In an effort to more quickly reward loyal customers, or, perhaps, capture some of American Express’s card members who cannot justify renewing their $450 platinum card this year, United Airlines, in conjunction with Chase Card Services, announced today three new credit card options for its “elite travelers,”—The United Mileage Plus Club Visa Card, The United Mileage Plus Access Visa Card and The United Mileage Plus Select Visa Card—with annual fees that are in the relatively more reasonable range of $375 to $130.
Cardholders can expect the usual perks affiliated with airline reward cards, along with some new ones, usually reserved for elite status fliers, such as double or triple miles earned per flight, Economy Plus seating, non-flight miles that can count toward elite status, and Red Carpet Club membership (United’s private airport lounge) or passes for entry, depending on the card level purchased.
“For some of our credit card customers, it is all about quickly and easily earning miles to reach their next reward, and for others, they want exclusive perks that make travel more comfortable,” says Robert Sahadevan, vice president – Mileage Plus, United. “Our new cards go beyond the conventional spend-a-dollar, earn-a-mile structure by offering cardholders features that provide travel comforts and accelerate their path to achieving coveted elite status or reaching their next award destination.”
The new cards come just a week after United eliminated its fees for short-term reward bookings. In today’s economy of near double-digit unemployment and price being the No. 1 factor in travel decisions, how many travelers remain loyal to a single airline, even with added perks, as opposed to a card program that offers points redeemable on multiple carriers? Just curious.
For more information about these three new credit cards from United and Chase, visit www.united.com/newcards.
