Is the United Explorer still worth $150 a year?
At renewal there's no welcome bonus left, just the fee against what the card earns and the credits you actually use. Here's that renewal year for three spending profiles, compared with switching to a no-fee card. Terms verified Oct 5, 2026.
| Profile | United Explorer after fee | Best alternative | Pays | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Everyday spender About $2,000 a month, mostly groceries and errands, one trip a year. | $133 | Freedom Flex | $495 | Cancel or downgrade Keep only if free checked bags, lounge access and Global Entry credit are worth over $362 a year to you. |
| Balanced About $3,500 a month with a few trips a year and regular dining out. | $420 | Wells Fargo Autograph | $811 | Cancel or downgrade Keep only if free checked bags, lounge access and Global Entry credit are worth over $391 a year to you. |
| Frequent traveler About $5,000 a month, heavy on flights, hotels and restaurants, some trips abroad. | $804 | Wells Fargo Autograph | $1,370 | Cancel or downgrade Keep only if free checked bags, lounge access and Global Entry credit are worth over $566 a year to you. |
Profiles use typed totals, so merchant credits (rideshare, delivery, streaming) aren't counted here. They assume you fly mostly United, and count companion fares and checked bags only once you say you use them.Answer a few questions in the calculator below and the verdict updates.
The credits, and what it takes to use them
Up to $530 a year on paper. They only offset the fee to the extent you'd have spent that money anyway.
| Credit | How it works |
|---|---|
| Up to $100 a year in United Hotels credits ($50 on each of your first 2 prepaid stays) | A $50 statement credit on each of the first and second prepaid ('Pay Now') hotel stays of $50 or more booked through United Hotels with the card, up to $100 per card-member year. Book through the issuer's travel site. |
| Up to $5 a month in rideshare credits ($60 a year) | Up to $5 back each calendar month on rideshare purchases (Uber, Lyft and similar ride services; Uber Eats is not a ride) paid with the card, up to $60 a calendar year. You have to opt in each calendar year. Unused amounts don't roll over. Needs enrollment. |
| $10 monthly Instacart credit (with Instacart+) | One $10 credit each month on an Instacart order of $10 or more with one retailer, for any month you have an active Instacart+ membership activated with the card at instacart.com/p/chase-united. The card includes 3 months of Instacart+ free, then Instacart+ at 25% off the $99/yr rate through 12/31/2027. Unused credit doesn't roll over. Ends Dec 31, 2027. |
| Up to $50 a year in United TravelBank cash on Avis or Budget rentals ($25 each, first 2 rentals) | $25 in United TravelBank cash on each of the first and second Avis or Budget rentals booked through MileagePlus Travel (mileageplustravel.united.com) and paid with the card, up to $50 per card-member year. It's paid as TravelBank cash for United flights (expires after 12 months), not as a statement credit. Book through the issuer's travel site. |
| Up to $100 a year in JSX credits | Statement credits on flights bought directly from JSX (semi-private jet service) with the card, up to $100 per card-member year. |
| $100 United TravelBank cash after $10,000 in card spend each calendar year | Earned only after you spend $10,000 on purchases with the card in a calendar year (one per year). Paid as United TravelBank cash for United or United Express flights, valid 12 months. Marked assumed because the site's credit model can't express the $10,000 spend threshold. |
Run it on your own spending
The calculator needs JavaScript. The table above is precomputed.
The calculator needs JavaScript. The table above is precomputed.