The United Business Card is Chase's entry-level United card for business owners. It costs $150 a year, and Chase lists a welcome offer of 90,000 bonus miles plus 2,000 Premier qualifying points (PQP) after $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. This review covers what the card earns, the credits Chase lists, and who gets the most from it.
Quick Summary
Best For: Business owners who fly United a few times a year and can use the free first checked bag and the travel credits.
Standout Benefit: The first checked bag is free for the primary cardmember and one traveling companion. Chase puts the saving at up to $200 round trip.
Current Offer: Chase's page shows 90,000 bonus miles and 2,000 PQP after $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months, plus 10,000 bonus miles after you add an employee card in that window. Chase headlines the total as up to 100,000 bonus miles.
Annual Fee: $150.
The Welcome Offer
Chase's page lists two parts. You earn 90,000 bonus miles and 2,000 PQP after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. You then earn 10,000 more bonus miles after you add an employee card to the account in those same 3 months.
Chase says the 2,000 PQP come on top of the PQP you earn from card purchases. PQP help you reach Premier status, which Chase describes as bringing extra benefits like complimentary Economy Plus access and seat upgrades. Confirm the offer on Chase's site before you apply, because co-brand offers change often.
Earning Miles
Here's what Chase lists for the card:
You earn 8x total miles on eligible United flights, which is 6x on the primary cardmember's fare as a MileagePlus member plus 2x on the entire United purchase with the card. Chase says earning differs for Basic Economy or base option tickets. You earn 2x miles on other eligible United purchases, at gas stations, on dining (including eligible delivery services), at office supply stores and on local transit (including ride share, taxis, trains, tolls and mass transit). Everything else earns 1x.
Chase also lists a 5,000-mile better-together anniversary bonus when you hold the United Business Card and a personal United credit card.
Travel Benefits
Chase lists a free first checked bag for the primary cardmember and one traveling companion, and Group 2 priority boarding for the primary cardmember and companions on the same reservation on United-operated flights. You also get 2 continental U.S. Economy Plus seat upgrades after you spend $25,000 each calendar year, 2 United Club one-time passes each year, savings of 10% or more when you book flights with miles, and 25% back on United inflight and Club premium drink purchases.
The Annual Credits
Chase lists over $600 in annual partner credits. Each one has conditions, so read the terms before you count on it:
- $125 United travel credit in TravelBank cash after 5 United flight purchases of $100 or more each calendar year
- Up to $100 in United Hotels credits, as $50 back on each of your first 2 prepaid hotel stays bought through United Hotels each anniversary year
- Up to $100 in rideshare credits each calendar year, with enrollment
- Up to $50 in United travel credits each year when you book Avis or Budget through the MileagePlus travel site
- Up to $120 in Instacart credits each calendar year
- Up to $100 in credits each year on flights bought directly from JSX
- Up to $25 in credits each year on FareLock purchases on United or United Express flights
The value depends on which of these you'd use anyway. A credit you wouldn't otherwise spend on isn't a saving.
Who Should Get It
The card fits you if you or your employees fly United often enough to use the checked bag and boarding perks, you already spend on rideshare, Instacart, United hotels or car rentals the credits cover, and you want one card for United spend and everyday business categories like dining and gas.
Look elsewhere if you fly other airlines most of the time. A card that earns flexible points is a better fit then. If you want a personal card with a similar bag benefit, our United Explorer review covers it, and our United MileagePlus guide explains how the miles work. Chase's current offers on every United card are in our United welcome bonus roundup.
The Bottom Line
At $150, the United Business Card pays for itself through its benefits only if you use them. The free bag for you and a companion, the Club passes and the credits are the reasons to hold it. Everyone else should compare it with a flexible business card before applying.
