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20 cards ranked

Best credit card to use at United Airlines.

AirlinesTravel

United Airlines is one of the three U.S. legacy carriers and runs the MileagePlus loyalty program. United tickets code as airfare on every card we track. The Chase co-branded ladder ranges from no-fee Gateway to the $525 Club Infinite with United Club lounge membership; mid-tier Explorer adds free checked bag and 2 club passes, and Quest adds an annual flight credit. General travel cards often outperform on cash-equivalent value, but United co-brands waive close-in award fees and add status-credit boosts that frequent flyers value.

  1. #1
    Chase
    Co-branded United Airlines card
    On eligible United purchases
    2.4%2x points
  2. #2
    Chase
    Co-branded United Airlines card
    On eligible United purchases
    3.6%3x points
  3. #3
    Chase
    Co-branded United Airlines card
    United purchases
    4.8%4x points
  4. #4
    Chase
    Co-branded United Airlines card
    United purchases
    6.0%5x points
  5. #5
    American Express
    5x points on airlines
    Booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel, up to $500,000 per calendar year
    6.0%5x points
  6. #6
    Chase
    4x points on airlines
    Flights booked directly with airlines
    5.0%4x points
  7. #7
    American Express Business Goldif it’s your top category
    American Express
    4x points on airlines if it's your top eligible spend category that cycle (up to $150,000/year, then 1%)
    Automatically on your top 2 spending categories each billing cycle from 6 eligible (airfare, U.S. advertising, U.S. gas, U.S. restaurants, U.S. computer/cloud, transit) — combined cap
    4.8%4x points
  8. #8
    U.S. Bank
    4x points on travel
    4.0%4x points
  9. #9
    Wells Fargo
    4x points on airlines
    4.0%4x points
  10. #10
    Chase
    2x points on airlines
    Purchased directly from airlines
    4.0%2x points
  11. #11
    Barclays
    4x points on travel
    4.0%4x points
  12. #12
    Barclays
    4x points on travel
    4.0%4x points
  13. #13
    American Express
    3x points on airlines
    3.6%3x points
  14. #14
    American Express
    3x points on travel
    3.6%3x points
  15. #15
    American Express
    3x points on airlines
    Flights booked directly with airlines
    3.6%3x points
  16. #16
    American Express
    7x points on airlines
    Flights booked directly with airlines or through AmexTravel.com
    3.5%7x points
  17. #17
    Comenity Capital Bank
    3% on travel
    Includes AAA purchases
    3%
  18. #18
    Chase
    3x points on airlines
    Aer Lingus, British Airways, and Iberia flights
    3.0%3x points
  19. #19
    Chase
    3x points on airlines
    Air Canada direct purchases
    3.0%3x points
  20. #20
    Bank of America
    3x points on airlines
    3.0%3x points

Last updated May 17, 2026