Chase sent out a memo to bankers with news of changes to the United Explorer personal card which is coming on March 23, 2025. My guess is these changes will affect both branch applications and online applications starting on March 23rd:
- Annual fee increase from $95 to $150. (The fee is waived for the first year, both under the old offer and the new offer.)
- Signup bonus will be 80,000 miles after spending $3,000. (The old/current offer is 50,000 points, and we’ve never seen it higher than 70,000.)
Yesterday, news leaked of the refreshed Chase United business card which went live briefly and then was pulled. The annual fee on the business card will increase from $99 to $150, added benefits, and signup bonus increase to 125k. I expect the changes and increased bonus on the business card will also be rolled out on March 23, 2025. (This is just an educated guess, not reporting.)
We also reported on the upcoming Chase Sapphire Preferred 100,000 points bonus which will be coming to Chase branches on March 23, 2025. Reports indicate that offer will soon-after become available online as well.
Another small change coming on March 23rd is the spend requirement for the signup bonus on the Chase Sapphire Reserve card will increase from $4,000 to $5,000. The 60,000 points bonus will remain the same.
Inflight offer is 85K plus 5K when you add a AU https://www.theexplorercard.com/united-rewards-cards/explorer-card?cell=2PJ
Chuck h
I just applied for the Chase United Explorer and got approved.
I wanted to double-check to make sure the 80k bonus is attached. I mean it should be since all links for the “new United card” go to the 80k signup page. I couldn’t imagine that it wouldn’t be attached to my new card.
But when I asked Chase United cc support on the phone, they said nope.. we don’t see the promo attached.
Has anyone here had this happen before? It’s the first time I haven’t had a credit card promo attach automatically.
The customer service told me the only thing I can do is wait 10 – 14 days while I wait for a response from their marketing team.
Every link for this card goes to the 80k sign up page and I definitely signed up through the link. How could it not be attached? Now I’m conflicted whether to use the card for spend or wait 14 days to make sure.
Wondering if anyone has encountered this before? I’ve had issues with bank bonuses not tracking in the past but this is the first time for me on a cc. tia
There should be a bonus tracker in the app. Under rewards, it will show your progress.
I see 80K signup offer, 3K spend in 3 months. Annual fee of 150 waived first year on the United app.
Offer ends 5/7/2025
I have been looking but could not find the offer end date on website. Where did you see it?
It is on the United website
https://www2.theexplorercard.com/rewards-cards/explorer-card
Any indication of when this is actually happening?
For some reason on DoC it has only been mentioned on the Quest, but for the explorer card there are a few different credits that they have added. (instacart, JSX, Avis, and rideshare)
So here’s a game plan if you need it now. Apply for the current best offer 50k miles/$3k spend/$0 annual fee 1st year + CC referral. Get the card, do the req. spend and then request for a match when the offer goes live. Get an extra 50k miles boost while keeping the $3k spend req., $0 annual fee 1st year then grandfathered w/$95 fee 2nd yr. and whatever benefits comes with the new/old CC. It’s a risk but looks interesting.
Correction, extra 30k UA miles match not 50K.
Current best offer is 70k and no guarantee they match
Used what
Chuck posted. 
Ben Want to help readers out with a link to the 70k offer?
Tried to match and the response was “The new offer you are requesting is not available for a richer offer so the original offer will remain”.
Stop it. Chase NEVER do offer match now. Matching was history.
Is this to keep up with increasing domestic baggage fees? I canceled mine last year as their partner airline dropped my routes and international bags are not covered for free anyway afaik. Still have those points languishing.
Does anyone know if you can get approved for an Explorer card while still holding a Gateway? Or does it need to be closed or converted first?
Fine by me. Approved! /s
(You probably should ask Chase though.)
You don’t need to close anything. I’m currently holding a Gateway, Explorer, Club Infinite, and Business
loaded
‘drop the load’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__r8gK25xX8
I had an Explorer in 2018 that I downgraded to a Gateway after the first year. I was approved for a new Explorer last year.
To clarify, you got the sign up bonus too after opening the explorer?
I got an Explorer bonus while having the gateway card.
Wonder if we can request Chase to SM match current offer with this new offer? Match requests DPs works for past Inks/Freedom/Sapphire offer. 🤔
Cool!
Just tried and no luck for me
That’s a bummer. Worked for me last June, was only a week or so into my spend. Used a public link as my basis.
The language was weird, I might try again next week but i wonder if the fact this is refreshed has something to do with it
“The new offer you are requesting is not available for a richer offer so the original offer will remain”.
Wouldn’t hurt to try again. I don’t know the specifics of your original offer, but I know I had to find one that was identical including AF waived.
Matching was also rejected for me over secure messages. The verbiage in their reply was a bit different but pretty generic: “We’re unable to guarantee the availability of each offer as each sign-up offer will be subject to eligibility requirements.”.
United Explorer originally opened on March 3rd with 50k for $3000 spend (not yet met), and $95 AF waived for the first year.
Seems likely that the United Quest will also have changes soon, because it doesn’t make sense for Chase to have Quest’s eAF lower than the Explorer card. Quest is only $125 after the annual credit (well, TravelBank cash now) and it’s pretty easy to offset the rest of the AF. I’d assume Chase copies AMEX Gold and bumps Quest up to $325 AF while adding some type of $50-100 credit. (Baseless speculation here.)
It looks like you were correct as another DoC page notes that the Quest AF will rise to $350.
Wow, I actually got the 80,000 miles SUB on 3k Spend in November. Was an in app offer