Clarification on the Continental 25,000 Mile Credit Card
Signing up for credit cards through partner links earns us a commission. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Here’s our full Advertising Policy.
Update: One or more card offers in this post are no longer available. Check our Hot Deals for the latest offers.Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook or Twitter!
I’ve received lots of email over my post suggesting that it is best to not apply for the Continental One Pass card for 25,000 miles even though that card will no longer be available in a few days.
To clarify commonly asked questionsOnce the Continental card converts to the United Explorer card (because Continental and United are merging), you will likely NOT be able to get the sign-on bonus for the United Explorer card.
That’s because Chase usually lets you get the sign-on bonus ONCE per card type. If Chase thinks you already have the United Explorer card (even though it was a converted Continental OnePass card), you run the risk of not getting the sign-up bonus on the United Explorer card.
The sign-on bonus on the United Explorer card has been 50,000 miles after your 1st purchase for most folks who have even 1 United mile in their account (very few unlucky ones don’t see the offer even with a few miles in their account).
This is a great deal and is one of the 12+ cards which have a 50,000 mile or more sign-up bonus in the Hot Deals tab.
So why sacrifice 50,000 miles from the United Explorer by applying for the Continental card with 25,000 miles? You’re also limited in the number of Chase cards which you can apply for in a year, so it doesn’t make sense to apply for a Chase card for only 25,000 miles.
Each credit card application has an opportunity cost, and applying for the 25,000 mile Chase Continental card almost certainly means fewer miles on another Chase application.
The only time when I’d recommend applying for the Chase Continental card is if you already have the United Explorer card and are willing to take a chance that the terms, which indicate that you won’t get the bonus on both the United Explorer and Chase Continental card, won’t be enforced.
A reader has been able to get the sign-up bonus on both the United Explorer and Continental OnePass card after July 19, 2011, but both were targeted offers.
Bottom Line: It is hard to let 25,000 miles slip by, but I suspect that most folks will benefit from waiting. Patience and planning always pay off.Or like me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $1,000 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
2X points on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide, eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards. For example, 80,000 points are worth $1,000 toward travel.
Get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on orders over $12 for a minimum of one year on qualifying food purchases with DashPass, DoorDash’s subscription service. Activate by 12/31/21.
Earn 5X points on Lyft rides through March 2022. That’s 3X points in addition to the 2X points you already earn on travel.
Intro APR on purchases
N/A
Regular APR
15.99%-22.99% Variable
Annual Fee
$95
Balance Transfer Fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Rates & Fees
Other
MORE INFO
Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)
Our Favorite Partner Cards
Join the Discussion!