United Club℠ Infinite Card review

Ideal for United loyalists who place a high priority on perks like airport lounge access, the United Club℠ Infinite Card comes with an impressive sign-up bonus and a respectable rewards rate on both United purchases and general travel spending. Indeed, the card’s earning rate for flights booked with competing airlines stands out among airline credit cards.

That said, the Club Infinite card’s enormous annual fee may be tough to swallow for the average traveler. Unless you place a high priority on United-specific perks and do nearly all of your traveling on United or with one of its Star Alliance partners, you may better off with a luxury travel card that offers more flexible redemption.

Solid sign-up bonus

For a limited time, the United Club Infinite Card earns 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first three months. We estimate these miles are worth approximately $810 in airfare if you redeem all your miles for United travel (assuming an average United mile value of 0.9 cents per mile, based on Bankrate’s valuations).

See related: Best ways to redeem United miles

Impressive rewards rate on travel purchases

The United Club Infinite Card gives you more ways to earn bonus miles on your spending than the average airline credit card.

You’ll earn 4x miles on United® purchases (including tickets and inflight purchases like food, beverages and Wi-Fi), which is double the rate offered by most airline cards on direct bookings. The lower-cost United^SM Explorer Card, for example, only offers 2x miles on United flights.

What’s more, the card also earns 2x miles on all other travel, including flights booked with other airlines. This is impressive given that many co-branded airline cards, including the American Airlines AAdvantage credit cards, only offer bonus rewards on airfare purchases that are made with directly with the airline.

In addition to its bonus on United flights and general travel, the Club Infinite card offers 2x miles on dining and food delivery and 1x mile on all other purchases

Redeeming United miles

The Club Infinite card’s rewards rate on general travel and dining helps boost the card’s overall earning rate and should be very appealing to frequent travelers who want to earn United miles while still having the flexibility to book with other airlines.

According to our estimates, the average cardholder will earn a little over $300 worth of United miles per year via card spend with the Club Infinite card. This assumes an average rewards rate of 1.34 miles per dollar, a mile value of 1.52 cents per mile and an annual spend of $15,900 (based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics).

United miles are pretty flexible and can also be used for booking with one of the airline’s 28 Star Alliance partners. Other United redemption options like hotel bookings, car rentals and cruises will usually force you to sacrifice mile value.

That said, a travel card that offers transferrable points or miles could give you even more booking flexibility and help you rack up miles more quickly.

For example, take The Platinum Card® from American Express, which gets you 5 points per dollar on all flights booked directly with an airline or with American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year). If you were to spend $5,000 per year on such travel, you’d earn 25,000 Amex Membership Rewards points. Even if you only booked with United, the Club Infinite card would earn just 20,000 United miles on a $5,000 spend.

Though United itself is not an Amex transfer partner, you could transfer your Amex points to one of United’s eligible Star Alliance partners (Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Air Canada Aeroplan and ANA Mileage Club) at a 1:1 ratio and use them to book flights with United.

See related: United Airlines partners

High annual fee

The United Club Infinite Card charges an annual fee of $525 per year, over five times that of the United Explorer Card. Budget-conscious cardholders may balk at such a high fee, but the card’s impressive ongoing rewards rate, sign-up bonus and lounge access perks can make the annual fee worth it for United loyalists who value luxury travel. Just be sure you’ll make use of the card’s benefits and don’t mind limiting your rewards to flights on United and its partner airlines; otherwise, the fee will be hard to justify.

First-year earnings

Despite its annual fee, the Club Infinite card offers decent first-year value. However, its high fee also means it could fall short of the much cheaper United Explorer card. Based on our estimates of the average person’s spending and subtracting the annual fee, the Club Infinite Card will likely earn around $387 worth of United miles in the first year, compared to the United Explorer card’s $526. This assumes a mile value of 0.9 cents per mile and an annual card spend of $15,900.

This gap widens significantly in year two, when sign-up bonuses are no longer in play. Based on our model of the average cardholder and accounting for the annual fees, we estimate around $115 in annual earnings with the United Explorer card while the Club Infinite card will end up costing the average cardholder about $291 per year (if you ignore the value of the card’s perks). As a result, the card’s luxury perks – especially the included United Club membership – will be make-or-break for prospective applicants.

United Explorer Card is currently offering 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months

United Club Infinite Card is currently offering 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months 

Enjoy a complimentary United Club membership

As its name implies, the United Club Infinite Card’s included United Club membership is one of the card’s biggest selling points. United Club lounges feature complimentary beverages and snacks, free Wi-Fi and more. Without the Club Infinite card, a membership would cost you $650 per year or 85,000 miles per year.

When you factor in the value of this membership, the Club Infinite card more than pays for itself, even without a sign-up bonus factored in. Indeed, if you look at the United Club membership’s value as the card’s annual bonus, the Club Infinite card outshines the United Explorer card.

Valuable perks for frequent travelers

Along with its generous ongoing rewards and lounge access, the Club Infinite card gets you a number of compelling travel perks, including:

• Credit for up to $120 toward cost of a Global Entry or TSA Precheck application – Use your United Club Infinite Card to pay the Global Entry or TSA Precheck application fee and you’ll be reimbursed in the form of a statement credit (one credit per account, every four years in connection with a program application fee).
• First and second checked bag free – You and a companion traveling on the same reservation can each check your first bag for free, a savings of as much as $360 per roundtrip.
• Priority boarding – You and any companions on the same reservation will be able to board United flights prior to general boarding.
• United Premier Access – Among other benefits, United Premier Access gets you access to designated airport check-in lines, exclusive security lanes and priority baggage handling, with your checked bags among the first to be delivered.
• 25% back on in-flight United purchases – Enjoy discounts when you buy Wi-Fi, food, beverages and more on United flights.
• Premier qualifying points (PQPs) – Earn up to 10,000 Premier qualifying points per calendar year (25 PQPs for every $500 you spend on purchases)

These perks are respectable, but the lack of annual travel credits in particular keeps the Club Infinite card out of the upper echelon of luxury travel cards. Several cards with a comparable or even lower annual fee offer travel credits of $200 or more. Even the United^SM Business Card offers a $100 travel credit each year you make seven United travel purchases of $100 or more.

No automatic elite status

Like its predecessor, the United Club Card, the United Club Infinite Card does not offer automatic elite status in the United MileagePlus program.

Other benefits

The United Club Infinite Card also offers a number of other benefits and consumer protections in addition to its United-specific travel perks, including:

• Auto rental collision damage waiver – You’ll be reimbursed up to the actual cash value of a rental vehicle for theft and collision damage both in the U.S. and abroad.
• Baggage delay insurance – If your bag is delayed more than six hours, you can be reimbursed up to $100 a day for three days for essential purchases like toiletries and clothing.
• Lost luggage reimbursement – You get coverage up to $3,000 per passenger if you or an immediate family member check or carry-on luggage that is lost or damaged by the carrier.
• Purchase and return protection – Your new purchases are covered for 120 days against damage or theft (up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per year). You can also get reimbursed for eligible items bought with your card that the store won’t take back within 90 days (up to $500 per item and $1,000 per year).
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance – If your trip is cancelled or cut short due to sickness or severe weather, this card’s travel insurance benefits will cover you up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip for any pre-paid, non-refundable expenses, including fares, tours and hotels.
  
• Trip delay reimbursement – If your travel is delayed by more than 12 hours or requires an overnight stay, you’re covered for unreimbursed expenses like meals and lodging (up to $500 per ticket).
• Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection perks – Make a reservation with your card at one of over 900 hotels, resorts, lodges and spas and you can enjoy room upgrades, complimentary daily breakfast for two people, free Wi-Fi and other benefits.
• Visa Infinite Concierge Services – You can get personalized assistance for travel planning, dinner reservations, sports, entertainment tickets and more.
• No foreign transaction fee – You won’t be charged any additional fees for purchases made abroad, which is good news if you often travel overseas.

How does the United Club Infinite Card compare to other rewards cards?

The United Club Infinite Card lets you earn bonus miles at a great rate on United purchases, general travel and dining, but redemption is limited to United and its partner network. If you’re looking for a bit more flexibility but don’t want to sacrifice ongoing rewards and luxury perks, there are a few alternatives worth consideration:

Chase Sapphire Reserve®	The Platinum Card® from American Express	Citi Prestige® Card
Rewards rate Earn 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠. Earn 5x total points on flights through Chase Travel℠. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining. Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.	Rewards rate Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year. Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.	Rewards rate 5 points per dollar on air travel and restaurants 3 points per dollar on hotels and cruise lines 1 point per dollar on other purchases
Welcome bonus Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.	Welcome bonus Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.	Welcome bonus 50,000 miles if you spend $4,000 in first 3 months
Annual fee $550	Annual fee $695	Annual fee $495
Other things to know 50% higher point value when redeemed for travel through Chase TravelSM $300 annual travel credit Up to $120 credit for Global Entry/TSA PreCheck Priority Pass lounge access	Other things to know Priority Pass lounge access Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® Up to $200 in Uber Cash per year for U.S. rides and eats (Add your Amex Platinum Card to your Uber account and redeem with any Amex card; Terms Apply) Up to $200 hotel credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel (when you pay with your card; minimum two-night stay required) Hilton Honors gold status (enrollment required) Terms apply	Other things to know Priority Pass lounge access 4th night free at any hotel up to 2 times per year $250 travel credit Up to $100 credit for Global Entry/TSA PreCheck Up to $1,500 in annual cell phone protection when you pay your bill with the card

Chase Sapphire Reserve

The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers a credit of up to $120 toward the cost of a TSA Precheck or Global Entry application, complimentary Priority Pass lounge access and a flexible $300 travel credit you can use for airfare, ride-shares, parking garages, bus tickets and much more.

The Platinum Card from American Express

The Platinum Card from American Express is packed with travel credits and protections that make it a valuable option for frequent travelers, including a statement credit for Global Entry/TSA PreCheck and up to $200 per year in Uber Cash ($15 per month, plus an extra $20 in December for U.S. rides and eats). You’ll also enjoy Priority Pass lounge access and an impressive 5 point-per-dollar rewards rate on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year) and 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. The major downside is that its rewards rate makes it hard to earn points on non-travel purchases.

Citi Prestige Card

The Citi Prestige card offers a whopping 5 points per dollar spent on both restaurants and air travel, as well as a fourth night free at any hotel up to twice a year. The card also comes with a generous sign-up bonus, Priority Pass lounge access and an annual $250 travel credit, all of which should be more than enough to offset the card’s annual fee (which is still lower than that of the United Club Infinite Card). You can book flights with United through the Citi travel portal or transfer to one of 15 Citi ThankYou transfer partners at a 1:1 ratio.

Why get the United Club Infinite Card?

• You frequently fly United.
• You also fly with other airlines but want to earn United miles instead of general travel rewards.
• You’re interested in a United Club membership or are already a member.
• You want to save money on checked bags and expedited security screening.
• You want to earn miles on more than airline purchases.
• You want a card that carries no foreign transaction fee.

How to use the United Club Infinite Card

• Use the card for all United purchases, including in-flight purchases.
• Be sure to use the card for dining not only at restaurants but also on eligible food delivery services.
• Use the card for all of your travel spending so you can earn miles even if you’re not flying with United.
• Be sure to take advantage of the included United Club membership when traveling.
• Pay for your TSA Precheck or Global Entry application with the card to get a statement credit of up to $120.

Is the United Club Infinite Card worth it?

Only if you value luxury perks long-term. Though it offers an impressive sign-up bonus, the Club Infinite card’s extremely high annual fee will be hard for most cardholders to justify. Unless United Club access and other United benefits are a top priority, you’ll likely be better off sticking with the more affordable United Explorer card.

*Information about the Citi Prestige Card has been collected independently by CreditCards.com. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy.