The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card is the better choice if you’re indifferent between Alaska Airlines or American Airlines. It offers 3X miles on Alaska Airlines purchases and a Companion Fare. However, the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card is a strong contender for those seeking no annual fee and rewards on groceries, making it a budget-friendly option.
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card
vs. American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card
Updated: October 28, 2024
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Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card
On Issuer's Site
On Issuer's Site
Who Alaska Airlines Signature Is Best For
The Alaska Airlines Signature card is better for frequent Alaska Airlines travelers who can take advantage of the Companion Fare and free checked bags. It offers 3X miles on Alaska Airlines purchases, making it a strong choice for those who often fly with the airline. However, it may not be suitable for those who don't travel frequently with Alaska Airlines or prefer a no-annual-fee card.
Who AA MileUp Is Best For
The AA MileUp card is better for individuals who want to earn American Airlines miles without paying an annual fee. It's particularly appealing for those who frequently shop for groceries, as it offers 2X miles on these purchases. However, due to its foreign transaction fees, it may not be the best choice for international travelers. Additionally, it lacks some travel perks like free checked bags and priority boarding, which might be important for frequent flyers.
Head-to-Head Comparison: Card Details and Features
A point-by-point comparison helps you see how each card aligns with your needs. For instance, if you spend heavily on groceries, the AA MileUp card offers 2X miles, while the Alaska Airlines Signature card focuses on 3X miles for Alaska Airlines purchases.
Regular APR: Tie
Both cards offer the same APR starting at 20.74% but slightly differ in the maximum APR rate.
Annual Fee: AA MileUp
AA MileUp is better for the annual fee, as it has no annual fee compared to Alaska Airlines Signature's $95 fee. This makes AA MileUp more appealing to budget-conscious consumers who prefer to avoid annual charges.
Introductory 0% APRs: Tie
Neither the Alaska Airlines Signature nor the AA MileUp card offers an introductory 0% APR on purchases or balance transfers, making them equal in this aspect.
Rewards: Alaska Airlines Signature
The Alaska Airlines Signature card is better for rewards, offering 3X miles on Alaska Airlines purchases and 2X on gas and other categories. In contrast, the AA MileUp card provides 2X miles on groceries and American Airlines purchases.
Welcome Offers: Alaska Airlines Signature
Alaska Airlines is better for welcome offers, providing 60,000 bonus miles and a companion fare after spending $3,000 in 90 days. In contrast, AA MileUp offers 15,000 bonus miles for $500 spent in three months. Alaska Airlines is more rewarding despite the higher spending requirement.
Recommended Credit Score: Alaska Airlines Signature
Alaska Airlines Signature is better for recommended credit scores, accepting a range from 670 to 850. In contrast, AA MileUp requires a higher score of 740 to 850, limiting eligibility to those with excellent credit.
Penalties and Fees: Alaska Airlines Signature
Alaska Airlines Signature is better for penalties and fees. It has no foreign transaction fees and slightly lower late fees than AA MileUp, which charges 3% on foreign transactions and has a higher late fee.
Issuer Satisfaction: Alaska Airlines Signature
The Alaska Airlines Signature card is better for issuer satisfaction. Its issuer, Bank of America, has a higher rating of 4.5 than Citibank's 4.1 for the AA MileUp card.
Card Benefits: Alaska Airlines Signature
Alaska Airlines Signature is better for card benefits, offering perks like a companion fare and free checked bags, which are valued significantly higher than AA MileUp's inflight savings.
Rewards Comparison
The AA MileUp card offers a slightly better rewards value than Alaska Airlines Signature due to its higher unit value of AAdvantage miles, valued at approximately 1.6 cents. This makes it more rewarding for general spending, especially for those who frequently shop for groceries.
However, the Alaska Airlines Signature card provides a broader range of bonus categories, including gas, EV charging, cable, streaming services and local transit. This can be advantageous for users with diverse spending habits who can maximize these categories.
The table below presents the specific reward categories for each card, allowing you to easily compare and decide which card best suits your spending patterns.
Category | Alaska Airlines Signature | AA MileUp |
|---|---|---|
Alaska Airlines purchases | 3X miles | 1X mile |
American Airlines purchases | 1X mile | 2X miles |
Groceries | 1X mile | 2X miles |
Gas | 2X miles | 1X mile |
EV Charging | 2X miles | 1X mile |
Internet & Cable | 2X miles | 1X mile |
Streaming Services | 2X miles | 1X mile |
Transit | 2X miles | 1X mile |
All Other Purchases | 1X mile | 1X mile |
Redeeming Rewards
Alaska Airlines Signature miles can be redeemed for flights on Alaska Airlines and oneworld Alliance members. It has no blackout dates and no expiration. In contrast, AA MileUp miles offer broader redemption options, including flights, upgrades, car rentals and hotel stays. However, it requires activity every 18 months to avoid expiration. The flexibility of AA MileUp's redemptions may appeal to those seeking diverse travel options.
Card Benefits Comparison
The Alaska Airlines Signature card offers superior perks, especially for travelers flying with companions. Its Companion Fare and free checked bags provide substantial savings. The AA MileUp card, although offering inflight savings and loyalty points, lacks the high-value perks of its counterpart. Frequent travelers may find more value in the Alaska Airlines Signature card.
Alaska Airlines Signature Perks
Travel Perks
- Free checked first bags for you and up to six guests on the same booking
- Priority boarding
Credits & Discounts
- 20% back on all Alaska Airlines inflight purchases
- $100 off an annual Alaska Lounge+ membership
All Other Perks
- Buy one ticket, get one for just the taxes and fees
- Companion Fare each account anniversary
AA MileUp Perks
Status
- Earn one loyalty point for every eligible mile spent
Credits & Discounts
- 25% savings on inflight food and beverage purchases on American Airlines flights
All Other Perks
- No limit to the number of AAdvantage® miles you can earn
FAQ: Alaska Airlines Signature vs. AA MileUp
What are the annual fees for these cards?
The Alaska Airlines Signature card has a $95 annual fee, while the AA MileUp card has no annual fee.
How do the rewards programs differ?
The Alaska Airlines Signature card offers 3X miles on Alaska Airlines purchases. The AA MileUp card offers 2X miles on groceries and American Airlines purchases.
What credit score is needed for each card?
The Alaska Airlines Signature card requires a good to excellent credit score (670 to 850), while the AA MileUp card requires an excellent credit score (740 to 850).
Are there foreign transaction fees?
The Alaska Airlines Signature card has no foreign transaction fees, while the AA MileUp card charges a 3% fee on foreign transactions.
What are the introductory offers?
The Alaska Airlines Signature card offers 60,000 bonus miles plus a Companion Fare after spending $3,000 in the first 90 days. The AA MileUp card offers 15,000 bonus miles after spending $500 in the first three months.
Methodology
MoneyGeek's scoring process evaluates each card based on multiple use cases, ensuring the scores reflect the cards' strengths. In this comparison, the scores shown represent the best performance of each card in the "Airline" category. Several factors determine this score:
- Expected value for travelers: Measures the monetary value of rewards and perks minus the annual fees for frequent travelers.
- Airline scope: Rates the number of destinations the airline flies to, which helps inform the breadth of travel options for the airline program.
- Introductory offer ROI value: Assesses the return on investment (ROI) from the card's sign-up bonus.
- Airline rewards rate for travelers: Evaluates the rewards earned on airline expenditures for frequent travelers.
- Issuer satisfaction: Based on customer satisfaction ratings from studies like J.D. Power.
- Foreign transaction fees: Rates the card's fees for international transactions.
- Recommended credit: Indicates the credit score range required for approval.
For more details on our scoring process, review our ranking methodology.
About Doug Milnes, CFA
Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.
Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.
*Rates, fees or bonuses may vary or include specific stipulations. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting/last updated date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. We recommend visiting the card issuer’s website for the most up-to-date information available.
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses and recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. Learn more about our editorial policies and expert editorial team.
Advertiser Disclosure: MoneyGeek has partnered with CardRatings.com and CreditCards.com for our coverage of credit card products. MoneyGeek, CardRatings and CreditCards.com may receive a commission from card issuers. To ensure thorough comparisons and reviews, MoneyGeek features products from both paid partners and unaffiliated card issuers that are not paid partners.