First-year winner
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card
$216 Year 1 edge
$957 vs $741
Compare Cards
Stack up the better credit card
Compare two cards side by side with your real spend, credits, fees, and rewards.
Card A
Card B
Monthly spend
Start with spending categories
Monthly Total
$2,430/mo
Reward assumptions
Credits & benefits
Count the credits and perks you actually expect to use. Credit rows start with conservative default values; edit them for your own merchant, timing, or travel friction.
Card A
United Gateway Card
Counted benefits
$0
Credits
None
Cash-like credits counted in the model
Perks
None
Optional user-valued benefits
Perk
No Annual Fee
Other · No listed cash value
Cardmembers can earn United miles without paying a recurring annual fee.
Perk
No Foreign Transaction Fees
Other · No listed cash value
Eligible purchases made outside the U.S. do not incur foreign transaction fees.
Perk
Earn Two Checked Bags
Other · No listed cash value
Earn two checked bags on United- or United Express-operated flights after meeting the annual spend requirement.
Perk
25% Back on United Inflight Purchases
Other · No listed cash value
Receive 25% back as a statement credit on eligible United inflight food, beverage, Wi-Fi, and Club premium drink purchases.
Card B
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card
Counted benefits
$0
Credits
None
Cash-like credits counted in the model
Perks
None
Optional user-valued benefits
Perk
Preferred Rewards Upside
Other · No listed cash value
Eligible Bank of America relationship customers can unlock higher effective earnings through the issuer’s relationship-based rewards boost programs.
Perk
Alaska Airlines Travel Perks
Other · No listed cash value
The Alaska co-brand card is designed around Mileage Plan value, including airline-trip perks such as companion-style value and checked-bag savings.
Perk
No Foreign Transaction Fees
Other · No listed cash value
Eligible international purchases do not incur an added foreign transaction surcharge.
Perk
Travel Rewards Ecosystem
Other · No listed cash value
The card is designed to fit into a broader travel-rewards setup through issuer redemptions, hotel stays, flights, or travel-portal bookings.
Verdict
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature wins year 1. United Gateway wins long term.
Winner after year 1
United Gateway Card
$84 ongoing edge
$341 vs $257
Long-term breakeven: the higher-reward option needs roughly $256,500 per year in this spend mix to overcome the fee and benefit gap.
Chase
United Gateway Card
Year One
$741
Welcome offer + annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
After Year 1
$341
Annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
Annual Rewards
$341
1.17% effective return
Welcome Offer
$400
Current listed first-year bonus value
Credits + Perks
None
$0 credits + $0 perks
Bonus Spend
$1,000
3 mo window · $333/mo pace · Comfortable
Why it wins
- • Stays usable for international purchases.
Watch for
- • The points value case is thinner without transfer-partner flexibility.
Bank of America
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card
Year One
$957
Welcome offer + annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
After Year 1
$257
Annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
Annual Rewards
$352
1.21% effective return
Welcome Offer
$700
Current listed first-year bonus value
Credits + Perks
None
$0 credits + $0 perks
Bonus Spend
$3,000
3 mo window · $1,000/mo pace · Comfortable
Why it wins
- • Still delivers meaningful first-year upside from the welcome offer.
- • Stays usable for international purchases.
Watch for
- • The annual fee is harder to justify if you do not use the credits and perks consistently.
- • The points value case is thinner without transfer-partner flexibility.
Spend Mix Math
Where the value actually comes from
Category returns are based on the spend mix you entered, your point-value assumption, and the benefits you chose to count.
Dining
1x
$5,400
United Gateway
$54
1.00%
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature
$54
1.00%
Groceries
1x
$7,800
United Gateway
$78
1.00%
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature
$78
1.00%
Travel
2x
$3,000
United Gateway
$60
2.00%
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature
$90
3.00%
Gas
2x
$1,920
United Gateway
$38
2.00%
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature
$19
1.00%
General
1x
$11,040
United Gateway
$110
1.00%
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature
$110
1.00%
Total annual spend
$29,160 across this mix
United Gateway$341
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature$352
Raw Breakdown
Full side-by-side details
Use the spec table below when you want the literal field-by-field differences in rewards, benefits, transfer partners, fees, and approval profile.
| Metric | United Gateway Card | Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card |
|---|---|---|
| Costs | ||
| Annual fee | Free | $95 |
| Foreign transaction fee | None | None |
| Rewards | ||
| Gas rewards | 2x 2X miles at gas stations. | — |
| Travel rewards | 2x 2X miles on United purchases. | 3x 3x miles on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases. |
| All rewards | 1x | 1x |
| Offer | ||
| Welcome offer | Earn up to 40,000 bonus miles Earn 30,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months, plus 10,000 bonus miles after adding an authorized user in the first 3 months. | 70,000 bonus miles plus Companion Fare Companion Fare value varies. Use the issuer site for the exact current combination. |
| Benefits | ||
| Estimated benefits | 4 listed | 4 listed |
| Benefit highlights | No Annual Fee · No Foreign Transaction Fees · Earn Two Checked Bags · +1 more | Preferred Rewards Upside · Alaska Airlines Travel Perks · No Foreign Transaction Fees · +1 more |
| Profile | ||
| Credit needed | Good | Good |
| Network | — | visa |
| Reward type | Miles | Miles |
Costs
Annual fee
United Gateway Card
Free
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card
$95
Foreign transaction fee
United Gateway Card
None
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card
None
Rewards
Gas rewards
United Gateway Card
2x
2X miles at gas stations.
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card
—
Travel rewards
United Gateway Card
2x
2X miles on United purchases.
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card
3x
3x miles on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases.
All rewards
United Gateway Card
1x
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card
1x
Offer
Welcome offer
United Gateway Card
Earn up to 40,000 bonus miles
Earn 30,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months, plus 10,000 bonus miles after adding an authorized user in the first 3 months.
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card
70,000 bonus miles plus Companion Fare
Companion Fare value varies. Use the issuer site for the exact current combination.
Benefits
Estimated benefits
United Gateway Card
4 listed
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card
4 listed
Benefit highlights
United Gateway Card
No Annual Fee · No Foreign Transaction Fees · Earn Two Checked Bags · +1 more
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card
Preferred Rewards Upside · Alaska Airlines Travel Perks · No Foreign Transaction Fees · +1 more
Profile
Credit needed
United Gateway Card
Good
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card
Good
Network
United Gateway Card
—
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card
visa
Reward type
United Gateway Card
Miles
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card
Miles