Lindsy-

My card agreement is in storage but here's what happened to me.

My agreement said, I am very sure, that the rate was 1% but could be changed at any time with notice. Last winter I got a notice saying the rate would be 3% but that notice was a stuffer with my bill-however, an amendment to the agreement nontheless.

I called and was told the stuffer was a mistake and "...we only charge 1% on all United cards". The denial sounded very firm and a little worried (I assumed the worry was over UAL getting wind of the stuffer). I noted all details on my call such as who I spoke to and from then on, I relied on that call (including the details which I still have) to get me 1% in the future.

I haven't needed that reliance. Since then I have made many charges overseas and near as I can determine, they are at 1%.

A lot of this is guesswork on my part. While I'm a real skeptic, I think the stuffer was an error, and UA likely has a contract limiting them to 1%. As I said earlier, if they ever raise that, they can wave goodbye to me.