Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp® vs Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority
Side-by-side comparison
| Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp® | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | $229 |
| Welcome offer | 15,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® miles after $500 in 3 months | |
| Dining | 1x | 2x |
| Groceries | 2x | 1x |
| Gas | 1x | 2x |
| Travel | 1x | 1x |
| Streaming | 1x | 1x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $352 | $343 |
| Points type | Locked to American Airlines AAdvantage | Locked to Southwest Rapid Rewards |
| Network | Mastercard | Visa |
*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 Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp® earns about $352 a year in rewards and the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority about $343, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp® has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority charges $229, but carries about $75 in annual statement credits that offset it for anyone who uses them. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp® delivers more total value, about $200 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 Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority 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 Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp® if your spending leans toward groceries. Pick the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority if your spending leans toward dining, gas.