Chase and United’s premium airline credit card — the United Club℠ Infinite Card — offers a generous rewards rate on travel and dining purchases, as well as a number of travel benefits, including free checked bags and complimentary United Club membership.

These benefits come with a hefty $525 annual fee; however, when you figure in the sign-up bonus, free checked bags and United Club membership, that can help offset or at least justify that fee.

There is one caveat to applying for this card: The United Club℠ Infinite Card is only available if you do not have any United Club card and have not received a new cardmember bonus for any United Club card in the past 24 months.

We take a look at the pros and cons of the United Club℠ Infinite Card, and show how it compares to another premium travel card — the Chase Sapphire Reserve^®.

• Rewards rate

  Earn 4 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases, 2 miles per $1 spent on all other travel and dining and 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases.

• Free checked bags

  The primary cardholder and one companion traveling on the same reservation will each receive their first and second standard checked bags for free. That’s a savings of up to $320 per roundtrip.

• United Club membership

  The United Club℠ Infinite Card offers the primary cardholder and an eligible traveling companion access to the more than 45 United Club locations and participating Star Alliance lounges across the globe. According to United, this benefit is valued at up to $650 per year.

• Sign-up bonus

  New United Club℠ Infinite Card cardholders can earn 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

• Annual fee

  The United Club℠ Infinite Card‘s premium benefits come with an expensive $525 annual fee.

• No intro APR on purchases

  If you’re planning to finance a vacation or other large purchases, this card is not ideal, since it doesn’t offer an introductory APR on purchases. If you do carry a balance, you will be subject to interest charges of 18.74% - 25.74% variable APR.

Compare it with the Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

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Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

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Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

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Intro Purchase APR N/A

Regular Purchase APR 19.24% - 26.24% Variable

Annual Fee $550

Rewards Rate 5x points on flights and 10x points on hotels and car rentals through Chase Ultimate Rewards®… Read More

Highlights

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Earn 5x total points on air travel and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel
• With Pay Yourself BackSM, your points are worth 50% more during the current offer when you redeem them for statement credits against existing purchases in select, rotating categories
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck^®
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more

Typical Credit Needed

750 850

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If you want to earn valuable travel rewards and take advantage of premium benefits, but you’re not a United Airlines loyalist, you may want to consider the Chase Sapphire Reserve^®.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve^® offers a lucrative sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®

You can also transfer points at a rate of 1:1 to several airline and hotel loyalty programs, including United MileagePlus, British Airways Executive Club, Flying Blue Air France KLM, JetBlue TrueBlue, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, World of Hyatt and Marriott Bonvoy.

Like the United Club℠ Infinite Card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® offers an elevated rewards rate on travel and dining at restaurants. The card also comes with several travel benefits common to premium travel credit cards: a Global Entry, NEXUS or TSA Precheck credit, complimentary airport lounge access, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, auto rental collision damage waiver, lost luggage reimbursement and trip delay reimbursement.

Plus, the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® offers up to $300 in statement credits each account anniversary as reimbursement for travel purchases that are charged to your card.

If you frequently fly on United Airlines, the United Club℠ Infinite Card offers a great opportunity to earn a large amount of points in a short period of time — which can be redeemed for flights, hotel stays, rental cars and more. But if you’re not partial to United Airlines, a card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve^®, that allows you to transfer points to several popular airlines (including United) and hotel partners, may be a better fit.

Or, if you want to earn United miles, but don’t want to pay a steep annual fee of $525, you may want to consider the United℠ Explorer Card.

With an annual fee of $0 intro for the first year, then $95, the United℠ Explorer Card allows you to earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Cardholders also earn 2 miles per $1 spent on dining, hotel stays and United® purchases. 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases.