Chase made a change today whereby United cardholders can refer friends to any United card, even a version different from the one they hold. For example, if you have the United Club Infinite ($525 fee) card your friend can apply for the United Explorer ($95 fee) card. They sent out an email today about this change, and the information is showing on the Chase website as well.
Direct Link to United family referrals
New! Now your friend can choose any participating card! You can be rewarded if your friend gets any United MileagePlus® personal card, even if its a different card than yours.
Chase made this ‘family’ system first with the Southwest cards, then they did a similar thing by considering the Freedom and Freedom Unlimited one family, and now they are doing the same with United. Not quite as good as Amex where you can refer from any card to any card, but it’s certainly getting easier to earn Chase referral bonuses over time.
In the case of Southwest, you can even refer from a personal Southwest card to a business Southwest card. Yet in this new United system, the wording on the landing page implies it only works from personal to personal. Let us know.
Always remember when calculating whether to use a referral link the fact that Chase will likely 1099 you if you’ve received more than $600 value from referrals across all your cards. Signup bonuses, other other hand, are not taxable.
Hat tip to RacecarsOnIce
Are Amex referrals still fully interchangeable?
I don’t think it’s the case any more, as I can only refer to the cards I currently have, not others
This has been the case since at least 8/11 I think. Very cool.
Great. Works even for my United Biz card which wasn’t targeted for referrals before.
Are you able to refer from United Biz to United personal card?
I entered my info for my United biz card, opened the referral link in incognito and I’m only seeing the personal MPE and personal Club card as options. No biz card listed as a card to apply for through the referral link
Good to know when P2 refers me.
Random question for anyone: does having the no-AF United card preclude you from getting a bonus on the MPE?
Don’t think so, as long as it’s been 24 months since your last MPE bonus
Not seeing anything when I input the info for my downgraded no-AF United card. Not surprised though
Amex doesn’t always let you refer from any card to any other card, right? I have the Hilton business and I think it only lets me refer other Hilton cards.
Correct… it is not from any to any… If you generate a referral from Amex own brand card (like Gold, Green, Platinum, EveryDay.. etc..) you can apply to ANY card using that link, if you generate a link from co-branded card (Hilton, Delta, Marriott), you will be able to apply to ONLY that brand cards.
No restrictions to business vs personal for Amex.. that is true.
All the best.