Citi Custom Cash vs US Bank Altitude Connect
Side-by-side comparison across fees, rewards, welcome bonuses, and eligibility.
Citi Custom Cash wins 3-1. Auto-detects your top spend category each cycle — set-and-forget. US Bank Altitude Connect is still the right call if no-fee 4x travel — rare combination of no fee + premium earn rate..
Side-by-side
| Criterion | Citi Custom Cash | US Bank Altitude Connect |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | = No annual fee | = No annual fee |
| Joining fee | = None | = None |
| Top reward rate | 5% (shopping) | · 4% (travel) |
| Base reward rate | = 1% | = 1% |
| Forex markup | · 3% | No FX fee |
| Welcome bonus | = $200 cashback after $1,500 in 6 months | = 50,000 points after $2,000 spend in 120 days |
| Fee waiver threshold | = N/A (no fee) | = N/A (no fee) |
| Min income | = — | = — |
| Min credit score | 670 | · 700 |
| Editorial rating | 4.5/5 | · 4.4/5 |
Benefits compared
Citi Custom Cash
- 5% cashback in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle (up to $500)
- 1% on everything else
- Eligible categories: restaurants, gas, grocery, travel, etc.
- No annual fee
- 0% intro APR for 15 months
US Bank Altitude Connect
- 4x on travel + gas + EV charging stations
- 2x at restaurants + grocery + streaming
- 1x on everything else
- $30 annual streaming credit
- No annual fee, no foreign transaction fees
- Cell phone protection
FAQ
›Citi Custom Cash vs US Bank Altitude Connect: which is better?
Citi Custom Cash wins on more dimensions (3 vs 1). But the right answer depends on your specific spending pattern — see the calculator below.
›Can I get both?
Yes — if your credit profile supports it, holding both is the optimal play. Use Citi Custom Cash for its best categories, US Bank Altitude Connect for its best categories. Just watch the combined annual fees against your spend.
›Which one has the better welcome bonus?
Citi Custom Cash: $200 cashback after $1,500 in 6 months. US Bank Altitude Connect: 50,000 points after $2,000 spend in 120 days.