US Bank launches Altitude GO

As had previously been rumored, US Bank today launched the Altitude GO credit card. This card earns a great return on dining for a card with no annual fee and it has no foreign transaction fees. Those benefits might make the Altitude Go worthwhile on its own, but ultimately for many readers this card will be a way to establish a relationship with US Bank in order to eventually apply for the Altitude Reserve card.

The Offer & Key Card Details

For more card information and to find an application link, click the card name below.

Card Offer and Details

U.S. BANK ALTITUDE® GO VISA SIGNATURE® CARD ⓘ $180 1st Yr Value Estimate 20K points ⓘ Non-Affiliate 20K after $1K spend in 90 days No Annual Fee Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. FM Mini Review: This card offers solid return on dining - including takeout & delivery - and no annual or foreign transaction fees. That makes it a great option for those who prefer cash back. Earning rate: 4X take out, food delivery (including apps like GrubHub, UberEATS, etc), and dining ✦ 2X grocery (including meal kit delivery), gas stations, and streaming services Base: 1X (1%) Dine: 4X (4%) Gas: 2X (2%) Grocery: 2X (2%) Card Info: Visa issued by USB. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Noteworthy perks: $15 credit for annual streaming services ( after 11 months of consecutive streaming service charges, the 12th month will get the $15 credit) Learn more or apply

Quick Thoughts

One key note to keep in mind: you can not combine points with the Altitude Reserve card. Points earned on this card are worth $0.01 each when used with Real Time Mobile Rewards to offset qualifying purchases.

That said, the return here represents 4% dining / take out / delivery services, which is excellent for a no-fee card. I find it interesting that they include delivery apps like DoorDash, GrubHub, UberEATS, etc. I wonder if it may therefore be possible to earn 4x on Uber rides as well given that I believe the charges for Uber or UberEATs may code similarly.

The $15 streaming services credit isn’t terribly exciting, but it’s an easy incentive to put your monthly streaming bill on this card. That said, with SoFi Money offering 20%-40% back on streaming services for several months already this year, the actual net savings might not quite represent $15. Still, the Altitude GO credit is easy and an easy $15 will be a good deal for some.

The 2x categories aren’t any better than a 2% cash back card, so I don’t find them particularly exciting.

Again, the key purpose of this card for many readers will be to open a path to the US Bank Altitude Reserve card. That card can be a great deal for those with a lot of in-person purchases (since it earns 3x on mobile wallet payments and the points on that card are worth 1.5c toward travel). However, US Bank requires that you already have a relationship established with them in order to get the Altitude Reserve card. While something like a checking account would qualify you as having a relationship, US Bank has gotten pretty strict about only offering checking accounts to those who live within the bank’s footprint. If you don’t have a bank branch in your area, you would likely need to open some other credit card with US Bank in order to be able to qualify for the Altitude Reserve. This new Altitude Go card could be a decent option.

Overall, this new card isn’t wildly exciting, but its return on dining spend is excellent for a card with no annual fee. Whether you’re looking for that 4x or you’re looking to earn a bonus en route to qualifying for the Altitude Reserve, this is a decent opportunity for either of those goals.

H/T: Doctor of Credit

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