Wow. We had a similar flight this past spring coming back from the west coast on a red eye thru chicago. We used our passes there on our 3 hr layover. The breakfast buffet was a nice touch to get ready for the flight home. I wish they actually had reclining chairs for a light nap but they want to discourage sleeping...
If you won't miss the 2 free one-time Club passes I'd downgrade to the Gateway and then reapply for the Explorer after 24 months and pick up 50K>70K free miles. Wash, rinse, repeat.
You also get that when you have the no fee Gateway card.
Does that card also provide primary car rental CDW like the Explorer card does? Most credit cards just offer secondary CDW.
My Delta AMEX gives me free bags for everyone I book in that transaction.
No the United gateway card does not. Only the fee personal and business United cards by chase provide primary CDW here in the states and abroad. Most cards that offer secondary coverage has primary out of the USA except for a few countries where there is no coverage. Jamaica is one such country where credit card insurance will not provide coverage.
If you dont have any United Status, having the card gives you a checked bag each way and two United passes. So one round trip you save $80 and have 2 United Club lounge passes. Only problem you have to contend with is if lounge is at capacity, Club will not accept passes and only admit full lounge members.
If you have the time, the United international Club lounge at G gate usually accepts pass holders. Well at least i have never seen the no passes sign out front when flying internationally out of there.
I have been Platinum or 1K for the past 6 years and still have the United Club card. Annual Fee has gone from $395 to $525 during this time period but worth it to me. The free luggage has not been of any use since we get 3 pieces per person anyway. But the Club lounge access has been a savior. I was able to make a 14 day cruise a few years agobecause the agent in the lounge was able to get my family and I rebooked on a flight to Fort Lauderdale. Our luggage did not make it but we at least made it onto the ship. That alone saved me tens of thousands from not missing the cruise. We were supposed to fly in the day before the cruise but weather shut down most east coast airports and the cancellations were brutal. When we slow down to 4 United flights a year, wife and I will both carry the Explorer card.
Yes, unless you fly first class. I found this handy baggage fee calculator on the United website.
If you are platinum/1K don't you already have club access? or is that only on international flights? You would keep 2 cards for 4 domestic lounge passes? Don't elites already have access to a special elite phone line to make alternative travel arrangements as you described?
So Vancouver not considered international
I'm not sure there is anything specific about international. United breaks it down based on departure and arrival country.
You only get lounge access on international flights as United Plat / 1K / Star Gold, no domestic access without a club membership.