Compare the Features and Benefits of American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® and
Instacart Mastercard® Credit Card

For occasional travelers that fly American Airlines and are looking to earn miles with the airline, then the AAdvantage® MileUp card could be a solid option.

And while you might not think about this card if you are already an American Airlines elite traveler, you may find the bonus categories more beneficial than the $99 fee Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite MasterCard since you already have the additional benefits like free checked bags and priority boarding via your status.

This beginner-friendly card, with no annual fee, is ideal for those who don’t travel often enough to justify a more expensive, premium card.

The AAdvantage® MileUp also has a competitive 2X bonus category rate at grocery stores (including grocery delivery services) and eligible American Airlines purchases.

And remember, all base miles earned via spend on this card count as Loyalty Points towards AAdvantage® status.

In addition, you’ll get 25% off inflight food and beverage purchases and there’s no mileage cap on the card. American Airlines miles can be used on over 1,000 worldwide destinations, as you can use them for American Airlines, American Eagle and any Oneworld alliance or non-alliance partner airlines.

However, there are some significant downsides to consider as well. While this is an airline-specific card, the MileUp card doesn’t include many airline perks, such as a free checked bag perk or preferred boarding. In addition, there’s a relatively modest welcome bonus and the card charges a foreign transaction fee (so you won’t want to use this card abroad).

And if you do fly American Airlines (and Oneworld partner airlines or JetBlue) more than a couple of times per year, but are not elite already, there are some better options out there, including those from American Airlines. That includes the mid-tier Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard, offering the first checked bag free, and the premium Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard, offering Admirals Club lounge access.

This card is designed for heavy Instacart uses. Much like the Amazon credit card only makes sense if you spend a ton at Amazon, the Instacart credit card only makes sense if you already spend a ton at Instacart as the 5% back will add up – and it’s a no annual fee credit card.

If you are looking for a powerful card for all supermarket purchases, you’d be much better off with one of our top credit cards for supermarkets like the American Express Gold Card, which earns 4X Membership Rewards at supermarkets, up to $25,000 a year (earn 1X thereafter).

But if you are loyal to Instacart, this card is worth considering.

It is a World Elite Mastercard, so it does come with some additional benefits as well.

Additional Benefits include:

• World Elite Concierge
• Baggage Delay Insurance
• Extended Warranty Protection
• Purchase Protection
• Lost Luggage Reimbursement
• Travel Accident Insurance
• Roadside Assistance
• Secondary Car Rental Collision Damage Waiver coverage

Overall, if you are a huge Instacart user, this card is worth it for the 5% back on all your purchases. But if you aren’t, you might find a better card for your spend in our Famous Card Explorer.