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United Gateway Card review: An introductory airline card with no annual fee

Jess Ullrich
Updated 7 min read

The United Gateway℠ Card is a straightforward airline card with a $0 annual fee, making it a good fit for travel card newbies. You’ll need to fly United occasionally to maximize this card’s perks, so it could be a good addition to your wallet if you’re seeking some basic United-specific perks but aren’t a frequent flier.

Here’s what to know about the United Gateway Card, its features, perks, drawbacks, and which cards could be good alternatives for those seeking more airline benefits or flexibility.

Annual fee: $0

Welcome offer: Earn 20,000 United MileagePlus miles after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days of card membership

Rewards:

  • 2x miles on United purchases

  • 2x miles at gas stations

  • 2x miles on local transit and commuting

  • 1x miles on all other purchases

Other benefits: Partial statement credits for select United purchases, 0% APR on new purchases for 12 months, complimentary DoorDash membership for one year

With the United Gateway Card, you’ll get a variable APR ranging from 21.99% to 28.99%. Chase will review your credit and other financial information to determine your APR.

This card doesn’t charge an annual fee, which means you can start benefiting from your rewards immediately.

New cardholders can earn 20,000 miles after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days of account opening. You can use your miles for United flights, seat upgrades, and more. Depending on how you redeem your miles, the welcome offer could be worth $200 or more.

Get an introductory 0% APR for 12 months, after which the standard APR applies. This intro APR applies to new purchases only, not balance transfers from other credit cards.

  • 2x miles on United purchases

  • 2x miles at gas stations

  • 2x miles on local transit and commuting

  • 1x miles on all other purchases

You’ll get bonus rewards from qualifying United purchases made with your card, but it also offers 2x miles in popular categories like gas stations and local transit costs. Regular spending in those categories will help you maximize your rewards. All other purchases with this card will net you 1x miles per $1 spent.

The miles you earn on your card will be automatically transferred to your United MileagePlus account at the end of each billing cycle.

You can use your United miles for award flights on United, seat upgrades, baggage fees, select hotel stays, car rentals with Avis and Budget, and more. You can also redeem your miles for a statement credit when you book a flight using your card. While the card doesn’t reimburse you for TSA Precheck membership fees, as some premium travel cards do, you can use your United miles to cover the cost.

Notably, United is part of the Star Alliance, which has more than 25 partner airlines. That means you can use your MileagePlus miles to book travel with partners such as Air Canada, Avianca, and Lufthansa.

When you use your card for eligible United purchases, including in-flight food, drinks, and Wi-Fi, and premium drinks at United Club locations, you’ll get 25% back as a statement credit.

There’s no foreign transaction fee with the United Gateway Card, so you won’t need to worry about additional costs when you make purchases abroad.

You’ll get a complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership for one year when you use your United Gateway Card to activate your membership before the end of 2024.

As an introductory airline card, the United Gateway Card could be a good fit for those who fly United occasionally and don’t want to pay an annual fee. It offers a few perks like a welcome bonus, introductory APR on new purchases, and 25% back as a statement credit on qualifying United in-flight purchases.

More frequent United fliers may benefit more from its sister card, the United Explorer, as it provides a broader range of benefits for a reasonable annual fee.

  • Easy-to-earn welcome offer

  • No annual fee

  • Promotional 0% APR for 12 months on purchases

  • Partial statement credit for eligible United in-flight and United Club purchases

  • Relatively few added perks

  • No introductory APR on balance transfers

  • Welcome offer is relatively small

The United Gateway Card is part of the Visa network, so it’s accepted almost everywhere in the world. The Visa network is available in over 200 countries and territories globally.

You pay your United Gateway card balance through these channels:

You can contact the Chase customer service team by calling 1-800-537-7783 or 1-614-248-2161, or logging into your United Gateway account dashboard for answers to non-urgent questions.

If you’re looking for more United-specific benefits or aren’t loyal to a particular airline, another card might be a better choice. Here are some great travel card alternatives to the United Gateway Card.

Why we like it: The United Explorer Card offers more perks than its little sister, the United Gateway. With the Explorer card, you can earn 50,000 bonus miles if you spend $3,000 in the first three months. You’ll also get 2x miles on eligible United purchases, direct hotel bookings, and dining out; and 1x miles on all other purchases.

Beyond that, you and a companion will benefit from a free checked bag on United flights booked with your card, along with other benefits like priority boarding and a statement credit of up to $100 for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS membership every 4 years. This card has an intro annual fee of $0 for your first cardholder year, then a $95 annual fee afterward.

Read our full review of the United Explorer Card

Why we like it: If you’d prefer a travel card with more flexibility, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is a great option. This card has a relatively small $95 annual fee, but it comes with lucrative benefits to easily offset this cost.

New card members can earn 75,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points when they spend $4,000 or more within the first three months. Those points are worth 25% more when you use them for bookings through Chase travel. As a cardholder, you’ll also get 5x points on eligible Lyft rides through March 2025 and on qualifying purchases through Chase Travel; 3x points on dining out, at online grocery stores, and on select streaming services; 2x points on other travel purchases; and 1x points on everything else.

Read our full review of the Sapphire Preferred

Why we like it: Like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, the Capital One Venture Rewards Card has an affordable $95 annual fee — but its reward structure is simpler. Cardholders can earn 5x miles on hotel and rental car purchases through Capital One Travel, and 2x miles on all other purchases.

This card also comes with a profitable early spend bonus: 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months. This bonus is worth around $750. With the Capital One Venture Rewards, you’ll get a statement credit of up to $100 for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, which can help you speed through security at the airport.

This article was edited by Alicia Hahn

Editorial Disclosure: The information in this article has not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The details on financial products, including card rates and fees, are accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information. This site doesn't include all currently available offers.