Netflix Inc, which tapped into new "binge" watching habits by making all episodes available at once, unveiled the new season with a silent 12-second clip of star Kevin Spacey as President Francis Underwood ascending stairs to a plane with Robin Wright, who plays his wife, Claire.
A black presidential limousine sits on the tarmac in the background, underscoring the ruthless Underwood's new role as US president.
"House of Cards," the first online-only series to win an Emmy Award, also finds itself in the middle of a real-life political debate in Maryland over tax credits the show received as part of a production deal to film in the state.
Maryland lawmakers say the $60.2 million in tax credits given to "House of Cards" and HBO political satire "Veep" together do not produce long-term economic gains for the state, which faces a budget shortfall next year of $600 million.