Chase Sapphire Preferred vs United Explorer Card Comparison

The Chase Sapphire Preferred and United Explorer Card are two popular options for travelers, but they have some key differences. The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers a sign-up bonus of 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months.

The United Explorer Card, on the other hand, offers a sign-up bonus of 40,000 miles after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months. This is a more modest bonus, but it's still a great starting point for building your mileage balance.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a higher annual fee of $95, while the United Explorer Card has a lower annual fee of $95, but it also offers a free checked bag and priority boarding. This can be a big perk for frequent travelers.

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You can earn a generous 60,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open, or 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

The Chase card offers a variety of rewards, including 2 points per dollar spent on United purchases, at restaurants, and on hotel accommodations purchased directly with the hotel.

For travel booked through Chase, you'll earn a whopping 5 points per dollar spent. This can add up quickly for frequent travelers.

You can redeem your points through Chase's travel portal at 1.25 cents each, or for cash back or gift cards at 1 cent each.

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The Chase Sapphire Preferred and United Explorer cards both offer valuable perks, but in different ways. The United Explorer card's free checked bags can save you up to $280 for four round trips at $35 each.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card's 10% points bonus rewards you with bonus points equivalent to 10% of your total spending in points earned with your card during the past account anniversary year.

One of the most significant perks of the United Explorer card is the free checked bag, which can cost up to $40 each way. The card also offers priority boarding, which can get you on the plane faster and give you a better chance of finding room in the overhead bin.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers a $50 hotel credit every account anniversary year if you book your hotel stays through Chase Travel. This can be a great perk for frequent travelers.

The United Explorer card's two United Club one-time passes per year can make your airport experience more pleasant, with free snacks, booze, magazines, and newspapers, as well as free showers.

Here's a comparison of the two cards' perks:

Keep in mind that these values are estimates and may vary depending on your individual travel habits and needs.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred and United Explorer cards have different rewards structures, which can impact your earning potential. The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers a slightly richer rewards structure, earning 2 points per dollar spent on travel and dining, and 1 point per dollar on everything else.

The card's bonus points on travel and dining purchases can be a significant advantage, especially when combined with its 3x points on online grocery store purchases and select streaming services. This is a key differentiator from the United Explorer card, which offers 2 miles per dollar on United purchases, restaurants, and hotel accommodations.

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In terms of earning potential, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card outearns the United Explorer card in most cases, thanks to its bonus points on everyday spending categories like online groceries and streaming services. Here's a comparison of the two cards' earning rates:

Ultimately, the best card for you will depend on your individual spending habits and travel preferences.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card has a slightly richer rewards structure, making it a better deal for long-term earning potential. This is due to its ongoing rewards rates of 2 points per dollar spent on travel and dining, and 1 point per dollar spent on everything else.

The card offers bonus points on an array of purchases, including fast-food meals and fine dining, as well as unconventional travel purchases like campgrounds and cruise lines. This makes it a better option than the United℠ Explorer Card, which only offers the higher 2 miles per dollar rate on United purchases, restaurants, and hotel accommodations purchased directly with the hotel.

Here's a comparison of the earning potential of the two cards:

As you can see, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers higher earning rates on various categories, including dining, online groceries, and select streaming services. This makes it a better option for those with diverse spending habits.

The card also offers a 10% points bonus on the total spending in points earned with your Chase Sapphire Preferred Card during the past account anniversary year. For example, if you spent $10,000 during your cardmember year, you would receive an additional 1,000 points.

Points earned through credit cards can be redeemed for a wide range of purchases, not just travel.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is a great example of this flexibility, as its points can be redeemed for virtually any purchase.

The Ultimate Rewards program, which the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is part of, offers this flexibility.

On the other hand, miles earned through airline loyalty programs are often tied to specific airlines or partners.

The United Explorer card, for instance, earns miles through United MileagePlus, which can be redeemed for flights on United's website.

This means miles earned through United MileagePlus are mostly locked into redemptions for United flights or its Star Alliance partners.

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If you already have Premier Silver status or better with United, getting the United℠ Explorer Card would be somewhat redundant. You'd get waived baggage fees and priority boarding anyway, making the card's benefits less valuable.

The United℠ Explorer Card also comes with two annual one-time United Club passes, which aren't as useful if you already have lounge access internationally with your Premier Gold status.

The annual fees for the Chase Sapphire Preferred and United Explorer cards are worth considering. The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a $95 annual fee, which can be a drawback for some.

However, the benefits of the card can easily offset this cost. The welcome bonus and ongoing rewards can save you money and provide peace of mind during your trips.

Here's a comparison of the annual fees for both cards:

Ultimately, the value of the annual fee depends on your individual needs and travel habits.

Both the Chase Sapphire Preferred and United Explorer are excellent options for travelers, and they could be a good combo. The Chase Sapphire Preferred is a great option if you fly multiple airlines each year and want the flexibility to redeem points for different airline and hotel programs.

The United Explorer is a good option if you fly United several times a year and can take advantage of the card’s benefits on United Airlines. If you're a United loyalist, the United Explorer card is worth applying for, as it comes with extra perks like a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS credit and a free checked bag.

Ultimately, the best card for travel is one that aligns with your lifestyle and maximizes your rewards. You'll want to crunch the numbers to see if both annual fees are worth paying in the long run, as the Chase Sapphire Preferred card provides better earning rates in almost every bonus category.

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Both the Chase Sapphire Preferred and United Explorer are excellent options for travelers and could be a good combo.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred is a great option if you fly multiple airlines each year and want the flexibility to redeem points for different airline and hotel programs.

The United Explorer is a good option if you fly United several times a year and can take advantage of the card’s benefits on United Airlines.

The United Explorer card is worth applying for United loyalists who want extra perks when they fly on the Chicago-based carrier.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is far superior if your goal is to rack up points and save money on travel across various airlines and hotels.

You can have both cards, especially since neither one comes with an exorbitant annual fee, and each has its own unique benefits.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card provides better earning rates in almost every bonus category.

Understanding the perks that come with each card can help you make the most of your yearly membership cost.

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Here's a side-by-side comparison of the Chase Sapphire Preferred and United Explorer cards:

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers a welcome bonus of Ultimate Rewards points, while the United Explorer card offers a welcome bonus of MileagePlus miles.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card has an annual fee of $95, while the United Explorer card has a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.

In terms of earning potential, both cards offer competitive rates, but the Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers bonus points on everyday spending categories, such as online groceries and streaming services.

Here's a breakdown of the earning potential for each card:

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers higher earning potential in most categories, with the exception of travel purchases, where the United Explorer card offers 2x miles.

Overall, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers more versatility and higher earning potential in everyday spending categories, making it a strong contender for travelers who don't fly exclusively with United Airlines.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred and United Explorer cards offer a range of features and benefits that cater to different travel needs. The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers 2X points on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide, 1X points on all other purchases, and a 10% points bonus on total spending in points earned during the past account anniversary year.

For travel perks, the United Explorer card offers a free first checked bag on United-operated flights, priority boarding, and two one-time visit passes to the United Club each account year. The Chase Sapphire Preferred, on the other hand, offers no foreign transaction fees, travel and dining points worth 25% more when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards, and a variety of travel protection benefits.

Here are some key benefits of each card:

Ultimately, the choice between these cards depends on your individual travel habits and preferences. If you fly United frequently, the United Explorer may be the better choice. But if you don't fly United often, the Chase Sapphire Preferred's $50 annual credit and special promotions could be a better deal.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers a high degree of flexibility when it comes to using your rewards. You can transfer your points to a long list of 1:1 partners.

For example, you can convert 50,000 points to 50,000 United miles, which NerdWallet values at 1.2 cents each. This is a significant return on your points.

You also have the option to transfer points to a different loyalty program or redeem them directly through Chase's travel portal, where you can get 1.25 cents apiece for them. This kind of flexibility means your credit card rewards won't be locked into a single loyalty program.

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The United Explorer card offers a free first checked bag on United-operated flights for you and one companion on the same reservation.

Both the United Explorer and Chase Sapphire Preferred cards offer no foreign transaction fees, making them ideal for international travel.

The United Explorer card provides two one-time visit passes to the United Club each account year, which can be a great way to experience an airport lounge.

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You can earn 2 miles per dollar on purchases from United Airlines with the United MileagePlus Explorer card, and 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers a 10% points bonus, which means you'll earn bonus points equivalent to 10% of your total spending in points earned with your card during the past account anniversary year.

The United Explorer card also offers priority boarding for cardholder and companions on the same reservation, which helps you bypass the carry-on bag restrictions of basic economy.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers a $50 hotel credit every account anniversary year if you book your hotel stays through Chase Travel.

Here's a comparison of the earn rates for the two cards:

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers a welcome bonus of Ultimate Rewards points, while the United Explorer card comes with a welcome offer of MileagePlus miles.

You'll need to spend slightly more to get the bonus on the Sapphire Preferred, but its points are more flexible, as you can transfer them to United or any of Chase's travel partners.

The Sapphire Preferred's points are valued at 1.25 cents each, while United miles are valued at 1.2 cents each, which is a small difference but can add up when it comes to sign-up bonuses.

A typical sign-up bonus might net you $300 or more in value from the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, making it a huge win, especially when used optimally to buy travel.