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Side-by-side

American Express Schwab Investor Card vs United Quest Card

Both are travel travel cards. The American Express Schwab Investor Card comes from American Express at $0/yr; the United Quest Card from Chase at $350/yr. Below: side-by-side specs, an opinionated verdict, and the FAQs people actually ask before applying.

Bottom line

For most people the United Quest Card is the stronger pick today, the sign-up bonus is meaningfully larger ($840 more in estimated value) than the American Express Schwab Investor Card's. Get the United Quest Card first; revisit the American Express Schwab Investor Card after you've earned that bonus.

FeatureAmerican Express Schwab Investor CardUnited Quest Card
Annual fee$0$350
Sign-up bonus10,000 Membership Rewards points70,000 miles + 500 PQP
Bonus value (est.)$110$950
Min spend to unlock bonus$1,000 in 6 mo$4,000 in 3 mo
IssuerAmerican ExpressChase
Card categorytraveltravel
Best earning category (All_purchases)1.5x1x
Transfer partnersamex-mrmileageplus
Headline benefits
  • 1.5X MR on everything
  • $0 annual fee
  • 1.0c/pt Invest with Rewards
  • Full MR transfer partners
  • 3x on United
  • $125 United credit
  • 2 free bags
  • Award rebates
Read the full review
American Express Schwab Investor Card
$0/yr · 10,000 Membership Rewards points
Read the full review
United Quest Card
$350/yr · 70,000 miles + 500 PQP

Editorial take: American Express Schwab Investor Card

The hidden gem of the Amex MR lineup for Schwab brokerage customers. Flat 1.5X MR with $0 annual fee, full transfer-partner access, AND a 1.0 cents-per-point cash-into-brokerage redemption guarantees you can always extract real cash. The catch: you need a Schwab brokerage account to apply.

Editorial take: United Quest Card

If you fly United 3+ times a year, the $125 travel credit, two free bags, and 10k miles of rebates on award flights ($100+ in direct value) make this card pay for itself.

Common questions

Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, American Express Schwab Investor Card or United Quest Card?
The United Quest Card has the bigger bonus, 70,000 miles + 500 PQP, worth roughly $950, versus 10,000 Membership Rewards points (~$110) on the American Express Schwab Investor Card.
Is the American Express Schwab Investor Card's $0 annual fee worth it compared to the United Quest Card?
The American Express Schwab Investor Card has no annual fee, so the question is whether the United Quest Card's $350 fee is justified by its perks. If you'll use enough of the United Quest Card's benefits to clear $350 in value annually, it's worth it; otherwise stick with the American Express Schwab Investor Card.
Can I have both the American Express Schwab Investor Card and United Quest Card?
Yes, since they're from different issuers (American Express and Chase) the application rules don't conflict. Many points enthusiasts hold both, they pair well when one earns flexible bank points and the other earns a different currency.
Should I get the American Express Schwab Investor Card or the United Quest Card first?
Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. American Express Schwab Investor Card: $1,000 spend in 6 months. United Quest Card: $4,000 in 3 months. Pick the easier minimum spend if you're new to points; pick the larger bonus if you have planned big purchases coming up.

Card details on this page reflect the most recent data we've verified against the issuer's own site. Sign-up bonuses and fees can change at any time, confirm the current offer on the issuer's page before applying.