Last updated on June 1st, 2023
Advertiser Disclosure – BestCards is an independent, Florida-based credit card comparison platform. Many of the card offers that appear on this site are from companies from which BestCards receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). BestCards does not include all card companies or all card offers available in the marketplace.
Editorial Disclosure – The opinions expressed on BestCards’ reviews, blogs, and all other content on or relating to the website are solely those of the content’s author. They are not reflective of any card issuer or financial institution and have not been reviewed or approved by these entities unless otherwise noted. Further, BestCards lists credit card offers that are updated daily with information believed to be accurate to the best of our knowledge.
United Business Card
United Business Card
United Business Card
- 21.74% to 28.74% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate Regular Purchase APR
- 21.74% to 28.74% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate Balance Transfer APR
- 29.99% variable based on the Prime Rate Cash Advance APR
At a Glance
Businesses can benefit significantly from airline cards, and the United Business Card from Chase is an excellent example of the breed. The card earns miles on the types of purchases businesses often make, with additional points coming from the United MileagePlus Program.
- Best Benefits
- Rates & Fees
- Why Should You Apply?
- Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99.
- Receive a 5,000-mile "better together" bonus each anniversary when you have both the United℠ Business Card and a personal Chase United® credit card.
- Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases, dining including eligible delivery services, at gas stations, office supply stores, and on local transit and commuting.
- Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. Plus, employee cards at no additional cost - miles earned from their purchases accrue in your account so you can earn rewards faster.
- Enjoy a free first checked bag - a savings of up to $140 per roundtrip (terms apply), 2 United Club℠ one-time passes per year, and priority boarding privileges.
- $100 United® travel credit after 7 United flight purchases of $100 or more each anniversary year.
- Member FDIC
- Regular Purchase APR: 21.74% to 28.74% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate
- Balance Transfer APR: 21.74% to 28.74% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate
- Balance Transfer Transaction Fee: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
- Cash Advance APR: 29.99% variable based on the Prime Rate
- Cash Advance Transaction Fee: Either $15 or 5% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater
- Penalty APR: Up to 29.99% variable based on the Prime Rate
- Annual Fee: $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $99
- Late Payment Penalty Fee: $40
- Return Payment Penalty Fee: $40
- You run small to medium-sized companies
- You plan to issue additional employee cards (at no extra cost)
- You frequently use your credit card to book flights with United or Star Alliance carriers
- You expect to make at least $5,000 in purchases within the first 90 days of becoming a cardholder to earn the card’s signup bonus (for new cardmembers)
United Business Card Review
The United Business Card is an excellent airline rewards card from United Airlines and Chase. Formerly the United Explorer Business Card, the card boasts a substantial introductory offer of up to 50,000 bonus miles and an array of United perks.
How to Earn Miles
The United Business Card earns a pedestrian 2X miles on office supplies and United purchases. Fortunately, the 2X miles category also includes gas station purchases, plus local transit and commuting purchases, such as local trains, subways, and even apps like Uber or Lyft. Cardholders also earn 2X miles on dining, making the card a valuable tool for companies that plan to issue additional cards to employees who frequently treat customers to business dinners or lunches. Even better, there is no extra charge for additional employee cards. The 2X miles on United purchases are further enhanced by membership in the United MileagePlus Program, which is free to join.
The MileagePlus Program, like other frequent flyer programs, has a variety of tiers, with higher levels accessible through spending with the airline, with partners, or by having a specific airline credit card. While the United Business Card doesn’t offer access to higher tiers outright, like the United Club Business Card (which also has an annual fee of $450), companies can quickly rise through the MileagePlus tiers thanks to the additional miles earned with the United Business Card.
Since the United Business Card earns 2X miles on United purchases, even businesses new to the MileagePlus Plan can earn 7X miles for every dollar spent on flights booked directly with United Airlines. That miles-per-dollar rate increases to a maximum of 13X miles per dollar spent with United when companies reach the Premier 1K status. Every other net purchase with the card earns a single mile (1X) for every dollar spent.
Businesses also earn rewards with United partners. United Airlines partners with several car rental, hotel, and other partners, including:
| Hotel | MileagePlus miles can be earned at most major hotel chains; Earn 2X miles at each property that participates in the United Hotels program. Rewards earning varies by hotel. Otherwise, you’ll earn a flat rate that depends on the hotel you’ve booked a stay at. For more details, visit United’s Hotel Partners page. |
| Dining | When you register a credit (or debit) card with the MileagePlus Dining program, you’ll be able to earn miles when you dine at over 10,000 participating restaurants, bars, and clubs – but only when you pay for your meal with the card you’ve registered. You’ll earn up to 5 miles per dollar spent, and this includes tax and tip! |
| Car rental | MileagePlus members can earn up to 1,250 award miles for each qualifying car rental. Partners include Hertz, Dollar Rent A Car, Thrifty, Groundlink, ExecuCar, and much more. Members also earn points when booking with SuperShuttle, Carmel, Bandwagon, and other ground transportation services. |
| Shopping | MileagePlus members earn miles based on making purchases through the dedicated MileagePlus shopping portal, where points are earned for making purchases with hundreds of leading brands. |
A Large Sign Up Bonus
As mentioned, the United Business Card comes with a sizable introductory bonus. New accounts can receive 50,000 bonus miles when they use their card within the first 3 months of opening an account.
A company that plans to use their new card to finance a conference, for example, can use the United Business Card to purchase $5,000 in flights for employees. This spend would satisfy the $5,000 minimum needed for the 50,000 miles.
Anniversary Miles
Accounts that have both the United Business Card and the personal version of the card earn an additional 5,000 miles one each cardmember anniversary. This bonus isn’t a great deal, but for those who do carry both versions of the card, it is essentially free money. For those who don’t have both versions of the card, however, the combined annual fees would be $194, for what amounts to a bonus of $70.
United Business Card Comparison
 United℠ Business Card |
 United Club℠ Business Card |
|
| Annual fee | $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $99 | $450 |
| Employee cards | Free | Free |
| Rewards | 2X miles on United purchases, 2X on dining, gas stations, office supply stores, and local transit/commuting 1X on all other purchases | 2X miles on United purchases, 1.5X on all other purchases |
| Free bags | One (1) for accountholder and one companion on the same fare | Two (2) for accountholder and one companion on the same fare |
| Lounge access | United Club – 2X per year | United Club – unlimited |
| Other Perks | Priority boarding, anniversary mile bonus, $100 United credit, 25% inflight savings, no foreign transaction fees | Priority boarding, check-in, screening and baggage handling, anniversary mile bonus, $100 United credit, 25% inflight savings, no foreign transaction fees, Avis Presidents Club upgrades |
How to Redeem Miles
The MileagePlus Program offers a wide variety of redemption options for cardholders. The most apparent method of redeeming MileagePlus miles is through flight bookings with United Airlines. To redeem miles, a member simply needs to login to their MileagePlus account, search for flights on united.com, and select “pay with miles.” Miles are also applicable to other purchases with United, including seat upgrades. United Airlines is part of the Star Alliance, which includes other major global carriers, such as Air Canada,
All Nippon Airways (ANA), Avianca, Turkish Airlines, Singapore Airlines, and more. Since United belongs to the Star Alliance, MileagePlus members can also use their miles towards flights with other Star Alliance carriers. United also allows members to use miles with other codeshare partners, including Hawaiian Airlines, and Aer Lingus. Other redemption options for United Business Cardholders include hotel stays with major names in the hospitality industry, rental car bookings with partners such as Dollar or Hertz, shopping through the MileagePlus portal, or as gift cards, or event experiences.
Related Article: The Ultimate Guide to the United MileagePlus Program
United Business Travel Perks
The up to 13X miles on United flights of the United Business Card is very nice. Chase and United also have plenty more to offer with the card, especially when it comes to airport perks. Cardholders can expect their first checked bad free on United flights – a value of up to $120 on roundtrip journeys. This perk is a great addition to the card, and especially for companies that spend heavily on flights and travel.
Time spent at the airport is further simplified thanks to priority boarding on United-operated flights. Lounge access is a prominent feature in many luxurious airline cards, but as the United Business Card only has an annual fee of just under $100, the card is slightly lacking in this department. Sure, the United Business Card offers two one-time United Club lounge passes each year, but for companies that travel often, that won’t make much of a dent. There is always the option, however, of using the United Club passes as a business incentive, offering them as a prize or reward for top-performers or those who deserve recognition.
In the air, United Business Cardholders receive 25% in-flight savings with United, which gives employers an incentive to let their employees splash some cash on items to make trips more enjoyable. Things like in-flight Wi-Fi, snack boxes, or even the occasional bloody Mary can go a long way to raise spirits on long-treks – while earning rewards at the same time. Accounts also receive a $100 United travel credit, though this requires at least seven United flight purchases of over $100 each. It’s not a great reward for all that spending, but it’s something, none the less.
Other Card Features
The only other feature of note with the United Business Card is the lack of a foreign transaction fee. For a card that is associated with a major international airline, that isn’t surprising, but not being charged when using your United Business Card abroad is always a nice – though often unnoticed – perk. The APR with the card isn’t exceptional, but it isn’t excessive either. Both the low-end APR on purchases and balance transfer and the maximum rates are in line with what you’d normally expect from a business airline rewards card, though these rates will vary based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate.
The card also enjoys Visa Signature Business features and protections:
| Zero Fraud Liability | Roadside Dispatch | Cardholder Inquiry Services |
| Lost/Stolen Card Reporting | Emergency Card Replacement | Auto Rental Collison Damage Waiver |
| Travel and Emergency Assistance Services | Purchase and Extended Protection | Lost Luggage Reimbursement |
FAQs About the United Business Card
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions regarding the United Business Visa Signature, along with the answers:
- Data suggests that Chase uses Experian for credit checks.
- Award flights in the United MileagePlus start as low as 12,500 miles for economy flights and 30,000 miles for business fares.
- Chase typically reports to the credit agencies approximately 3 to 4 days after the closing data on the card statement.
- United MileagePlus miles have a value of one cent per point, but that value may vary depending on a variety of factors.
Chase Bank Ratings
How does the United Business Visa Signature stack up? Here is a selection of expert reviews for the card, as well as an overview of JP Morgan Chase as a bank:
| BestCards | Better Business Bureau | TrustPilot |
|
4.5/5 |
3.5/5 |
2/5 |
Should You Apply for the United Business Card?
The United Business Card is a business airline card on par with many of the other comparable options on the market – most notably the JetBlue Business Card and the SKYPASS Visa Business Card. All three of these cards earn a similar amount of points on flights (2X per dollar spent, though the JetBlue Card earns 6X points), feature similar annual fees, and comparable interest rates. Where the United Card surpasses its rivals is the 2X miles cardholders earn on local transit – making it a great option for companies that want to issue additional employee cards to those who use public transportation regularly.
The impressive 50,000 miles bonus is a real headline grabber with the United Card, but for smaller firms, it may be something out of reach. For medium-sized companies or those smaller businesses that travel frequently, however, the bonus is attainable and offers significant value that is rarely found with comparable cards. Overall, the United Business Card offers great value for the $99 annual fee. There are plenty of other similar cards from airlines around the world, including Korean Air, Hawaiian Airlines, Jet Blue, Southwest, and countless others, but for companies that prefer to fly with United Airlines or Star Alliance partners, the $99 each year provides significant value for money.
