The Offer
- Chase is offering a bonus of up to 50,000 miles on the Chase United Explorer personal card. Bonus is as follows:
- 40,000 miles after $2,000 in spend within the first three months
- An additional 10,000 miles after you spend a total of $5,000 within the first six months
Card Details
- Annual fee of $95 waived first year
- Chase 5/24 rule applies to this card
- 25% off in flight purchases when using your card (including WiFi and food/beverages)
- $100 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit
- Card earns at the following rates:
- 2 miles per $1 spend with United Airlines, restaurant and hotel purchases
- 1 mile per $1 spend on all other purchases
- Last seat availability
- Miles don’t expire
- Free checked bag when you pay with card (for 2 people)
- Priority boarding
- 2 Club passes per year
- No FX fees
Our Verdict
Not as good as the recent 60,000 miles offer. Remember that the Chase 5/24 rule does apply to this card so most people will not be eligible for this card/bonus. Because we saw a better bonus so recently we wont’ be adding this deal to our list of the best credit card bonuses.
Hat tip to US Credit Card Guide
Can I hold 2 of these or should I downgrade the 1st to the no AF MileagePlus Rewards before applying?
Current one is >2 years old and bonus was awarded >24 months ago.
I will downgrade anyway after opening #2. But I’d rather wait because I think holding the fee card makes me look more profitable. AF refund is prorated so waiting a bit will cost very little.
I got a mailer addressed specifically to me, saying it was an invitation-only offer. it says the offer is good for me if I haven’t received this card or this bonus in the past 24 months (which is true, I last got it in 2015). Think this will bypass 5/24 (I am well over that)?
if not..this is annoying. My history with this card is easily available and sending this to me if chase is going to reject me is stupid.
Did you ever end up applying? I’m in the same boat
I was in-branch preapproved, about 14/24 and approved.
2 Club passes and priority boarding are nice. If I didn’t hate United I would get it. After United flat out denied to refund me refundable ticket and said it was not refundable (where I bought the refundable on purpose and overpaid knowing there is a chance I will return) I don’t mess with United.
As you can tell by looking at the link, this link is for in-flight application. I heard a rumor or unconfirmed saying that in-flight application can bypass 5/24 rule? Just curious that whether this in-flight application link can bypass 5/24 rule or not?
5/24 still applies AFAIK
Math is tough.
Lol
I can see it is – for you. I very specifically said for domestic flights. A domestic coach flight on United is almost always 1 cent per point. That is specifically what I was referencing.
If you do a search for any flight on the united website, an offer pops up for 25,000 miles and a $250 statement credit for only $2,000 spending in the first 3 months. For domestic flights, I would take $250 cash over the extra 25,000 miles any day of the week. And even for the 60,000 mile offer, you had to spend $8,000 which to me still makes the 25,000 and $250 a better offer.
You’re combining comparisons, so to speak.
It depends on your valuation of MileagePlus miles and your best alternative earn rate. Assuming your best alternative is 2%, and assuming you pay next year’s annual fee, the added value is either:
This offer:
40k×(cpp) – $2000×0.02 – $95 =
= $265 @ 1cpp, $385 @ 1.3cpp
50k×(cpp) – $5000×0.02 – $95 =
= $305 @ 1cpp, $455 @ 1.3cpp
Booking page offer:
$250 – $95 =
= $155 @ 1cpp, $155 @ 1.3cpp
25k×(cpp) + $250 – $2000×0.02 – $95 =
= $365 @ 1cpp, $440 @ 1.3cpp
You didnt take into account the miles earned on the spend. It should be 42k, 55k, and 27k in your 3 scenarios.
Yup, forgot that. Thanks for pointing it out.
I won’t recalculate, that’s uhh… “left as an exercise for the reader” haha
Is there a referral offer to stack with this? I was not able to generate one from my downgraded explorer card (United Mileage Plus card) or Player 2’s Explorer Business
Doesn’t seem like there is, my referral page is showing the standard 40k/$2k without the +10k/+$3k tacked on.
I’ve received a targeted offer about half a year ago from united (not from chase)–spend 2k in 3 months to get 40k miles AND 10k in 6 months to get additional 25k miles for a total of 65k miles. Apparently it’s from united market department as I was at 8/24 and Chase would not approve me.
I get those all the time. United doesn’t care how Chase feels about you (or me) apparently.
Chase is offering a bonus of up to 60,000 miles on the Chase United Explorer personal card.
50,000*
ye saw that too. Mistake