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United Gateway Card Review: Earn Bonus Miles Without Paying an Annual Fee

Review Updated
Lyle Daly
Author: Lyle Daly
Lyle Daly
Lyle Daly
Writer

Lyle Daly is a personal finance writer who specializes in credit cards, travel rewards programs, and banking. His work with Motley Fool Money and The Motley Fool has appeared syndicated in USA Today and Yahoo! Finance. He was born in California but currently lives as a digital nomad with a home base in Colombia.

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Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures that our product ratings are not influenced by compensation. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page.

Status

The information related to United Gateway℠ Card has been collected by Motley Fool Money and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer. Check out our best credit cards for current offers.

The United Gateway℠ Card is the airline's starter credit card. It doesn't charge an annual fee, making it the most economical United card, and it offers a reasonable lineup of perks. However, its benefits are more limited than the other credit cards in United's lineup. Find out what it offers and if it makes sense for you in this United Gateway℠ Card review.

Ratings Methodology

United Gateway℠ Card

United Gateway℠ Card
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR

Purchases: 0%, 12 months

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular APR

21.24% - 28.24% Variable

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. 2x miles on United® purchases, at gas stations, and on local transit and commuting. 1x mile on all other purchases.

N/A

Annual Fee

$0

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Limited-time Offer: Earn 30,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Plus, 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases. Learn more.

Earn 30,000 bonus miles

  • For people who fly United frequently, this card packs a bit of a punch with it's sign-up bonus and rewards rate. Unfortunately, it doesn't offer free checked bags or similar travel perks.

    • No annual fee
    • Sign-up bonus
    • Bonus miles in select categories
    • Limited travel benefits
    • Limited-time Offer: Earn 30,000 bonus miles
    • No annual fee
    • 2x miles on United® purchases
    • 2x miles at gas stations
    • 2x miles on local transit and commuting
    • 1x mile on all other purchases
    • 25% back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights and on Club premium drinks when you pay with your Gateway Card
    • Member FDIC
The information related to United Gateway℠ Card has been collected by Motley Fool Money and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer.

Credit card comparison

We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.

Offer Our Rating Welcome Offer Rewards Program APR Learn More
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash back on rotating categories 		Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. 1% - 5% Cashback Circle with letter I in it. Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Intro:

Purchases: 0%, 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months

Regular: 18.49% - 27.49% Variable APR *Rates as of December 12, 2024.

Apply Now for Discover it® Cash Back

On Discover's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash rewards on everyday spending 		$200 cash rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. 2% cash rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers

Purchases: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening

Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers

Regular: 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR

Apply Now for Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

On Wells Fargo's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for unlimited rewards on purchases 		25,000 points Circle with letter I in it. 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases 1.5 points per dollar Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 18.49% - 28.49% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers.

Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases

Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days

Regular: 18.49% - 28.49% (Variable)

Apply Now for Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

On Bank of America's Secure Website.

Full United Gateway Card review

This credit card is a good fit for: Occasional United flyers who want a no annual fee card with the airline. Those who don't mind an annual fee could likely get more value from one of United's other credit cards.

Top perks

Sign-up bonus

You'll receive 20,000 bonus miles when you spend $1,000 on purchases with the United Gateway℠ Card in the first 3 months.

United MileagePlus miles have an approximate value of $0.01 to $0.015 each, depending on how you redeem them. That means the 20,000-mile bonus is worth about $200 to $300. It's a fairly competitive bonus compared to other no annual fee cards. You could use those miles for one or more domestic economy tickets, or you could save them to stock up for a future trip.

See more: Best Sign-Up Bonus Credit Cards

Rewards

The United Gateway℠ Card earns:

  • 2 miles per dollar on United purchases
  • 2 miles per dollar at gas stations
  • 2 miles per dollar on local transit and commuting, including rideshares, taxis, train tickets, tolls, and mass transit
  • 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases

Overall, it's a solid set of bonus categories. Gas stations are an area where many consumers have high spending, and local transit and commuting are bonus categories we don't see often.

See more options: Best Rewards Credit Cards

No annual fee

If you want a no annual fee card, the United Gateway℠ Card fits the bill. It also works well if you have a different United card that you want to downgrade to avoid an annual credit card fee.

25% back on United in-flight purchases

You'll get a 25% statement credit on various United in-flight purchases when you pay with your United card. These include food, beverages, and wifi on United-operated flights.

No foreign transaction fees

You won't get charged any extra fees on transactions you make during trips outside the United States. Most of the best travel rewards cards have eliminated foreign transaction fees, so this perk isn't unique. Regardless, it's a nice feature.

Travel protection

When you pay with this card, it offers the following travel protections on eligible purchases:

  • Auto rental damage collision waiver
  • Trip cancellation/interruption insurance

Purchase protection

Eligible purchases made through this card receive the following:

  • Purchase protection against damage or theft
  • Extended warranty coverage

Learn more: Best Airline Credit Cards

What could be improved

There are a couple issues to note with this card.

United benefits

The biggest drawback of the United Gateway℠ Card is its sparse benefits. You won't get a free checked bag, priority boarding, or any passes to United Club (the airline's airport lounges). Those perks are all included with the United℠ Explorer Card.

Before you decide to apply for the United Gateway℠ Card, it's a good idea to review United's other credit cards. You may find one of them offers more value -- even if it charges an annual fee.

Suggested credit score

To get the United Gateway℠ Card, we recommend having a FICO® Score of at least 670. You'll likely need good credit to be approved. However, your credit score isn't the only important factor on a credit card application.

Because this is a Chase credit card, there's one more qualification to note before you apply. The card issuer almost always denies applications from anyone who has opened five or more credit cards over the previous 24 months (known as Chase's 5/24 rule). If you'll likely be denied because of this rule, you're better off not applying.

Find the best credit card for your needs
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Compare credit card rewards, fees, APRs, and more using our side-by-side comparison tool.

Compare Cards

This card right for you if:

You fly with United a couple times per year and want a credit card that doesn't come with a yearly fee.

The United Gateway℠ Card provides valuable features for a free travel card. If there's one thing working against it, it's that the other three United cards offer so much more. Make sure to compare credit cards and see whether you could get more value from these alternatives:

Our credit card methodology

At Motley Fool Money, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.

We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates credit cards.

FAQs

  • The minimum starting credit limit for the United Gateway℠ Card is $1,000. Chase determines your card's credit limit based on your credit worthiness. Depending on your income and credit history, you may qualify for a higher credit limit.

  • The United Gateway℠ Card typically arrives in the mail within seven to 10 business days after the application is approved.

  • Yes, authorized users earn miles for the primary cardmember's account.