The New United Gateway℠ Card review
This may be the card you've been looking for if you frequently fly with United Airlines but you are not interested in paying an annual fee. This credit card skips the fee, saving you money so you can focus on earning rewards.
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Key Features
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- Cardholders earn on more than just United purchases. Earn two miles per dollar on United purchases, plus at gas stations and on local transit and commuting costs.
- Considering the fact that this card doesn't charge an annual fee, it offers a nice and easy-to-earn bonus of signup_reward bonus miles after spending just signup_bonus_spend_amount in the first three months.
- Enjoy 25% back on United in-flight purchases, issued in the form of a statement credit.
- If United Airlines is truly your go-to airline, you may stand to earn higher rewards with one of United's annual-fee cards. Be sure to evaluate how much you'll use the card and consider whether or not an annual-fee card might be worth it for you.
United Gateway(SM) Card benefits
If United is your airline of choice, United Gateway℠ Card can be a valuable addition to your wallet. Offered by Chase, the card features ample opportunities to earn frequent flyer miles with spending on both travel and everyday purchases. Even better, there’s no annual fee required.
United Gateway℠ Card also offers extras that include bonus miles, travel perks and partner benefits. Let’s break those down one at a time, starting with bonus miles.
Earning miles with United Gateway(SM) Card
Earn signup_reward bonus miles after you spend signup_bonus_spend_amount on purchases in the first three months your account is open. Plus, 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases (then, reg_apr,reg_apr_type).
Then, every purchase made with the card earns additional miles. These are awarded based on the type of purchase:
- Earn 2x miles on United® purchases, including tickets, in-flight food and Wi-Fi and baggage service charges
- Earn 2x miles at gas stations
- Earn 2x miles on local transit and commuting
- Earn 1x mile on all other purchases
United Gateway(SM) Card travel perks
Earning miles for travel is only one benefit of United Gateway℠ Card. When you use your card, you also get the following perks to make every trip more rewarding:
- Enjoy 25% back on United in-flight purchases, issued in the form of a statement credit
- Access to United Card Events from Chase, which are private, curated experiences available for purchase
- Room upgrades, complimentary breakfast and other amenities at properties in The Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection
- Auto rental collision damage waiver coverage
- Trip cancellation/trip interruption insurance
- Complimentary access to Visa Signature Concierge Service, which is available 24 hours a day
Other benefits of United Gateway(SM) Card
The travel benefits alone make United Gateway℠ Card an appealing choice. However, they aren’t the only perks that come with your account. You’ll also benefit from the following:
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
- Purchase protection
- Extended warranty protection
With benefits ranging from bonus miles to a free DoorPass membership – and all offered with no annual fee – there is little reason not to apply for United Gateway℠ Card if you are a frequent United flyer. However, to get the most from the card, you’ll need to be a MileagePlus member.
United Gateway(SM) Card MileagePlus
MileagePlus is the loyalty program for United Airlines. Miles earned with United Gateway℠ Card will be applied to your MileagePlus account and can be redeemed for travel, gift cards, merchandise and more.
One of the best parts of the MileagePlus program is that miles can be redeemed for any United-operated flight with no blackouts or restrictions. Miles can also be redeemed for flights on partner airlines, and you won’t ever have to worry about your MileagePlus miles expiring.
In addition to earning miles with your United Gateway℠ Card, you’ll also earn miles for every flight you take with United or a partnering airline. United Airlines is part of the Star Alliance, which has 25 members including Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines. United also has a dozen other worldwide partners such as Aer Lingus and Hawaiian Airlines.
Potential downsides of United Gateway(SM) Card
The main downside of United Gateway℠ Card is that those who don’t use United Airlines frequently may find its value limited. If you prefer to travel with a variety of carriers, you may be better off with a card that offers a more flexible rewards program, such as American Express Membership Rewards points or Chase Ultimate Rewards.
How United Gateway(SM) Card compares to other cards
United Gateway℠ Card vs. United℠ Explorer Card
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Either of these co-branded cards can be a good choice for fans of United Airlines, but if you are a frequent traveler and don’t mind paying an annual fee, United℠ Explorer Card may have a slight edge.
While both cards offer two miles per dollar spent on United purchases, United℠ Explorer Card also awards two miles per dollar spent on dining and hotels. Of course, if you travel infrequently and rarely eat out, you may find the two miles per dollar spent on gas stations and transit offered by United Gateway℠ Card to be more rewarding.
As for the welcome offer, United℠ Explorer Card is more lucrative, with a chance to earn signup_reward miles after you spend signup_bonus_spend_amount in the first three months.
A final consideration is the additional perks offered by United℠ Explorer Card that are not available on United Gateway℠ Card. These include two United Club one-time passes per year, free checked bag for you and a companion, priority boarding and a credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck or NEXUS membership.
United Gateway℠ Card vs. Citi Strata Premier℠ Card
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While United Gateway℠ Card is specifically designed for MileagePlus members, Citi Strata Premier℠ Card earns ThankYou® Points which some people might find more flexible. These points can be used for travel through Citi’s travel rewards system or redeemed for gift cards, shopping or cash rewards. Citi is a CardRatings advertiser.
As with United Gateway℠ Card, there is a new cardholder bonus available with Citi Strata Premier℠ Card. However, you’ll need to spend significantly more – signup_bonus_spend_amount within three months – to earn the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card bonus of signup_reward ThankYou® Points. However, new cardholders can also earn 10 points per $1 spent on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com; three points per $1 spent on air travel and other hotel purchases, at restaurants, supermarkets, gas and EV charging stations; and one point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Earning potential is also different between the two cards. While the United card offers bonus miles for United, gas station and transit purchases, Citi Strata Premier℠ Card has bonus earning opportunities on more categories. With the Citi card you’ll earn three points per dollar spent on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, hotels and air travel. All other purchases earn one point per dollar spent.
The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card charges a AnnualFees annual fee, but it also comes with a $100 hotel savings benefit. That will deduct $100 from a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com.
Who should apply for United Gateway℠ Card?
United Gateway℠ Card is ideal for those who travel regularly with United Airlines or its partners and don’t want to pay an annual fee. While its benefits aren’t as flashy or lucrative as some other travel cards, it is a solid option with little to no downsides for United fans.
Frequently asked questions
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Our Methodology
Survey methodology: CardRatings commissioned Slice MR in November 2024 to survey 1,666 cardholders nationwide. CardRatings’ website analytics from Jan. 1, 2024-Oct. 31, 2024 were used to determine a selection of the most popular cards. Responses to 10 questions were given on a scale of 1-10. For nine of these questions, respondents’ scores were averaged under broad topics. The overall rating represents an average of respondents’ responses to their overall rating of each card.
Disclaimer:The information in this article is believed to be accurate as of the date it was written. Please keep in mind that credit card offers change frequently. Therefore, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this article. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accurate information. See the online credit card application for full terms and conditions on offers and rewards. Please verify all terms and conditions of any credit card prior to applying.
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