Chase United Club Card Review
Updated September 13, 2019.
The Facts
The Math
MP Club Card vs. MP Explorer Card. MP Club Card is $355 more expensive than MP Explorer Card and has two unique perks - United Club membership and the 1.5 mile/$ earning rate. The best offer for United Club membership is $450 if you are their top-tier elite - United 1K. With MP Explorer you can achieve 1.4 mile/$ only if you spend exactly $25K a year, while MP Club offers the highest earning rate for United miles with no limit. Thus for most United flyers who need lounge access, it seems that the $355 difference between the Club Card and the Explorer Card is well worth paying. However, with the early 2016 introduction of Chase Freedom Unlimited, which earns 1.5x UR points with $0 annual fee, if you happen to have Sapphire Preferred or Ink Plus, the UR points earned from Freedom Unlimited become transferrable to multiple frequent traveler programs including United. Accidentally, Chase MP Club's 1.5 mile/$ earning rate suddenly lost a lot of appeal. Of course, if you want just one card instead of three (MP Explorer, Freedom Unlimited, Sapphire Preferred), MP Club Card will still hold up well.
To see how Chase United MP Club competes with other cards with similar annual fees, please check out our featured review Comparing High-end Cards covering Amex Platinum Card, Amex Delta Reserve, Amex Hilton Aspire, Amex Marriott Brilliant, Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase United MP Club, Citi Prestige, Citi AA Executive, U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve, CNB Crystal, and MasterCard Black Card.
The Conclusion
If you are a United flyer who needs lounge access, the new United Club Card (2012-) is very likely your choice unless you qualify for the exclusive JPM Reserve. Due to its strong performance in rewards, perks, and protection, it is currently ranked as one of our Top 10 Best Credit Cards.
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The Facts
- Annual Fee: $450
- Signup Bonus: 50,000 miles after spending $3,000 within 3 months of new account opening. This bonus is not available if you currently have this card or have received a signup bonus for this card in the past 24 months. Based on anecdotal reports, this card is subject to Chase's 5/24 rule (you won't be approved for this card if you have opened 5 or more new accounts within the past 24 months; any new account with any issuer will count, not just with Chase; new accounts include most credit cards and charge cards but exclude non-Chase business cards and store charge cards). Historical best bonus of this card: (1) 50K miles in 2017; (2) first year annual fee waived (several times in the past years). You may check out if you qualify for the targeted offer with the first year annual fee waiver by visiting MPClubCard.com/Spring16 and login to your United account.
- Application Landing Page
- Rewards: 2x United and 1.5x everywhere else.
- Best Use of MileagePlus miles: MileagePlus (MP) is the frequent flyer program of United Airlines, a member of Star Alliance. United miles are generally valuable for redeeming on United or partner metals.
- United Airlines Benefits: (1) The major perk for paying $450 a year is of course the annual United Club membership which gives complimentary access to 50+ United Club lounges and 200+ Star Alliance lounges for the primary card holder plus two guests. Please see our featured review to learn more about airport lounge access. (2) Premier Access priority airport services including priority check-in, security screening, boarding (Group 2), and baggage handling when traveling on United metals for you and your companions on the same reservation. This is essentially the same treatments as United elite members receive. (3) Check first and second bags free for you plus one passenger on your reservation. (4) Waived close-in awards booking fees using MP miles.
- Hotel Privileges: (1) Chase Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection (LHRC), through Signature Travel Network, offering perks such as daily complimentary breakfasts for two, room upgrades upon availability, early check-in and late check-out upon availability, and property specific amenities (such as a $100 spa/dining/hotel credit per stay), at over 900 luxury hotels and resorts worldwide. You may book a hotel on LHRCollection.com and the rates are mostly the same of the Best Available Rates (BAR, i.e., refundable flexible rates set by the hotel) and include taxes, resort fees, etc. This benefit is available on select Chase cards such as Sapphire Reserve, Sapphire Preferred, United MP Club, and United MP Explorer. (2) Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection which offers perks including daily complimentary breakfasts for two, room upgrades upon availability, late checkout upon availability, $25 food and beverage credit per stay, free room wi-fi, and VIP amenities, at over 900 luxury hotels and resorts worldwide. You may book a hotel on VisaSignatureHotels.com and the rates are the same as BAR. Note that the coverage and perks are different from LHRC's, but some hotels participate in both programs. This benefit is actually available to any U.S. issued Visa Signature cards. (3) Complimentary Hyatt Platinum status - not much really but at least your get free internet.
- Other Benefits: (1) Waived foreign transaction fees with an embedded EMV chip. (2) Primary rental car collision coverage. Note while most credit cards provide rental car insurance, they are secondary, meaning your personal insurance's collision damage coverage kicks in before the credit card's. Please see our featured review on credit cards that come with primary rental car insurance for details. (3) Complimentary Avis First status. (4) Complimentary 24/7 Concierge Service.
- Protection: United MP Club offers the second highest level of consumer and travel protection among Chase cards.
- The History: In 2012, Chase United MP Club Card replaced Chase Continental Presidential Plus (the old United MP Club Visa was discontinued for about a year before the introduction of the new Club Card) and it has many similar features as its predecessor. In June 2015, Chase increased the annual fee from $395 to $450.
- Other Facts: Compared to Continental Presidential Plus, the new MP Club adds the 1.5 mile/$ earning feature but removes FlexEQMs. MP Club Card is offered in both Visa Signature and World MasterCard. This card has a metal design and weighs about 13 grams, much heavier than regular plastics weighing 5 grams.
The Math
MP Club Card vs. MP Explorer Card. MP Club Card is $355 more expensive than MP Explorer Card and has two unique perks - United Club membership and the 1.5 mile/$ earning rate. The best offer for United Club membership is $450 if you are their top-tier elite - United 1K. With MP Explorer you can achieve 1.4 mile/$ only if you spend exactly $25K a year, while MP Club offers the highest earning rate for United miles with no limit. Thus for most United flyers who need lounge access, it seems that the $355 difference between the Club Card and the Explorer Card is well worth paying. However, with the early 2016 introduction of Chase Freedom Unlimited, which earns 1.5x UR points with $0 annual fee, if you happen to have Sapphire Preferred or Ink Plus, the UR points earned from Freedom Unlimited become transferrable to multiple frequent traveler programs including United. Accidentally, Chase MP Club's 1.5 mile/$ earning rate suddenly lost a lot of appeal. Of course, if you want just one card instead of three (MP Explorer, Freedom Unlimited, Sapphire Preferred), MP Club Card will still hold up well.
To see how Chase United MP Club competes with other cards with similar annual fees, please check out our featured review Comparing High-end Cards covering Amex Platinum Card, Amex Delta Reserve, Amex Hilton Aspire, Amex Marriott Brilliant, Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase United MP Club, Citi Prestige, Citi AA Executive, U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve, CNB Crystal, and MasterCard Black Card.
The Conclusion
If you are a United flyer who needs lounge access, the new United Club Card (2012-) is very likely your choice unless you qualify for the exclusive JPM Reserve. Due to its strong performance in rewards, perks, and protection, it is currently ranked as one of our Top 10 Best Credit Cards.
© 2019 DrCreditCard.net All rights reserved.
