Most products on this page are from partners who may compensate us. This may influence which products we write about and where and how they appear on the page. However, opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain.

United℠ Business Card

Apply Now

Secure application on issuer’s website

  • Our Rating 4.0/5 How our ratings work
  • APR21.99% - 28.99% (Variable)
  • Annual Fee$99
  • Sign Up Bonus 100,000United MileagePlus Miles More Info

    Earn 100,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Dollar Equivalent: $1,400 (100,000 United MileagePlus Miles * 0.014 base)

The United℠ Business Card features an impressive bonus, which is among the best travel bonuses currently on offer. If you’re serious about getting awarded for travel and find United convenient or simply prefer it, you can maximize your United miles earned every year. Plus, business owners can also provide employees with cards, at no additional cost, to maximize rewards earning potential.

Worthwhile Perks for Business Owners Flying United

Chase and United Airlines launched a new version of this classic co-branded airline business credit card in 2019, which features a valuable sign-up bonus among its many perks. The United℠ Business Card comes with a sign-up bonus of up to 100,000 MileagePlus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.

But the value of this airline credit card doesn’t end with its big bonus. United loyalists are sure to enjoy perks like free checked bags, travel credits and in-flight discounts.

Pros

  • Free first checked bag on United flights
  • Two United Club passes per year
  • Low $99 annual fee with the ability to add free employee cards

Cons

  • Other cards can provide better rewards on business-related purchases

Sign Up Bonus: 100,000 Miles

It's not uncommon for credit card issuers to sweeten the deal with bonus miles at the time of account opening. These bonus offers often require new cardholders to meet a specific spending threshold on eligible purchases during the first several months of account opening.

The United Business Card comes with a hefty 100,000 bonus miles once you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.

Note that the United Business Card offer is only available for individuals who don’t already have this card and haven’t received a new cardmember bonus in the past 24 months.

Recommended Travel Credit Cards

Credit Card Intro Bonus Annual Fee Rewards Rate Learn More

Chase Sapphire Preferred®

60,000Chase Ultimate Rewards Points More Info

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Dollar Equivalent: $1,380 (60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points * 0.023 base)

$95 1x- 5xPoints More Info

The card offers 5x points per dollar on Chase Travel℠, 3x points on dining (including eligible takeout and delivery services), as well as 3x points on select streaming services and online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs). This card earns 2x points on all other travel spending and 1x point per dollar everywhere else. Chase broadly defines travel to include not just airfare, hotels and rental cars, but expenses like parking, tolls and public transit too.

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card

50,000Southwest Rapid Rewards Points More Info

Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Dollar Equivalent: $700 (50,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards Points * 0.014 base)

$99 1x - 3xPoints More Info

Earn 3 points for every $1 on Southwest Airlines® purchases, 2 points for every $1 on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners, 2 points per $1 on local transit and commuting (including rideshare), 2 points per $1 on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming, and 1 point for every $1 on all other purchases.

United Gateway℠ Card

20,000United MileagePlus Miles More Info

Earn 20,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Dollar Equivalent: $280 (20,000 United MileagePlus Miles * 0.014 base)

$0 1x - 2xPoints More Info

Earn 2X United miles per dollar on United purchases, local transit and commuting and at gas stations. You’ll earn 1X mile per dollar on all other purchases.

Citi Premier® Card

60,000Citi ThankYou Points More Info

Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou Points after making $4,000 worth of purchases during the first three months of account opening. Dollar Equivalent: $1,080 (60,000 Citi ThankYou Points * 0.018 base)

$95 1X-10XPoints More Info

10X total ThankYou® Points per $1 spend on hotel, car rentals and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through June 30, 2024. 3X -- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Other Hotels 3X -- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets 1X -- Earn 1 Point on All Other Purchases

Fees

The United Business Card has a $99 annual fee. You can maximize the card’s value by hitting the spending requirement to earn the full sign-up bonus.

Other Card Fees

United Business Card doesn't charge foreign transaction fees, making it the perfect companion when traveling outside the U.S. Cardmembers have access to balance transfers but are subject to fees of $5 or 5% the transferred amount, whichever is greater.

Cardmembers who carry a balance over from month to month are subject to interest charges. You can avoid this by paying off your card balance in full each month by the due date.

APR

The United Business Card currently has no introductory 0% APR offer. The card has a 21.99% - 28.99% (Variable) APR based on creditworthiness. APRs fluctuate throughout the year as card issuers adjust rates to the market. A balance transfer credit card is a better option if you want to transfer existing credit card balances and pay them off over time.

Credit Score

Credit card issuers typically don’t publicly disclose credit score requirements to qualify for specific cards. The United Business Card is designed for people with good to excellent credit scores (670-850).

It’s good practice to stay on top of your current credit scores, especially before applying for a new credit card. You can check and monitor your credit scores for free with the three major credit bureaus. If your credit score needs some help, Experian Boost™ is a popular service that can help boost your credit score.

Rewards Rate

The United Business Card gives cardholders several ways to earn miles:

  • 2x miles per $1 spent on United purchases, including tickets, inflight purchases, upgrades and more
  • 2x miles per $1 spent at restaurants and select food delivery services
  • 2x miles per $1 spent at gas stations, office supply stores, and on local transit and commuting
  • 1x mile per $1 spent on all other purchases

This business airline co-branded card is an excellent option for small business owners who spend frequently on business-related and travel-related expenses. Similarly, this business credit card is a strong option if your business spends considerable money on entertaining clients, at office supply stores or fueling up company vehicles.

Using Your United Business Card Points

The best use of United MileagePlus points is to book award travel through United Airlines, partner airlines or other Star Alliance airlines. United Airlines used to have a published award chart, but it was dropped by the airline in 2019. Several factors go into the number of points needed for an award flight now, including travel time and the date and time of travel. Obviously, round-trip flights and one-way flights will differ in the value of your point redemption for rewards flights. You can find out how many miles are required for a flight during the booking process.

United award flights are subject to additional taxes and fees.

You’ll get the most value using your miles for flights, but you can also use them for other redemptions like:

  • Seat upgrades
  • In-flight Wi-Fi
  • Hotel stays
  • Car rentals
  • Online shopping
  • Gift cards
  • Exclusive events and experiences

MileagePlus miles offer tons of flexibility for small-business owners.

United MileagePlus Miles Expiration

The good news for United Business Cardmembers is that your miles never expire. Your miles are good, even if you decide to close your credit card account.

United MileagePlus Travel Partners

If you plan to use your United miles to book award flights, the good news is you aren’t limited to just United flights. As a MileagePlus member, your miles are also good at the following MileagePlus partner airlines:

  • Aer Lingus
  • Aeromar
  • Air Dolomiti
  • Boutique Air
  • Cape Air
  • Edelweiss
  • Eurowings
  • Hawaiian Airlines
  • Juneyao Air 
  • Olympic Airlines
  • Silver Airways

United Airlines is part of Star Alliance, a collection of airlines offering flights to and from destinations around the world. You can use your United miles to book flights on any of these Star Alliance partner airlines:

Aegean
Air Canada
Air China
Air India
Air New Zealand
ANA
Asiana Airlines
Austrian Airlines
Avianca
Brussels Airlines
COPA
Croatia Airlines
EgyptAir

Ethiopian Airlines
EVA Air
LOT Polish Airlines
Lufthansa
SAS
Shenzhen Airlines
Singapore Airlines
South African Airways
Swiss Air Liens
TAP Portugal
Thai Airways
Turkish Airlines

The Star Alliance gives you access to thousands of flights daily at over 1,300 airports worldwide.

  • No blackout dates
  • Exclusive United events and experiences
  • Baggage Delay insurance
  • Lost luggage reimbursement
  • Trip Cancellation/ Trip Interruption Insurance
  • Trip Delay reimbursement
  • Purchase protection
  • Extended warranty protection
  • Visa concierge access
  • Free employee cards
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Accelerated point earning for United purchases

Card Benefits

In addition to accelerated earnings for United purchases, this business credit card unlocks access to a plethora of travel perks for cardmembers, including:

As you can see, this business credit card provides tons of value for business travelers. But those aren’t all of the perks included with this card. Other benefits for cardmembers include:

Free checked bagCardmember and one companion on the same reservation receive their first checked bag is free on flights booked with the United Business Card.
Travel creditYou can earn a $100 United travel credit after making seven United flight purchases of $100 or more each card anniversary year.
Anniversary bonusIndividuals who have both a United business card and United personal credit card earn 5,000 bonus miles each card anniversary.
Inflight discountCardmembers earn 25% back on select inflight United purchases like food, beverages and WiFi.
United Club passesCardmembers receive two United Club one-time passes after card opening and every card anniversary. United Clubs are exclusive airport lounges featuring complimentary amenities such as snacks, beverages, WiFi and comfy workspaces. There are 45+ United Club and affiliated airport lounge locations available.
Priority boardingCardmembers and companions on the same reservation get to board United-operated flights early, before general boarding.
Car rental insuranceUsing your United Business Card for car rentals gives you access to theft and collision damage for most rental cars in the U.S. and abroad.
Complimentary DashPassCardholders are given access to DoorDash’s DashPass service – which waives delivery fees and reduces service fees at select restaurants – for one year. To qualify for DashPass, make sure to activate the offer by December 31, 2024.

Other United Credit Cards

We love the United Business Card, but it's not the only United credit card available. The United Explorer℠ Card is a personal co-branded credit card that currently offers a big new cardmember bonus after meeting the spending eligibility threshold in the first three months of card opening. The card offers many of the same benefits as the business card, plus a credit of up to $100 on Global Entry or TSA PreCheck™ fees every four years. The United Explorer Card has no annual fee the first year, then $95 after.

Compare United Consumer Credit Cards

Credit Card Intro Bonus Annual Fee Perks Learn More

United Gateway℠ Card

20,000United MileagePlus Miles More Info

Earn 20,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Dollar Equivalent: $280 (20,000 United MileagePlus Miles * 0.014 base)

$0
  • 25% back on inflight purchases

United℠ Explorer Card

50,000United MileagePlus Miles More Info

Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Dollar Equivalent: $700 (50,000 United MileagePlus Miles * 0.014 base)

$95 More info

$0 Intro for the First Year, then $95

  • 2 United Club 1-time passes annually
  • Free 1st checked bag for you & a companion
  • Up to $100 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS credit

United Quest℠ Card

60,000United MileagePlus Miles More Info

Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Dollar Equivalent: $840 (60,000 United MileagePlus Miles * 0.014 base)

$250
  • $125 annual United credit
  • Free 1st & 2nd checked bags
  • 2 5,000-mile anniversary award flight credits
  • Up to $100 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS credit

United Club℠ Infinite Card

80,000United MileagePlus Miles More Info

Earn 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Dollar Equivalent: $1,120 (80,000 United MileagePlus Miles * 0.014 base)

$525
  • United Club membership
  • Premier Access travel services
  • Free 1st & 2nd checked bags
  • Up to $100 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS credit

Other United card options include the United Club Infinite Card, United Quest card, and the new no-fee United Gateway Card. All three cards are issued by Chase and subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule.

Bottom Line

There's no one business credit card that's perfect for every small business and sole proprietor. But with accelerated earnings for business-related and travel-related expenses, no foreign transaction fees and a sizable bonus offer after meeting the required threshold of eligible purchases at the time of account opening, this business credit card comes close.

Beyond the sign-up bonus, cardmembers will also receive a $100 annual United travel credit after seven United flight purchases of $100 or more. Earning this extra bonus will make up for the $99 annual fee attached to the card.

Another perk to highlight is a 5,000 bonus miles each anniversary if you have both this new United Business Card and a personal United card. These new benefits, along with a list of other valuable travel-related perks, make the United Business Card a near-perfect business credit card for those who travel regularly on United.

Best for United flyers with businesses

Ready to apply? Start here.

Apply Now

Secure application on issuer’s website

Frequently Asked Questions

  • You earn the most miles with your United Business Card on spending at office supply stores, gas stations, restaurants, local transit — including ride share services, taxicabs, train fare, tolls and mass transit — and purchases made directly with United Airlines. Additionally, members who carry both a United business and consumer card receive an additional MileagePlus Miles bonus each cardholder anniversary.

  • The United Business Card is ideal for United frequent flyers, people who fly a couple times each year, and travelers who regularly use airports that are United Airlines hubs. Given this business card's generous welcome bonus for new cardholders, it's also ideal for people who want to dip their toe in travel rewards. If you do not fly often, consider a cash-back credit card or even a travel rewards card that offers redemptions for vacation rentals, hotel stays, rental cars, and other travel-related expenses.

  • The value of a MileagePlus mile fluctuates depending on the chosen fare class, destinations, and itineraries (check current value). Nevertheless, it tends to be a bit higher than other flight rewards programs. Plus, you'll get an excellent choice of airlines that partner with United under the Star Alliance, including Lufthansa, Air China, TAP (Portugal), Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, Air Canada and more.

  • You can reach customer service any time of the day by calling them domestically at 1-800-999-6977, or their international line at 1-614-248-2161.

KP

Kevin Payne

Kevin Payne is a personal finance, credit card, and travel writer. He is the family travel and budget expert behind FamilyMoneyAdventure.com. Kevin lives in Cleveland, Ohio, with his wife and four kids. His work has appeared on several websites, including FinanceBuzz, Credit Karma, Millennial Money, Club Thrifty, Student Loan Planner and Slickdeals.