A BETTER CHOICE AT CHECKOUT

United Airlines (Airfare (booked direct))

Your cards, ranked by estimated return at travel point values. Review spending caps and offer requirements below.

Your best card is up first

1

United Explorer Chase

3x on United Airlines

Reward details & exclusions
3x miles on all other eligible United purchases (marked NEW on Chase's page; was 2x). Chase advertises '9x total miles on eligible United flights' = 6x base MileagePlus flying miles + 3x from the card; Basic Economy earns fewer base miles.

4.05% 3x · 1.35¢/pt
2

Costco Anywhere Visa Citi

3% on Travel (general)

Reward details & exclusions
Eligible travel: airfare, hotels, car rentals, travel agencies, cruises

3% 3%
3

Robinhood Gold Robinhood (Coastal Community Bank)

3% on Everything else — requires Robinhood Gold subscription ($5/month or $50/year)

3% 3%
4

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Chase

2x on Everything else

Reward details & exclusions
Chase wording: '2X points for every $1 spent on all other purchases'.

1.7% 2x · 0.85¢/pt
5

AAdvantage Platinum Select Citi

1x on Everything else

1.65% 1x · 1.65¢/pt
6

Freedom Unlimited Chase

1.5x on Everything else

Reward details & exclusions
Unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

1.5% 1.5x · 1¢/pt
7

Prime Visa Chase

1x on Everything else

Reward details & exclusions
Issuer wording: 'all other purchases'. Purchases using Amazon's promotional/Equal Pay financing earn no rewards.

1% 1x · 1¢/pt
8
Goldman Sachs Apple MC

Apple Goldman Sachs

1% on Everything else

Reward details & exclusions
Physical titanium card

1% 1%

Also consider

Trip delay / cancellation insurance — Marriott Bonvoy Boundless: Up to $500 per covered traveler when a common-carrier trip is delayed 12+ hours or requires an overnight stay
Trip delay / cancellation insurance — United Explorer: Up to $500 per traveler after 12 hours or overnight delay

Value = rate × point value (travel redemptions). Caps and activation requirements are shown on each line. Switch valuation.