Editor’s Note: This post has been updated with new information.
The United Club Infinite Card bring many benefits when flying with United Airlines. You may be surprised to learn there are hotel benefits packed into this card.
However, the $525 annual fee can be hard to swallow. Are there really enough perks packed into this premium plastic to make the United Club Infinite Card annual fee worth it? Let’s take a look.
Signup Bonus
New subscribers can earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. TPG . Value United miles at 1.21 cents per person. That means this bonus is worth $968.
Some best use of United miles includes United domestic flights which can be the lowest cost 5,000 miles one way in economy (although usually more than 6,000-8,000 miles each), booking First class Lufthansa no exorbitant fees, fly United’s Polaris Business Class to Europe. An added benefit of using United miles for award tickets is the low taxes and fees you’ll have to pay after redeeming your miles.
Related: The best attractions you can book with United MileagePlus
Then there are Excursionist Perk. If you follow some simple rules, you can add a flight to your next award booking without paying extra miles.
United club member
Access to United Club usually comes in one of two ways: earn minimum Gold status with United Airlines or buy a membership. A member costs up to $650 per year.
Depending on how you rate your United Club membership and your (in) ability to achieve the status required to use your pre-flight lounge, this benefit alone could justify owning a Club Infinite card. That’s because the annual fee on the card is $125 cheaper than buying a United Club membership every year, and potentially thousands of dollars cheaper than qualifying for the elite with United. annual.
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Related: The ultimate guide to accessing United Club
That said, if you don’t fly with United Airlines often enough to gain status, you may not be able to use the lounge enough to justify these costs. That’s because you need a United Airlines same-day boarding pass or one of its partners to use United Club. Just because you have a Club Infinite card – and therefore a United Club member – doesn’t mean you can access the lounge if you’re flying on American AirlinesFor example.
For those who currently have a United Club membership, you may be wondering if you should wait until next year to get your Club Infinite card since you paid for your membership this year. The good news is that if you open a Club Infinite card, you will be reimbursed for the unused portion of your United Club membership once approved for this credit card.
Benefits on United flights
People with United Club Infinite Card enjoy priority check-in and priority security checks (if applicable), as well as priority boarding and baggage handling privileges. That means your suitcase should go out first, avoiding delays in baggage claim.
Speaking of baggage, you’ll also get a higher checked baggage allowance. People who don’t have a United Airlines credit card often don’t get free checked baggage when flying with United on domestic or short-haul economy class flights. And while other credit cards like United Explorer card allowing cardholders to check in one suitcase for free on these flights, Club Infinite cardholders can check in two bags for free. This benefit is available to the primary cardholder and one travel companion.
Related: United Airlines baggage fees and how to avoid them
It is also important to note that you must use your Club Infinite card to pay for tickets to enjoy this benefit. Just have the card does not have the ability to check two free bags.
Club Infinite cardholders also get 25% cashback as a statement credit on US-operated in-flight food, beverage and Wi-Fi purchases. You’ll also get 25% cashback on premium drinks at United Clubs when you pay with your card.
Finally, Club Infinite cardholders with United MileagePlus status are eligible to Free upgrade when flying with United or United Express on reservations booked with miles. This also applies to a travel companion on the same booking. This perk makes upgrades available even after booking an economy class seat using your airline’s miles.
United award flights are 10% cheaper
For flights within the continental US or between the US and Canada, cardholders can save 10% on United saver award to redeem an economy class ticket (ticket class X and XN). However, this only applies to United and United Express flights.
This discount applies to all passengers on the same booking as the primary cardholder, but the trip must be pre-booked from the primary cardholder MileagePlus account. The discount applies only to the mileage portion of the ticket and will not reduce any taxes and fees required at ticketing, but there is no limit to the number of miles that can be saved with this benefit each year.
Spend your way to elite status
To gain status with United Airlines each year, you need to complete one of the following: combine flights (PQF) and amount spent (PQP) or simply an inflated amount spent on additional PQPs.
Related: The ultimate guide to elite status with the United card
Those pursuing elite status levels with United can earn up to PQP 4,000 more per year through spending on Club Infinite Card. Cardholders earn PQP 500 for every $12,000 spent on purchases, and can earn up to PQP 4,000 this way in a calendar year. These bonus earnings are valid through the Premier 1K status level.
Hotels and car rental benefits
Primary cardholders can register Platinum Elite Status with IHG One Rewards. This is the third of the four floors in IHG One Rewards Program and offers benefits such as bonus points for paid stays, free room upgrades based on availability at check-in, priority check-in on arrival at the hotel, discount for bonus nights at selected properties and a welcome gift upon check-in. This usually includes points or a snack.
Another benefit with IHG is the ability to receive a statement credit of up to $75 per year as reimbursement for spending at IHG facilities. This is available each calendar year.
Cardholders can also register Avis . President’s Club Status. Usually offered by invitation only, perks at this tier include free two-class rental upgrades, guaranteed availability, skip-the-line when picking up your rental car, and more.
As with status in other car rental programs, the best value in this benefit may be the availability of match your car rental elite status from one scheme to another.
Other perks
To quickly get through security at the airport or when crossing the US-Canada border, cardholders can receive up to $100 rebate on their application fee Global Entry, Pre-check TSA or Nexus. This benefit is available every four years.
On purchases, cardholders earn 4 miles/dollar on purchases with United Airlines, 2 miles/dollar on all other trips and 1 mile/dollar on other purchases. Follow TPG . latest valuation.
Related: United Club Infinite Credit Card Review
Cardholders can also sign up for a free year of DashPass from DoorDashusually costs $9.99 per month and offers lower services and free shipping on qualifying orders. This benefit has been extended until the end of December 31, 2024.
As a premium credit card, cardholders also have access to Chase’s collection of luxury hotels and resorts to book premium hotels with perks added on every booking. There are also benefits like car rental damage insurance, Trip cancellation/interruption insurance and purchase protection integrated in the card.
Key point
Many people are shocked to see a credit card with an annual fee of $500 or more. One such card is the United Club Infinite Card, which has a $525 annual fee but comes with perks like discounted award tickets, upgrades, and lounge access.
Is the annual fee on the Club Infinite card worth it? That depends on how often you use these privileges. For frequent visitors to the United Club and those who redeem a lot of miles for domestic economy class flights in the US, it can be a quick “yes” answer.
On the contrary, for those who visit the lounge occasionally, fly multiple airlines, and don’t redeem much for United flights in economy class, it can be difficult to justify the annual fee after using it. Use up all your miles from a substantial welcome bonus. in the first year.
Official app link: United Club Infinite Card with an 80,000-mile welcome offer after you spend $5,000 on purchases on a new card within the first three months of account opening.
Additional reporting by Ryan Smith.
