United Gateway card review: Earn United miles and access more available award seats without paying an annual fee

Review: Is the United Gateway credit card right for you?

Chase offers several co-branded United Airlines credit cards, including personal and small-business versions. The United Gateway℠ Card is its newest, having just launched in October of 2020.

However, this airline credit card is not the most lucrative or rewarding United credit card at all — not by far. In fact, the United Gateway℠ Card has the lowest sign-up bonus and fewest of perks of any United credit card, although the earning rate with this card is decent.

With the United Gateway℠ Card, you can earn 10,000 miles after you spend $1,000 in the first three months of account opening. You'll also earn 2x miles on United purchases, at gas stations, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare services, taxicabs, train tickets, tolls, and mass transit). You'll also earn 1 mile per dollar you spend on everything else. Through September 30, 2021, you'll also earn 3 miles per dollar you spend grocery stores, on up to $1,500 in spending per month. 

The stand-out benefit of the United Gateway℠ Card is its lack of an annual fee. That means you can keep it for the long term and continue earning United miles, plus get access to expanded United award availability at no yearly cost.

However, as you compare United credit cards, keep in mind that most others have much better bonus offers. With the United℠ Explorer Card, for example, you can earn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open (plus, an additional 10k bonus miles after you spend $6,000 in the first 6 months). The United℠ Explorer Card does have an annual fee of $95, waived first year.

You also get perks like two United Club passes each year, a free first checked bag (worth $30 one-way) for yourself and a companion on the same reservation, priority boarding, and a credit toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership— all perks you do not get with the United Gateway℠ Card. Even if you only fly United once or twice a year, the free checked bag benefit alone can offset much of the annual fee.

The United Gateway℠ Card, like other Chase cards, is subject to the Chase 5/24 rule, so if you've opened five or more cards from any bank in the past 24 months, you won't be approved.

Bottom line: The United Gateway℠ Card can be a good option if you want an airline credit card that lets you rack up United miles and access expanded award availability, but you never, ever want to pay an annual fee. Just remember that, in choosing this card, you'll wind up with a much lower sign-up bonus and hardly any cardholder perks.

United Gateway Card vs other Chase United credit cards

United Gateway Card vs other airline credit cards

How to use miles from the United Gateway Card

While most people earn United miles in order to book flights with United or its Star Alliance partners, there are quite a few ways to redeem your miles for non-travel options.

For example, you can cash in your miles for gift cards to select retailers, shop for merchandise with United, or use miles for Apple products through the United website. You can also use your miles to pay for a United Club membership, inflight internet access, and TSA Precheck membership. If you already have a flight booked, you can use miles toward an upgrade, and you can even donate your miles to charity. 

However, you'll almost always get the most value from redeeming United miles for flights. Between United Airlines, other Star Alliance partners, and non-alliance partners, you can use your miles to fly to destinations in nearly 200 countries around the globe. United typically has good economy-class award availability, and your miles will never expire. 

While United doesn't have a traditional award chart anymore, they do list specific flight award deals that let you book featured flights for fewer miles than normal. For example, you may be able to book one-way domestic flights in economy for as little as 5,000 miles, depending on the route and date.

United Gateway Card benefits and features

The United Gateway℠ Card doesn't have an annual fee, so it's not surprising the card has fewer perks than other United cards issued by Chase. However, there are a few key benefits, including purchase and travel protections, that could prove valuable if you need to use them.

25% back on inflight purchases

When you use your United Gateway℠ Card to pay for inflight purchases of food, drink, or internet access, you'll get 25% of your purchase amount back in the form of a statement credit on your account.

Expanded award availability

As a United cardholder, you'll get more access to award availability and flight options with no blackout dates. 

Rental car and travel insurance

The United Gateway℠ Card does have surprising insurance perks for a credit card with no annual fee. When you pay the full cost of your car rental with the card and decline the rental company's collision damage waiver, you'll get coverage for damage due to collision or theft. This coverage is secondary to your own personal policy in the US, but primary overseas (or if you don't have your own insurance).

The card also comes with trip cancellation and interruption coverage worth up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip. You'll also get access to a Visa concierge service that can help you book trips, find tickets to top events, and more. 

Purchase protection and extended warranty

Cardholders also receive purchase protection against damage or theft, which is good for up to $500 per claim and up to $50,000 per account. Eligible items that already come with a manufacturer's warranty can also qualify for up to one year of extended warranty coverage. 

United Gateway Card fees and costs

We already mentioned how the United Gateway℠ Card doesn't charge an annual fee or any foreign transaction fees. Note that this card doesn't charge an over-the-limit fee or a returned check fee, either.

As with most credit cards, there are fees for balance transfers, cash advances, and late or returned payments.

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