In episode 47 of Miles Ahead: The Canadian Points Podcast, Daniel, Jeff, and Josh from FrugalFlyer.ca take a look at the United MileagePlus Neo World Elite Mastercard, the newest co-branded airline credit card in Canada.
Offering a low annual fee and okay earning rates, the card shines when it comes to benefits with United Airlines and, more particularly, with MileagePlus Miles redemptions on United Airlines and Star Alliance airline partners.
While they cover the additional travel benefits of the card, the hosts also share a few of their preferred MileagePlus Miles redemptions, plus how you can pool MileagePlus Miles as a household. They wrap up by discussing the secured version of the card, which can be a great option for those younger applicants who want to get involved in miles and points.
(02:51) United MileagePlus Neo World Elite Mastercard: Annual Fee & Income Requirements
The United MileagePlus Neo World Elite Mastercard has a super-low annual fee of $89, and typical World Elite Mastercard income requirements of $80,000 personal or $150,000 household.
(03:41) MileagePlus Miles Welcome Bonus Breakdown
The current welcome bonus on this card is 25,000 MileagePlus Miles, broken down into three different chunks that require getting approved for the card, spending on the card, and holding the card through the anniversary.
(05:53) Earning Rates: The Weakest Component
The weakest aspect of the United MileagePlus Neo World Elite Mastercard is the earning rates, as cardholders can earn at most 1.25 MileagePlus Miles per dollar spent when it comes to the base earning categories.
Daniel explains that through a roundabout way, you can actually have a higher effective MileagePlus Miles earning rate on the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card.
(10:00) Neo Partner Spending Multipliers
One of the stronger parts of the Neo Financial portfolio is that they have actually useful and common retailers as partners, meaning cardholders can earn even more MileagePlus Miles when spending at these partners.
(12:44) United Airlines Flying Perks
The United MileagePlus Neo World Elite Mastercard offers some great benefits when flying on United Airlines, including the first free checked bag (only for the cardholder), zone 2 priority boarding for your entire party, and a higher mileage earning rate on United Airlines tickets.
(15:54) Polaris Access & Award Flight Saver Space
Cardholders receive access to saver rate Polaris business class seats, which is a major benefit, as United flies worldwide and their Polaris class is consistently good.
- See Review: United Airlines Polaris Business Class
(19:46) United Airlines Award Flight Discounts
Cardholders also receive a 10% discount on all saver award redemptions. You can also leverage United MileagePlus Silver status (available from a status match if you have Marriott Titanium Elite status) to receive an even deeper discount as they stack.
(22:34) Nexus Credit & Insurance Coverages
The card also offers a $120 USD NEXUS credit that can be used for a new NEXUS membership or renewal, plus some insurance coverages in a variety of areas.
- Read More: NEXUS Membership Guide
(25:43) Best Ways to Redeem MileagePlus Miles
There are an endless number of flight redemptions you can make with MileagePlus Miles, but some of the hosts’ favorites are short-hops with Star Alliance partners, and international long-haul in business class on United Airlines as a result of their wide-reaching flight network.
(29:48) The Limited Downsides of the United MileagePlus Neo World Elite Mastercard
While it isn’t the perfect card that we would recommend everyone add to their wallets, it is a sleeper hit that offers excellent value for the right traveller. Paired with the lower annual fee, and often a FlyerFunds Rebate amount that is higher than the fee, it can be a great addition for those who will get value out of it.
(31:45) MileagePlus Miles Pooling & Secured Card Angle
MileagePlus Miles can be pooled as a household, so if you have multiple people in your household earning, ensure you take advantage of that feature. The United MileagePlus Neo World Elite Mastercard is also available as a secured card, so if you need a secured card, that might be an excellent fit.
(33:43) Conclusion
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