Neo Financial and United Airlines have announced the launch of the United MileagePlus Neo World Elite Mastercard for Canadian consumers.
Following this announcement, Canada-based Neo Financial and United Airlines have announced a co-branded credit card set to launch in April 2026. The product is expected to be issued by Neo Financial under a Mastercard licence and will link everyday card spending in Canada to United's MileagePlus loyalty programme.
The announcement marks Neo Financial's first foray into airline co-branded cards, adding to an existing product line that includes the Neo Mastercard, Neo World Mastercard, and Neo World Elite Mastercard.
Card features and eligibility
According to the announcement, as a World Elite Mastercard product, the card will carry minimum income requirements: applicants must hold a personal income of at least USD 58.492 (CAD 80.000) or a household income of at least USD 109.597 (CAD 150.000), consistent with other World Elite-tier products in the Canadian market. Annual fees and full earn rates have not yet been disclosed.
Confirmed features at launch include priority boarding and a free checked bag on eligible United flights — a benefit that represents a saving of approximately USD 35 to USD 70 per round trip — as well as accelerated miles when booking with United or other Star Alliance member carriers. Miles earned through the card can be redeemed across any Star Alliance airline, a network that includes more than 20 international carriers. Moreover, cardholders will also gain access to Neo's domestic rewards network, which spans more than 10.000 local and national partners across Canada.
To incentivise early sign-ups, Neo Financial is offering an optimised welcome package to waitlist registrants. The first 3.000 eligible customers to join the waitlist and subsequently activate the card and make a first purchase will receive an additional 5.000 MileagePlus miles on top of the standard welcome offer. Registrations for this early-bird promotion close on 25 March 2026.
Market context
Canada's co-branded airline credit card market has been concentrated around a small number of major banks and two domestic carriers. The introduction of a United Airlines card through a fintech issuer broadens the competitive landscape, offering Canadians direct access to a US-based global airline loyalty programme without routing through a traditional financial institution.
In addition, the timing of the card's launch coincides with a broader overhaul of the MileagePlus earning structure, which United has announced will take effect from 2 April 2026 and is designed to increase value for co-branded cardholders. For Neo Financial, the partnership represents a strategic move to compete in the travel rewards segment, a category that typically commands high cardholder spend and retention.
