TAP Miles&Go American Express® vs U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card
Annual fees: TAP Miles&Go American Express® $79/yr, U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card $0/yr. Strongest bonus categories: TAP Miles&Go American Express® on car rentals, U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card on dining.
Card data as of October 12, 2026.
- TAP Miles&Go American Express®
Cardless · $79/yr
U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® CardU.S. Bank · No annual fee
Overview
- Annual fee
- TAP Miles&Go American Express®$79U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card$0Lowest
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- TAP Miles&Go American Express®40,000 milesU.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card—
- Rewards
- TAP Miles&Go American Express®TAP Miles&GoU.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® CardU.S. Bank Altitude points
- Foreign transaction fee
- TAP Miles&Go American Express®NoneLowestU.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card3%
- Network
- TAP Miles&Go American Express®American ExpressU.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® CardVisa
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Dining
- TAP Miles&Go American Express®1xU.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card4xHighest
- Car Rentals
- TAP Miles&Go American Express®2xHighestU.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card1x
- Gas Stations
- TAP Miles&Go American Express®1xU.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card2xHighest
- Grocery Stores
- TAP Miles&Go American Express®1xU.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card2xHighest
- Hotels
- TAP Miles&Go American Express®2xHighestU.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card1x
- Ridesharing
- TAP Miles&Go American Express®2xHighestU.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card1x
- Streaming
- TAP Miles&Go American Express®1xU.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card2xHighest
- Everything else
- TAP Miles&Go American Express®1xU.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card1x
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Entertainment & streaming
- TAP Miles&Go American Express®—U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card
- $15 streaming
Perks & access— means none on record
- Lounges
- TAP Miles&Go American Express®
- Lounge passes
U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card— - Hotel status & programs
- TAP Miles&Go American Express®
- Earn Status Miles
U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card— - Airline perks
- TAP Miles&Go American Express®
- Preferred boarding
U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card— - Other perks
- TAP Miles&Go American Express®—U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card
- ID Navigator Powered by NortonLifeLock™
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Baggage
- TAP Miles&Go American Express®
- Extra baggage
U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card—
Category-by-Category Winner
The U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card wins in 4 of 7 categories. The TAP Miles&Go American Express® leads in 3.
Car Rentals
TAP Miles&Go American Express® earns 2X vs 1X
Hotels
TAP Miles&Go American Express® earns 2X vs 1X
Ridesharing
TAP Miles&Go American Express® earns 2X vs 1X
Dining
U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card earns 4X vs 1X
Gas Stations
U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card earns 2X vs 1X
Grocery Stores
U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card earns 2X vs 1X
Streaming
U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® 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.
Both scenarios favor the U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
| Scenario | TAP Miles&Go American Express® | U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $0 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($79) Ongoing: -$79 Year one: -$79 | Rewards: $204 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $204 Year one: $204 | U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card | U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $0 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($79) Ongoing: -$79 Year one: -$79 | Rewards: $816 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $816 Year one: $816 | U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card | U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The TAP Miles&Go American Express® costs $79/yr — that's $79 more than the U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card (no annual fee). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $79 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
The TAP Miles&Go American Express® includes lounge access, free checked bags. Those perks are not included in the earn-rate scenario table above — compare their dollar value to the $79 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $79 fee gap means the TAP Miles&Go American Express® needs roughly $79 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on car rentals and hotels and everyday spend.
What You Give Up
Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.
Choosing U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card means losing:
- -Airport lounge access
- -Free checked bags
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the TAP Miles&Go American Express® if you:
- +Fly frequently and value airport lounge access
Get the U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card if you:
- +Spend $300+/month on restaurants and dining out
- +Do most of your spending at grocery stores
The Bottom Line
Both scenarios favor the U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
Published annual fees: TAP Miles&Go American Express® $79/yr, U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card $0/yr — a $79 difference before welcome offers and credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the TAP Miles&Go American Express® worth the higher annual fee?
- The TAP Miles&Go American Express® costs $79/yr vs $0/yr for the U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $79 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use (the TAP Miles&Go American Express® also lists lounge access).
- Which card earns more rewards, the TAP Miles&Go American Express® or U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® 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 TAP Miles&Go American Express® have that the U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card doesn't?
- The TAP Miles&Go American Express® offers lounge access. The U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card focuses more on earn rates than premium perks.
- Should I get the TAP Miles&Go American Express® or the U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the U.S. Bank Altitude Go® Secured Visa® Card has a lower $0/yr fee; the TAP Miles&Go American Express® must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $79/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.