Chase United Club Visa Infinite Review
Updated August 5, 2020.
The Facts
The Math
MP Club Card vs. MP Explorer Card. MP Club Card is $430 more expensive than MP Explorer Card and has two unique perks - United Club membership and the enhanced rewards structure (2 more miles for United, 1 more mile for travel other than United & hotels). The best offer for United Club membership is $550 if you are their top-tier elite - United 1K. Thus for United flyers who need lounge access, it seems that the $430 difference between the Club Card and the Explorer Card is well worth paying.
To see how Chase United 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 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 Visa Infinite (2020-) is very likely your choice unless you qualify for the exclusive JPM Reserve.
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The Facts
- Annual Fee: $525
- Signup Bonus: 100,000 miles after spending $5,000 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) 100K miles in 2020; (2) 75K miles in 2020; (3) 50K miles in 2017 and 2019; (4) first year annual fee waived (several times in the past years).
- Application Landing Page
- Rewards: 4x United, 2x dining & other travel, and 1x 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 the high annual fees 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) 25% back on food & beverage and Wi-Fi on United operated flights. (5) United Premier upgrades on awards tickets for primary cardholder who is also a United Premier elite. (6) No blackout dates or restrictions for awards tickets.
- Hotel Privileges: (1) Visa Infinite Privileges at Relais & Chateaux (a collection of 500+ high-end luxury boutique hotels worldwide): a VIP welcome at all hotels (unique to each property) and complimentary breakfasts at 120+ participating hotels. Visit relaischateaux.com/visainfinite-us for details. You will also be accelerated to its Club 5C status after staying 2 nights in a 12-month period. Relais & Chateaux's Club 5C is by-invitation only if you don't have a Visa Infinite and normally requires staying 15 nights per year; perks include room upgrades upon availability, and "Discovery Privilege" unique to each property. (2) 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 Club, and United Explorer. (3) 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. (4) Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection which covers a subset (200+) of Visa Signature hotels but offers an extra property specific perk like a $75 food and beverage credit or a $100 spa/hotel/rate credit per stay. You may book a hotel a VisaInfiniteHotels.com, and the rates are the same as BAR. (5) Complimentary Hyatt Platinum status - not much really but at least your get free internet.
- Other Visa Infinite Benefits: (1) Visa Infinite 24/7 Concierge Service. (2) Visa Infinite Car Rental Privileges at Avis, National, and SilverCar.
- 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 Hertz President's Circle membership. (4) Application fee reimbursement for Global Entry ($100) or TSA PreCheck ($85) every four years.
- 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. In March 2020, Chase upgraded the card from Visa Signature to Visa Infinite and increased the annual fee from $450 to $525, changing rewards structure from 2-1.5 to 4-2-1.
- Other Facts: 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 $430 more expensive than MP Explorer Card and has two unique perks - United Club membership and the enhanced rewards structure (2 more miles for United, 1 more mile for travel other than United & hotels). The best offer for United Club membership is $550 if you are their top-tier elite - United 1K. Thus for United flyers who need lounge access, it seems that the $430 difference between the Club Card and the Explorer Card is well worth paying.
To see how Chase United 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 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 Visa Infinite (2020-) is very likely your choice unless you qualify for the exclusive JPM Reserve.
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