better annual charges — is it value preserving your card?
You’re chasing United elite standing
The United Quest Card supplies higher PQP earnings towards United Premier standing than the United Explorer Card.
With both card, you may earn 1 PQP for each $20 you spend and your complete earnings are capped. However, you’ve gotten a considerably larger threshold on the Quest than with the Explorer. You can earn up to 18,000 PQPs annually by spending on the United Quest. You can solely earn up to 1,000 PQPs with spending on the Explorer.
Plus, beginning in 2026, you will obtain a 1,000 PQP bonus award after Feb. 1 annually with the United Quest.
You test 2 baggage when flying with United no less than 5 instances a 12 months
The Quest Card provides two free checked baggage for you and a companion booked on the identical reservation. By comparability, the Explorer Card provides only one free checked bag per particular person for you and that companion.
So, ask your self this query: How usually do you test a second bag in your journeys with United Airlines?
If the reply is greater than 4 instances per 12 months, getting a free second checked bag from the Quest Card could make sense.
When flying domestically with United or United Express, a second checked bag will price no less than $45 per particular person in every route (provided that you pay prematurely — including a second bag inside 24 hours of departure prices $50). That means you’d incur a further $90 per round-trip flight.
The distinction in annual charges from the Explorer Card to the Quest Card is $200. If you are taking two round-trip flights and a single one-way (5 complete flights), that is $225 for one traveler — which wipes away the Quest’s $200 further in annual charges.
Remember that no matter whether or not you’ve gotten the Explorer Card or the Quest Card, you have to pay for the flight along with your United cobranded bank card to qualify for the free checked bag(s) profit.
Related: These bank cards can get you free checked baggage in your subsequent flight
You spend greater than $20,000 on a United card annually
Both the United Explorer and the United Quest have some spend-incentivized perks. However, in case you’re going to put a whole lot of spending on a United bank card, you are going to earn extra in case you do it on the Quest.
After spending $20,000 on the United Explorer, you will obtain a ten,000-mile award flight low cost, which is an effective profit.
However, you will mechanically obtain one 10,000-mile award flight low cost with the United Quest — and you may obtain one other 10,000-mile award flight low cost in case you spend $20,000 with that card.
If you spend $40,000 on the United Quest, you can even obtain two international Economy Plus seat upgrades, which is a strong incentive to hold utilizing the card.
And, as talked about above, your PQP incomes cap is eighteen instances larger (18,000 to 1,000) on the United Quest.
Related: How to get most worth from the United MileagePlus program
Things that will not change in case you upgrade
If you upgrade from the United Explorer Card to the United Quest Card, there are lots of variations in advantages. However, it’s value noting that some elements stay the identical between each of those playing cards:
- No international transaction charge
- Priority boarding privileges on United flights
- Travel and buy protections
- 2 miles per greenback spent on eating and supply companies
- Up to a $120 reimbursement on an software charge for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus (legitimate each 4 years)
- A 25% low cost on inflight purchases when paying along with your card on United- and United Express-operated flights
Additionally, a advantage of upgrading your card (somewhat than making use of for a brand new card) is that you’ll protect your credit score historical past on that account. Credit age is considered one of the components that make up your credit score rating.
Related: What is an effective credit score rating?
What to contemplate earlier than you upgrade
Aside from merely evaluating the advantages of your current card to the different card you are contemplating for a product change, there are some things you must take into consideration earlier than taking any motion.
Remember that you simply will not be eligible for a welcome provide on the United Quest Card when upgrading from the United Explorer Card. Those provides are just for new purposes — not altering from an current card to one other bank card. If you would be eligible for a welcome bonus, contemplate whether or not (or how a lot) it issues to you that you simply forgo the bonus when altering to the new card.
If you do need to earn the United Quest Card’s present bonus of 90,000 miles and 500 PQPs after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months the account is open, you will want to submit a brand new software. This provide ends May 7.
Also, do not forget that the welcome bonus you earned once you opened your card has situations. You ought to all the time plan to hold a bank card for no less than a 12 months to keep away from having the bonus factors or miles confiscated by the financial institution.
Related: 4 main issues earlier than upgrading your bank card
How to upgrade from the Explorer Card to the Quest Card
If you are prepared to upgrade from the United Explorer to the United Quest, you will want to name the quantity on the again of your bank card. Explain to the consultant that you really want to upgrade your card to the Quest Card.
Be clear with the agent on the cellphone that you really want to change to the new card to be certain that Chase does not course of a brand new card software or shut your present card by mistake.
The cellphone consultant will sometimes want to learn you a compulsory disclosure. This will embrace issues like adjustments in advantages, when your new card ought to arrive in the mail and essential details about when you’ll begin paying the larger annual charge.
Pay consideration to the disclosure, and ask questions on something that appears unclear. Once you agree to the phrases, the cellphone agent will course of the change. You ought to give you the chance to proceed utilizing your present card till the new one arrives in the mail.
Related: The final information to bank card upgrades
Bottom line
The United Explorer Card is a mid-tier choice for United flyers, whereas the United Quest Card supplies further advantages for these prepared to pay the next annual charge.
There’s by no means an ideal alternative for all vacationers, however when you think about how a lot you fly with United and the way you worth every card’s perks, you might resolve that the United Quest is value the upgrade.
If that sounds such as you, name the quantity on the again of your Explorer Card to get the course of began.
Related: The finest bank cards to use for United flights
