Any tips to getting credit card for United miles?

[SaltyNuts]

I have a Chase Amazon card, love it. But I also want a new card that gets me miles on United. Any tips and tricks as to which card to get, ways to get extra points, etc.? Thanks!

 

[zinfamous]

Earn up to 80,000 bonus miles with United credit cards - CreditCards.com

These new United card bonuses all rival or beat their best-ever offers, so whichever card fits you best, now is likely a good time to put in an application. See how far your miles can take you.

www.creditcards.com

wait for bonus offers. Get card. meet requirements.

 

[Exterous]

You can also get any of the Chase Ultimate Rewards earning cards and transfer miles to United (sapphire preferred, reserve. Chase ink plus, preferred etc)

The United card does give access to more award space for both United and some partners

 

[deadlyapp]

Currently using Chase Sapphire Reserve for United which is nice if you already have status from United normally. Better point bonuses and not locked into strictly United which is a huge plus for me.

I probably will add a United card in the future as well, which does unlock some better upgrade options that you can't get strictly with status and a non-branded card, however I don't think I'd get enough benefit from the card to justify the annual fee (since I already have status).

 

[Scarpozzi]

I scored cheap airfare to Hawaii in that United sale a week or so ago, but had to pull the trigger to get the deal and didn't have time to research a United credit card for perks.

The United Explorer and the United Club Visa cards seem to be very similar in offerings:

https://www.theexplorercard.com/con...M_US_NA_Standard_CPA2/sea/p47119998375/United

Honestly, it's either $95/annually for the Explorer in fees...with first bag for free and 2 miles per dollar spent. You get the fee wavied the first year...so you'll earn that back pretty quick if you fly once or twice. The United Club Visa is $450 for 2 checked bags for free and United Club access with some other travel perks. The Explorer card seems to be the only one worth picking up unless you see yourself spending hours in airports and need lounge access.

Depending on what airports you fly out of, you may want to look at one of the Chase Sapphire Reserve or one of the AMEX options that comes with Priority Pass for lounge access. You can also transfer those points to miles at a conversion rate, depending on what card you have.

My home airport is a Delta connection, so it made more sense for me to go with a Delta Amex card than any other airline....but since I fly very little for work and it's often cheaper for me to drive an hour or so to other airports to get direct flights out, I got the Hilton Aspire Amex to get Hotel stays for free. Included in it is the Priority Pass card for Lounge Access and $250 credits for baggage and food annually on the airline of your choice. You could combine this $250 credit for in-flight food and beverages with the Explorer Visa and rack up some decent perks. Just be aware that the $250 rolls every calendar year so it's best to sign up for the Aspire in June/July to maximize the first year's benefit.

I just logged into my Amex Aspire website and checked the Hilton Points to Miles Conversion. Typically you can get a hotel room for 20k to 60k points depending on when/where...and a $150 room is usually 30k points unless it's a resort. With the Aspire card, you earn 34 points per dollar spent at Hilton Properties. If you travel a lot for business and go the loyalty route, you could rack up points pretty quickly this way. I got a room last week for $107+valet parking and was rewarded over 3400 points for that stay (and free bottled water/free breakfast in a Doubletree)

 

[zinfamous]

^Yeah, good points up there about going with Chase Sapphire preferred because Ultimate Rewards points are (for now, anyway) easily transferable across points systems. By the way, OP, I think your Chase Amazon card is also on Ultimate Rewards?

 

[ponyo]

^Yeah, good points up there about going with Chase Sapphire preferred because Ultimate Rewards points are (for now, anyway) easily transferable across points systems. By the way, OP, I think your Chase Amazon card is also on Ultimate Rewards?

No, Chase Amazon is not linked to Ultimate Rewards. It's separate and the Amazon points are useful for mostly buying stuff on Amazon. At least that's what I use mine for.

I think I read United just switched to where frequent flyer points don't expire anymore. I let all my United points expire. I had like 6-7k United points each on 3 of our United mileage accounts. Not worth saving. I guess I could've saved the United points by transferring some of my Chase points to it but the United points were so little and I hate flying United so I didn't think it was worth my effort to save the expiring points.

 

[deadlyapp]

No, Chase Amazon is not linked to Ultimate Rewards. It's separate and the Amazon points are useful for mostly buying stuff on Amazon. At least that's what I use mine for.

I think I read United just switched to where frequent flyer points don't expire anymore. I let all my United points expire. I had like 6-7k United points each on 3 of our United mileage accounts. Not worth saving. I guess I could've saved the United points by transferring some of my Chase points to it but the United points were so little and I hate flying United so I didn't think it was worth my effort to save the expiring points.

Side note - if you have expiring points you can usually contact customer relations and they'll give you one point for free to prevent them from all expiring. I've done this on Alaska and another carrier before.

 

[ElFenix]

easiest way to prevent points from expiring (not that it matters anymore) is use their shopping portal to buy something cheap, like a song on itunes.

 

[SaltyNuts]

Thanks everyone! So, a couple follow up questions.

1. On that $95 a year card versus the $450 a year card, I Googled, and it looked like maybe a one-way flight from the U.S. to the Caribbean might cost 17,500 "points". Let's say that flight would cost $500. So that is 35 points per $1 flight benefit. The $95 card earns you generally 1 point per dollar, the $495 card generally 1.5 points per dollar. So, if you spend $35,000 on the $95 card, that gets you 35,000 points, which gets you a $1,000 flight benefit. If you spend $35,000 on the $495 card, that gets you 52,500 points, which gets you a $1,500 flight benefit. So the difference is $500. So, more or less, just generally speaking, if you are going to spend $35,000 a year on the credit card or more you would almost certainly want to go with the $495 one, as at $35,000 spending you've roughly broken even in the first year ($0 charge for the first year on the $95 one, but in later years when the charge is $95 the break-even to go to the $450 one is even less), and the $495 one has other additional benefits as well. Is this more/less the right way to think about it?

2. How does it work with husband and wife? If I have the card in my name, and she wants to take a trip, either with me or without me, can she (also) get the benefits either along with me or in my absence? Or would she also have to have the card, with her own, separate spending curve on that card?

Thanks!

 

[Brainonska511]

I was under the general impression that cards for specific airlines are generally pointless for most people. I've probably been traveling once per month this year for work, but I can't see an airline-specific credit card doing much good. I don't book my flights on my own cards, usually hotel is booked on a company card, and then I'm just left to reimburse meals. I still collect the miles and hotel points onto my personal accounts, but I don't see the point in getting miles back on my CC when cash back cards seem to give better returns. As for the other perks - flying overseas, I generally get lounge access since I'll have a business class ticket; while for domestic flights, I'm usually not in the airport long enough to worry about it.

No, Chase Amazon is not linked to Ultimate Rewards. It's separate and the Amazon points are useful for mostly buying stuff on Amazon. At least that's what I use mine for.

You can always just get straight cash back with the Amazon Chase Visa.

I think I read United just switched to where frequent flyer points don't expire anymore. I let all my United points expire. I had like 6-7k United points each on 3 of our United mileage accounts. Not worth saving. I guess I could've saved the United points by transferring some of my Chase points to it but the United points were so little and I hate flying United so I didn't think it was worth my effort to save the expiring points.

A year or two ago, when I was traveling far less frequently (and not on United), I had some United points set to expire (around the same amount). I think I ended up trading them in for a Google Play gift card, so at least I'd have something out of the miles.

 

[deadlyapp]

I was under the general impression that cards for specific airlines are generally pointless for most people. I've probably been traveling once per month this year for work, but I can't see an airline-specific credit card doing much good. I don't book my flights on my own cards, usually hotel is booked on a company card, and then I'm just left to reimburse meals. I still collect the miles and hotel points onto my personal accounts, but I don't see the point in getting miles back on my CC when cash back cards seem to give better returns. As for the other perks - flying overseas, I generally get lounge access since I'll have a business class ticket; while for domestic flights, I'm usually not in the airport long enough to worry about it.


You can always just get straight cash back with the Amazon Chase Visa.



A year or two ago, when I was traveling far less frequently (and not on United), I had some United points set to expire (around the same amount). I think I ended up trading them in for a Google Play gift card, so at least I'd have something out of the miles.

So a branded card can have mixed positives for you. If you have status from flying, a branded card can open additional award seats. If you are not status, it gives you priority boarding even when you don't buy the ticket on the card (as I understand). Otherwise you're right, if you don't use it for primarily booking flights or hotels, you lose most of the big benefit.

Thanks everyone! So, a couple follow up questions.

1. On that $95 a year card versus the $450 a year card, I Googled, and it looked like maybe a one-way flight from the U.S. to the Caribbean might cost 17,500 "points". Let's say that flight would cost $500. So that is 35 points per $1 flight benefit. The $95 card earns you generally 1 point per dollar, the $495 card generally 1.5 points per dollar. So, if you spend $35,000 on the $95 card, that gets you 35,000 points, which gets you a $1,000 flight benefit. If you spend $35,000 on the $495 card, that gets you 52,500 points, which gets you a $1,500 flight benefit. So the difference is $500. So, more or less, just generally speaking, if you are going to spend $35,000 a year on the credit card or more you would almost certainly want to go with the $495 one, as at $35,000 spending you've roughly broken even in the first year ($0 charge for the first year on the $95 one, but in later years when the charge is $95 the break-even to go to the $450 one is even less), and the $495 one has other additional benefits as well. Is this more/less the right way to think about it?

2. How does it work with husband and wife? If I have the card in my name, and she wants to take a trip, either with me or without me, can she (also) get the benefits either along with me or in my absence? Or would she also have to have the card, with her own, separate spending curve on that card?

Thanks!

You're basically doing it correctly. If yiy wanted to check full life cycle of benefit, you could look at sign on bonuses and also travel credit. Basically you need to make up only $65 a year on the CSR vs CSP to make it worthwhile. You can do that through an additional 1 point on travel and dining, as well as the additional 25% spend bonus when you redeem through the chase portal.

For me, the priority pass alone was worth the additional $65 a year.

As far as your wife getting benefits, as long as it's booked on the same card, she'd be good. Otherwise you can add her as an authorized user for like $95/yr or double up and have her get her own card for even moarrrr sign up bonus

 

[Exterous]

I was under the general impression that cards for specific airlines are generally pointless for most people. I've probably been traveling once per month this year for work, but I can't see an airline-specific credit card doing much good. I don't book my flights on my own cards, usually hotel is booked on a company card, and then I'm just left to reimburse meals. I still collect the miles and hotel points onto my personal accounts, but I don't see the point in getting miles back on my CC when cash back cards seem to give better returns. As for the other perks - flying overseas, I generally get lounge access since I'll have a business class ticket; while for domestic flights, I'm usually not in the airport long enough to worry about it.

Yeah I've never really put any spend on an airline branded card after the signup bonus. There can be perks to having the card esp if you need help reaching an elite status but its usually not worth it to use that card over another.

 

[purbeast0]

Anyone know if there is anywhere to check your 5/24 status with Chase?

 

[Scarpozzi]

So a branded card can have mixed positives for you. If you have status from flying, a branded card can open additional award seats. If you are not status, it gives you priority boarding even when you don't buy the ticket on the card (as I understand). Otherwise you're right, if you don't use it for primarily booking flights or hotels, you lose most of the big benefit.


You're basically doing it correctly. If yiy wanted to check full life cycle of benefit, you could look at sign on bonuses and also travel credit. Basically you need to make up only $65 a year on the CSR vs CSP to make it worthwhile. You can do that through an additional 1 point on travel and dining, as well as the additional 25% spend bonus when you redeem through the chase portal.

For me, the priority pass alone was worth the additional $65 a year.

As far as your wife getting benefits, as long as it's booked on the same card, she'd be good. Otherwise you can add her as an authorized user for like $95/yr or double up and have her get her own card for even moarrrr sign up bonus

Just be aware that perks like Priority Pass don't typically come with the second card (authorized user).... She'd have to get her own card to get that perk/benefit. I'm dealing with this now because I'll be travelling with my family and have Priority Pass... We get 2 free guests on the Priority Pass card, but additional guests are $27 (maybe more now)... Traveling solo, it's not a big deal. It's only when you're a party of 4 or more that you'll have those issues.

I'm going to look into the Chase Sapphire Reserve as my next card, but I still stand by what I said on the Hilton Aspire Amex....despite the decreased points values...if you stay 3 or more weeks in hotels annually and can meet the $4k, 3 month charge requirement to bank the 150k points, it's a really good value to get diamond status at Hilton properties, $250 credit on an airline, $250 hilton resort credits, $100 waldorf resort credits, and Priority Pass Select....all for $450. FYI....The 150k point bonus would equate to 15,000 United miles if you converted them and you can rack up 3000+ points using your diamond status 100% match on a $100 hotel room... At least, on the sign up year, you'd get a lot of value out of that card.

 

[Exterous]

Anyone know if there is anywhere to check your 5/24 status with Chase?

There is no good way through Chase unless you get denied for an application. Credit Karma and count account openings. Or request one of your free annual credit reports from one of the companies. Both are also a good way to verify if being added as an Authorized User was accidentally counted as an account opening or not.

Personally I have a spreadsheet where I note card openings, bonus and card closure date. It's proved very helpful now that the card companies are changing their eligibility rules

 

[deadlyapp]

Just be aware that perks like Priority Pass don't typically come with the second card (authorized user).... She'd have to get her own card to get that perk/benefit. I'm dealing with this now because I'll be travelling with my family and have Priority Pass... We get 2 free guests on the Priority Pass card, but additional guests are $27 (maybe more now)... Traveling solo, it's not a big deal. It's only when you're a party of 4 or more that you'll have those issues.

I'm going to look into the Chase Sapphire Reserve as my next card, but I still stand by what I said on the Hilton Aspire Amex....despite the decreased points values...if you stay 3 or more weeks in hotels annually and can meet the $4k, 3 month charge requirement to bank the 150k points, it's a really good value to get diamond status at Hilton properties, $250 credit on an airline, $250 hilton resort credits, $100 waldorf resort credits, and Priority Pass Select....all for $450. FYI....The 150k point bonus would equate to 15,000 United miles if you converted them and you can rack up 3000+ points using your diamond status 100% match on a $100 hotel room... At least, on the sign up year, you'd get a lot of value out of that card.

I may be wrong, but my understanding is that with the authorized users (especially since they cost money on things like the Amex Plat & the Chase SR), you get a completely independent priority pass, so you'd conceivably have 4 people you could get in with.

 

[purbeast0]

There used to be some really good deals with United but I've been sitting on like 80k CUR points for like 2+ years because those great flight prices in points are nowhere to be found. I've used a lot of them transferring to SW when we've ran out of points but still have the companion pass.

I was in FLL yesterday and that is one of the few airports you can get the 50k signup bonus at the kiosk, and when I walked by they asked me about the card and I told the guy if I didn't have one I'd get one, and I was telling him how the filght I took there was $11 in taxes round trip. I was like a walking spokesperson for it while walking by the guy. And still, no one signed up, none of the 3 guys I was traveling with who all paid like $250 for their flights.

Mind boggling to me how many people don't like free money.

 

[Scarpozzi]

I may be wrong, but my understanding is that with the authorized users (especially since they cost money on things like the Amex Plat & the Chase SR), you get a completely independent priority pass, so you'd conceivably have 4 people you could get in with.

You'll want to call and confirm that. It varies by card since the authorized users are not the primary account holder...ie...they're second-class users and may not get all primary perks. Example...the TSA pre check credits and other perks may not necessarily double.

 

[deadlyapp]

There used to be some really good deals with United but I've been sitting on like 80k CUR points for like 2+ years because those great flight prices in points are nowhere to be found. I've used a lot of them transferring to SW when we've ran out of points but still have the companion pass.

I was in FLL yesterday and that is one of the few airports you can get the 50k signup bonus at the kiosk, and when I walked by they asked me about the card and I told the guy if I didn't have one I'd get one, and I was telling him how the filght I took there was $11 in taxes round trip. I was like a walking spokesperson for it while walking by the guy. And still, no one signed up, none of the 3 guys I was traveling with who all paid like $250 for their flights.

Mind boggling to me how many people don't like free money.

Lot of people still very scared of credit cards. My wife is terrified of cards because her parents went through a bankruptcy and had a lot of inability of managing their debt when she was young and I've had to wean her off of that.

You'll want to call and confirm that. It varies by card since the authorized users are not the primary account holder...ie...they're second-class users and may not get all primary perks. Example...the TSA pre check credits and other perks may not necessarily double.

Right - authorized users don't get the $300 travel credit or the global entry perk. AFAIK they only get the "normal" benefits (eg travel reimbursement, warranty, etc) as well as the priority pass, although it's a bit ambiguous. https://onemileatatime.com/chase-sapphire-reserve-authorized-user-benefits/

 

[Scarpozzi]

Lot of people still very scared of credit cards. My wife is terrified of cards because her parents went through a bankruptcy and had a lot of inability of managing their debt when she was young and I've had to wean her off of that.


Right - authorized users don't get the $300 travel credit or the global entry perk. AFAIK they only get the "normal" benefits (eg travel reimbursement, warranty, etc) as well as the priority pass, although it's a bit ambiguous. https://onemileatatime.com/chase-sapphire-reserve-authorized-user-benefits/

I'm not saying you're wrong....just make sure you ask and get it in writing before forking over $175 or whatever the fee is if that's what you're after.

I don't travel with my family that often so it's not worth spending the extra money just for a PP membership for one more person. I'd rather drop $30 on the rare chance we all need to hit the lounge. I fly through ATL and the lounge with food/alcohol is all the way in the International terminal anyways...only 7-8 minutes by train, but a long way to haul kids with carryon luggage for a free drink. It makes more sense to buy airplane bottles and stash them with your mouthwash.

I might as well say...I've been a Priority Pass member since July. I've visited the lounge at ATL 3 times. Breakfast offerings were equivalent to a limited hotel breakfast, but they did have bacon. Don't judge me on the pomegranate infused water that was pink...I was hydrating for a 4 hour flight. The bacon was welcome when flying in around 7am after an early flight to get there. Lunch/Dinner offerings are soup and small sandwich bites....egg salad and chicken salad....not bad when you wash them down with booze
.

Flying back from Portland, OR.....the Priority Pass lounge is the Alaskan Airlines lounge... When I got there, they had a sign up that said Priority Pass members weren't allowed in because they were at capacity. I had a few people from work flying with me...we hit up a gift shop and returned 10 minutes later and they took the sign down. I ended up getting a soup/salad and a cookie...wasn't as much for food offerings, but when I'm flying for a few hours I like to have some options because we all know what airplane food tastes like in coach.

I hit up MCO a few times last month on a trip and used my membership for a light lunch after landing and dinner before flying out. I basically saved $10-20 per meal that way compared to airport food prices and snagged a few free drinks(merely helping to justify my CC membership fees).

The flight delays I've had in the past usually result in airlines stringing passengers along with optimistic time estimates when there's an issue. That usually keeps you close to the departure gate. It makes utilizing these lounges a little tricky in those circumstances unless you trust the text/app alerts for your airline. I definitely appreciate that they have no airline affiliation though... It's nice knowing you can use the lounges with a same day ticket on ANY carrier versus airlines using the lounges to promote brand loyalty. That makes sense when you fly out of the same hubs. When at non-hub destinations and waiting a hour for a flight to depart, it's nice having a place to hang out.

 

[deadlyapp]

I'm not saying you're wrong....just make sure you ask and get it in writing before forking over $175 or whatever the fee is if that's what you're after.

I don't travel with my family that often so it's not worth spending the extra money just for a PP membership for one more person. I'd rather drop $30 on the rare chance we all need to hit the lounge. I fly through ATL and the lounge with food/alcohol is all the way in the International terminal anyways...only 7-8 minutes by train, but a long way to haul kids with carryon luggage for a free drink. It makes more sense to buy airplane bottles and stash them with your mouthwash.

I might as well say...I've been a Priority Pass member since July. I've visited the lounge at ATL 3 times. Breakfast offerings were equivalent to a limited hotel breakfast, but they did have bacon. Don't judge me on the pomegranate infused water that was pink...I was hydrating for a 4 hour flight. The bacon was welcome when flying in around 7am after an early flight to get there. Lunch/Dinner offerings are soup and small sandwich bites....egg salad and chicken salad....not bad when you wash them down with booze
.
Flying back from Portland, OR.....the Priority Pass lounge is the Alaskan Airlines lounge... When I got there, they had a sign up that said Priority Pass members weren't allowed in because they were at capacity. I had a few people from work flying with me...we hit up a gift shop and returned 10 minutes later and they took the sign down. I ended up getting a soup/salad and a cookie...wasn't as much for food offerings, but when I'm flying for a few hours I like to have some options because we all know what airplane food tastes like in coach.

I hit up MCO a few times last month on a trip and used my membership for a light lunch after landing and dinner before flying out. I basically saved $10-20 per meal that way compared to airport food prices and snagged a few free drinks(merely helping to justify my CC membership fees).

The flight delays I've had in the past usually result in airlines stringing passengers along with optimistic time estimates when there's an issue. That usually keeps you close to the departure gate. It makes utilizing these lounges a little tricky in those circumstances unless you trust the text/app alerts for your airline. I definitely appreciate that they have no airline affiliation though... It's nice knowing you can use the lounges with a same day ticket on ANY carrier versus airlines using the lounges to promote brand loyalty. That makes sense when you fly out of the same hubs. When at non-hub destinations and waiting a hour for a flight to depart, it's nice having a place to hang out.

You're absolutely right - an extra priority pass (when I generally only travel with wife) is useless to me.

I didn't like priority pass much when I lived in LA, it had very limited options, especially when I only traveled through the United terminal and all the good ones were elsewhere. Now that I live in Houston, I have gotten much better use out of it and regularly make sure that I position myself to go through the terminal that has Landry's seafood so I can get a full blown meal for free, rather than just lounge access. I was in Portland a few months ago and did the same thing - made sure to get the whiskey flight (completely free) and then went across the hall to the restaurant that was comped as part of PP and got a full meal (and another drink!).

So far the best PP options I've seen are at SFO (there is a couple of pretty decent restaurants that are comped), Landrys in IAH, PDX (whiskey + a meal!).

Pretty shitty options are at DFW, LAX, IAD, ATL, ORD, SEA although LAX can be good if you fly through the terminals that have comped restaurants.

 

[Scarpozzi]

You're absolutely right - an extra priority pass (when I generally only travel with wife) is useless to me.

I didn't like priority pass much when I lived in LA, it had very limited options, especially when I only traveled through the United terminal and all the good ones were elsewhere. Now that I live in Houston, I have gotten much better use out of it and regularly make sure that I position myself to go through the terminal that has Landry's seafood so I can get a full blown meal for free, rather than just lounge access. I was in Portland a few months ago and did the same thing - made sure to get the whiskey flight (completely free) and then went across the hall to the restaurant that was comped as part of PP and got a full meal (and another drink!).

So far the best PP options I've seen are at SFO (there is a couple of pretty decent restaurants that are comped), Landrys in IAH, PDX (whiskey + a meal!).

Pretty shitty options are at DFW, LAX, IAD, ATL, ORD, SEA although LAX can be good if you fly through the terminals that have comped restaurants.

AMEX lost the restaurant perks on August 1 and I'm guessing Chase will follow suit before too long. I think that gets billed back to the CC company and it's not sustainable for the few that do it regularly. I never had an opportunity to check out that benefit because mine is an AMEX PP membership and had to grab my checked bag after I landed in PDX 4 days before they took it away. 😒

 

[ponyo]

I'm not saying you're wrong....just make sure you ask and get it in writing before forking over $175 or whatever the fee is if that's what you're after.

I don't travel with my family that often so it's not worth spending the extra money just for a PP membership for one more person. I'd rather drop $30 on the rare chance we all need to hit the lounge. I fly through ATL and the lounge with food/alcohol is all the way in the International terminal anyways...only 7-8 minutes by train, but a long way to haul kids with carryon luggage for a free drink. It makes more sense to buy airplane bottles and stash them with your mouthwash.

I might as well say...I've been a Priority Pass member since July. I've visited the lounge at ATL 3 times. Breakfast offerings were equivalent to a limited hotel breakfast, but they did have bacon. Don't judge me on the pomegranate infused water that was pink...I was hydrating for a 4 hour flight. The bacon was welcome when flying in around 7am after an early flight to get there. Lunch/Dinner offerings are soup and small sandwich bites....egg salad and chicken salad....not bad when you wash them down with booze
.View attachment 10922

Flying back from Portland, OR.....the Priority Pass lounge is the Alaskan Airlines lounge... When I got there, they had a sign up that said Priority Pass members weren't allowed in because they were at capacity. I had a few people from work flying with me...we hit up a gift shop and returned 10 minutes later and they took the sign down. I ended up getting a soup/salad and a cookie...wasn't as much for food offerings, but when I'm flying for a few hours I like to have some options because we all know what airplane food tastes like in coach.

I hit up MCO a few times last month on a trip and used my membership for a light lunch after landing and dinner before flying out. I basically saved $10-20 per meal that way compared to airport food prices and snagged a few free drinks(merely helping to justify my CC membership fees).

The flight delays I've had in the past usually result in airlines stringing passengers along with optimistic time estimates when there's an issue. That usually keeps you close to the departure gate. It makes utilizing these lounges a little tricky in those circumstances unless you trust the text/app alerts for your airline. I definitely appreciate that they have no airline affiliation though... It's nice knowing you can use the lounges with a same day ticket on ANY carrier versus airlines using the lounges to promote brand loyalty. That makes sense when you fly out of the same hubs. When at non-hub destinations and waiting a hour for a flight to depart, it's nice having a place to hang out.

I use the PP lounge in Atlanta often since I fly out ATL for international flights. Compared to other PP lounges I've been to, the Atlanta lounge isn't that bad when it comes to food. Pretty much all PP lounges suck when it comes to food quality. But it's better than nothing and free so I can't complain. The PP lounges in other countries are slightly better, some better than others. The one in Beijing had good food options and wasn't that crowded. I also had decent lounge food experiences in Toronto, Busan, Budapest, Cartagena, and Bogota. The PP lounges in Oranjestad and Los Cabos are pretty terrible for food. There's like cookies, soup, and chips and that's about it.

I would never pay extra $29 per person for PP lounge access. That's wasted money. You can eat whole lot better food at airports for $29.

 

[Exterous]

There used to be some really good deals with United but I've been sitting on like 80k CUR points for like 2+ years because those great flight prices in points are nowhere to be found. I've used a lot of them transferring to SW when we've ran out of points but still have the companion pass.

I've had good luck looking at Star Alliance hub cities (Not necessarily United hubs) and then using the companion pass to get to that city. For example SEA has FAR more award availability to south east asia than say SFO. Or using the companion pass to central america\carribean and then using united miles for getting around

So far the best PP options I've seen are at SFO (there is a couple of pretty decent restaurants that are comped), Landrys in IAH, PDX (whiskey + a meal!).

Pretty shitty options are at DFW, LAX, IAD, ATL, ORD, SEA although LAX can be good if you fly through the terminals that have comped restaurants.

The PP lounges in other countries are slightly better, some better than others.

The Lufthansa included lounges are pretty good. Otherwise I'd say Lima and Quito had the best lounge options I've been to