Ink Business Preferred® vs U.S. Bank Business Altitude® Connect Visa Signature®
Side-by-side comparison
| Ink Business Preferred® | U.S. Bank Business Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $95 | $95 |
| Welcome offer | 100,000 Ultimate Rewards® Points | 75,000 points |
| Advertising | 3% | 1% |
| Shipping | 3% | 1% |
| Office supplies | 1% | 1% |
| Phone & internet | 3% | 2% |
| Travel | 3% | 4% |
| Everything else | 1% | 1% |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $846 | $690 |
| Points type | Transfers to airlines & hotels | Cash back only |
| Network | Visa | Visa |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified August 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
Welcome bonus and value over time
| Over time | Ink Business Preferred® | U.S. Bank Business Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | 100,000 Ultimate Rewards® Points | 75,000 points |
| To earn it | $8,000 in 3 months | $6,000 in 180 days |
| Est. first-year value* | $1,761 | $1,345 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $761 | $595 |
The Ink Business Preferred® wins on both fronts: it comes out ahead in year one on the welcome offer and stays ahead every year after. Short term or long, it is the stronger pick on the numbers.
*First-year value counts the welcome bonus, estimated rewards, and annual credits, minus the annual fee; ongoing value is a typical year after. Every point at a flat 1 cent.
Perks, credits, and redemptions
| Perks | Ink Business Preferred® | U.S. Bank Business Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge access | None | Yes — Priority Pass |
| Annual credits | ~$10/yr (1 credits) | None |
| Points & redemptions | Transferable to airline & hotel partners | Cash back only |
On perks and redemptions, only the U.S. Bank Business Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® gets you into airport lounges; the Ink Business Preferred® earns transferable points with a higher redemption ceiling, while the other is capped nearer a flat cent. Weigh those against the fee, since credits and lounge access only count if you will actually use them.
Transfer partners and point value
Only the Ink Business Preferred® earns transferable points. Its Chase Ultimate Rewards move to World of Hyatt, United, Air Canada, Southwest, and British Airways Avios, where a point can be worth several cents on a premium-cabin redemption, far above its cash value. The U.S. Bank Business Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® pays flat cash back, worth about a cent, so its ceiling is nearer a penny per point no matter how you redeem.
The verdict
On a typical year of business spending, the Ink Business Preferred® earns about $846 a year in rewards and the U.S. Bank Business Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® about $690, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Ink Business Preferred® charges $95, but carries about $10 in annual statement credits that offset it for anyone who uses them. The U.S. Bank Business Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® charges $95, which you clear through its rewards and perks. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the Ink Business Preferred® delivers more total value, about $161 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on advertising and shipping. The bigger difference is the ceiling: the Ink Business Preferred® earns points you can move to travel partners for outsized value, while the U.S. Bank Business Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® pays plain cash back. Favor the Ink Business Preferred® if you will use travel transfers, the U.S. Bank Business Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® if you want simplicity. On the sign-up bonus, the Ink Business Preferred® currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Ink Business Preferred® if your spending leans toward advertising, shipping, phone & internet. Pick the U.S. Bank Business Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® if your spending leans toward travel.