The Platinum Card from American Express vs U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card
Annual fees: The Platinum Card from American Express $895/yr, U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card $0/yr. Strongest bonus categories: The Platinum Card from American Express on hotels, U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card on car rentals.
Card data as of November 13, 2026.
The Platinum Card from American ExpressAmerican Express · $895/yr
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature CardU.S. Bank · No annual fee
Overview
- Annual fee
- The Platinum Card from American Express$895U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card$0Lowest
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- The Platinum Card from American ExpressAs high as 175,000 points — offers varyU.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card20,000 points
- Rewards
- The Platinum Card from American ExpressAmerican Express Membership RewardsU.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature CardU.S. Bank Altitude points
- Foreign transaction fee
- The Platinum Card from American ExpressNoneU.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature CardNone
- Network
- The Platinum Card from American ExpressAmerican ExpressU.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature CardVisa Signature
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Flights
- The Platinum Card from American Express5xHighestU.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card1x
- Electric Vehicle Charging
- The Platinum Card from American Express1xU.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card4xHighest
- Gas Stations
- The Platinum Card from American Express1xU.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card4xHighest
- Travel
- The Platinum Card from American Express1xU.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card4xHighest
- Dining
- The Platinum Card from American Express1xU.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card2xHighest
- Grocery Stores
- The Platinum Card from American Express1xU.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card2xHighest
- Streaming
- The Platinum Card from American Express1xU.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card2xHighest
- Hotels
- The Platinum Card from American Express1xU.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card1x
- Everything else
- The Platinum Card from American Express1xU.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card1x
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $600 lodging credit
- $250 Airbnb Experiences credit
- $219 CLEAR Plus credit
- $200 airline credit
- $120 Global Entry or up to $85 TSA PreCheck / 4 years · $120 every 4 years
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card- $100 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck · $100 every 4 years
- Rideshare & transit
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $200 Uber Cash
- $120 Uber One credit
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card— - Dining & delivery
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $400 Resy credit
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card— - Entertainment & streaming
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $300 streaming credit
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card— - Shopping & wellness
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $300 Equinox credit
- $300 Lululemon credit
- $200 Oura Ring credit
- $155 Walmart+ credit
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card—
Perks & access— means none on record
- Lounges
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- Airspace Lounge access at US airports with 2 guests
- 26 Centurion Lounges worldwide with premium dining
- 10 Delta Sky Club visits per year when flying Delta
- Escape Lounge access at US airports with food and beverages
- International Amex Lounges at select global airports
- Global Lounge Collection with 1,550+ airport lounges
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- Lufthansa Business Lounge access on Lufthansa Group
- Plaza Premium Lounge access at airports with Global Lounge
- Priority Pass Select with 1,300+ lounges globally
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card- Airport lounge access
- Hotel status & programs
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- Hilton Gold with 80% bonus points and breakfast
- Leaders Club Sterling Status at Leading Hotels
- Marriott Gold with 25% bonus points and upgrades
- Fine Hotels + Resorts: $100 credits and upgrades
- Hotel Collection access with room upgrades and credits
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card- Breakfast for 2, upgrades and VIP status at luxury hotels
- Airline perks
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- Platinum Member Airfares, 10% average premium savings
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card— - Car rental
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- Elite status with Hertz, National, Avis for upgrades
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card— - Other perks
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- Amex Offers
- 24/7 premium travel assistance with medical transport
- Premium Events Collection™
- Early access to concerts and events
- 24/7 Platinum Concierge for travel and lifestyle help
- Free expedited card replacement in 24-48 hours worldwide
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- Entertainment access with exclusive presales and VIP events
- No foreign transaction fees on international purchases save
- Roadside assistance with up to 4 service calls per year
- Platinum Nights by Resy
- Platinum Travel Service
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
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $10,000 trip cancellation coverage per covered trip
- $500 trip delay Cover for delays exceeding 6 hours
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card- Up to $2,000 trip cancellation coverage
- Up to $300 trip delay reimbursement coverage
- Baggage
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $3,000 baggage insurance for lost or damaged bags
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card— - Rental car
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $100,000 primary rental car coverage for $20-$25/rental
- $75,000 car rental loss and damage insurance
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card— - Purchase & returns
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $10,000 purchase Cover against theft and damage for 90 days
- $300 return Cover when merchants won't accept returns within
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card— - Extended warranty
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- Extended warranty adds 1 year to warranties under 5 years
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card— - Cell phone
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $800 cell phone protection with $50 deductible
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card— - Other protections
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
- Global Assist Hotline with 24/7 emergency help traveling
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
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- Access to 9 lounge networks including exclusive Centurion Lounges with 2 guests free
- $200/year Uber Cash plus a $120 Uber One membership credit
- $400/year Resy dining credit at select restaurants
- Automatic Marriott Gold and Hilton Gold status with room upgrades and breakfast
- 5X points on flights booked direct or via Amex Travel
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
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $895 annual fee requires significant credit utilization to break even
- Many credits require specific merchants (Resy, Equinox, lululemon, Oura)
- Only 1X points on non-travel purchases limits everyday earning
- Secondary car rental coverage unless paying $24.95/rental for primary
- $195 authorized user fee after first 3 free cards
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
The U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card wins in 4 of 4 categories. The The Platinum Card from American Express leads in 0. 5 more categories depend on booking channel or caps.
Vacation Rentals
Depends: via issuer travel portal; Link an Airbnb account in your name to your American Express online account and book prepaid through Amex Travel; Airbnb bookings made directly with Airbnb earn 1X.
The Platinum Card from American Express earns 5X when conditions are met; U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Flights
Depends: via AmexTravel; up to $500,000/yr
The Platinum Card from American Express earns 5X when conditions are met; U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Car Rentals
Depends: via the Altitude Rewards Center
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card earns 5X when conditions are met; The Platinum Card from American Express earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Travel
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card earns 4X vs 1X
Gas Stations
Depends: up to $1,000/quarter
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card earns 4X when conditions are met; The Platinum Card from American Express earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Electric Vehicle Charging
Depends: up to $1,000/quarter
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card earns 4X when conditions are met; The Platinum Card from American Express earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Dining
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card earns 2X vs 1X
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.
Close — depends on how much of the credits you use
| Scenario | The Platinum Card from American Express | U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $180 Credits (our usable estimate): $1,381 − Annual fee ($895) Ongoing: $666 Year one: $666 | Rewards: $192 Credits (our usable estimate): $25 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $217 Year one: $417 | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $720 Credits (our usable estimate): $1,381 − Annual fee ($895) Ongoing: $1,206 Year one: $1,206 | Rewards: $768 Credits (our usable estimate): $25 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $793 Year one: $993 | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The The Platinum Card from American Express costs $895/yr — that's $895 more than the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card (no annual fee). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $895 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
The The Platinum Card from American Express includes travel credits, dining credits, lounge access, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, complimentary hotel status. Those perks are not included in the earn-rate scenario table above — compare their dollar value to the $895 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $895 fee gap means the The Platinum Card from American Express needs roughly $895 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on hotels and vacation rentals and everyday spend.
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card if you:
- +Spend $300+/month on restaurants and dining out
- +Do most of your spending at grocery stores
The Bottom Line
Close — depends on how much of the credits you use
Published annual fees: The Platinum Card from American Express $895/yr, U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card $0/yr — a $895 difference before welcome offers and credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the The Platinum Card from American Express worth the higher annual fee?
- The The Platinum Card from American Express costs $895/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 $895 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use (the The Platinum Card from American Express also lists lounge access, travel credits, dining credits).
- Which card earns more rewards, the The Platinum Card from American Express 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 The Platinum Card from American Express have that the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card doesn't?
- The The Platinum Card from American Express offers lounge access, travel credits, dining credits, cell phone protection. The U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card offers lounge access.
- Should I get the The Platinum Card from American Express 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 The Platinum Card from American Express must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $895/yr.
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published November 13, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.