The Gateway is the no-annual-fee entry point to United miles, and it is the rare airline card that costs nothing to keep and still waives foreign transaction fees. It earns 2 miles per dollar on eligible United purchases, gas, and transit, and 1 mile elsewhere, with a 30,000-mile bonus after just $1,000 in three months plus 10,000 more for adding an authorized user, which is a low bar to clear. A 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases is a useful extra for a card in this tier. The honest limitation is that the headline United perks are locked behind spending: the two free checked bags and the 10% discount on award flights only kick in after $10,000 in a calendar year, which is a lot of spending on a 2x card. Carry it to keep a United relationship alive without paying a fee, but step up to a fee-charging Explorer if you check bags regularly. It carries our Best No-Fee badge on the Best Airline Credit Cards list.
Earn rates & credits
| Category | Rate |
|---|---|
Airlines On eligible United purchases | 2x |
Gas | 2x |
Transit | 2x |
Everything Else | 1x |
| Benefit | Value |
|---|---|
Flight Booking Discount 10% off flights booked with miles after spending $10,000 in a calendar year | 10% /yr |
Inflight Purchase Rebate 25% back as statement credit on food, beverages, Wi-Fi on United flights and Club premium drinks | 25% |
Card details
Regular APR | 19.74%–28.24% variable |
Intro APR on purchases | 0% for 12 months |
Foreign transaction fee | None |
Approval odds
Product changes
Where cardholders came from before landing on this card, and what they moved it to afterwards. Thicker flows carry a larger share of the changes in that direction.
United GatewayBased on 3 reported product changes. Percentages are shares of each direction, not of all cardholders, and a small sample can swing a long way.