Hawkeyefan

I keep both the Biz Explorer and Explorer. Just took out two new ones for the bigger bonuses each offered.

CApreppie

I have the Explorer card and now that they gutted the PQD waiver, I've gone back to my 2% cashback Fidelity Visa card. If there is a card that does better than that for cash back, I'd consider it. I also have a Discover card that I keep track of the 5% calendar. I know Chase does that, but no Chase card that includes that.

LifetimeGS

I think this is what you meant to say but I believe that no United Mileage Plus card without an annual fee, including the Gateway card, can earn any PQPs based on spend?

WineCountryUA

Are there any no annual fee MP cards other than the Gateway. There was once one years ago, but I thought it had been rolled into the TravelBank card and now Gateway.

LifetimeGS

There is mention in the Chase Card section of a Mileage Plus Visa with no annual fee in addition to the Gateway but it may be historical and no longer offered

SPN Lifer

This thread seems to indicate that the Gateway is now the only surviving no-annual-fee card offered by United.

Chase United TravelBank Card becoming non-cashback Chase MP Gateway Card 21 Sept 2020

LifetimeGS

This is from the current mileage plus page

• The United GatewaySM Card and United MileagePlus® Card with no annual fee do not earn PQP for card spend.

emcampbe

Pre-2020, The TravelBank card was great in that it was no annual fee, 1.5% back (into TravelBank cash) and spend counted toward the PQD waiver. I used it in combo with the Select on non-bonus categories to hit the waiver and get more back. I think I was in the minority also wanting an option to be rewarded with TB $ vs. miles. Unfortunately, that only lasted a couple of years - still have the gateway but little benefit to me now - no particular reason to get rid of since there is no AF, but no particular reason to really use it. No contest the 1.5x UR points on my Freedom Unlimited is way more valuable than 1.5x MP miles, especially when who knows when we are going to be traveling regularly again.

UVU Wolverine

Ive slanted towards cash back the last few years as the simplicity in a single card that offers 2% cash back is better to me than points or miles.

The is the BoA Cash Rewards card that offers 3% in a select category that you can change monthly but capped at $1500/quarter (online shopping, gas, and travel are selectable).

I’ve also used the US Bank Cash+ regularly the last few years for home utility and cell phone payments as it offers two categories of 5% each quarter (ie you can pick the same categories all year, but you still have to choose them each quarter). Not a bad option as I’d imagine cell phone and home utilities can add up for spend, but that is also limited to $1500/quarter. I had two homes though so it made it advantageous to use the card for two water bills, two electric bills etc.

zombietooth

UA cards are worthless to me because UA miles are definitely not worth 2 cpm anymore-they're barely worth 1 cpm. On a recent flight for one of my contractors (the only place I use miles right now), a flight in Y that I could buy cash for $127- was 12.5K miles. This is typical, most of the time, and only works if I'm flexible on travel dates and times. If I need somebody to be somewhere time-certain, I've typically been getting only around .7 cpm.

I'm now putting all of my travel spend on a 5.25% cash back card and all of my business non-travel spend on a 2.62% cash back card.

lsquare

It's an excellent card in an era with massive miles inflation. I'm pretty sure one has to put $100k with BoA to get that rate...

zombietooth

That's true, but your brokerage account balance counts towards the total.

ryman554

Hate to ask, but how many fees are associated with such brokerage balance? BoA is not known to provide the best rates of, well, anything.

Clemson

0, just make a self directed brokerage account and call your own shots. The downside with the BoA card is the 3% (5.25 with the maximum 75% bonus from platinum honors and higher) is limited to 2500 spend a quarter.

zombietooth

I manage my own IRA and enjoy $0- stock and ETF trades.