United℠ Explorer vs JetBlue Card
Side-by-side comparison
| United℠ Explorer | JetBlue Card | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $150 | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | Up to 60,000 bonus miles | 10,000 bonus points after $1,000 in 90 days |
| Dining | 2x | 2x |
| Groceries | 1x | 2x |
| Gas | 1x | 1x |
| Travel | 1x | 1x |
| Streaming | 1x | 1x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $322 | $382 |
| Points type | Locked to United MileagePlus | Locked to JetBlue TrueBlue |
| Network | Visa | Mastercard |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified June 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
The verdict
On a typical year of household spending, the United℠ Explorer earns about $322 a year in rewards and the JetBlue Card about $382, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The United℠ Explorer charges $150, which you clear through its rewards and perks. The JetBlue Card has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the JetBlue Card delivers more total value, about $210 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on groceries. Neither leans on transferable points, so the deciding factors are the welcome offer, the card network, and which everyday perks you will actually use. On the sign-up bonus, the United℠ Explorer currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the JetBlue Card if your spending leans toward groceries.