(Update 2/23/12: The Continental/United Airlines merger is almost complete, and the last official Continental flight taking off on March 2nd. The new company will be called United, so this Continental Airlines OnePass Plus Card will no longer be available as of the end of February (March 1st). This is your last chance to grab the 30,000 mile sign-up bonus if you’ve never had a Continental card before. “This one-time bonus offer is valid only for first-time Continental Airlines personal cardmembers with new accounts. Previous and existing Continental Airlines personal cardmembers/accounts are not eligible for this bonus offer.”
Note that the application for the United Explorer Card says that “United MileagePlus Explorer cardmembers will only receive one 25,000 bonus miles award if they apply for both the United Explorer Card and the Continental OnePass Plus Card after 7/19/2011.” This isn’t mentioned on the Continental application. If you only have the older United non-Explorer card, you should still be able to get the Continental bonus.)
The new Continental Airlines OnePass Plus Card from Chase has improved their sign-up incentive to include 30,000 free miles and a pretty nice mix of perks for travelers.
Sign-Up Bonus: Free Flight
- 25,000 Bonus Miles after first purchase (no minimum amount) for first-time Continental Airlines personal Cardmembers. That’s enough already for one free roundtrip airfare within the continental US.
- 5,000 More Bonus Miles for adding an authorized user to your account. This is another easy one to get. Remember, just because you add someone doesn’t mean you have to give them the card. 😉
- No annual fee the first year. The regular annual fee is $95, but is waived the first year.
- If you spend $25,000 on the card annually, you’ll get another 10,000 bonus miles. Since you earn 1 miles per $1 spent as well, this works out to 1.4 miles/dollar when you reach that mark.
Travel Perks
- Free checked bag. If you fly on Continental, you and a companion will each get your first checked bag for free. That’s a savings of $50 roundtrip, per person.
- Primary rental car insurance. Almost all personal credit cards only offer secondary rental car insurance, which means you have to file a claim with your own auto insurance first, which means you have to pay the deductible and possibly face higher future premiums. With primary collision damage waiver (CDW) even for personal use, you get coverage for damage or theft without having to make a claim.
- Additional travel insurance that isn’t on all cards, like trip cancellation insurance up to $1500 for a illness with doctor’s note , delayed baggage coverage up to $300 if you have baggage delayed more than 18 hours and need to buy items to get by.
- If you decide to keep this card past the first year, you’ll get two free passes to their First-Class airport lounge.
As you may have heard, Continental and United are merging, and the resulting airline is supposed to have the name United. Here’s a chance to rack up some miles that will eventually merge together.
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I must say this card sounds like it has some great perks to it…I was going to apply for the sapphire but now I may just go with this card. Im just worried about what will happen when they do merge.
I just got the ambigous “we’ll let you know in ten days” response to my application. Not a good sign, almost certain denial. Only once did I get approved after this sort of instant response. I literally JUST redeemed my bonus 25,000 sapphire points for a 250.00 check (SECOND TIME I RECEIVED THIS BONUS), and I also just recently closed a british airways card which I received 100,000 bonus miles from. Also have been denied recently several times trying to apply for the chase freedom card (has 100.00 bonus). Anyway I want the miles but it’s not looking likely for me. 🙁
Dang, I waded through the blog last weekend to find the old promotion and applied….I will have to wait and see if they give me the old offer or the new one….I really like the miles plus cash offer….must get the DW to apply for it.
The $50 statement credit is no longer part of the offer.
Yes, you are correct the $50 statement credit was dropped around July 20th. By the way, there is also a new United card with similar features, as the two are merging soon:
United MileagePlus Explorer card
I would like to take advantage of this offer before it disappears but according to this article, this card will eventually be converted into a United MileagePlus Explorer card. Does that mean that I would lose the potential bonus for that card if I havn’t already gotten it?
https://www.mymoneyblog.com/new-chase-united-mileageplus-explorer-card-40000-bonus-miles-improved-benefits.html
Does this still have language that excludes you from getting the Mileage Plus bonus, as well. If I recall sometime back last year they added that restriction to both cards, that you could only get one bonus between the two
Aha… The application for the United Explorer Card says that “United MileagePlus Explorer cardmembers will only receive one 25,000 bonus miles award if they apply for both the United Explorer Card and the Continental OnePass Plus Card after 7/19/2011.” This isn’t mentioned on the Continental application at all which seems like a curious omission.
So, if you only have the older United non-Explorer card that you applied for before 7/19/11 (when they announced the new Explorer card), you should still be able to get the Continental bonus. If you already have the Explorer card *first* and then apply for the Continental card, you might get the bonus, given there is no language otherwise on the Continental card. But if you don’t have any United card as of today, you will probably only be able to get one bonus for either card.