Is the U.S. Bank Business Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Worth the $95 Annual Fee?

Worth it for the right spender

Likely yes. On a typical business budget the U.S. Bank Business Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® earns about $690 a year in rewards, which already clears the $95 fee with $595 to spare, before counting any perks. Heavier spenders come out further ahead.

$95
annual fee (year one free)
$690
rewards a year on a business budget
$750
welcome bonus value (first year)

Credits and benefits

The U.S. Bank Business Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® does not lean on statement credits to justify its $95 fee, so the case for it rests on rewards, the welcome bonus, and any perks like transfer partners or travel protections. That makes the math simpler: the rewards have to clear the fee.

What you earn on spending

Credits are only half the story; the card also earns rewards every time you swipe. On $45,000 of annual business spending, the U.S. Bank Business Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® earns about $690 a year at a flat 1 cent per point. Because this is a business card, the rate below reflects a representative small-business budget. See the full category breakdown in our U.S. Bank Business Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® review, or run your own numbers in the rewards calculator.

The break-even

Add it up. The U.S. Bank Business Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® costs $95 a year. It leans on rewards, and everyday rewards add about $690. That is a net of $595 in your favor every year you hold it, before any welcome bonus. First-year holders also collect a welcome bonus worth about $750, pushing the first-year total to roughly $1,345.

Frequently asked questions

Is the U.S. Bank Business Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® worth the annual fee?
Likely yes. On a typical business budget the U.S. Bank Business Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® earns about $690 a year in rewards, which already clears the $95 fee with $595 to spare, before counting any perks. Heavier spenders come out further ahead.
How do you offset the U.S. Bank Business Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® annual fee?
Through rewards and the welcome bonus. On a typical budget the card earns about $690 a year, clearing the fee on its own.
Is there a no-annual-fee alternative to the U.S. Bank Business Altitude® Connect Visa Signature®?
Yes. If you cannot clear the $95 fee, a no-fee card keeps every dollar of rewards as profit. See our ranked no-fee picks to compare.
Bryce Casson

Bryce Casson, Founder of Cardocrat. About the author.