All credit cards
Side-by-side
American Express Graphite Business Cash Unlimited vs U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card
Both are well-respected travel cards. The American Express Graphite Business Cash Unlimited comes from American Express at $295/yr; the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card from U.S. Bank at $0/yr. Below: side-by-side specs, an opinionated verdict, and the FAQs people actually ask before applying.
Bottom line
For most people the American Express Graphite Business Cash Unlimited is the stronger pick today, the sign-up bonus is meaningfully larger ($1,300 more in estimated value) than the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card's. Get the American Express Graphite Business Cash Unlimited first; revisit the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card after you've earned that bonus.
| Feature | American Express Graphite Business Cash Unlimited | U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $295 | $0 |
| Sign-up bonus | $1,500 cash back | 20,000 bonus points |
| Bonus value (est.) | $1,500 | $200 |
| Min spend to unlock bonus | $50,000 in 6 mo | $1,000 in 3 mo |
| Issuer | American Express | U.S. Bank |
| Card category | business | travel |
| Best earning category (Amex_travel_flights_prepaid_hotels) | 5x | 1x |
| Transfer partners | None | None |
| Headline benefits |
|
Read the full review
American Express Graphite Business Cash Unlimited
$295/yr · $1,500 cash back
Read the full review
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card
$0/yr · 20,000 bonus points
Editorial take: U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card
A no-annual-fee travel earner: 4X on travel and at gas and EV stations (on the first $1,000 per quarter) with a 20K welcome offer worth $200. Points are capped at 1 cent each, so treat this as cash-value travel earnings rather than transferable points.
Common questions
- Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, American Express Graphite Business Cash Unlimited or U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card?
- The American Express Graphite Business Cash Unlimited has the bigger bonus, $1,500 cash back, worth roughly $1,500, versus 20,000 bonus points (~$200) on the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card.
- Is the American Express Graphite Business Cash Unlimited's $295 annual fee worth it compared to the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card?
- At $295/yr, the American Express Graphite Business Cash Unlimited is in the mid-fee tier. Compare its specific perks (lounge access, travel credits, primary rental insurance) to the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card's, pick the one whose perks you'll actually use.
- Can I have both the American Express Graphite Business Cash Unlimited and U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card?
- Yes, since they're from different issuers (American Express and U.S. Bank) 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 American Express Graphite Business Cash Unlimited or the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card first?
- Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. American Express Graphite Business Cash Unlimited: $50,000 spend in 6 months. U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card: $1,000 in 3 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.