United℠ Explorer℠ Card annual-fee breakeven
In a general scenario (default spend mix + every catalog credit used in full), the United℠ Explorer℠ Card ($150 annual fee) is worth credits $430 + incremental earn $19.20 = $449.20 in year 1, or $299.20 after the fee.
Key Takeaways
General-scenario verdict: Worth keeping
Using every catalog credit in full already covers the fee. On earn alone, the breakeven is $300,000 a year of spending in the same mix.
Annual fee: $150 · Credits /yr: $430 · Incremental earn /yr: $19.20
Year-1 value: $449.20 · After fee: $299.20
Worth keeping
Catalog credits (annualized)
| Credit | Cycle | Per period | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Hotels credit $100/yr (2×$50) | annually | $100 | $100 |
| Rideshare credit $60/yr ($5/month) | annually | $60 | $60 |
| Avis/Budget TravelBank $50/yr (2×$25) | annually | $50 | $50 |
| Instacart credit $120/yr ($10/month, through 2027-12-31) | annually | $120 | $120 |
| JSX credit $100/yr | annually | $100 | $100 |
Incremental earn on the default spend mix
| Spend category | Monthly spend | Earn rate | Point value | Incremental /yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dining | $400 | 2x (category rate) | 1.2c | $19.20 |
| Groceries | $600 | 1x (everything rate) | 1.2c | $0 |
| Gas (personal) | $150 | 1x (everything rate) | 1.2c | $0 |
| General travel | $300 | 1x (everything rate) | 1.2c | $0 |
| Flights | $150 | 1x (everything rate) | 1.2c | $0 |
| Amazon · Whole Foods | $200 | 1x (everything rate) | 1.2c | $0 |
| Drugstores | $100 | 1x (everything rate) | 1.2c | $0 |
| Everything else | $1,000 | 1x (category rate) | 1.2c | $0 |
| Office | $200 | 1x (everything rate) | 1.2c | $0 |
| Shipping · Ads | $100 | 1x (everything rate) | 1.2c | $0 |
How this is calculated
Each default-spend category's earn rate times the card's point value, minus a 2% baseline, floored at $0 per category, summed over the monthly mix. Credits are catalog face values annualized. Same math as the renewal analysis; a general-scenario estimate, not your own wallet.
FAQ
What is the breakeven point?
The spending level where the card's year-1 value (credits + incremental earn) equals its annual fee.
Why compare against a 2% card?
A no-fee 2% card is the baseline. Incremental earn shows how much more this card earns than that baseline, using the same math as the renewal analysis.
Is using every credit realistic?
No -- full use is the maximum. Recompute with only the credits you actually use for a breakeven that fits you.
Sources
- Every figure is computed at request time from the DanHana catalog (annual fee, credits, earn rates, point values). When the catalog changes, this page changes too.
Page updated: November 3, 2026
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