They checked our mate; parried our thrust; upped our jig! As of now, “officially” you can only get the bonus on one card – not both. Still a fantastic deal! UPDATE (10/19/11): Readers are still reporting that they are getting bonuses on BOTH cards. If you have neither, I suggest you get Continental’s card while you can (expires 1st quarter of 2012), and revisit United’s card in 2012.
>>>>> Get Continental’s card while you can!
>>>>> Or get United’s card !!
>>>>> Transfer miles between United & Continental
Click on “Chip’s Favorite Credit Card Offers” at the top right side of this website for up-to-date deals, terms, and conditions on these cards and more. Email me if you have any questions about which card might be right for your situation.
In A Nutshell:
Continental Airlines OnePass® Plus Card
• Earn up to 40,000 bonus miles & first year free ($95 value)*
• Now with priority boarding privileges on Continental and United flights.
• Check your first bag for free on Continental and United flights, up to a $50 value.
• Visit the United Club with two complimentary passes every year, a $100 value.
• Earn 2 miles for $1 spent on tickets purchased from Continental and United and 1 mile per $1 everywhere else.
• Your miles don’t expire and there is no limit to the number of miles you can earn.
ALL-NEW United MileagePlus® Explorer Card
• Earn up to 40,000 bonus miles & first year free, a $95 value*
• Check your first bag for free on United and Continental-operated flights, up to a $50 value round trip.
• Board your flight before general boarding with priority boarding privileges.
• Visit the United Club with two complimentary day passes every year, up to a $100 value.
• Earn 2 miles for $1 spent on tickets purchased from United and Continental and 1 mile per $1 everywhere else.
• Enjoy exclusive access to once-in-a-lifetime events through Inside Access from Chase.
• Your miles don’t expire and there is no limit to the number of miles you can earn.
Video Transcript:
Welcome to ChipsMoneyTips, I’m Chip Chinery. And this is my very first Call To Action.
“Oh! Chip’s never had a call to action before. This is exciting! Why am I talking like a dumb dora from 1942?”
Okay, Huddle up.
There are ChipsMoneyTips that I suggest you do, and things I really recommend that you do, and then there are deals that are such no-brainers that I issue a Call To Action. I want you to take action now because something will not last.
Let me cut to the Chase. The Chase credit card that is! HaHaHa. Even if you already have a credit card – I’m going to tell you why I think you should take advantage of this unique card offer – which I have done it myself.
This is the easiest way to earn a slew of frequent flier miles – more than enough for a round trip ticket – FREE. I’ll also tell you how to double those frequent flier miles – free and easy. It’s a double slew.
You see, Continental and United Airlines have merged. In fact, right now until the end of 2011, you can move frequent flyer miles between your United and Continental accounts. Which normally you cannot do. No charge. If you are watching this at ChipsMoneyTips.com, click on the “transfer miles” link beneath this video and see for yourself. I digress.
At the end of 2011, Continental Airlines will cease to exist – it’ll all be United. And your Continental miles will automatically become United miles. But for now, their credit card frequent flier offers are still separate, and they’re BOTH great deals. Since you can transfer miles between airlines, in effect you are getting two great introductory promotional offers for one airline.
Because Continental is going away, here’s what I suggest you do: Sign up for the Continental Airlines credit card. If you are watching this at ChipsMoneyTips.com there is a link right beneath this video. Get the card, use it once – just one purchase – and get 25K FF miles. No minimum spending requirement. NO annual fee the first year. THIS is as easy as it gets.
If you add someone’s name as an authorized user and use that card once, you’ll get 5K more FF miles. Pay the bill and you will have 30K FF miles – more than enough for a free round trip ticket.
United has virtually the same offer as Continental. So if you dig what I’m layin down, hepcats, you could also apply for the United offer and collect yourself another 30K FF miles toute suite. Merge the miles using the transfer link and you will have 60K United or Continental miles which did not cost you a penny. Sa-weet!
Besides all the free miles for signing up and making one purchase, the cards have other great perks like free checked bags, priority boarding and free passes to the United Club. If you keep using the card to pay for stuff you buy anyway, you will get a FF mile for every dollar you spend.
In case you did not know this, a person can use his or her frequent flyer miles to get a ticket in someone else’s name for them. So, if Bobo and Tessy keep saying you should visit them in Boca Raton get them to sign up give the gift of flight by using their new free miles to have your family come visit.
Here’s the recap:
#1 – sign up for the Continental card deal. THAT is the call to action. Do that. NO brainer.
#2 – feeling a bit froggy: signup for the United card deal as well.
#3 – use your 60K FF mile for two round trip coach tickets or one first class ticket. Have you ever flown First class? It’s awesome. There’s only one thing better: flying first class – for free.
Remember, this is a Call To Action, so this is really out of our hands! Thank you for using my referral links at ChipsMoneyTips.com. Not only does that help support my blog, but that will also ensure that you sign-up for the right offers. Enjoy your flight!
Uncle Chip, are you saying that each of these cards will automatically give me 30k miles upon application and that I can transfer the continental miles to United thus netting 60000 United miles for filling out two apps? Wow, it’s like you’re a mad couponer!
You do not get the miles just for filling out applications. That way lies madness. Madness I tell ya! You must get approved and make a purchase on the cards to qualify for the miles. Pretty sweet.
Hey Chip,
Two things …
1. I got the Continental Card (when the offer was still for 50,000 miles), bought a meal, and cancelled the card. So if anybody is reading this, yes, it’s an amazing offer. If you’re wondering what’s the catch: The catch is they’re hoping you won’t cancel the card and keep spending on it. But you don’t have to – you can just cancel it after buying one small thing and paying it off. Great deal – even if it’s now down to 25,000 (or 30,000 if you apply for the added 5000 miles).
2. I think I told you I already have a United Mileage Plus card. I have to call them and find out if I can upgrade to their new card or if I have to add another United card to get the 25,000 miles. My question is do you think the card’s annual fee is worth paying just for the free baggage check-in? Unless I’m wrong, isn’t it $50 just to pay for baggage check-in on a United roundtrip flight? Seems almost worth hanging onto it just for that.
Kevin
You are correct, Kevin. United’s Checked Bag Policy is that you will get charged $25 for your first checked bag each way, so $50 round-trip. If you fly twice a year, it more than pays for itself!
-Chip
Of course, you will have a full year of earning miles and a waived annual fee with these cards, before you have to decide whether to keep them and pay the annual fee.
Reader Blake told me that he signed up for the Continental card and was approved. Then he signed up for the United card and ran into an issue. He called the number he was given during the application process. They approved his United card when he agreed to move some of the credit limit from his brand new Continental card over to the United card.
So if you happen to run into the same issue, follow through like Blake did and you will be on your way to 60,000 miles!
Do you fly on United, Continental or both? I applied for and received the United card a few weeks ago. I have not yet received the United Club day passes. Even though I made a few purchases, I haven’t seen a credit for the bonus miles either.
But my real question is this: what about baggage fees for flights booked with miles? The terms & conditions specify that tickets must be paid for using the United MileagePlus credit card. But, there is no mention of bag fees for flights you book by redeeming MileagePlus miles.
I actually have a reservation for a flight that I paid for using miles, which I made just prior to applying for the credit card. Do you have any tips on how I can ask to have my baggage fees waived?
I have not flown Continental in eons, but just flew on United. Like you I recently received my United card. No bonus miles yet. Sometimes a statement needs to be issued to trigger the miles getting released, so I will wait a few weeks.
When it comes to baggage fees, United’s CSR confirmed with me that you get the free bag, on a flight booked with miles, if you used your United Explorer Card to pay for any of the ticket – even the $10 fee that one is charged along with the miles.
Regarding the United Club passes, United’s offer details say: “Please allow 6 – 8 weeks from your credit card account anniversary date each year for delivery. To qualify for this bonus offer, your credit card account must be open and not in default at the time of fulfillment. Valid when presented at any United Club location. Each pass is valid for one (1) guest for one (1) visit. United Club representatives will retain this certificate. No cash value. Cannot be replaced if lost or stolen. All United Club membership guidelines apply. Chase Bank USA, N.A. is not responsible for offer fulfillment.”
Between Blake and I- we got 90K miles! Pretty sweet. Thanks! Also my dad got 60k miles.
Me likie !
Congrats on the national television spot, Chip! This should be the first of many, and I hope it takes CMT to the next level.
By the way, I followed your first call to action, got a free credit card, made a purchase, earned a bunch of frequent flyer miles, and used half of them to take a trip from the desert to the beach. Total ticket cost: $5.
Please keep the tips coming!