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Bilt Palladium vs U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card

Both are travel travel cards. The Bilt Palladium comes from Bilt / Cardless at $495/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 Bilt Palladium is the stronger pick today, the sign-up bonus is meaningfully larger ($925 more in estimated value) than the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card's. Get the Bilt Palladium first; revisit the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card after you've earned that bonus.

FeatureBilt PalladiumU.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card
Annual fee$495$0
Sign-up bonus50,000 Bilt Points + $300 Bilt Cash + Bilt Gold status20,000 bonus points
Bonus value (est.)$1,125$200
Min spend to unlock bonus$4,000 in 3 mo$1,000 in 3 mo
IssuerColumn N.A.U.S. Bank
Card categorytraveltravel
Best earning category (Other)2x1x
Transfer partnersbiltNone
Headline benefits
  • $400 Bilt Travel hotel credit
  • $200 Bilt Cash every year
  • Priority Pass + 2 guests
  • Flat 2x on everyday spend
  • 4X on travel
  • 4X at gas and EV stations (first $1k/quarter)
  • 5X prepaid hotels and cars via the Travel Center
  • No annual fee
Read the full review
Bilt Palladium
$495/yr · 50,000 Bilt Points + $300 Bilt Cash + Bilt Gold status
Read the full review
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card
$0/yr · 20,000 bonus points

Editorial take: Bilt Palladium

Bilt 2.0's top tier ($495 AF), launched February 7, 2026 with Column N.A. as issuer and Cardless as servicer. A flat 2x everyday card that stacks $400 of Bilt Travel hotel credit, $200 of Bilt Cash a year, and Priority Pass with 2 guests. It does not have Obsidian's 3x category, so it wins on credits and lounge access rather than on multipliers. For Bilt loyalists who use the hotel credit and the lounges, the math works; for everyone else, Obsidian is plenty.

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, Bilt Palladium or U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card?
The Bilt Palladium has the bigger bonus, 50,000 Bilt Points + $300 Bilt Cash + Bilt Gold status, worth roughly $1,125, versus 20,000 bonus points (~$200) on the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card.
Is the Bilt Palladium's $495 annual fee worth it compared to the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card?
At $495/yr, the Bilt Palladium 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 Bilt Palladium and U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card?
Yes, since they're from different issuers (Column N.A. 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 Bilt Palladium or the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card first?
Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. Bilt Palladium: $4,000 spend in 3 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.