Key Takeaways
- United Airlines stock surged Monday after the carrier rolled out new features and raised the fees for its Chase co-branded credit cards.
- Co-branded credit cards are a profit engine for the four major U.S. airlines, which all lost money last year on strictly transporting passengers.
- The carrier also increased the cost of accessing its United Club airport lounges.
United Airlines (UAL) shares jumped nearly 6% Monday as the airline rolled out changes to its JPMorgan Chase (JPM) co-branded credit cards, including new perks for cardholders and higher fees.
Co-branded credit cards have been instrumental in keeping U.S. airlines profitable. The four biggest carriers—United, Delta Air Lines (DAL), American Airlines (AAL), and Southwest Airlines (LUV)—all lost money transporting passengers last year. However, the airlines make up for this by selling frequent-flyer miles to credit-card companies at advantageous terms, with the card issuers then offering the miles as rewards to cardholders.
The United cards’ new benefits include hotel, rental car, and rideshare credits that vary by card level, as well as complimentary Instacart+ subscriptions that vary in duration. The United Explorer Card now comes with a $150 annual fee, up from $95, while its Quest and Club level cards now cost $350 and $695, respectively, up from $250 and $525.
United Club Access Will Cost More, Have Guest Restrictions
Access to the airline’s in-demand United Club airport lounges will also be changing. Until now, the carrier had sold one kind of United Club membership, with the annual fee (ranging from $550 or 75,000 MileagePlus miles to $650 or 85,000 miles) determined by MileagePlus status level. Membership included entry for up to two guests and access to other Star Alliance airline lounges.
Effective immediately, United will have two-tiered plans: individual membership costing $750 or 94,000 miles (no guest access, no discounts for higher-tier elite members, access just for United Clubs), and All Access plans for $1,400 or 175,000 miles (up to two guests, discounts for elite members, and access to other Star Alliance lounges).
As Gary Leff of travel site View From the Wing writes, someone with United MileagePlus Premier 1K status “goes from $550 to $1,200 to keep the benefits they have currently.” Leff adds that “customers are going to pay more—to United, or United and Chase—if they want continued lounge access. However, the card becomes even more the ‘better deal’ than before.”
Despite their surge Monday, United shares are down more than 18% thus far in 2025.
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