The United Quest℠ Card is an excellent choice for folks who fly United Airlines frequently and can take advantage of benefits like free checked bags on United flights, priority boarding and an inflight discount. This card is a solid choice for those who frequent United and can keep track of benefits to maximize card membership. Card Rating*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.

The United Quest Card is the perfect “in-between” card for frequent United travelers. It offers more perks than the United℠ Explorer Card and a lower annual fee than the premium United Club℠ Card.

The card recently underwent an overhauladding multiple new perks, changing a few others and increasing the annual fee to $350. While this could sound like a negative change, the new credits can easily offset this fee if you find value in them. The key here is remembering to utilize them on a month-by-month or annual basis.

The recommended credit score for the United Quest Card is at least 670. However, it may be possible to get approved with a lower score.

Here’s what you need to know about the United Quest Card to decide if it’s the right fit for you.

For a limited time, new United Quest Card holders can earn 90,000 United MileagePlus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after spending $4,000 on qualifying purchases in the first three months from account opening.

According to TPG’s March 2025 valuationsUnited miles are worth 1.35 cents each, making this offer worth $1,215.

This offer is the highest offer we’ve seen on the card in over three years.

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Note that this offer is not available to current or previous cardmembers who received a new bonus within the past 24 months, and Chase’s 5/24 rule applies.

Related: The ultimate guide to earning elite status with United cards

The United Quest Card has some useful perks for regular United flyers who don’t necessarily want or need the United Club access that comes with the top-tier United Club Card.

Here are some of the top perks.

TravelBank cash

With this card, you’ll earn $200 in TravelBank cash each account anniversary year. TravelBank is an online account where United flyers can keep up with flight credits and more to fund purchases with the carrier.

This credit wipes out more than half of the card’s $350 annual fee.

Discount on award redemptions

You’ll receive one 10,000-mile discount after your first cardmember anniversary.

As of March 2025, TPG values the 10,000-mile credit at $135.

You can also earn a second 10,000-mile credit after spending $20,000 on the card in a calendar year.

On top of those perks, United Quest cardholders enjoy:

• Free checked bags: First and second bags for the cardholder and a companion on the same reservation*
• Inflight discount: 25% back on United inflight purchases
• Hotel credit: Up to a $150 annual statement credit on prepaid reservations made through Renowned Hotels and Resorts each account anniversary year
• JSX Credit: Up to $150 in annual statement credits on JSX flight purchases made each account anniversary year
• PQP boost: A 1,000-PQP boost is applied each year (this will appear in your MileagePlus account between February and April, beginning in 2026)
• PQP earnings: Earn up to 18,000 PQPs per calendar year (1 PQP for every $20 you spend on purchases can be applied toward your Premier status qualification, up to the Premier 1K level; the threshold on this perk was doubled in the card’s recent overhaul)
• Priority boarding
• Rental car credit: Up to $40 each for the first two Avis or Budget car rentals booked through United Cars each account anniversary year
• Instacart credit: One $10 and one $5 monthly Instacart credit, plus a three-month complimentary Instacart+ membership (ends Dec. 31, 2027)
• Ride-hailing credit: Up to $8 in monthly statement credits for ride-hailing services, plus a bonus of $4 (for a total of $12) in December
• TSA PreCheck/Global Entry credit: Up to $120 every four years
• Travel and purchase protections

*You must use your Quest Card to pay for your ticket to check your bags for free — including the taxes and fees you pay when you book award tickets with miles.

Also, if you spend $40,000 on the card in a calendar year, you’ll receive two global Economy Plus seat upgrades.

This has become a laundry list of credits covering everything from grocery delivery to rental cars and hotel reservations, but it also helps outweigh the United Quest Card’s higher annual fee.

Some of these perks will be easier to use than others. For instance, if you don’t frequent Avis or Budget for car rentals or see yourself booking with JSX, those benefits could be harder to maximize. Others, like the Instacart credits and the hotel benefit, could be more valuable for cardholders.

In general, if you fly United regularly, you’ll appreciate the credits and free checked bags this card offers. And if you’re chasing United status, the extra PQPs this card earns will fast-track your progress.

Related: Airline baggage fees: How much it costs to check a bag on major US airlines

On top of United purchases, the United Quest Card earns bonus miles in several categories. With this card, you’ll earn:

• 8 miles per dollar spent on United flights
• 5 miles per dollar spent on hotel stays booked through Renowned Hotels and Resorts
• 3 miles per dollar spent on all other United purchases
• 2 miles per dollar spent on other travel purchases
• 2 miles per dollar spent on dining and select streaming purchases
• 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases

The United Quest Card earns bonus miles on general travel and dining purchases, as well as on United spending. Still, you’ll find similar or better earnings for these categories on other travel cards.

Related: The best credit cards to use for United flights

You can use your United MileagePlus miles to book flights on United or its partners like Air Canada, Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines. Among your options are booking domestic routes on United for as little as 5,000 miles and using a larger chunk of miles to fly business class to Asia on All Nippon Airways.

If you can utilize United’s unique Excursionist Perkyou’ll get even more value from your MileagePlus miles.

You can also redeem your miles for nonflight items, including United Club memberships, inflight Wi-Fi purchases, TSA PreCheck, car rentals and hotel stays.

Additionally, you can transfer your miles to Marriott Bonvoybut you’ll get a lower value from your miles with any of these options than you would if you used them to book flights.

Andrea RotondoTPG’s director of content operations, recently redeemed 6,000 United miles for a one-way economy flight between Frankfurt and Vienna.

Low-cost mile redemptions aren’t just limited to domestic flights; you can also secure fantastic deals on international trips. Rachel Crafta points and miles writer at TPG, redeemed 88,000 United miles for a one-way business-class ticket to Antananarivo, Madagascarfrom Denver on Ethiopian Airlines. That flight would have ordinarily cost her around $9,000 if she paid with cash.

Related: How to redeem miles with the United MileagePlus program

If you want more United perks or can’t justify the annual fee on the United Quest Cardone of these cards may be a better fit:

• If you want United Club access: The United Club Card offers even more United benefits. It has a higher annual fee of $695, but the United Club membership is worth up to $750, so this one perk justifies the card’s annual fee. The card also comes with higher earning rates on United purchases. To learn more, check out our full review of the United Club Card.
• If you want more flexible rewards: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has similar bonus categories and allows you to transfer your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to United or any of Chase’s other transfer partners. Plus, it comes with a lower annual fee of $95. To learn more, check out our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
• If you want United benefits for a lower annual fee: The United Explorer Card earns bonus miles on United purchases. It includes a free checked bag for you and a companion but is less expensive to hold, coming with a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 afterward. To learn more, check out our full review of the United Explorer Card.

For additional options, browse our full lists of best airline credit cards and best travel credit cards.

Related: United Quest vs. United Club: Bigger is better

The United Quest Card offers a host of benefits for United travelers and multiple travel perks to utilize each year. If you’re a frequent United flyer willing to maximize this suite of benefits, this card could be a great choice for you.

That being said, anyone wanting complimentary airport lounge access or more flexible rewards might choose a different route.

Apply here: United Quest Card