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Card vs Card Comparison

US Bank Altitude Reserve
vs
Amex Platinum.

Two cards, head-to-head. We break down earning rates, perks, transfer partners, and the actual scenarios where each one wins.

US Bank

US Bank Altitude Reserve

Annual fee

$400

Points

FlexPerks

Signup bonus

50K points after $4.5K in 3 months

Earning highlights

  • →3× on mobile wallet purchases (Apple Pay, Google Pay)
  • →3× on travel
  • →1× on everything else

Perks highlights

  • →$325 annual travel credit (purchases code as travel/dining)
  • →Priority Pass lounge access
  • →TSA PreCheck / Global Entry credit
  • →1.5¢ redemption value when using FlexPerks for travel
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American Express

Amex Platinum

Annual fee

$695

Points

Membership Rewards

Signup bonus

175K MR after $8K in 6 months (highest published)

Earning highlights

  • →5× on flights booked direct + on Amex Travel
  • →5× on prepaid hotels on Amex Travel
  • →1× everywhere else (the weakest baseline)

Perks highlights

  • →$200 hotel credit (FHR + Hotel Collection)
  • →$200 airline incidental credit
  • →$200 Uber credit
  • →$240 digital entertainment credit
  • →$200 Saks Fifth Avenue credit
  • →Centurion Lounge + Priority Pass
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The verdict

When each card wins.

US Bank Altitude Reserve wins if

Heavy mobile-wallet users. The 3× on tap-to-pay is unique.

Weakness: Closed to new applicants in 2024. Existing cardholders still benefit but no new acquisitions.

Amex Platinum wins if

International travel + luxury hotel stays. The credit stack alone offsets the AF for engaged users.

Weakness: Mediocre everyday earner. $695 AF requires actively using the credits to break even.

At a glance

Side-by-side spec sheet.

SpecUS Bank Altitude ReserveAmex Platinum
Annual fee$400$695
Points currencyFlexPerksMembership Rewards
Top earning rate3× on mobile wallet purchases (Apple Pay, Google Pay)5× on flights booked direct + on Amex Travel
Signup bonus50K points175K MR

Questions

Frequently asked.

Should I get the US Bank Altitude Reserve or the Amex Platinum?

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US Bank Altitude Reserve wins if heavy mobile-wallet users. the 3× on tap-to-pay is unique. Amex Platinum wins if international travel + luxury hotel stays. the credit stack alone offsets the af for engaged users.

Can I have both the US Bank Altitude Reserve and the Amex Platinum?

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Yes — these are issued by different banks (US Bank and American Express), so they don't conflict on application rules. Many travelers carry both to stack the strongest benefits from each ecosystem.

Which has the higher annual fee?

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Amex Platinum has the higher annual fee ($695 vs $400). Whether it's worth it depends on which perks you actually use — see the verdict section above.

Are points from US Bank Altitude Reserve more valuable than points from Amex Platinum?

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US Bank Altitude Reserve earns FlexPerks; Amex Platinum earns Membership Rewards. Different programs have different transfer partners and redemption ceilings — see TravelDiari's points valuation index for current cents-per-point values across both.