# Anyone have the United Mileage Plus Credit Card?



## vckempson (Sep 20, 2012)

I'm looking at the United credit card solely to get first bag checked free.  The disclosure says that it's only for flights booked with the card.  We already have a 4 leg flight this fall that would pay for the card with one trip.  But it's already booked and paid with another card.  

Anyone know logistically how the luggage is included and how they enforce that "must buy with their card" provision?  Maybe they just ask to see your card when you check you luggage?  Then I could still sneek by and get it included.  Hopefully someone here has the card and has used it.  Thanks.


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## ttt (Sep 20, 2012)

I was in the same situation. The card agreement says that only the cardholder gets free checked bag when card is acquired after reservation is made, but when I checked in online, both travelers got the free checked bags.


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## vckempson (Sep 20, 2012)

I think they tie the credit card to your frequent flyer number and as long as the frequent flyer number is on the reservation then the free checked bag applies.

Since the card is free, it won't cost me to find out.  I want to take my golf clubs, though only if it's free.


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## dougp26364 (Sep 20, 2012)

vckempson said:


> I'm looking at the United credit card solely to get first bag checked free.  The disclosure says that it's only for flights booked with the card.  We already have a 4 leg flight this fall that would pay for the card with one trip.  But it's already booked and paid with another card.
> 
> Anyone know logistically how the luggage is included and how they enforce that "must buy with their card" provision?  Maybe they just ask to see your card when you check you luggage?  Then I could still sneek by and get it included.  Hopefully someone here has the card and has used it.  Thanks.



We had the same situation. Took the card but already had flights booked. I assumed I'd pay for my checked bags but there was no charge & we received priority boarding.

Be aware that priorty boarding for card holders is group 5. The first four boarding groups are various levels of there elite FF's.


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## travelguy (Sep 20, 2012)

I have the various airlines cards specifically for the free bag & priority boarding perks.  I always do kiosk check-in with the airline's card regardless of how the ticket was paid or if FF.  I've ALWAYS received the bag perks, even with FF tix booked with other airline partners. YMMV.


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## vckempson (Sep 20, 2012)

Thanks all.  I went ahead and got the United FF credit card.  I'll try to do the checked bags thing when I do online check-in for the flight.  That way I don't take the clubs if it's not free.


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## Luanne (Sep 20, 2012)

Dh has one of the Chase United cards that is supposed to waive baggage fees. I don't know how that is supposed to work since we were charged for the fees both going and coming home on a recent trip.  I was able to get a refund by going through their online process, but I don't think this is how it's supposed to work.  And yes, he did pay for the tickets using that credit card.


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## ultrabd (Sep 25, 2012)

*chase united card*

just got back from a ff award flight, didnt pay baggage fee for party of 3, coming or going. the card is hooked up with your ff number , should be free for up to 4 people in your party. i have not paid for a flight in my last 3 trips, love my chase united card.:whoopie:


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## mav (Sep 27, 2012)

*Silver status AND the M.P. card*

I am Silver on United and also have the Mileage Plus credit card. MOST times I am charged for 2nd checked  bag. I thought  I would  receive 1 bag for being Silver and 1 for having the M.P. card,  but they keep telling me I get one or the other. SHESH! It seems to me I am either not getting my Silver staus perk OR United is taking the bag I am supposed to get from Chase from me. When I was in Europe this summer and flew from Budapest to Prague , and then a few weeks later from Munich back to the USA I had NO TROUBLE . Both bags were free. Go figure.  Traveling thru Europe seems so much easier .


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## dougp26364 (Sep 27, 2012)

mav said:


> I am Silver on United and also have the Mileage Plus credit card. MOST times I am charged for 2nd checked  bag. I thought  I would  receive 1 bag for being Silver and 1 for having the M.P. card,  but they keep telling me I get one or the other. SHESH! It seems to me I am either not getting my Silver staus perk OR United is taking the bag I am supposed to get from Chase from me. When I was in Europe this summer and flew from Budapest to Prague , and then a few weeks later from Munich back to the USA I had NO TROUBLE . Both bags were free. Go figure.  Traveling thru Europe seems so much easier .



As with most you can use one or the other but not combine the two. If you cancel the card or lose status, you'll still have the benefits of the program you keep. There are many examples out there that don't allow you to combine benefits of two programs.


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## Happytravels (Sep 28, 2012)

We got the card for the mileage went to cancel the card and they said we would have to give them back the miles.........anyone else get that??  I hate haveing to pay a fee on this card........it's $95.00 and they cancelled my free card:annoyed:


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## bobbornstein (Sep 28, 2012)

Happytravels said:


> We got the card for the mileage went to cancel the card and they said we would have to give them back the miles.........anyone else get that??  I hate having to pay a fee on this card........it's $95.00 and they canceled my free card:annoyed:



How long did you have the card before you canceled? I have heard you must keep it beyond 6 months before you cancel or they try to take back the bonus miles.


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## LisaRex (Sep 28, 2012)

Happytravels said:


> We got the card for the mileage went to cancel the card and they said we would have to give them back the miles.........anyone else get that??  I hate haveing to pay a fee on this card........it's $95.00 and they cancelled my free card:annoyed:



Are you talking about BONUS miles for signing up for the car, or miles you earned via flying? It is my understanding that they can take back the bonus miles if you try to cancel too soon, but not miles you earn via flying.


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## mav (Sep 29, 2012)

dougp26364 said:


> As with most you can use one or the other but not combine the two. If you cancel the card or lose status, you'll still have the benefits of the program you keep. There are many examples out there that don't allow you to combine benefits of two programs.



    I didn't realize that, since it doesn't say it anywhere on either United's site or in my Chase card terms I received when I got this card a few years ago. I save my perk info when I sign up for a card.  Very odd that there is no problem going thru the European airports and checking my second bag. Maybe that's next


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## dougp26364 (Sep 29, 2012)

mav said:


> I didn't realize that, since it doesn't say it anywhere on either United's site or in my Chase card terms I received when I got this card a few years ago. I save my perk info when I sign up for a card.  *Very odd that there is no problem going thru the European airports and checking my second bag. Maybe that's next*



I went to the UAL sight to check the cost of baggage on transatlantic flights. The first bag is free. The site allows you to put in your "perks" like the United Plus or United Explorer cards. What's interesting is the Plus card gives you the second bag free on transatlantic flights but the Explorer card does not.


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## BocaBum99 (Sep 29, 2012)

I have the chase explorer card.   I, too, got it primarily to get the free checked bag.  However, one month after I got the card, I became a million miler on United which made me Premier Gold for life.  At first, I thought that meant I should just cancel the card given that next year it will have an annual fee.  But, I think I am going to keep it because I get double miles when I book flights on United.  Now that I am flying a lot again, I find that worth keeping the card.

Back to justifying the card, after my first flight, I got 40000 or 50000 bonus miles.  Now that I am focused on accruing miles, that turned out to be far more important of a benefit than the 1 free bag.


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## DebBrown (Sep 29, 2012)

I also got the card for the mileage bonus.  We had flights this summer for my large family.  I had bought the tickets before getting the card and we were all on different PNRs since some were award tickets.  Bottom line, we got free checked baggage for everyone.  I checked in with a person instead of the kiosk because of the different PNRs and showed my card.  We didn't get charged.

Deb


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## BocaBum99 (Sep 29, 2012)

I think the free checked bag is just like the free gift they give you to attend a timeshare presentation.  It's amazing how much we will go through to save such a small amount of money.  I know.  I did it myself.

When I get past that free checked bag, here are the real economics of the card.

For me, I have a Fidelity Amex that gives me 2% cash back.  I love that card and use it whenever I can.  There is no annual fee.

The Chase Explorer card has a $95 annual fee after the first year.  Given how my family travels, points are currently worth $.02/point.   So, if I get double miles, that is value of $.04/mile when I use it to book United flights.  As long as I travel at least 5000 miles per year, I break even on having the card.  My family flies well over 100,000 miles per year total, so it's worth keeping the card.


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## dougp26364 (Sep 29, 2012)

BocaBum99 said:


> I think the free checked bag is just like the free gift they give you to attend a timeshare presentation.  It's amazing how much we will go through to save such a small amount of money.  I know.  I did it myself........



I'm not sure I'd equate taking out one particular CC over another to attending a timeshare presentation. There's no 90+ minute high pressure sales presentation. There's no insults when we say no. We're not wasting vacation time. Basically, it's sign here and you're off and running. True it might only amount to a couple hundred dollars in saving per year based on our flying habits but, it's easy enough to just use the card when compared to a couple of timeshare sales presentations while on vacation.


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## mav (Oct 3, 2012)

It seems to be hit  or miss I guess. I left Sunday for Greece and  :clap NO second bag charge.


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## M&M (Oct 6, 2012)

vckempson said:


> Thanks all.  I went ahead and got the United FF credit card.  I'll try to do the checked bags thing when I do online check-in for the flight.  That way I don't take the clubs if it's not free.



I'm not sure it will work if you have already bought the tickets before getting the card.
I did the same thing last year and ended up having to pay baggage fees because the tickets were already purchased before I got the card (at least thats what I wa told when I asked). On the next flight the bags were free even though i used Amex for the purchase.


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## Magic1962 (Oct 6, 2012)

mav said:


> I am Silver on United and also have the Mileage Plus credit card. MOST times I am charged for 2nd checked  bag. I thought  I would  receive 1 bag for being Silver and 1 for having the M.P. card,  but they keep telling me I get one or the other. SHESH! It seems to me I am either not getting my Silver staus perk OR United is taking the bag I am supposed to get from Chase from me. When I was in Europe this summer and flew from Budapest to Prague , and then a few weeks later from Munich back to the USA I had NO TROUBLE . Both bags were free. Go figure.  Traveling thru Europe seems so much
> 
> I travel internationally every once in awhile and have never paid for my luggage... I will be flying to Tanzania again this summer and I get two bags 50#s each, I think it's because it's an international flight... Dave


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## javabean (Oct 14, 2012)

We signed up for the United card in January and have had no problem with checked bag fee. We also used our passes to the priority club. One very important thing to note. This card continues to charge a 3% transaction fee for foreign purchases. I forgot this important point and we got hit hard this summer when we were out of country. I should have used our Marriott Visa which does not have transaction fees. Since this is a travel board I wanted to mention it. Also don't forget that if you spend 25K during the calendar year you receive 10K bonus airline miles. You can call a rep to see where you stand instead of adding up all your purchases yourself.


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## Pat H (Oct 14, 2012)

I was surprised that a FF award ticket booked from the cardholder's account also gets the free bag. The cardholder was not traveling. Nice perk.


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## Sandy VDH (Oct 20, 2012)

There are different policies for baggage fees for domestic vs international flights. 

For united it is best to check this link

https://www.united.com/CMS/en-US/travel/Pages/CheckedBaggage.aspx

put in your flight and Premier status OR credit card memberships, if you have one, and it will tell you what the charges will be for your bags.  That way you won't have to guess.


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## Sandy VDH (Oct 20, 2012)

There are different policies for baggage fees. 

For united it is best to check this link

https://www.united.com/CMS/en-US/travel/Pages/CheckedBaggage.aspx

put in your flight and status and credit card memberships and it will tell you what the charges will be for your bags.  That way you won't have to guess. 

If you are Gold or above in status, you get 3 free bags.  If you are MP Club you get 2 free bags,  If you are MP Explorer or Silver status you get 1 free bag. 

They are not combinable.


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## carolbol (Mar 20, 2013)

*United Credit card's annual fee*

I have the united explorer card which has a $95 annual fee.  My first year was exempt from the fee and I got it mainly for the extra milage they offered to sign up.  I think I will be caneling it.  Not sre if canceling a credit card before the first year is up will hurt your credit score?  
Any know?
Someone said that United has a credit card with no annual fee...........
Does anyone know about this one?   I cannot find it anywhere on the web or on flyertalk.


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## bobbornstein (Mar 20, 2013)

carolbol said:


> I have the united explorer card which has a $95 annual fee.  My first year was exempt from the fee and I got it mainly for the extra milage they offered to sign up.  I think I will be caneling it.  Not sre if canceling a credit card before the first year is up will hurt your credit score?
> Any know?
> Someone said that United has a credit card with no annual fee...........
> Does anyone know about this one?   I cannot find it anywhere on the web or on flyertalk.



There is a no fee credit card but it does not have the same benefits. Also you only earn 1 mile for every $2. If you call Chase they will switch you to it at your request.


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## carolbol (Mar 21, 2013)

bobbornstein said:


> There is a no fee credit card but it does not have the same benefits. Also you only earn 1 mile for every $2. If you call Chase they will switch you to it at your request.



Thanks Bob
We fly only once a year and not always on United so we are not sure we want too many credit cards.

Does anyone know if canceling a credit card hurts your credit score.  Our credit is excellent now and we don't want to hurt it.


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## Luanne (Mar 21, 2013)

carolbol said:


> Thanks Bob
> We fly only once a year and not always on United so we are not sure we want too many credit cards.
> 
> Does anyone know if canceling a credit card hurts your credit score.  Our credit is excellent now and we don't want to hurt it.



It's hard to tell.  We had credit reports done recently when we were getting an equity line.  We got dinged for some very bizarre reasons, like having a credit card, but not having a balance on it.....or some such strange thing.  I'd always thought it was "bad" to cancel cards, but at this point I have no idea what they're doing. :hysterical:


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