United℠ Gateway vs Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp®
Side-by-side comparison
| United℠ Gateway | Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp® | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | Up to 40,000 bonus miles | 15,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® miles |
| Dining | 1x | 1x |
| Groceries | 1x | 2x |
| Gas | 2x | 1x |
| Travel | 1x | 1x |
| Streaming | 1x | 1x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $320 | $352 |
| Points type | Locked to United MileagePlus | 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 | United℠ Gateway | Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp® |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | Up to 40,000 bonus miles | 15,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® miles |
| To earn it | $1,000 in 3 months | $500 in 3 months |
| Est. first-year value* | $720 | $502 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $320 | $352 |
This one splits by time horizon. In year one the United℠ Gateway is ahead by roughly $218, thanks largely to its welcome offer. But the Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp® earns more every year after, so if you keep it, it overtakes the United℠ Gateway after about 8 years. Chasing the sign-up bonus and open to canceling before the second annual fee? Take the United℠ Gateway. Planning to keep it for years? The Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp® 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 | United℠ Gateway | Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp® |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge access | None | None |
| Annual credits | None | None |
| Points & redemptions | Locked to a single program | 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 United℠ Gateway earns about $320 a year in rewards and the Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp® about $352, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The United℠ Gateway 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 Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp® delivers more total value, about $31 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on groceries. 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 United℠ Gateway currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the United℠ Gateway if your spending leans toward gas. Pick the Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp® if your spending leans toward groceries.