American Express Green Card vs U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card
Annual fees: American Express Green Card $150/yr, U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card $0/yr. Strongest bonus categories: American Express Green Card on travel, U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card on car rentals.
Card data as of October 12, 2026.
American Express Green CardAmerican Express · $150/yr
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature CardU.S. Bank · No annual fee
Overview
- Annual fee
- American Express Green Card$150U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card$0Lowest
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- American Express Green Card40,000 pointsU.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card20,000 points
- Rewards
- American Express Green CardAmerican Express Membership RewardsU.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature CardU.S. Bank Altitude points
- Foreign transaction fee
- American Express Green CardNoneU.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature CardNone
- Network
- American Express Green CardAmerican ExpressU.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature CardVisa Signature
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Gas Stations
- American Express Green Card1xU.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card4xHighest
- Travel
- American Express Green Card3xU.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card4xHighest
- Dining
- American Express Green Card3xHighestU.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card2x
- Ridesharing
- American Express Green Card3xHighestU.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card1x
- Transit
- American Express Green Card3xHighestU.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card1x
- Grocery Stores
- American Express Green Card1xU.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card2xHighest
- Streaming
- American Express Green Card1xU.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card2xHighest
- Everything else
- American Express Green Card1xU.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card1x
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- American Express Green Card
- $100 LoungeBuddy credit
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card- $100 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck · $100 every 4 years
Perks & access— means none on record
- Lounges
- American Express Green Card—U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card
- Airport lounge access
- Hotel status & programs
- American Express Green Card—U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card
- 900+ luxury hotel properties with exclusive perks
- Other perks
- American Express Green Card
- Amex Offers
- Early access to concerts and events
- 24/7 global travel assistance
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card- 24/7 Visa Signature Concierge service
- Free unlimited international mobile data
- Zero foreign transaction fees on international purchases
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Trip insurance
- American Express Green Card
- Trip delay coverage up to $300 per trip after 12 hours
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card- Up to $2,000 trip cancellation coverage
- Up to $300 trip delay reimbursement coverage
- Baggage
- American Express Green Card
- Baggage insurance up to $1,250 for carry-on, $500 checked
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card— - Rental car
- American Express Green Card
- Car rental insurance up to $50,000 for theft or damage
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card— - Purchase & returns
- American Express Green Card
- Purchase protection up to $1,000 per item for 90 days
- Return protection up to $300 per item within 90 days
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card— - Extended warranty
- American Express Green Card
- Extended warranty adds 1 year to eligible purchases · up to $10,000
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card— - Other protections
- American Express Green Card
- Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card- 24/7 worldwide travel and emergency assistance
- 24/7 roadside dispatch assistance (pay-per-use)
Pros & cons
- Pros
- American Express Green Card
- 3X on travel, transit, and dining worldwide covers most everyday spending
- CLEAR Plus statement credit helps offset the $150 annual fee for CLEAR users
- $100 LoungeBuddy credit provides flexible airport lounge access
- No foreign transaction fees for international travel
- Made from reclaimed ocean plastic (environmentally friendly)
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card- 5X points on prepaid hotels/cars via U.S. Bank Travel Center
- 4X points on travel and gas (up to $1,000/quarter on gas)
- 2X points on dining, streaming, and groceries
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
- Cons
- American Express Green Card
- $150 annual fee is not waived first year
- No direct lounge network membership (LoungeBuddy is pay-per-use)
- CLEAR credit has limited value outside major airports
- Lower-tier welcome bonus compared to Gold or Platinum
- $35 authorized user fee adds up for multi-card households
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card- 5X rate requires booking through U.S. Bank portal
- $1,000 quarterly cap on 4X gas rewards
- Grocery/gas bonus excludes big-box stores and warehouse clubs
- Points expire after 12 months of no activity
Category-by-Category Winner
Both cards win in 3 categories each — it comes down to which categories matter most to you. 3 more categories depend on booking channel or caps.
Travel
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card earns 4X vs 3X
Transit
American Express Green Card earns 3X vs 1X
Dining
American Express Green Card earns 3X vs 2X
Ridesharing
American Express Green Card earns 3X vs 1X
Car Rentals
Depends: via the Altitude Rewards Center
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card earns 5X when conditions are met; American Express Green Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Hotels
Depends: via the Altitude Rewards Center
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card earns 5X when conditions are met; American Express Green Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Gas Stations
Depends: up to $1,000/quarter
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card earns 4X when conditions are met; American Express Green Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Streaming
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card earns 2X vs 1X
Grocery Stores
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card earns 2X vs 1X
Year One vs Ongoing Value
Modeled net value (bonus categories at unconditional rates, caps applied). Spend mix: dining 15%, groceries 15%, gas 10%, travel 10%, everything else 50%. Statement credits use the same recurring usable estimates as each card's detail page; first-year-only credits count in year one only. Welcome offers valued at each card's program rate shown on this page.
The better card depends on how much you spend.
| Scenario | American Express Green Card | U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $270 Credits (our usable estimate): $60 − Annual fee ($150) Ongoing: $180 Year one: $780 | Rewards: $192 Credits (our usable estimate): $25 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $217 Year one: $417 | U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card | American Express Green Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $1,080 Credits (our usable estimate): $60 − Annual fee ($150) Ongoing: $990 Year one: $1,590 | Rewards: $768 Credits (our usable estimate): $25 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $793 Year one: $993 | American Express Green Card | American Express Green Card |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The American Express Green Card costs $150/yr — that's $150 more than the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card (no annual fee). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $150 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
The American Express Green Card includes lounge access. Those perks are not included in the earn-rate scenario table above — compare their dollar value to the $150 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $150 fee gap means the American Express Green Card needs roughly $150 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on travel and transit and everyday spend.
What You Give Up
Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.
Choosing American Express Green Card means losing:
- -Global Entry credit
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card if you:
- +Do most of your spending at grocery stores
The Bottom Line
The better card depends on how much you spend.
Published annual fees: American Express Green Card $150/yr, U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card $0/yr — a $150 difference before welcome offers and credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the American Express Green Card worth the higher annual fee?
- The American Express Green Card costs $150/yr vs $0/yr for the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $150 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use (the American Express Green Card also lists lounge access).
- Which card earns more rewards, the American Express Green Card or U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card?
- Both cards earn 1X on everyday purchases. The difference is in bonus categories — check the earn rate comparison above for a full breakdown.
- What benefits does the American Express Green Card have that the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card doesn't?
- The American Express Green Card offers lounge access. The U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card offers lounge access.
- Should I get the American Express Green Card or the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card has a lower $0/yr fee; the American Express Green Card must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $150/yr.
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published October 12, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.