Usbank Altitude Reserve Credit Card Review and Comparison

The US Bank Altitude Reserve credit card is a great option for those who want to earn rewards on their everyday purchases, as well as enjoy travel benefits.

With a $95 annual fee, cardholders can earn 3X points on all purchases in your first year, with no rotating categories or spending limits.

One of the standout features of this card is its ability to earn 3X points on travel, dining, and gas purchases, making it a great choice for frequent travelers.

The points can be redeemed for travel, gift cards, or cash back, giving cardholders flexibility in how they use their rewards.

The U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve offers a welcome bonus of 50,000 points, which can be redeemed for $750 in travel.

You'll need to spend $4,500 in your first 90 days of account opening to earn this bonus.

The minimum credit limit for this card is $5,000, lower than the $10,000 limit required for other Visa Infinite cards.

This card's annual fee is $400, which is worth considering when comparing it to other travel reward cards.

The U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve offers an impressive array of annual travel benefits that make it a top choice for frequent travelers.

You can earn up to $325 in annual travel credits, which can be applied to purchases made directly with airlines, hotels, car rental companies, and other travel providers. This credit is applied automatically, so you don't need to do anything extra to receive it.

This credit can be used for a wide range of travel-related expenses, including airfare, hotel stays, car rentals, and even taxis and limousines. You can also use it for dining purchases, including takeout and restaurant delivery.

In addition to the annual travel credit, the Altitude Reserve card also offers up to $100 in statement credits every four years to cover the application fee for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.

Here are some of the other travel benefits you can enjoy with the Altitude Reserve card:

The U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve card has a simple points-earning structure, earning 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Altitude Rewards Center.

You'll also earn 3 points per dollar spent on all eligible travel purchases, including those made directly with airlines, hotels, car rental companies, taxis, limousines, trains, and cruise lines. This also includes purchases made through Apple Pay, Google Wallet, and Samsung Pay mobile wallet systems.

Additionally, you'll earn 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.

Here's a breakdown of the points-earning structure:

Points can be redeemed for travel purchases at a rate of 1.5 cents per point, which is a strong value considering most loyalty programs offer 1 cent per point. You can also redeem points in real-time for any qualifying purchase, as long as you have enough points to offset the purchase.

The U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve card offers a generous rewards program, with points earning rates that can help you maximize your rewards.

You'll earn 5X points on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Altitude Rewards Center, and 3X points on eligible travel and mobile wallet spending on Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. This means you can earn a lot of points just by booking travel and using your phone for everyday payments.

Here's a breakdown of the points earning rates:

Additionally, the points can be redeemed for travel at a rate of 1.5 cents per point, which is a great value compared to other loyalty programs.

The U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve card offers an impressive array of benefits that can help offset its annual fee.

One of the standout benefits is the $325 annual travel credit, which can be used for a wide variety of purchases, including airfare, hotel stays, car rentals, and more.

You can earn up to 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Altitude Rewards Center, and 3 points per dollar on eligible travel purchases.

Additionally, you'll get 8 free visits to Priority Pass lounges annually, valid for one person per visit.

Other benefits include trip cancellation and interruption coverage, trip delay reimbursement, lost luggage reimbursement, and emergency evacuation and transportation coverage.

You'll also receive a free Shipt membership until Dec. 31, which offers free same-day delivery on orders of $35 or more from various retailers.

The card offers no foreign transaction fees, making it a great option for international travel.

Here are the benefits and perks you can expect from the Altitude Reserve card:

The Altitude Reserve card promises access to thousands of airport lounges through the Priority Pass Select program, but the reality is a year of limited access.

Most premium cards offer unlimited access to Priority Pass lounges, making the Altitude Reserve a less appealing option for those who value lounge access.

Free lounge access is an important feature for many travelers, and the Altitude Reserve falls short in this area.

If you're a frequent flyer who relies on lounge access, you may want to consider a premium card with unlimited Priority Pass access.

The U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve charges a $400 annual fee, which is a significant upfront cost.

The APR for purchases and balance transfers is a variable 21.74% to 28.74%, which is relatively high compared to other credit cards.

A balance transfer fee of 3% of the amount transferred (minimum $5) applies, so be mindful of this when moving balances from other cards.

There is also a late payment fee and a returned payment fee of up to $41, so make sure to pay your bill on time to avoid these extra charges.

The good news is that there are no foreign transaction fees, which can save you money on international transactions.

If you're planning to apply for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, you're in luck - this card offers a fee credit that can save you some cash. You can receive a statement credit of up to $100 when you use your card for the application fee.

The catch is that you can only receive this credit once every 4 years, so it's not a one-time benefit.

The annual fee can be offset by paying points, such as 35,000 points for a value of 1.14¢ per point. This can be a cost-effective way to manage the annual fee.

You can also use points to pay for authorized users. This can be a convenient option for those who need to add users to their account.

Paying 35,000 points for a value of 1.14¢ per point can save you money on the annual fee, which would normally be $400.

The statement cost of this card is relatively straightforward. You can redeem points for statement credit at a rate of 1¢ per point.

This means that if you have 1,000 points, you can get a $10 statement credit.

The balance transfer fee is a crucial aspect to consider when choosing a credit card. Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater, is the fee applied by some cards.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve has a balance transfer fee that can add up quickly. For example, if you transfer $10,000, the fee would be $500. This is a significant cost to consider when deciding whether to transfer a balance.

The U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve has a balance transfer fee of 3% of the amount transferred, with a minimum fee of $5. This fee is lower than the Chase Sapphire Reserve, but still something to keep in mind.

If you're considering the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve, you might want to look into the Chase Sapphire Reserve, which has a slightly higher annual fee of $550 but offers a $300 travel credit and Priority Pass Select membership.

The Capital One Venture X Credit Card is another option, with a lower annual fee of $395 and a $300 travel credit for eligible purchases made through the Capital One Travel portal.

If you prefer a lower annual fee, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a good choice, with a fee of $95 and a simple earning structure of 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

Here are some key features of these cards compared to the Altitude Reserve:

If you're considering the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve, you might also want to look into other options that offer similar benefits. The Chase Sapphire Reserve, for example, has a slightly higher annual fee of $550, but it comes with a $300 annual travel credit and earns 5 points per dollar on flights booked through Chase Travel℠.

One of the main differences between the Altitude Reserve and the Sapphire Reserve is the earning structure. The Sapphire Reserve earns 5 points per dollar on flights booked through Chase Travel℠, 3 points per dollar on most travel purchases and dining, and 1 point per dollar on everything else. This is in contrast to the Altitude Reserve, which earns 3X points on mobile wallet purchases.

Another option to consider is the Capital One Venture X Credit Card, which has a slightly lower annual fee of $395. This card provides access to Priority Pass and Capital One lounges, and earns 2 miles per dollar on all purchases. It also comes with a $300 credit for eligible purchases made through the Capital One Travel portal each year.

If you're looking for a lower annual fee, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a good option. It has an annual fee of $95 and earns 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, and 2 miles per dollar on all purchases.

Here are a few key options to consider:

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a solid alternative to the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve, especially considering its annual $300 travel credit for booking through Capital One Travel and a 10,000-mile anniversary bonus worth $100 in travel.

You can add up to four authorized users to your account with no fee, and they can each receive their own Priority Pass airport lounge membership, which requires enrollment.

With just these two benefits, you'll more than offset the Venture X's $395 annual fee, making it a potentially more affordable option than the Altitude Reserve.

Capital One miles are only worth one cent per point toward travel, compared to 1.5 cents per point for Altitude Reserve points, but what makes Capital One miles more valuable is the ability to transfer them to airlines such as Emirates, Air Canada, and Turkish Airlines.

You could transfer 70,000 miles to Aeroplan and book a one-way business-class flight from North America to Europe under a 6,000-mile distance, adding on a stopover in a connecting city for only 5,000 additional miles, which could easily cost several thousand dollars.