American Express Gold Card vs U.S. Bank Altitude Go Visa Signature

The American Express Gold Card ($250/year) and the U.S. Bank Altitude Go Visa Signature (no annual fee) compete on different axes. The American Express Gold Card's strongest category is 4x on Restaurants, while the U.S. Bank Altitude Go Visa Signature leads with 4x on Dining. The American Express Gold Card costs $250 more per year, so you need at least $250 in incremental rewards to justify it over the U.S. Bank Altitude Go Visa Signature. At typical spend levels this breaks even somewhere between $7,500 and $15,000 in bonus-category purchases annually. Our model scores these cards effectively even (1-2). Pick the American Express Gold Card if you spend heavily on restaurants; pick the U.S. Bank Altitude Go Visa Signature if you spend heavily on dining.

Too close to call — pick based on your primary spending category