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If you’ve jumped into the deep end of the points and miles game, the United MileagePlus Explorer card may be out of your reach, thanks to Chase’s 5/24 rule. You may be thinking, how else can I earn United miles without flying? Now you have another option, thanks to the MileagePlus GO Visa Prepaid Card. But is this card worth it? Let’s dive into the details!
(READ MORE: Chase 5/24 is real and here’s the proof)
MileagePlus Go Visa Details
Per the MileagePlus Go website, the product details are:
- Earn 1 mile for every $1 of qualifying signature purchases made in-store and online, up to 2,500 miles each month
- No credit check, late fees, or interest
- Annual fee of $85
Let’s get the good point out of the way first: it’s nice that you’re able to earn one point per dollar on some purchases. That’s pretty much where the good ends.
In terms of the bad? Well, let’s look back at the details list above. You earn one point per mile, but only on purchases that require a signature, meaning PIN-based transactions don’t earn points. You also are capped at earning a paltry 2,500 points a month, or 30,000 points a year. And the cherry on top? You have to pay $85 a year for the “privilege” of using this card!
Remember, United MileagePlus is a transfer partner with Chase Ultimate Rewards (if you have a “premium” UR-earning card) and Starwood SPG, so that could be a way to get more United MileagePlus miles. If you haven’t been locked out by Chase 5/24, you may want to consider the United MileagePlus Explorer card or the Chase Sapphire Preferred to boost your United point balance.
(SEE ALSO: Why I keep recommending the Chase Sapphire Preferred for people starting out)
If you can’t tell yet, this card gets a failing grade — it’s definitely not worth your time or energy.
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Dan Miller travels with his wife and 6 (SIX!) children. He loves to help families travel for free / cheap, especially larger families. If you are looking for help, drop him an email at 
I beg to differ— this is a WONDERFUL option!
You’d be surprised how many Americans have low FICO scores for whatever reason and can’t qualify for a credit card. Not only that, many people aren’t even wanting a credit card. This product serves an unserved niche.
Not everyone does Manufactured Spend, and some people would love a way to get rewarded for their everyday spend— and honestly, the folks this is designed for the 30,000 mile cap means they’d have to spend $30,000 in cash to max out. Typically anyone with that kind of spend would probably opt for a UA Mileage Plus credit card anyway.
Are the referral bonuses for the MileagePlus Go Prepaid card non-existent, or not as good as what Chase is offering bloggers for credit card sign-ups? 😉