Chase United Quest Card Review
Chase recently launched a new card in its United Airlines product family: the United Quest Card. In this United Quest Card review, we will take a look at the United Quest Card welcome bonus, earning structure, whether or not the card is a long-term keeper, and our overall grade for the card.
Updated 1/31/22
United Quest Card Review – Welcome Offer
The United Quest Card has a $250 annual fee and comes with the following welcome offer:
- Earn 80,000 United miles after spending $5,000 within the first 3 months. (Ends 1/25/23)
- $250 Annual Fee
- Learn More
The Quest card had a 100,000 mile offer at launch so this is not the best offer we have seen on the card. Although it may never make it back to that 100,000 miles. This 80K welcome offer is 10K more than the recent norm and ends on 1/25/23.
Welcome Offer Value – $590
Based on our extensive experience researching and redeeming United miles, we peg their value at a minimum of 1.2 cents per point for economy flights (often times getting more value). That makes the miles worth $960. Subtract the annual fee ($250) and you’ll come away with $710 in value — possibly more, depending on how you redeem your miles.
This card also comes with multiple perks, including credits, status, and free check bags (see below for these). Your overall value should be even higher than just $710.
LEARN MORE!
Need to Know – Welcome Offer Restrictions
Just like all other Chase cards, the United Quest Card does fall under the dreaded Chase 5/24 rule. This means you most likely will not be approved if you have opened up 5 or more revolving accounts at any bank over the past 24 months.
Additionally, the Chase United Quest Card also has Chase’s standard 24 month bonus restriction language:
“This product is available to you if you do not have any United Quest card and have not received a new Cardmember bonus for any United Quest card in the past 24 months.”
However, given that this is a new product, this won’t apply to anyone right now. The restriction does not apply to other United cards, so everyone should be eligible.
Chase United Quest Card Review – Earning Structure
The United Quest Card earns United MileagePlus miles and features bonus categories as well. Here is how you will earn United miles with this card:
- 3x points per $1 spent on United purchases
- 2x points per $1 spent on all other travel purchases
- 2x points per $1 spent on select streaming and dining purchases
- 1x point per $1 spent on all other purchases
LEARN MORE
Chase United Quest Cardmember Perks
The United Quest Card offers several interesting cardmember perks! Taking advantage of all of them can turn this card into a $0 cost or even net positive card in your wallet.
Credits
The Chase United Quest Card gives the following credits after you perform the qualifying actions:
- Up to $125 in statement credits for United purchases charged to your card each cardmember year.
- Up to 10,000 miles back. Get 5,000 miles back for each award flight per year (up to two per cardmember year). This starts on the first anniversary of the card and only applies to United-operated flights. We don’t know if mixed-partner flight itineraries are included.
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit, redeemable once every 4 years.
- 25% statement credit on purchases made using the card onboard United operated flights
United Perks
When flying on United, the United Quest Card offers the following perks:
- Free first and second checked bag.
- Priority boarding and premier upgrades on award tickets.
- Access to more United award space as a card member.
Other Card Perks
- No foreign transaction fees
- Rental Car Insurance – Coverage is primary if you deny the insurance from the rental agency and pay with your card. It covers up to the full value of the car.
- Purchase Protection – Covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $500 per claim, up to $50,000 per account.
- Lost Luggage Reimbursement – Up to $3,000 in coverage if the airline loses you or your immediate family member’s luggage.
- Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance – If your trip is cut short or canceled by severe weather, sickness, or other covered situations, you can be reimbursed up to $6,000 per trip for your pre-paid, non-refundable travel expenses.
- Baggage Delay Insurance – Essential purchases like toiletries and clothing for baggage delays over 6 hours are covered, up to $100 a day for 3 days.
Should You Keep the United Quest Card Long Term?
The earning structure is not what will keep this card in your pocket. While it earns 3x on United purchases, other cards earn the same or better on travel-related purchases. The 2x on streaming makes it one of few cards to offer bonus earning in this category.
If you fly United, though, the United Quest Card has multiple features that make it attractive to keep long term. If you do not fly United frequently, it likely won’t provide sufficient value to justify the $250 annual fee. The TSA Pre-Check / Global Entry reimbursement can only be used once every 4 years. However, the yearly credits for $125 in United statement credits and 10,000 miles back after redemptions ($120 minimum value) make this essentially a free card for those who fly with United.
Summary
The Chase United Quest Card is an attractive card for those who fly United at least a few times a year and can make use of the available credits. In addition to its perks, the massive welcome offer is the most valuable Chase has at the moment.
Here are some key things we think you should take away from this review.
- The welcome offer is worth about $710 after factoring in the annual fee
- You get credits in terms of cash tickets and mileage redemptions, available yearly
- Many other smaller perks add to the overall value of the Chase United Quest Card
Chase United Quest Card Review – Bottom Line
Chase surprised people with the massive value built into the new United Quest Card. It is a card that offers easy value if you fly United a few times a year. As long as you make 2 mileage redemptions a year and use the cash ticket credits, this card can have a $0 net cost to you. The additional perks make it worth keeping, so long as you can take advantage of the primary perks that reduce the cost to you.
For those who fly United a few times a year, this card is definitely worth picking up.
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