United Club Card Review: Is the Annual Fee Worth It?
For the first few years of our travel hacking journey, the highest annual fee we were willing to pay was $95.
That amount was when we started with the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. It is still the best starter cards out there if you are getting into points and miles.
In 2022, we added the United Explorer Card, also at a $95 annual fee (which has since increased to $150). In early 2023, we stretched a bit with the American Express Gold Card and its $250 annual fee (now $325).
And then we made a much bigger jump by adding the United Club Card. At the time, it had a $525 annual fee. We definitely had a lot of discussions about whether adding this card to our travel hacking portfolio was worth it. And ultimately we decided that the United Club Infinite annual fee made sense for us and the way we travel.
The annual fee is now $695, but the United Club Card has continued to be worth it for us and the way we travel. Here’s why.
The Current United Club Card Bonus (2026)
Right now, the United Club Card offers those who open the card the following sign-up bonus:
- 110,000 bonus miles
- 3,000 Premier Qualifying Points (PQP)
Earning the bonus requires $5,000 of spend in the first three months after opening the card.
That is a strong offer if you fly United Airlines regularly or have specific plans for those miles in particular. These miles can be used flights and upgrades, and we’ve used United miles for everything from short domestic trips to longer international redemptions in Premium Plus.
The 3,000 PQP gives cardholders a meaningful head start toward United status before you even take a flight.
Co-Branded Cards Are Not for Everyone
Co-branded airline cards are not for everyone.
If you prioritize flexibility across airlines, only fly a few times per year, or always book based on price, regardless of which airline the flight is on, a premium airline card usually does not make sense.
For us, flying United Airlines makes sense for the way we travel. We live in Chicago and fly out of O’Hare, which is a United hub, meaning we typically have the most options on United compared to other airlines.
When that consistency is there, co-branded cards can become an extremely valuable part of how you travel.
The $695 Annual Fee vs United Club Membership
The biggest hesitation for many people with the United Club Card is the $695 annual fee. That’s a pretty high number, especially if you’ve held low or no-annual fee cards.
The United Club Card gives lounge access. A United Club membership costs about $750 per year for an individual. An all-access membership, which includes guests and broader access including Star Alliance lounges, is around $1,400 per year. The individual membership only covers you. The all-access version expands access to guests and partner lounges.
The United Club Card costs less than buying a United Club membership outright. So if you frequently fly United and fly out of or to airports that have United lounges, this card can make a lot of sense.
United Club cardholders that have Premier Gold status or spend $50,000 on the card in a year earn all-access membership, which means they can bring in two adult guests or one adult and any dependents under 18. P2 has Premier Gold status, so his United Club card allows our whole family to get into the lounge.
Lounge Access Is Practical
We use them because we travel as a family, and they make airport days easier.
With the United Club Card, we can all go into the lounge when flying United Airlines (which is the majority of the time).
Instead of trying to manage everyone in a crowded terminal, we have one place to sit together. We are not scrambling for seats, outlets, or space.
The lounge gives us:
- a place to sit together
- cleaner bathrooms nearby
- a quieter environment
- a way to avoid constant airport food spending
The nice thing about United Club access is you can access the lounge at both your departure and your arrival airport. Compared to Centurion Lounge access tied to the American Express Platinum card, which only allows you to enter at your departure airport, this is a key differentiator and comes with a lower annual fee.
Free Checked Bags
The United Club Card includes free first and second checked bags for the primary cardholder and one companion on the same reservation. As of April 2026, prepaid bags cost $45 for the first and $55 for the second, while paying at the airport was $50 for the first and $60 for the second.
Because we check bags regularly when flying United Airlines since we fly with our kids, the savings add up quickly. Just one round trip can easily save $200 or more depending on baggage thanks to the free checked bags from the card.
Earning PQPs Through Spend
One of the more meaningful updates to the United Club Card is the ability to earn Premier Qualifying Points towards United status through spending.
You earn PQPs as you use the card, and there is also a yearly bonus after your first cardmember year. United Club cardholders can earn up to 28,000 PQPs on card spend by earning 1 PQP for every $15 spent on the card. Combined with the 3,000 PQP welcome bonus, it is one of the more useful airline cards for status earning.
We do not route all of our spending through this card, but the PQP earning is helpful with retaining Gold status for P2 and therefore securing Economy Plus seats at booking for our family.
Credits and Additional Perks
The United Club Card includes a range of credits across travel, rideshare, hotels, and subscriptions, plus a credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
- Up to $200 in Renowned Hotels and Resorts credit
- Up to $150 in rideshare credits
- Up to $240 in Instacart credits Up to $200 in JSX flight credits
- Up to $100 in United TravelBank credit for Avis and Budget car rentals
- Up to $120 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS credit
- Premier Access travel services (priority check-in, security, and boarding)
- 25% back on inflight purchases and premium drinks
- No foreign transaction fees
- Expanded award travel availability when booking with miles MileagePlus partner rental car status benefits (including Avis President’s Club status)
They are useful when they naturally align with spending we would already do, but we do not spend extra just to use the credits. For example, we frequently order groceries on Instacart, so that’s $240 worth of value we’re getting. Counting just that perk brings the annual fee down to $455.
If a card requires that level of effort, it is usually not worth keeping long term.
These credits help offset the annual fee, but they are not the reason we keep the card.
How We Actually Think About the Value
The way we evaluate the United Club Card s simple.
We compare it to what we would realistically pay without it.
If we were buying lounge access on our own, we would already be in the range of individual or all-access membership pricing.
Then we add:
- Free checked bags across multiple trips
- Lounge access as a family
- PQP boosts
At that point, the annual fee is effectively covered through actual usage, not theoretical value.
We are not changing how we travel to make it work. The value shows up because our normal travel preferences fit what the card offers.
Final Thoughts
The United Club card is not a beginner card. And it’s also not the right card for you only fly United Airlines occasionally or want maximum flexibility across airlines.
But if you fly United regularly, travel as a family, and value having a smoother airport experience, it could be a good fit based on how you already travel.
For us, it went from feeling like a big annual fee to being a card we do not really think about anymore. We’ll continue to reap the benefits and likely will keep this card open as long as we fly out of a United hub as our home airport.
FAQ
What is the United Club Card?
The United Club Card is a premium credit card from United Airlines that includes United Club lounge access, travel benefits, and the ability to earn miles and Premier Qualifying Points toward elite status.
How much is the United Club Card annual fee?
The United Club Card has a $695 annual fee. It is less than the cost of buying a United Club membership separately.
Is the United Club Card worth it?
The United Club Card can be worth it if you frequently fly United Airlines, value lounge access, check bags regularly, or want help earning status. It is less useful for occasional travelers.
What is the United Club Card sign-up bonus?
The current offer is up to 110,000 miles plus 3,000 PQP after meeting the spending requirement.
Does the United Club Card include lounge access?
Yes. The United Club Card includes access to United Club lounges when flying United or eligible partners, including access for family or guests.
Can you earn status with the United Club Card?
Yes. You earn Premier Qualifying Points through spending, and the card includes a 3,000 PQP welcome bonus.
Does the United Club Card include free checked bags?
Yes. It includes free first and second checked bags for the cardholder and one companion on the same reservation when flying United Airlines.