# Mileage Plus Explorer Card Update?



## patty5ia (Dec 21, 2011)

Anyone a member of Milage Plus Explorer Card?  I am interested in the "any seat, any time".  Is this really true?  If I have this card, can I really have a ff seat any time, as long as there is a seat for sale? Is this worth it?


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## akp (Dec 21, 2011)

*Mileage Plus Card*

I don't know for sure about the "any seat, any time" thing with United MP, (though I suspect it might just mean that higher number of points are required to redeem the seat.)

If you're not in a hurry for the card, wait a few months to apply. 

United signaled last fall that they'd be giving a big signup bonus on this card soon.  It was originally expected last fall and got postponed.  

The current easily available offer is 40K points for getting this card.  Many people are targeted for 60K points for getting it.  When you do decide to get the card, check on FlyerTalk for the best current bonus.  You sometimes have to dig for the best one.  

Anita


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## cotraveller (Dec 22, 2011)

From the Mileage Plus Explorer Card brochure that came with the card - -

_Any seat, any time with your miles.
. . . no limitations, no restrictions, no blackout dates.  If seats are available for sale, they can be redeemed with miles at Standard Award levels. _

Standard Award levels are 50,000 miles for a domestic round trip ticket, twice the Saver Award rate.  I have the card but haven't used that feature.  It would be handy for last minute emergency travel but otherwise I'd try to book earlier at the Saver Award level of 25,000 miles.

We've had a United Mileage Plus card for years and have enjoyed numerous free flights.  I figure the "bags fly free" feature (1 bag per person, 2 people max) for UAL tickets purchased with the card will more than offset the higher ($95) fee for the card.  I don't know if a FF miles ticket with the fees paid with the Explorer card qualifies for the bags fly free benefit.


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## PigsDad (Dec 22, 2011)

akp said:


> The current easily available offer is 40K points for getting this card.  Many people are targeted for 60K points for getting it.  When you do decide to get the card, check on FlyerTalk for the best current bonus.  You sometimes have to dig for the best one.


I just received an offer in the mail for 50K bonus miles on first purchase, and an additional 10K if your yearly purchases are over $25K the first year.  So a total of 60K bonus miles, and first year fee waived.

My wife currently has the older Chase United Visa card, which is $65/year (I think).  Seems to me switching over to the Explorer card is a no-brainer -- the additional perks are well worth the extra $30/year.

Kurt


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## slip (Dec 22, 2011)

I got mine about 2 months ago. I got 30,000 miles and can get 10,000 more
with $25,000 a year in purchases(not going to happen) but you get double miles
on flight purchases and I do use it for large items we usually pay in cash, like
our yearly maintenance fees. We go to Hawaii every year so the miles do add
up fast. I'm just under 70,000 miles right now. On my next trip I'll see what this
will get me.

I figured, like the above post, that the annual fee is a wash with the free checked bags.

We like United and since we go every year, we figured we could see if it's 
worth it for us.


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## JeffW (Dec 23, 2011)

cotraveller said:


> ..I figure the "bags fly free" feature (1 bag per person, 2 people max) for UAL tickets purchased with the card will more than offset the higher ($95) fee for the card.  I don't know if a FF miles ticket with the fees paid with the Explorer card qualifies for the bags fly free benefit.



2nd question first - I think supposedly yes, though probably you'd need to confirm that over on Flyertalk.

The UA 'free bag feature' is admittedly lame compared to the Delta offer (who was admittedly lame in taking so long to offer their benefit).  Delta gets you I think 1 free bag per person, up to I believe 8 in your travelling party (all one reservation), REGARDLESS of how you paid.  All Delta looks at basically is, "if anyone in reservation XXXXXX has a Delta Skymiles card (which is automatically linked in your Skymiles account, you don't have to show it), baggage is free".  It doesn't make a difference how the ticket was purchased.

Contintentals offer was similar, only I think it was maybe limited to 2 people max.  But the CO OP MC was $60, and I think the DL Amex was $80-$95 (more if you got the DL Platinum Amex).  So UA upped the price to the Delta level, will providing the CO max number, and adding a 3rd, "must use the card to pay for the ticket" restriction.  Not cool.

Jeff


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## dr_adventure (Dec 25, 2011)

patty5ia said:


> Anyone a member of Milage Plus Explorer Card?  I am interested in the "any seat, any time".  Is this really true?  If I have this card, can I really have a ff seat any time, as long as there is a seat for sale? Is this worth it?



Yes it is called a standard award and it is available to ANYBODY - you don't need the credit card.  However, if you don't travel much the explorer card is almost like getting Premier elite level for $95 a year - plus with the point at sign up and if you spend 12K or more a year on the card - you will get enough mileage for one domestic ticket.  The key to making any of these cards work is to put EVERYTHING on the card and pay it off each month.


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## Darwin (Jan 1, 2012)

We just flew United to OGG.  We have the Explorer card for personal purchases.  I booked mine and my sons flight on the Explorer card.  The rest of the family was on another card (Discover).  I received four free bags (two on mine and two on my sons reservation) each way.   

Does United have a business card?

We liked flying United better than Delta.  This was our first flight with United.


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## lily28 (Jan 1, 2012)

Are we suppose to get one or two bags free per person when book using the explorer card? I am confuse.


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## slip (Jan 1, 2012)

My booklet says "save $50 round trip per person. Your first checked bag fee is
 waved for you and one other person on your itinerary."


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## lily28 (Jan 1, 2012)

Darwin says he got 2 bags free and his son too. When I flew to orlando 2 days ago, I was offered 2 bags free. I did link my daughter's reservation that has a different reservation to mine, so I assumed that was the reason I got 2 free bags.


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## igorick (Feb 3, 2012)

lily28 said:


> Darwin says he got 2 bags free and his son too. When I flew to orlando 2 days ago, I was offered 2 bags free. I did link my daughter's reservation that has a different reservation to mine, so I assumed that was the reason I got 2 free bags.



Yep, I'm not sure if this is a temporary glitch or not but me and buddy can both report that we've been able to check 2 bags for free on recent flights.  And when traveling with my daughter I was able to check 3 for free (offered the option of checking 4 for free....2 each!).  

Also, it is not necessary to have booked your flight with your explorer card.  I had not.  But when I swiped my explorer card at the United kiosk it found my registration and then offered me the 2 free checked bags option. Nice!


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## dougp26364 (Feb 3, 2012)

igorick said:


> Yep, I'm not sure if this is a temporary glitch or not but me and buddy can both report that we've been able to check 2 bags for free on recent flights.  And when traveling with my daughter I was able to check 3 for free (offered the option of checking 4 for free....2 each!).
> 
> *Also, it is not necessary to have booked your flight with your explorer card.  *I had not.  But when I swiped my explorer card at the United kiosk it found my registration and then offered me the 2 free checked bags option. Nice!



The written rules and reality are two different things. In their written rules (fine print), it clearly states the ticket must be purchased using the Explorer card to get the free bags. This disappointed me as I had two flights already booked with United and was hoping to get the free checked bags. When I checked in online for our flight last month (not paid for with the explorer card), we recieved the free baggage allowance. 

So the rules say one thing but reality was different. I'm not certain if this will change in the future but I was very glad to have the benefit last flight as we took checked baggage and left two of our carry on bags at home.


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## Denise L (Feb 17, 2012)

dougp26364 said:


> The written rules and reality are two different things. In their written rules (fine print), it clearly states the ticket must be purchased using the Explorer card to get the free bags. This disappointed me as I had two flights already booked with United and was hoping to get the free checked bags. When I checked in online for our flight last month (not paid for with the explorer card), we recieved the free baggage allowance.
> 
> So the rules say one thing but reality was different. I'm not certain if this will change in the future but I was very glad to have the benefit last flight as we took checked baggage and left two of our carry on bags at home.



I hope this is true for our April flights, booked last May  .  Just got the Explorer Card in my husband's name in hopes of getting two of our bags checked free for our upcoming Maui trip.  How does the free bag allowance get offered when you check in online?  I booked the four seats using FF miles and paid the fees with my regular Mileage Plus VISA card.

Also, has anyone with a regular Mileage Plus VISA applied for the new Explorer Card and been able to get the bonus miles upon the first purchase?  I am seriously considering applying for another card for myself.


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## slip (Feb 17, 2012)

We arrived on Kauai on Tuesday. when my wife printed the boarding passes 
Online, it asked  if you are checking bags. When you click yes, there will
Be a drop down box with how many bags and how much they are. We had 4 
Tickets and my wife and I, we had 2 free bags a piece. The other 2 would of
Had to pay for there bags. We just checked in their bags for free so no one
Paid for any bags. I don't know if it mattered but because we didn't know if the
Kids could make it, we bought the tickets months apart. We bought 2 tickets
In October, one in November and one in Janruary.
The free bags worked great for us so far. We'll see how it goes when the kids
Fly back before us on the 22nd.


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