Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier vs Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp®
Side-by-side comparison
| Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier | Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp® | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $149 | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | 15,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® miles after $500 in 3 months | |
| Dining | 2x | 1x |
| Groceries | 2x | 2x |
| Gas | 1x | 1x |
| Travel | 1x | 1x |
| Streaming | 1x | 1x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $382 | $352 |
| Points type | Locked to Southwest Rapid Rewards | Locked to American Airlines AAdvantage |
| Network | Visa | Mastercard |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified June 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
The verdict
On a typical year of household spending, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier earns about $382 a year in rewards and the Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp® about $352, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier charges $149, which you clear through its rewards and perks. The Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp® has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp® delivers more total value, about $119 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it skips the annual fee the other charges. 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 Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier currently has the larger welcome offer (a limited-time offer above its usual amount, so treat it as a one-time boost). A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier if your spending leans toward dining.