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Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Card vs The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab
Both are well-respected travel cards. The Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Card comes from Alliant at $0/yr; the The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab from American Express at $695/yr. Below: side-by-side specs, an opinionated verdict, and the FAQs people actually ask before applying.
Bottom line
For most people the The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab is the stronger pick today, the sign-up bonus is meaningfully larger ($1,440 more in estimated value) than the Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Card's. Get the The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab first; revisit the Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Card after you've earned that bonus.
| Feature | Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Card | The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0 | $695 |
| Sign-up bonus | No welcome bonus | Up to 80,000 Membership Rewards points |
| Bonus value (est.) | $0 | $1,440 |
| Min spend to unlock bonus | $0 in 0 mo | $8,000 in 6 mo |
| Issuer | Alliant | American Express |
| Card category | cashback | travel |
| Best earning category (All_purchases) | 1.5x | 1x |
| Transfer partners | None | amex-mr |
| Headline benefits |
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Read the full review
Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Card
$0/yr · No welcome bonus
Read the full review
The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab
$695/yr · Up to 80,000 Membership Rewards points
Editorial take: The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab
The premium Platinum for Schwab brokerage customers. Same lounge access, FHR, and credit suite as the Personal Platinum, but the killer feature is Invest with Rewards at 1.1 cents per point cash-into-brokerage — the highest fixed-value MR redemption in the program. Best for cardholders who don't max out airline transfer partners.
Common questions
- Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Card or The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab?
- The The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab has the bigger bonus, Up to 80,000 Membership Rewards points, worth roughly $1,440, versus No welcome bonus (~$0) on the Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Card.
- Is the Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Card's $0 annual fee worth it compared to the The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab?
- The Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Card has no annual fee, so the question is whether the The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab's $695 fee is justified by its perks. If you'll use enough of the The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab's benefits to clear $695 in value annually, it's worth it; otherwise stick with the Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Card.
- Can I have both the Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Card and The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab?
- Yes, since they're from different issuers (Alliant and American Express) the application rules don't conflict. Many points enthusiasts hold both, they pair well when one earns flexible bank points and the other earns a different currency.
- Should I get the Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Card or the The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab first?
- Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Card: $0 spend in 0 months. The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab: $8,000 in 6 months. Pick the easier minimum spend if you're new to points; pick the larger bonus if you have planned big purchases coming up.
Card details on this page reflect the most recent data we've verified against the issuer's own site. Sign-up bonuses and fees can change at any time, confirm the current offer on the issuer's page before applying.