topic Re: Chase United - Upgrade Quest to Club in Credit Cards

Chase United - Upgrade Quest to Club

SKBirdmind — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 15:54:01 GMT

And now, for a subject that's not purely about card aesthetics...yes, I still care.

Who here has upgraded (NOT downgraded) a United Visa before? My Quest has very much become a daily driver - so why not make it a Club and get lounge access, 4x on United, and the same 2x on dining. I don't think I'll spend enough on United flights to get Premier Silver again next year, but since the Club card gets you Premier Access (boarding, check-in, luggage, etc.) by itself - the $525 annual fee is actually a fraction of the cost associated with spend towards getting "free" elite status. A sign of the times, I suppose.

The lovely Chase rep I spoke with said I am welcome to do so, after the card's 1st anniversary (a month from now). I would keep my card number and credit limit, just a new expiration and 3 x digit code. Right? The annual fee structure was less clear, as she said I would get billed the Quest's $250 in October. If I waited to upgrade until after that...would they just bill me the difference of $275? Since it hasn't been a full year yet, I haven't gotten my annual $125 United purchase credit either - again not until September, if I understand. I can still get this credit, and just wait to upgrade until after it posts?

Lord only knows why I can't get approved for any meaningful line of credit right now (short of asking a toucan in the rainforest reciting Mother Goose poems), so in a way this feels like a good workaround.

Re: Chase United - Upgrade Quest to Club

swankytiger — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 16:46:39 GMT

I upgraded my United Gateway to the Club earlier this year, on 4/19, which was the day after the card was 1 year old. You have to wait until the next date after the anniversery, not the 366th day since it is a leap year.

I just got charged the AF on 8/1.(they only charge the annual fee on the first day of a month) so I assume you would pay the annual fee for the quest and they would prorate that amount off the AF of the club whenever it posts.

Also I was sent a physical United Club membership card as I have no status and some Asian lounges require that if you dont have Star Alliance Gold.

Dont forget the Club card requires a $15k limit iirc, it is more than the $10k minimum of the other Chase Visa Infinite cards.

Re: Chase United - Upgrade Quest to Club

SKBirdmind — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 17:02:21 GMT

15 GRAND?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! If I had pockets that deep, I wouldn't even be posting to these forums!

Your timeframe and understanding pretty much agrees with with what I was told - 366 (...367?) x days since account was opened, annual fee only on 1st of month, etc. Club membership card would be cool! Seems like everyone wants those loaded on cell phones these days...

By the way - do I see you have the "new" United Visa currently shown on both Chase and United's websites? I started a thread on that over in SmorgasBoard...would love your feedback there as well, if not too much trouble.

Re: Chase United - Upgrade Quest to Club

swankytiger — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 18:56:44 GMT

Yes I have the new united club card with the new design

Re: Chase United - Upgrade Quest to Club

PullingMeSoftly — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 19:22:22 GMT

@SKBirdmind I upgraded from an Explorer to the Club a few years ago, and find it to be a very valuable card, especially for those without United status. As you mentioned, only the exp date and security code changed, but otherwise same card number & limit. At the time, I waited a month or two after I paid my annual fee on the Explorer. When I requested the upgrade, they pro-rated the Explorer AF and refunded that back. The Club's $525 AF didn't post for a while after that (about 3-4 months later).

Premier Access has been great, including being able to use the check-in lines, which has saved my bacon on a couple occasions when we were late. SFO and Mexico City Clubs have been nice and worth it for my family, and the priority baggage handling came in clutch on a recent trip where we were able to grab our bags first and dip before the horde around the carousel. We've also used our $75 IHG credit each year and have received suite upgrades twice (in Mexico) from the plat status.

Re: Chase United - Upgrade Quest to Club

check102 — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 02:14:03 GMT

if there's no risk to your credit profile, why not just go ahead and apply for a United Club card separately and get the signup bonus, and cancel your Quest card as soon as the annual fee hits? Unless you don't want more inquiries or new accounts reporting, or if you are past Chase 5/24, or if you already have too many cards with Chase, that seems like the more sensible route to not leave the signup bonus off the table.

Re: Chase United - Upgrade Quest to Club

coldfusion — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 09:37:38 GMT

@swankytiger wrote:

Dont forget the Club card requires a $15k limit iirc, it is more than the $10k minimum of the other Chase Visa Infinite cards.

You remember right - minimum $15K SL for the Club card although it was also $15K back when it was being issued as a Visa Signature card.

Re: Chase United - Upgrade Quest to Club

SKBirdmind — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 18:11:47 GMT

@PullingMeSoftly wrote:
I upgraded from an Explorer to the Club a few years ago, and find it to be a very valuable card, especially for those without United status. [...]

Thanks for sharing your experience, PullingMeSoftly - exactly what I'm looking for. It sounds like I have the right idea here (especially when it comes to annual fees, and the like). Was it as simple as a phone call to customer service to get upgraded, and did you have to do a credit check or anything? You hit pretty much all of the benefits I would absolutely take advantage of, not even counting the lounge! United has a Club at their small outstation where I live, of all places. Totally with you on how the Premier Access agent check-in is huge (have that as a Silver right now) - and I absolutely love not having to flutz with kiosks, sheep-herders, or self-tagging. I've definitely had a few close calls, as well...heh. Bags coming out quickly with red priority tags are downright marvelous!

@check102 wrote:
if there's no risk to your credit profile, why not just go ahead and apply for a United Club card separately and get the signup bonus, and cancel your Quest card as soon as the annual fee hits?

See Point 1 in my initial post - my Existential Credit Crisis as if it were carefully etched into a marble edifice, granite column, or tombstone. I didn't think you could qualify for multiple Chase United bonuses, anyways. It took a lot to get my Quest denial overturned - explanations why I filed bankruptcy years ago, clarifications to my credit history, why I deserve to be a customer, habits I've changed post-bankruptcy, the whole 9.

@coldfusion wrote:
You remember right - minimum $15K SL for the Club card although it was also $15K back when it was being issued as a Visa Signature card.

15 GRAND...that's going to be rough on it, though!!!

Re: Chase United - Upgrade Quest to Club

SKBirdmind — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 18:22:56 GMT

Well, I'm eligible for an upgrade.

However - as of this writing I haven't received my annual Quest benefits = $125 United purchase credit, and 2 x 5,000 mile bonuses for redeeming award travel. My last statement confirms I'll be charged the annual fee on October 1, but what about the others? If I upgrade it today, would I lose those benefits since they haven't posted yet? I think Chase didn't understand me correctly, especially since so many agents are offshore. "Hold while I check while I check on that for you - no, I have confirmed those benefits are not offered with the Club Infinite." Grrr - no, no... I called United MileagePlus, but they had no idea and just transferred me to Chase before I could barely finish the question. I'm pretty sure I got my $125 purchase credit on the 1st statement last year, since it included United travel.

Anyone experienced this or know how to tackle it?