U.S. Bank Business Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card: A Better-Than-Basic Business Travel Card
Earn up to 4x points on travel, gas and EV charging, plus 2x points on dining, takeout and restaurant delivery.
Overview
The bottom line:
Top-notch rewards on travel and gas — and no annual fee for the first year — elevate this business travel card above most competitors. But jet-setters may want more perks than the Business Altitude Connect offers.
Credit card details
Annual fee
$0 intro for the first year, then $95
Regular APR
18.74%-25.74% Variable APR
Intro APR
N/A
Rewards rate
1x-5x
Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Travel Center when using your card. Earn 4X points on travel, gas and EV charging stations* on the first $150,000 in combined annual spend (*excludes discount stores/supercenters and wholesale clubs). Earn 2X points on dining, takeout, restaurant delivery and cell service providers. Earn 1X points on all other eligible spend.
Points
Foreign transaction fee
$0
Intro offer
60,000
Earn 60,000 bonus points, worth $600 when redeemed for travel, if you spend $6,000 on the Account Owner's card in the first 180 days from account opening.
Points
Pros & Cons
Pros
New cardholder bonus offer
High bonus rewards rate
Annual fee waived for the first year
Reports to Dun & Bradstreet
Cons
No intro APR offer
Activity on employee cards does not count toward bonus spending requirement
More details from U.S. Bank
- Earn 60,000 bonus points if you spend $6,000 on the Account Owner's card in the first 180 days from account opening.
- Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Travel Center when using your card.
- Earn 4X points on travel, gas and EV charging stations* on the first $150,000 in combined annual spend (*excludes discount stores/supercenters and wholesale clubs).
- Earn 2X points on dining, takeout, restaurant delivery and cell service providers.
- Earn 1X points on all other eligible spend.
- Earn a $25 statement credit for every three consecutive monthly taxi or rideshare trips.
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year, $95 per year thereafter.
- Points transfer between business and consumer U.S. Bank Altitude products (excluding Reserve).
- Airport lounge access - Priority Pass™ Digital annual membership with access to more than 1,700 VIP lounges worldwide, plus four complimentary visits per membership year.
- Take control of your card spend with U.S. Bank Spend Management—a game-changing platform for monitoring and managing business expenses.
- Terms and conditions apply.
Business travelers will find a lot to like with the U.S. Bank Business Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card, including top-notch rewards on travel, gas and EV charging, no annual fee for the first year ($95 after that) and up to four free Priority Pass lounge visits per year.
While those benefits best most basic business travel cards, the Business Altitude Connect lacks the type of premium travel perks that appeal to business owners who spend more time in the air than at an office. It also doesn’t allow you to transfer points to external travel partners.
If elite status, airline credits and lounge access are priorities, consider alternatives like the Capital One Venture X Business The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
And if you like to play the points game, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Key features
Card type: Small business
Annual fee: $0 intro for the first year, then $95.
Recommended credit score: FICO score of 690 or higher.
Sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points, worth $600 when redeemed for travel, if you spend $6,000 on the Account Owner's card in the first 180 days from account opening.
Rewards: Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Travel Center when using your card. Earn 4X points on travel, gas and EV charging stations* on the first $150,000 in combined annual spend (*excludes discount stores/supercenters and wholesale clubs). Earn 2X points on dining, takeout, restaurant delivery and cell service providers. Earn 1X points on all other eligible spend.
APR: 18.74%-25.74% Variable APR.
Foreign transaction fee: $0.
Other benefits:
- $25 statement credit on every three consecutive monthly taxi or rideshare trips.
- Priority Pass digital membership and four free visits per year.
Why you might want the U.S. Bank Business Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card
No annual fee for the first year
It’s rare to find a business travel card with no annual fee — you typically pay at least $95 for the perks and welcome offer. But the U.S. Bank Business Altitude’s annual fee is $0 intro for the first year, then $95. You’ll still net serious rewards (more on that below) and pocket a nice welcome offer, too: Earn 60,000 bonus points, worth $600 when redeemed for travel, if you spend $6,000 on the Account Owner's card in the first 180 days from account opening.
Big-time rewards on travel, gas
The U.S. Bank Business Altitude Connect earns 4x points on travel, including at gas stations and EV charging stations, up to the first $150,000 in combined annual spending. That’s a rate unmatched by other business travel cards, which typically require you to book through the card’s dedicated travel portal to earn more than 3 points per dollar. But it’s worth noting that the Business Altitude Connect offers that option as well: You’ll earn 5x points on hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Travel Center.
» MORE: Best business gas credit cards
Combine points with personal cards
U.S. Bank loyalists can pool points earned on their Business Altitude Connect with select U.S. Bank consumer cards, including the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card
Why you might want a different card
No external transfer partners
Points earned with your Business Altitude Connect can only be redeemed as a statement credit or for travel via the Altitude Rewards Center. In both scenarios, one point is equal to 1 cent. That’s a respectable redemption value, to be sure, but you could squeeze even more value from those points with the option to transfer to other travel partners. U.S. Bank does not allow that, but several other business travel cards
The Chase Ink Business Preferred
Full list of Chase transfer partners
If you carry the Chase Sapphire Reserve® as a personal card, you can also transfer points from your Ink Business Preferred to your Sapphire Reserve card.
Lack of premium travel perks
While the U.S. Bank Business Altitude Connect doles out big rewards for travel spending, the card lacks the additional travel perks offered by many competitors. You won’t earn elite status with any hotels or airlines for simply carrying the card.
If you want more than just points from your travel card, consider the Capital One Venture X Business .)
Should you get the U.S. Bank Business Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card?
If you’re looking for a better-than-basic business travel card, the U.S. Bank Business Altitude Connect is a solid option. You’ll earn top-rate rewards for all travel spending (up to $150,000) regardless of where you book through, and the 4x rewards rate applies to gas and EV charging stations. But if you’re the type of traveler who wants to squeeze every bit of value from your points, consider an option with transfer partners, like the Chase Ink Business Preferred, or premium travel perks, a la the Capital One Venture X Business.
View of Capital One Venture X Business.
To view rates and fees of the American Express® Business Gold Card, see this page
To view rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, see this page