Chase’s lineup of United credit cards changed significantly today. The Chase United Gateway card will continue to carry no annual fee, but there’s a new welcome bonus as well as some long-term changes to benefits designed to encourage spend on the card. Note, though, that the value of those benefits may not justify the required spend.
Chase United Gateway card
New Offer & Key Card Details
| Card Offer and Details |
|---|
Limited Time Offer: 30K Miles ⓘAffiliateThis is an affiliate offer. Frequent Miler may earn a commission if you are approved for this offer 30K miles after $1K spend in first 3 months (Offer Expires 7/16/2025)No Annual Fee This card is subject to Chase's 5/24 rule (click here for details). Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. Earning rate: 2X United ✦ 2X on United Hotels ✦ 2X gas stations ✦ 2X local transit and commuting Card Info: Visa Signature issued by Chase. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Big spend bonus: Earn 2 checked bag certificates after $10K spend in a calendar year ✦ Earn access to Member Pricing after $10K spend in calendar year Noteworthy perks: No foreign exchange fees ✦ 25% back on United in-flight and Club Premium drink purchases |
What’s new and changing?
- Big spend bonuses:
- Earn 2 checked bag certificates after $10K spend in a calendar year
- Earn access to Member Pricing after $10K spend in a calendar year (note that we don’t see this listed on the landing page, but it was included in information we received about the changes)
Quick Thoughts
In bright news, the Chase United Gateway card will continue to have no annual fee, which will make it a good downgrade option for those who decide they no longer want a United card with an annual fee.
However, the bad news is that the Gateway card will no longer come with automatic expanded access to United award space. Instead, moving forward, cardholders will need to spend $10,000 on the card in a calendar year to qualify for member pricing on awards.
This card is also going to add the opportunity to earn 2 checked bags, but that will also require $10K spend in a calendar year. If you make $10,000 in purchases in a calendar year, you’ll receive 2 checked bag certificates. You will be required to buy your tickets through your MileagePlus account using your MileagePlus card and you’ll have to apply the certificates during the checkout process. Those certificates will only be available on United and United-express operated flights. Each certificate will be valid for 12 months from date of issue, though it isn’t clear to me whether the certificate must be applied to a purchase before it expires or whether travel must be completed by the time the checked bag certificates expire.
Either way, this isn’t a benefit that I would recommend chasing. I believe that the fee for a first checked bag is usually $35 and a second bag is $45. It isn’t totally clear to me whether these certificates can be used for another traveler. At most, you’ll get $80 in value out of this benefit (an incremental 0.8% in value on $10K spend). Further, since it sounds like these must be applied at the time of booking, I don’t think these will be handy if you purchase a ticket and only later realize that you’ll need to check a bag (I usually don’t have our baggage needs planned out until a couple of days before departure).
Overall, I’d still recommend considering this card as a downgrade option if you open a United Explorer, United Quest, or United Club card and eventually decide that the benefits no longer exceed the cost of the annual fee. However, it seems that expanded award access will no longer be automatic, which would make it a less compelling downgrade option.
Want to learn more about miles and points? Subscribe to email updates or check out our podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
Does the loss of discount/expanded award space affect current grandfathered cardholders or is it only for new applications to the Gateway card?
With FM staff having some insider knowledge for some things, if it becomes clear when access to “Cardmember savings” will end for Gateway cardholders (still active 930am on 3/25) please let use know, thanks!
I just got an email from Chase (perhaps you did too) that the new (no) award availability rule goes into effect 8/1/25.
Just saw it, I am planning a trip for Oct that does get 10% discount on a Copa partner award so I guess I have to book prior to 8/1/25
@John – no, it’s still there, I have the Gateway and I still see “21% off card members” and “27% off card members” flights searched for a random date and random route in mid April.
Given that they are instituting the $10,000 requirement to maintain access it would make sense if they gave a few months grace period (or more logically maintain the benefit until the end of the year).
Sadly they’ve got me on this one if I value the expanded access – as a lifetime United Gold the main benefit of the higher fee cards (free bags, faster path to status etc) are worthless to me and I’m way above 5/24 so I’m not going to be getting a SUB to ease the pain of a higher fee card. Sigh.
I honestly can’t remember if I’ve actually booked any of the expanded access discounts over the past few years. I’ll pay attention over the next few months and figure out if it is worth paying for.
I’m in the group that downgraded from the explorer card. Have lifetime gold status, so only keep the card for access to upgrades on award tickets. Hoping since they are taking a fine toothed comb to benefits in this card that that “feature” won’t disappear.
Is the loss of access to additional award inventory immediate (as in it’s already gone)?
Did Chase inform FM of the $10k member pricing threshold? It is not in the new terms of the card application I read. The iPhone Chase app shows the $10k threshold for bags only.
As noted in the post, “note that we don’t see this listed on the landing page, but it was included in information we received about the changes”
Ah! Sorry about that!
Really I was trying to find out if you keep the benefit into the next calendar year. $10k on this card is usually terrible, but mine often gets targeted spending bonuses that could help.
Nick, my understanding was that the Gateway card itself never directly came with expanded award access/pricing and that it only came from downgrading from a higher tier card. Is this changing as well?
At least on my United account, I’m still seeing access to Saver awards compared to if I’m not logged in. I have the Gateway (downgraded from Quest) and the Business card.
The business card has this benefit. Also the benefit is for flight awards that read “Cardmember Exclusive” in search results.