Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card vs Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp®
Side-by-side comparison
| Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card | Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp® | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | 25,000 online bonus points | 15,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® miles |
| Dining | 1.5x | 1x |
| Groceries | 1.5x | 2x |
| Gas | 1.5x | 1x |
| Travel | 1.5x | 1x |
| Streaming | 1.5x | 1x |
| Everything else | 1.5x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $437 | $352 |
| Points type | Cash back only | Locked to American Airlines AAdvantage |
| Network | Visa | Mastercard |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified August 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
Welcome bonus and value over time
| Over time | Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card | Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp® |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | 25,000 online bonus points | 15,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® miles |
| To earn it | $1,000 in 90 days | $500 in 3 months |
| Est. first-year value* | $687 | $502 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $437 | $352 |
The Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card wins on both fronts: it comes out ahead in year one on the welcome offer and stays ahead every year after. Short term or long, it is the stronger pick on the numbers.
*First-year value counts the welcome bonus, estimated rewards, and annual credits, minus the annual fee; ongoing value is a typical year after. Every point at a flat 1 cent.
Perks, credits, and redemptions
| Perks | Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card | Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp® |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge access | None | None |
| Annual credits | None | None |
| Points & redemptions | Cash back only | Locked to a single program |
The two are closely matched on perks and redemptions, so the welcome offer and everyday earning above are what should decide it.
Transfer partners and point value
Neither card earns transferable points, so redemptions are cash-back or fixed portal value on both, roughly a cent per point. There is no airline or hotel transfer angle to separate them.
The verdict
On a typical year of household spending, the Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card earns about $437 a year in rewards and the Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp® about $352, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp® has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. Counting rewards and any credits, the Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card delivers more total value, about $86 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on everything else and dining. Neither leans on transferable points, so the deciding factors are the welcome offer, the card network, and which everyday perks you will actually use. On the sign-up bonus, the Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card if your spending leans toward dining, gas, travel. Pick the Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp® if your spending leans toward groceries.