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United has launched a new round of targeted spending offers for its co-branded credit cards. Through the ExtraMile promotion, eligible cardholders can earn bonus miles for reaching a personalized spending target between October 1 and December 31, 2026.

The bonus and spending requirement vary by cardholder, so check your offer for exact details. Here's how to register and what to keep in mind.

United Card Spending Offers Through December 2026

If you have a United credit card, visit the ExtraMile promotion page to check your eligibility and activate your offer. Registration closes at 11:59 p.m. Central Time on December 15, 2026, while the spending period runs through December 31, 2026.

This promotion is targeted and only applies to the eligible card shown in your offer. Not all United cards are eligible, and an offer on one card doesn't extend to your other United cards.

The terms we reviewed count all eligible purchases during the full October 1–December 31 window — including purchases made before registration. However, check your personalized terms, and leave time for purchases to post: Merchant processing or shipping delays could push a last-minute purchase outside the offer period.

Example offers

One member of the AwardWallet team has an United Gateway℠ Card (Rates & Fees) that's targeted with an offer for 3,000 bonus miles after $3,000 in eligible purchases between October 1 and December 31, 2026. That works out to an extra 1 mile per $1 spent if you spend exactly $3,000, on top of the card's regular rewards.

United card spending offer for 3,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000
Screenshot of United

Additional reported offers include:

  • 1,000 bonus miles after $500 in eligible spending across at least 10 transactions
  • 1,000 bonus miles after $1,000 in eligible spending

These are threshold bonuses, not ongoing earning rates. Under the confirmed $3,000 offer, you won't earn the promotional bonus if you fall short, and spending beyond $3,000 won't earn another promotional bonus.

United℠ Explorer Card
United℠ Explorer Card
Welcome Bonus Earn up to 80,000 bonus miles after qualifying activities.
Annual Fee

$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $150Rates & Fees

Credit Score

Excellent, Good

  • Earn at least 9X total miles on eligible United flights (excluding Basic Economy and other base fares)*
  • 3X miles on all other eligible United purchases
  • 2X miles on dining and direct hotel stays
  • 1X on all other purchases
The earning for spending on eligible United flights breaks down as follows:
  • 6x miles on the primary cardmember’s fare from United as a MileagePlus member
  • 3x miles on United purchases with the United℠ Explorer Card
United Quest℠ Card
United Quest℠ Card
Welcome Bonus Earn up to 90,000 bonus miles after qualifying activities and 500 PQP after first purchase.
Annual Fee

$350Rates & Fees

Credit Score

Good, Excellent

  • Earn at least 10X total miles on eligible United flights (excluding Basic Economy and other base fares)*
  • 5X miles on hotel stays at Renowned Hotels and Resorts
  • 4X miles on eligible United purchases
  • 2X miles on all other travel, select streaming services and dining
  • 1X on all other purchases
The earning for spending on eligible United flights breaks down as follows:
  • 6X miles on the primary cardmember’s fare from United as a MileagePlus member
  • 4X miles on entire United purchases with the United Quest℠ Card
United℠ Business Card
United℠ Business Card
Welcome Bonus Earn up to 100,000 bonus miles and 2,000 PQP after qualifying activities.
Annual Fee

$150Rates & Fees

Credit Score

Good, Excellent

  • Earn at least 8X total miles on eligible United flights (excluding Basic Economy and other base fares)*
  • 2X miles on eligible United purchases
  • 2X miles on dining and all other travel
  • 1X on all other purchases
The earning for spending on eligible United flights breaks down as follows:
  • 6X miles on the primary cardmember’s fare from United as a MileagePlus member
  • 2X miles on entire United purchases with the United℠ Business Card

Key terms

The following details come from the United Gateway Card offer we reviewed. Check your own offer for any differences:

  • Only the primary cardholder of the eligible card can register. The offer is nontransferable.
  • Activate your offer by December 15, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Central Time.
  • Meet your spending requirement with eligible net purchases during October 1–December 31, 2026.
  • Balance transfers, cash advances, cash-like transactions, person-to-person transfers, account funding, gambling transactions, interest, and fees don't count.
  • Returns and refunds posted during the offer period reduce qualifying spending — even if the original purchase was made before the promotion began.
  • The confirmed Gateway offer awards its bonus only once, for a maximum of 3,000 bonus miles.
  • Allow 6-8 weeks after completing qualifying activity for miles to post directly to your MileagePlus account. The promotional bonus won't appear on your credit card statement.
  • Your account must remain open and not in default when the bonus is deposited. Changing card products before the deposit forfeits the offer.
  • Activating the offer also enrolls you in MileagePlus partner emails if you aren't already subscribed. You can change your preferences or unsubscribe later.

Related: Get Access to Hidden Award Space With United Credit Cards

Our Take

United's ExtraMile promotion is worth checking, especially if you're already putting purchases on a United card. But the bonus alone isn't a reason to shift your spending.

For the example $3,000 offer, earning an extra 3,000 miles could be a useful boost if you can meet the requirement with purchases you already planned. Compare the card's regular earnings plus the bonus with the rewards you'd earn on another card, particularly for purchases that qualify for category bonuses.

Register by December 15, 2026, if you're targeted, and make sure your planned spending can reach the requirement by December 31, 2026. There's little value in chasing a bonus that requires extra purchases or means giving up more valuable rewards elsewhere.

For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: United Gateway℠ Card (Rates & Fees), United℠ Explorer Card (Rates & Fees), United Quest℠ Card (Rates & Fees), and United℠ Business Card (Rates & Fees)

Tip of The Day
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