Chase Freedom Rise® vs Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp®
Side-by-side comparison
| Chase Freedom Rise® | Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp® | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | $25 statement credit | 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 | Pools with Chase → transferable | Locked to American Airlines AAdvantage |
| Network | Visa | Mastercard |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified July 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
Welcome bonus and value over time
| Over time | Chase Freedom Rise® | Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp® |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | $25 statement credit | 15,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® miles |
| To earn it | Set up autopay in first 3 months | $500 in 3 months |
| Est. first-year value* | $462 | $502 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $437 | $352 |
This one splits by time horizon. In year one the Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp® is ahead by roughly $40, thanks largely to its welcome offer. But the Chase Freedom Rise® earns more every year after, so if you keep it, it overtakes the Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp® after about 1 year. Chasing the sign-up bonus and open to canceling before the second annual fee? Take the Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp®. Planning to keep it for years? The Chase Freedom Rise® pulls ahead.
*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 | Chase Freedom Rise® | Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp® |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge access | None | None |
| Annual credits | None | None |
| Points & redemptions | Transferable (paired with a premium card) | Locked to a single program |
On perks and redemptions, the Chase Freedom Rise® earns transferable points with a higher redemption ceiling, while the other is capped nearer a flat cent. Weigh those against the fee, since credits and lounge access only count if you will actually use them.
Transfer partners and point value
Only the Chase Freedom Rise® earns transferable points. Its Chase Ultimate Rewards move to World of Hyatt, United, Air Canada, Southwest, and British Airways Avios, where a point can be worth several cents on a premium-cabin redemption, far above its cash value. The Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp® stays locked to a single airline or hotel program, so its ceiling is nearer a penny per point no matter how you redeem.
Both are free and relatively easy to get, but one earns flexible cash-value points and the other American miles.
The Freedom Rise is built for new credit and earns a simple 1.5% into the Chase ecosystem. The MileUp banks AA miles on groceries and American purchases. Flexible credit-building cash vs American miles.
Pros and cons
- Approvable for people new to credit (580+)
- Flat 1.5% with no annual fee
- Builds toward the Chase ecosystem
- No fee to justify
- No category bonuses
- 1.5% starter rate
- Not an airline card
- 2x at grocery stores and on American
- A free way to earn AA miles
- No annual fee
- Zero commitment
- Miles locked to American
- Low earning outside its categories
- Not a credit-building focus
Where each one wins
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Reward type | Split | Flexible Chase points vs American miles. |
| Groceries | AA MileUp | 2x AA miles vs the Rise’s 1.5x. |
| Credit building | Freedom Rise | Built for new credit. |
| Annual fee | Tie | Both $0. |
| Best for | Depends | Credit-builders vs casual AA flyers. |
The verdict
If you’re building credit or want flexible rewards, the Freedom Rise is the better foundation, a real 1.5% into the Chase ecosystem you can grow with.
If you specifically fly American and want free miles on groceries, the MileUp does that job. Both are free, so it comes down to whether you want flexible cash-value points and credit-building (Freedom Rise) or American miles (MileUp).