Continental Airlines Presidential Plus MasterCard
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Features
Annual fee: $395
Intro Bonus: $95 statement credit after first purchase. (Note: Some people are reporting an offer with the first year completely free)
Earning: 1 mile per dollar spent
Foreign Exchange Transaction Fee: Waived
Miles can be used for travel with: Continental Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Lufthansa, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asia Air, BMI, Singapore, South African, Qantas, Emirates, Swiss, Thai, and many more.
Other benefits:
- Airport Club access: The card gives you access to all Continental, United, and US Airways airport lounges, in addition to hundreds of Star Alliance parnter lounges worldwide when travelling on a Star Alliance ticket. Typically this access alone can cost you $400 or more per year.
- Earn 1,000 Flex Elite Qualification Miles (Flex EQMs) for every $5,000 in purchases. These miles are valid to use for 3 calendar years. You can use them toward the first 75,000 qualifying miles in any given calendar year.
- First *and* second checked bag fee waived: A savings of up to $120 per roundtrip on BOTH United and Continental, for up to 2 people in your reservation.
- PremierAccess Benefits: Priority boarding on all Continental flights and priority security access at airports with PremierAccess lanes. United priority benefits are also now active.
- Hyatt Hotels Platinum status: Offering bonus points with every stay and preferred room options.
- Primary car rental insurance. Collision coverage applies without having to use your personal policy.
Our review: Good deal for non-elite, but frequent Continental/United/US Airways travelers
If airport lounge access is important to you and you frequently travel with Continental, United, or US Airways, this card gives you access to all three for one price. If you are not yet an ‘elite’ member of their programs, the first and second bag checked fee waiver is valuable — worth up to $120 per roundtrip on United or Continental, while the priority airport services give you the same shorter lines elite members enjoy.
Otherwise Continental offers the lower fee OnePass Plus MasterCard with simple mileage earning, a first checked bag fee waived on both United and Continental, priority boarding, two club passes, and similar travel protection benefits.
I have a Continental OnePass Visa card and booked my family flights using that card for payment. I logged in to print our boarding passes and pre-pay for luggage – expecting to have each member of my family receive 1 free bag and only having to pay for overages. Continental switched us to a United flight (unbeknownst to me) and United claims the card doesn’t have that benefit. Suggestions on how to resolve this? Customer service suggested I take it up with the agent at the airport.
@Jane – Is it a OnePass “Plus” card? That’s the one that gets a free checked bag for up to 2 people and is supposed to be a MasterCard. If your Chase Visa is an older OnePass card it doesn’t have the benefit, but you can request an upgrade to the card, or apply fresh.
I will be travelling to Europe this summer on Continental. I have a Presidents Plus card which I will not be using to pay for my ticket. I do have a Continental 0ne Pass number, will I be able to have 2 free baggage with Economy Flight, and do I have to show my Presidential Plus card to the ticket agent at the airport to get my FB. Also what lounges can I use at Heathrow airport with my PP card?
@Chad – Officially you’re supposed to pay with the card but some have reported the benefit is just tied to the frequent flyer number associated with the card so if that matches it may work. See here for discussion
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/united-mileageplus-consolidated/1241394-continental-president-plus-card-baggage-fee-waiver.html
On Heathrow lounges – there are several – you’re covered in most terminals there except the British Airways one.
Available lounges include Star Alliance Lounge, BMI, SkyTeam Lounge in T4, Singapore Airlines lounge, SAS Lounge, and the Air Canada Maple Leaf lounge.
Hi
I have understanding of the different benefits of the Pres Plus and Am Ex Platinum cards. I feel the Am Ex deal is useless because there is no priority access for check in & security, like the Elite Access…..why have access to great clubs if you can’t get there in a timely manner?!?! My dilemma is that I fly out of EWR to SLC, UT quite often for work, could even do JFK if needed. What card would best suit that travel as Delta is the SLC Hub and no continental flights go direct?
Thank you for your help!
@Eflyer – If this is the case, you can do almost all of your traveling on Delta. In this instance, you could apply for the Delta Reserve card and both gain access to all of the Delta lounges as well as receive priority boarding for flights. Unfortunately it does not include priority security or check in — those are benefits unique to the Continental / United card. If club access is not important to you, a Delta Gold card with a lower annual fee offers the priority boarding and free checked bag benefit as well.
http://milecards.com/1748/delta-airlines-credit-cards/
I am confused on the Flex EQMs with this Presidential Plus Card. If I were to spend $100,000 per year on this card, will I receive 20,000 flight miles that can be used toward my elite status with United and Continental? Will these Flex EQMs be added to my actual flight miles toward elite status?
I cut and pasted the following from your site:
“Earn 1,000 Flex Elite Qualification Miles (Flex EQMs) for every $5,000 in purchases. These miles are valid to use for 3 calendar years. You can use them toward the first 75,000 qualifying miles in any given calendar year.”
Can you explain this in more detail?
Many thanks for your help!!
@FG – You’re interpreting it correctly. The Flex EQMs you earn can be added to the flight miles you earn toward elite status. You choose when and how many of them to apply in any given year — they are valid to use for up to 3 years from when they are earned. So, you could spread that 20,000 flight miles as 10,000 in one year, 5,000 the following, and 5,000 in the 3rd. Or just use them all in one year. Only catch is if you’ve earned 75,000 flight miles without the credit card in a single year, you can’t use Flex EQMs that year. They don’t want you to be able to earn beyond their Platinum status using credit card earned flight miles.
I noticed a flyertalk forum that is 3 years old with testimony from Presidential Plus cardmembers who claim it was “easy” to call and get the secondary cardmember lounge access fee waived. Any idea if this is still “easy” in 2012?
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/continental-onepass-pre-merger/873641-continental-presidential-plus-world-mastercard-any-good.html
@Tyler- We don’t have any new insight into that, but say best not to consider that as something to count on year in and year out. But if you already have the card it can’t hurt to ask.
So I recently received my Chase Continental Presidential Plus card and have used it frequently. I have not had any problems, but I was curious as to when the award miles are applied to my One Pass account. I am counting on the bonus 1000 EQM (after 5000$ spent) miles to help me make Platinum Elite status. Does the bonus enter the One Pass account after the monthly pay cycle?
@Todd – Yes, the miles post on the closing date of your Chase statement to your OnePass account. Once there, you can log in to it and apply them — either to your 2011 elite mile total, or as a head start to 2012. There is some discussion in the link below.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/continental-onepass-pre-merger/1281740-what-flexible-elite-miles.html
If I get a second card (for free) will that person be eligible for lounge entry as well?
@jimbo – Unfortunately no. You’ll need to buy a separate ‘spouse’ membership to the United Club at a discounted rate of $150 per year. Here is the answer from Continental/United:
Will my spouse receive a membership as well?
No, only the primary Cardmember will receive a United Club membership. A spouse membership may be added for $150 per year by contacting the United Club Service Center at 1-800-322-2640.
Hi,
I am trying to decide whether to get this card. I do a lot of traveling abroad so the 2 bags checked for free would be very helpful, but I don’t fully understand two things:
1)If I buy a ticket with this card on a Star Alliance airline like Lufthansa, does the 2 bags checked for free not apply? Is it just for Continental and United, and not for their partners?
2)Do I have to buy my airline ticket with the Presidential Card for the 2 bags checked and access to airport lounges to apply?
Thanks so much!
@Tara On 1) it’s just for United / Continental operated flights, and on 2) no need to use the card to buy the ticket. Just use the frequent flyer number associated with the credit card to have the benefit. You’ll receive a separate standalone card for club access.
Thanks so much. Is there a better card that will help with the second bag checked than this one?
Oh, one more thing. So if you say the 2 bags are just for United/Continental flights and you buy a flight through one of their sites, will that work for the 2 bags even if the flights are other Star Alliance? Does that make sense?
@Tara — On the 2 bags — what matters for the free bag is the airline that’s flying the first flight of each direction of the trip. For example, if you’re flying Dallas to Frankfurt via Newark, with the Dallas to Newark portion flown on United/Continental, and the Newark to Frankfurt portion on Lufthansa, you get the 2 bags free because the first flight checking you in is United/Continental. But on the return if your Frankfurt to Newark is with Lufthansa, and Newark to Dallas is with United/Continental you would pay the 2nd bag fee because Lufthansa’s is the first flight in that direction.
The only cards with bag fee waivers are with the U.S. airilnes.
Will the new United Explorer Pus also include lounge memership? Currently have Presidential Plus and love it.
@ Steele We think so. They’re still actively promoting it, and recently adjusted the benefits likely to align them with the merger. Our sense is they will rename the Presidential Plus card at some point in the next several months, but keep the benefits the same as the current Presidential Plus. Only change may be that it will be a Visa instead of MasterCard.
Hi –
Don’t think I saw this addressed in the other comments:
Do these benefits:
* Airport club access
* Baggage fee waived
* Premier access
only apply when the ticket is purchased with the Presidential Plus card, or do they exist simply by being a card holder regardless of whether you purchased the ticket with the card?
Thanks!
Michael-
With this one they just tag your OnePass number as Elite Access so for example if you’re flying for work you’ll have the benefits.
Hi. I currently have a One Pass Card and consider “upgrading” to Presidental Plus.
1. If I do so, am I going to have 2 valid cards or is my One Pass card going to get replaced by Presidental Plus?
2. If I do get to keep both cards, can they both be linked to the same One Pass number so that I can earn miles for purchases on both cards?
3. Can I roll over the points that I have accumulated on my One Pass card to Presidental Plus and is there a fee?
Thank you.
Anastasiya-
1. You can keep both, though doesn’t make much sense, so just ask them to upgrade as a replacement.
2. Yes, they can be linked to the same One Pass number.
3. They all flow into the same One Pass account so no need to roll them over. Just make sure you give the same One Pass account number when you sign up for the Presidential Plus.
Is this card personal liability or corporate liability business card
Looks like it’s based on personal liability according to the terms and conditions:
http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/onepass/creditcard/chase/LGC34812.html
I just upgrade my card from one pass to presidential plus. I am planning to buy my husband the 150$ membership to the lounges as offered by the card. My question; does my husband has the following benefits by paying the extra 150$? Priority check in
- Elite security lanes
- Priority early boarding at the gate
thank you.
Iliana-
Yes, the $150 spouse membership also entitles him to the Premier Access benefits. They simply tie them to his frequent flyer number once he’s enrolled in the spouse membership. Here are the details from the airline:
“Presidential Plus Card members may purchase a Presidents Club spouse membership (that also includes the Premier Access Priority Airport Services benefit) for $150 by calling the Presidents Club Service Center at 1-800-322-2640. The validity date of the spouse membership will match that of the Cardmember’s.”
I got a Presidential Plus Card, at the same time including and getting a card for my wife. Now, I have the Continental One-Pass Card (with the Lounge access), and while my wife also has a Continental one pass number, I am not sure if she has the same amenities (standalone Lounge access). Is it only the primary cardmember that gets this? Does she get the same benefits by having a Presidential Plus Card as well?
In addition, my wife is going to Europe on Lufthansa, with FF mileage (taxes and fees paid with the Continental Presidential Plus Card) – does that qualify her to be able to get the second bag in for free? I know in Delta there is no issue with this, but normally it has been with me flying with her.
It appears that the rules really aren’t clear on either of these two subjects.
Luis- Unfortunately the free extra card for Presidential Plus doesn’t get her lounge access when travelling alone. If you are travelling with her she will receive the benefits. You can however purchase a spouse membership to the club for the discounted rate of $150 per year.
On the Lufthansa flight, the 2nd bag is always free on Lufthansa flights to and from Europe and the U.S., so no issue there regardless of the card you use.
I recently got the Continental Mastercard for Business but now would prefer to have the Presidential Plus for Business Card. Will Chase let me “upgrade” the card, or will I have to make a new application (with a new credit pull)
Steven — Chase will probably do a new credit pull as the Presidential Plus is targeted to folks with the highest of credit scores.
Just to confirm – Will this card will give me access to both Continental lounges and United Red Carpet lounges? … so I can effectively replace my Amex Platinum which I really only had for access to Continental lounges. Amex Platinum never provided access to United lounges in any case.
David – Yes, it offers access to both the Red Carpet Clubs and Continental lounges. Later this year they will all be rebranded the ‘United Club.’
If I have both cards, are you saying that Amex Platinum will cease to work at Continental/United Lounges 9/30/11?
Wonder why I wouldn”t switch to AX Premier Rewards Gold Card, isnt it cheaper?I live in Housto,n Tx so aire travel is mostly United(CON)
That’s right, Amex Plat will stop working for Continental lounges on 9/30/11. If you want to keep earning Amex points, then the Gold card is cheaper. But note Amex points can’t be transferred to Continental anymore after 9/30/11
For access to the United/Continental clubs you’ll need to either buy a standalone membership or appply for the Chase Presidential Plus MasterCard, which includes lounge access in its fee.
Hello!
I am trying to decide if getting a Continental card will be beneficial to me. We travel Continental at least once a month. Sometimes our entire family, sometimes just my husband and myself or alone. My primary reason for wanting to do this is to waive the baggage fees. Would they be waved for EVERYONE in my family, or just the card carrier? Also with the elite boarding, does that apply every time, for every person in my party? We have an AMEX platinum card, and thought that we would use that for club access, but we have yet to have enough time to find them and actually make use. I want to know if paying this fee is actually worth it.
Thanks!
Charlene-
First — yes, if you travel at least once a month and check bags it is worth it. You can waive the fees for up to 8 people as long as their travel was booked under the same reservation as the cardholder:
“Eligible customers will get their applicable checked bags free on flights operated by Continental only; codeshare flights are not eligible. The primary Cardmember’s OnePass account number must be listed in their reservation and they must pay for their tickets with their Continental Airlines Chase credit Card. Up to eight customers traveling with the eligible primary credit Cardmember will also get their applicable checked bags free if they are listed in the same reservation.”
On Elite boarding…it’s generally just for the card holder, but if you show your boarding pass (which will say Elite Access) with the rest, agents will almost always let everyone in your party use the privilege.
On lounge access…the Amex card won’t be valid for Continental lounge access after 9/30/11 so at that point it’s probably not worth the fee if your flying is usually on Continental.
Do I have to apply for a presidential Club credit card to get access into the Presidential Club Lounges or can I purchase just a membership card to allow access?
You can purchase a standalone membership to the clubs. The base rate is $475 per year plus a $50 initiation fee.
There are discounts if you are an elite level frequent flyer. Details are at this link:
http://www.continental.com/web/en-us/content/travel/airport/lounge/rates.aspx
I recently upgraded my One Pass Mastercard to Presidential Preferred. I am anxious to start using the Lounges now.
Just a quick question though-Do any of the Lounges have TVs?
I believe they should have a room with DirectTV In case I am traveling on Saturday (NCAA) or Sunday (NFL).
Thank you
Anthony
Anthony-
All of the lounges offer satellite TV. They default to news but on the weekends the games are usually on. You can ask the bartender if not.
The larger clubs also have separate TV lounges with a large screen TV and theater style seating.
I have a question . Can i get my husband in and my kids with this card or does my husband need to get one also . we have the plat. amex now , we r looking into this one . thks
Yes as long as you’re there to check into the club they will be admitted at no additional charge. This includes both the Continental Presidents Clubs as well as the United Red Carpet Clubs.
Hello MileCards,
Is this card a MasterCard? i am confused on the continental.com website.
Asides from the Elite access, what are the benefits the Presidential Plus Card vs. the OnePass Plus MasterCard?
Thanks!!
Yes it is a MasterCard. The primary additional benefit is membership to access airport clubs. It lets you access all Continental Presidents Clubs, United Red Carpet Clubs, and US Airways clubs. This membership alone typically costs $475 per year plus a $50 initiation fee.
Thanks for the enlightenment.
I recently used the Continental PP Card for travel on a three leg journey. Now that Continental and United have merged, one leg was spent traveling on United though I booked through Continental. At the United counter, they did not recognize that having used the card I would get the second bag fee waived and charged me $60. My boarding pass also lacked priority boarding. The card did work however for access to the United lounge. Upon calling the Chase PP # later to protest the $60 fee, they did agree to waive it but in future said it would not be honored for travel on United and that if I wanted to ensure that I got those benefits, to make sure I was flying only on Continental, not United. Interested to hear if others have experienced the same.
Barbara-
Thanks for sharing your experience and nice to hear Chase was helpful. Airline mergers can be confusing to customers. In this case Continental and United have announced they are merging but have yet to actually do so.
It won’t be until the Spring of 2011 that the two airlines will start to act like one according to the CEOs recent employee update. They are working on all the behind the scenes elements that need to tie together so their systems can talk.
In the mean time as you learned the Elite Access and free bag benefits will only occur when you start your trip on a Continental branded flight. Lounge access with United is a benefit that existed before the merger was announced so that is valid.
In summary your card benefits will work as if the merger was never announced until Spring 2011. After that Chase will likely migrate you to a card that offers the same or more benefits on the combined airline.
WIth Chase Continenal Presidential Plus, does the “Elite access” extend to making airline reservations on Continental, or is it only for airport priortiy access?
Lynn-
The Elite Access feature of the Presidential Plus card gives you the at-airport features of Elite Access. This includes:
- Priority check in
- Elite security lanes
- Priority early boarding at the gate
It does not include features of elite status earned by flying which include
- Complimentary space available upgrades
- Elute telephone line