United Explorer Card vs. Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
If you like the perks of the Explorer card but aren’t sure if United is the right airline for you, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is another personal travel card with a great welcome offer and similar annual fee.
The Delta SkyMiles Gold edges out the Explorer in a few key areas. It has better everyday value because on top of 2X miles for dining purchases, cardmembers also earn bonus miles at U.S. supermarkets. Plus, the welcome offer is a bit easier to obtain: You’ll only need to spend $2,000 in your first six months to earn 40,000 bonus miles. You also get the first checked bag free for up to nine passengers per reservation, which is significantly larger than United’s two-person limit.
On the other hand, the United Explorer Card makes things easier for its cardmembers. It has more travel partners to choose from, and you won’t have to do anything extra to earn the annual credits and club passes. Just keep your account open. With the Delta SkyMiles Gold, you have to spend $10,000 each year before earning the $100 Delta flight credit.
Despite the differences, both cards have many of the same perks that make them solid picks among airline cards with modest annual fees. The choice will likely come down to which features matter most to you and which airline is most convenient.
United Explorer Card vs. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
If you prefer to just shop for the best airfare and don’t pay much attention to the airline you fly, then a travel rewards credit card could be better.
The Capital One Venture Rewards card earns an unlimited 2X miles on all of your eligible purchases. That gives you more chances to earn rewards, especially on your everyday purchases like groceries, gas and all of your other expenses.
The Venture Rewards card also offers 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Compared to the United Explorer and other cards that only offer 2X miles in a few bonus categories and 1X miles on all other purchases, the Venture’s high-earning travel categories, combined with a flat rate of 2X on everything else, will make it easier to rack up miles.
There are a couple of downsides to the Venture Card. It lacks specific airline perks like free checked bags. It has two free lounge visits per year, only valid at Capital One Lounges or at 100+ Plaza Premium Lounges through their Partner Lounge Network. But the card’s flexibility and high flat rate on all purchases should appeal to occasional and frequent flyers who aren’t tied to one airline.
Best cards to pair with this card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a general travel rewards credit card that lets users transfer points at a 1:1 ratio to United and many other loyalty programs. It comes with an impressive rewards program that earns bonus points in both travel and everyday spending categories. This includes 5X points on all travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards and 3X points on dining, online grocery stores and select streaming services.
Considering travel includes a broad mix of areas like airfare, hotels, rideshares, parking and car rentals, the Sapphire Preferred makes it far easier to earn high rewards on travel purchases—rewards which can then be transferred to United. Meanwhile, you can use your United Explorer card to take advantage of the airline perks that aren’t offered with the Sapphire Preferred, like the free checked bag and 25-percent discount on in-flight purchases.