United Club^℠ Infinite Card Review

Who is the United Club^℠ Infinite Card for?

The United Club^℠ Infinite Card is an excellent credit card for consumers looking to travel frequently while earning great rewards for their travel. The rewards system on this card offers high rewards on United purchases and offers competitive rewards on travel, restaurants, and everything else. So, for anyone who already is a big fan of flying United Airlines, the United Club Infinite Card is a great way to earn valuable rewards.

With 4x miles per dollar on United purchases and 2x miles on travel and dining purchases, this credit card offers great rewards for frequent fliers looking for their next vacation getaway. On every other purchase that qualifies in their terms, this credit card offers a 1x mile per dollar membership reward. However, it is important to remember that this credit card is accompanied by a hefty $525 annual fee. So while this credit card does come with plenty of rewards, it may not be for everyone.

Another great feature about the United Club Infinite Card is that it grants lounge access to all United^℠ and Star Alliance^™ affiliated lounges across the world. This means that when traveling through airports, United Club Infinite cardholders can enjoy the comfort of complimentary WiFi, snacks, and beverages while waiting for their flight.

Signup Bonus

For a limited time, the United Club Infinite Card comes with a 75,000 bonus miles introductory offer, which is one of the largest signup bonuses offered by a credit card. To earn this bonus, cardholders must spend $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months. While spending $3,000 may seem like a lot, it is greatly offset by the value of the signup bonus. In short, this large signup bonus makes this credit card an option to keep in mind when thinking of your next credit card.

Rewards

The United Club Infinite Card’s main feature is the large rewards it gives for travel. When using this credit card for travel expenses, United offers 4x miles per dollar spent on United purchases, 2x miles per dollar spent on dining and other travel services, and 1x mile per dollar on everything else. If you are also on a United flight, cardholders get 25% back on food, beverage, and WiFi purchases on board. The miles system is United’s version of a points system that offers cashback rewards on purchases.

Miles can be redeemed on United’s website for hotels, airfare, car rentals, and cruises. Adding on, miles can also be used to upgrade seats on an airplane. Like other credit card companies, the United Club Infinite Card also allows members to redeem their miles for merchandise and gift cards. Lastly, mileage points can be used to redeem tickets for sports events, concerts, and even Broadway shows! Whatever your interest may be, the United Club Infinite Card offers a reward option to fit your needs.

Benefits

An extensive benefit of the United Club Infinite Card is the access it gives to United and Star Affiliated lounges across the globe. These lounges come with features such as WiFi, food, and beverages to name a few. As one can see, when using this credit card, the cardholder is sure to have an enjoyable experience when flying.

The United Club Infinite Card also comes with a plethora of airport features. When checking into an airport, cardholders receive priority check-in, security, and baggage handling. As an added benefit of this credit card, cardholders can also get their first and second standard bags checked in for free. This benefit extends to one traveling companion of the cardholder if they are on the same reservation. However, this feature only applies to United flights. Finally, this card comes with built-in credit of $100 for Global Entry or $85 for TSA PreCheck.

Cardholders are also eligible to enroll in the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards President’s Circle, this makes it very convenient for travelers to rent cars and earn rewards on their expenses. 

It is also worth mentioning that this card does not come with a foreign transaction fee, so cardholders can incur expenses abroad without having to worry about any extra fees.

Services and Protections

One great travel protection offered by the United Club Infinite Card is its trip cancellation insurance policy. If a trip is cut short due to illness, severe weather, or other conditions, United will reimburse up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip. The travel insurance policy offered by this card is almost unrivaled and cardholders can be sure to book trips without being too worried about cancellations. 

Similarly, if a trip is delayed more than 12 hours or requires an overnight stay, United will provide a reimbursement of $500 per ticket to cover meals and lodging. This insurance policy by United makes this credit card one of the top choices for travelers.

This card also comes with purchase protection for 120 days up to $10,000. This means that if you purchase an item and it is damaged or stolen within 120 days, United may reimburse this purchase. However, United caps the reimbursement at $50,000 per year. Similarly, United may reimburse eligible items that stores won’t take back for up to $500 per item, as long as it’s within 90 days of purchase.

Cautions

The $525 annual fee on this credit card is quite high when compared to other cards. However, it is also proportional to the multitude of benefits and services offered by this card. So if a large annual fee is something you want to avoid in a credit card, this card might not be the one for you.

The United Club Infinite card also charges a late fee of up to $39. As such, it is important to try and pay all outstanding payments on time. The penalty APR of up to 29.99% only makes things worse if you stop making payments on time. As seen in the terms, the regular APR is based on the creditworthiness of the individual, so if multiple late payments are made, United may decide to raise your APR.

Conclusion

The United Club Infinite Card is perfect for any traveler who wants to get lounge access, earn great rewards, and get access to exclusive perks. As one of the top travel cards offered by United, this card comes with 4x cash back on United purchases and 2x cash back on travel and dining. Moreover, this card comes with a large signup bonus and plenty of services and protections. All of these are features that make the United Club Infinite Card so attractive to frequent travelers. However, this card does come at an annual cost of $525, so if lounge access and airport perks do not seem appealing to you, this card may not be the best value purchase for you.