| Card Details and Application Link |
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U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Card  ⓘ $-400 1st Yr Value EstimateClick to learn about first year value estimates Not accepting applications Non-Affiliate This card is not currently available.$400 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: Much of this card's appeal has been stripped away, but it still has some value for up to $5,000 per month of 3X earning on mobile wallet payments. Click here for our complete card review Earning rate: 5X prepaid hotel & car rental through Altitude Rewards Center ✦ 3X travel ✦ 3X mobile wallet payments (up to $5k in purchases per month, then 1x) Card Info: Visa Infinite issued by USB. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Noteworthy perks: $325 credit for travel booked through US Bank Travel Center ✦ Points worth 1 cent each for travel or deposit to a US Bank checking account✦ Real Time Mobile Rewards (redeem points at full value at time of purchase) ✦ Priority Pass Select airport lounge access (8 per year) ✦ Primary car rental coverage ✦ Free authorized user cards |
Overview
The Altitude Reserve card is US Bank’s challenge to the Chase Sapphire Reserve. Like the Sapphire Reserve, the Altitude Reserve is a Visa Infinite card that offers 3X on travel, and points can be used to purchase travel or deposited into a US Bank checking account at a value of 1 cent per point. Unfortunately, unlike the Chase card, the Altitude Reserve’s points cannot be transferred to loyalty programs.
The Altitude Reserve Card is an ultra-premium travel rewards card that offers an excellent return on spend within its bonus categories and very good travel protections. This card’s best features are its 3X rewards on travel and 3X on up to $5,000 per month og mobile wallet payments. The latter part is key: anywhere you can pay in person with Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Pay, or LG Pay, you’ll earn 3X.
Even though the annual fee is quite high ($400), it’s fairly easy to earn the card’s annual $325 travel credit, and so the net fee after rebates is very reasonable. If you value the rebates at full face value, your annual net cost is only $75. That’s less than most decent rewards cards (many charge about $95 per year), and yet it has better earning power and travel protections than most.
The Altitude Reserve card’s Achilles heel, in my opinion, is the fact that points are not transferable to airline or hotel loyalty programs.
Here is everything you need to know.
U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Summary
- $400 Annual Fee
- Cardholders may redeem 35,000 points to cover the annual fee
- $325 in annual credit for travel booked through US Bank Travel Center.
- Points worth 1 cent each for travel through the Altitude Rewards Center or when deposited to a US Bank checking account (or less for other redemptions)
- Real-Time Mobile Rewards: Redeem points for 1 cent each toward travel purchased directly from US merchants. See: US Bank Real-Time Mobile Rewards. What works where?
- Earn 3X points per dollar for travel and mobile wallet spend (up to $5k in purchases per month); 10X points per dollar on prepaid hotels or car rentals and 5X on flights booked through the Altitude Rewards Center; 1X elsewhere
- Airport Lounge Access via Priority Pass Select (8 free passes per year)
- Travel coverage: Emergency Evacuation and Transportation Coverage; Trip delay and trip cancellation reimbursement.
- Primary car rental collision damage waiver (No benefit is provided for vehicles rented in Israel, Jamaica, the Republic of Ireland, or Northern Ireland)
- Rental car benefits:
- National Rental Car Emerald Club Executive membership and “save up to 25% when you rent with National® Car Rental.”
- Avis Preferred Plus membership + save up to 30% on qualifying rentals with Avis®
- Hertz: “Enjoy special savings, faster service, extra hours on returns and Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® bonus points.”
- Silvercar: Save up to 30% (register at silvercar.com/partners/vinfinite )
- Global Entry or TSA Pre Fee Credit
- No foreign transaction fees
- Free authorized user cards: None
- Issued as Visa Infinite
- Card composition: Engraved stainless steel
- Guide to benefits: found here.
Key perks not supported by this card
- Priority Pass Select membership covers 8 free visits per year, which can be used by the cardholder and/or guests.
- No ability to transfer points to loyalty programs
Getting the card
| Card Offer |
|---|
ⓘ $-400 1st Yr Value EstimateClick to learn about first year value estimates Not accepting applications Non-Affiliate This card is not currently available.$400 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: Much of this card's appeal has been stripped away, but it still has some value for up to $5,000 per month of 3X earning on mobile wallet payments. Click here for our complete card review |
- This card is no longer available for new applicants.
“Travel” Defined
Earning 3X; up to $325 in travel credits; and redeeming via Real Time Mobile Rewards (“travel” defined)
For these purposes, travel is defined as: airlines, hotels, car rental companies, taxis, limousines, passenger trains and cruise lines.
For practical info about which types of purchases work with Real Time Mobile Rewards, see: US Bank Real-Time Mobile Rewards. What works where?
Redeeming points for travel at 1 cent per point value (“travel” defined)
For this purpose, travel is defined as airfare, hotel stays, and car rentals booked through US Bank’s Rewards Center.
Mobile Wallet Defined
The Altitude Reserve card earns 3X points on up to $5k per month in mobile wallet purchases. Specifically, the card earns 3X points when used with a mobile device to pay via Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, or LG Pay.
Also note that Samsung Pay MST (AKA LoopPay) payments will earn 3X rewards.
Info about Authorized User cards
- Annual fee: None
- $325 travel credit? Authorized users do not get their own credits.
- Airport Lounge Access? Authorized users will not get their own Priority Pass membership.
- Primary car rental collision damage waiver? Yes
Card Perk Details
Points are worth 1 cent each towards travel
As with many bank programs, points are worth 1 cent each. For example, a $300 car rental would cost 30,000 points when purchased through the Altitude Rewards Center (flights, hotels, car rentals) or when you pay directly and use Real Time Mobile Rewards.
Real Time Mobile Rewards
Enroll in US Bank’s Real Time Mobile Rewards program in order to redeem points for purchases made directly with merchants. Keep in mind these restrictions:
- Works only with US merchants
- Minimum hotel charge: $150
- Minimum car rental charge: $150
- Minimum for other types of travel (airfare, Uber, etc): $10
- You must have enough points in your account to cover the charge to be eligible to pay with points.
See also: US Bank Real-Time Mobile Rewards. What works where?
$325 in travel credits per year
- $325 in travel credits is available each cardmember year when booked through the US Bank Portal.
- You cannot get more than $325 back in total by adding authorized users.
- Both large and small travel purchases count until a total of $325 reimbursed in a calendar year.
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Credit
- Simply pay the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee with the Altitude Reserve card, and the fee will be automatically reimbursed.
- You can get reimbursed once every 4 years
- You can gift the once-per-4-year fee credit to another person, but they would have to be an authorized user on your account, or you would have to let them use your credit card number to pay for their application.
Airport Lounge Access
- Cardholders are granted membership to Priority Pass Select.
- This membership includes 8 free visits per year, which can be used by cardholders or guests.
- After the 8 free visits within your Priority Pass Select membership year (not cardmember year), cardholders must pay $32 per person for lounge access.
Rental car privileges and discounts
- Primary auto rental collision damage waiver
- National Rental Car Emerald Club Executive membership and “save up to 25% when you rent with National® Car Rental.”
- Avis Preferred Plus membership + save up to 30% on qualifying rentals with Avis®
- Hertz: “Enjoy special savings, faster service, extra hours on returns and Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® bonus points.”
- Silvercar: Up to 30% off rentals of 2 days or more
Travel Protections
As detailed in our Ultra-Premium Credit Card Travel Insurance Benefits page, the Altitude Reserve card’s travel protections are pretty good, but not as good as those that come with the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Chase Ritz cards.
- Primary Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver
- Trip Cancellation & Interruption (up to $2K per trip)
- Trip Delay: Covers delays of 6 hours or more (max $500 per claim)
- Lost Luggage Reimbursement
- Travel Accident Insurance
- Emergency Evacuation & Transportation: Up to $10,000
Purchase Protections
- Return Protection: 90 Days, $300 Per Item.
“If You are disappointed with an item, within ninety (90) days from the date of purchase, and the retailer will not accept a return, You can be reimbursed for the purchase price, up to three hundred dollars ($300.00) per item of personal property, and an annual maximum of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), per Account.” - Extended Warranty Protection: 1 Year Extra Protection.
“Your warranty coverage can be extended by one (1) additional year on eligible warranties of three (3) years or less.”
Personal Identity Theft
“Personal Identity Theft provides reimbursement up to $10,000 for covered expenses you incur to restore your identity as a result of a Covered Stolen Identity Event.”
Coverage includes:
Costs to re-file applications for loans, grants, or other credit or debt instruments that were originally rejected by the lender solely on the basis of incorrect information the lender received as a result of a Covered Stolen Identity Event
Costs to report a Covered Stolen Identity Event or to amend or correct records with Your true name or identity as a result of a Covered Stolen Identity Event: including costs incurred for notarizing affidavits or other similar documents, costs for PERSONAL IDENTITY THEFT long-distance telephone calls, and costs for postage
Costs for maximum of four (4) credit reports requested as a result of a Covered Stolen Identity Event from any entity approved by the Benefits Administrator
Actual lost wages for Your time away from Your work premises solely as part of Your efforts to amend or rectify records as to Your true name or identity as a result of a Covered Stolen Identity Event
Reasonable fees for an attorney appointed by the Benefits Administrator and related court fees approved by the Benefits Administrator for suits brought against You by a creditor or collection agency or similar entity acting on behalf of a creditor for nonpayment of goods or services or default on a loan as a result of a Covered Stolen Identity Event
Visa Infinite Benefits
US Bank lists the following Visa benefits:
- ID Navigator
- Concierge
- Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection
- Food & Wine experiences
- Visa Infinite Golf Benefit by Troon (access high-end, private clubs around the country and join Troon Rewards ® to receive 15% off golf fees and merchandise at over 95 courses)
- Silvercar Car Rental Discount
- Hertz, Avis, and National Car Rental Discounts
- Relais & Chateaux Benefits (VIP welcome and complimentary breakfast daily)
- NetJets private jet travel
- Visa Offers
Details about the above can be found here.
Questions?
Have questions about the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve? Please comment below.
Are people downgrading to Go or Connect? I’m thinking Connect for 4x gas and the 4 PP restaurant visits
I feel like in the past I had a card like this with Priority Pass Benefits where I was supposed to get 4 free visits in the lounge but when I was there they said I could only bring a total of 3 people, including myself, which at the time rendered the benefit much less useful.
Can someone confirm – if I have this card with 8 visits remaining, can I expect that I will generally be able to use 4 visits in a single use? In other words, can I expect that all 4 of us can enter a lounge at the departing airport and all 4 of us can enter a lounge at the return airport using these passes?
In your discussion of the Altitude Reserve card, you said it was no longer available to new applicants. However, you did say it can be changed from another US Bank card. Could you tell me which cards they are and what other requirements there are (ie the card has to be held for 1 year). Thanks again.
The membership covers 8 free visits per year. Any one knows if I can use all of them at once, me + 7 guests or if there is a limit ? Does the membership cover 8 visit per calendar year or cardmember year?
Yes, you can.
If have premium travel cards in all the major banks. It seems like it doesn’t beat many of the other cards because of how you can get so much more value from being able to transfer points. Am I struggling to see how it stands out. You might gain a point on mobile tap but then lose it when you can’t transfer.
Is priority pass restaurant access supported or not? I believe it is but it is listed under items NOT supported.
As far as we know it still is. The Priority Pass with 8 visits should be in the “supported perks” list. We think that the bullet is listed in the wrong place.
I can confirm that it does and always has. Since theirs is limited to 8 visits I don’t think they have as much incentive to end this and follow Chase, Cap1, Amex, but we’ll see.
Makes sense. Ty!
How hard is it to get accepted for this card? I have great credit but do open quite a few cards per year and I hear that they can be tough to get an approval on since they are inquiry sensitive? Any tips to improve approval odds?
In my experience, no harder than any other. I don’t put much stock in the “inquiry sensitive” label. I remember hearing that about a bank that was my 13th card in a calendar year. I just don’t think that the reason for being denied for a card is ever so simple as “number of inquiries”.
So far every time I’ve rented a car, let’s say they hold $300 ($150 rental cost and $150 security hold), I can redeem points for the full $300. At the end of the rental, the security hold comes off, and I am only charged $150. This works out great because I’m buying statement credits at $0.015. But is this the normal/intended functionality of Real Time rewards?
I mean, it works. Good enough.
I had read that (at least at one point) you could use this card to sign up for Priority Pass in the name of someone other than the primary cardholder. This is a handy perk for those that already have PP through other cards – can essentially ‘gift’ PP to a friend/family member.
Has anyone been through the PP enrollment process with this card recently? Can you still choose the name/address of the PP cardholder and can this be different to the Altitude Reserve cardholder?
Thanks!
I’m not sure about the address, but I know for a fact you can use a different name. When I first got mine I used it to sign my wife up for PP since I already had it through a different card and she could use it if we weren’t traveling together. Getting it canceled and transferred back to my name was a bit of PITA when things changed though, I had to call in and I think we had to wait for the PP year to expire and have her not renew and then sign up under my own name, but that was back in 2018 or something. IDK about the different address, but it might work. It seems to work similar to the GO/TSA credit, where you have to actually go through and sign up on the PP site and pay with the USBAR.
FrequentMiler has the best resources — as always!!
One update plz: please indicate that for travel protections the entire fare must be purchased on the USBAR (whereas CSR/Ritz are just ANY portion).
Thanks!! This will help other readers (and probably me when I inevitably forget this 18 months from now and need to search again).
I don’t think that’s true though. See our summary post here: https://frequentmiler.com/ultra-premium-credit-card-travel-insurance/
Awesome — thanks, as always!! That was the exact resource I needed. 🙂
Does the Priority Pass benefit on this card include restaurants?
Same question I’m trying to confirm
I believe it does.
I can confirm that it does include restaurants. I used it this past week.
Can confirm, yes. They also don’t seem incentivized to change this since it’s already limited to only 8 redemptions per year.
Yes it does.
Hi there, I recently applied for this card based on FM recommendations, but I hadn’t read the part about needing to have an existing US Bank relationship. Interestingly, I have had US Bank credit cards in the past but have no currently open accounts, but I was approved for the Altitude Reserve right away.
Same! I had a Korean Air biz card years ago but my login still worked and I got approved today.
Thanks for the reminder about this. We’ve updated this page to say the following:
Hey Greg, I had a quick question with regards to authorized users on the altitude reserve card. First, is there currently a fee for adding an authorized user (I’ve heard conflicting reports on this). Secondly, what are the benefits for authorized users on this card? Thanks in advance. -Brian
Is it just me or did they quietly lower the minimum purchase amount preset for the “lodging” and “car rental” categories recently?
I logged in to my RTR settings and the message now says the following:
Select merchandise categories below and set a minimum dollar amount to trigger a text alert on your mobile device. When you receive the alert you can redeem your points immediately. You’ll see a credit for that purchase on your next statement.
Categories not available for redemption are gas stations and restaurants. Minimum purchase amounts for the following categories are preset as follows:
Car Rental $150Lodging $150
It’s not just you. Thanks for the heads up! I’ve updated this post.
I know the mobile wallet category includes in-app and website purchases with Apple Pay on an iPhone, but does it also include in-app and website purchases with Apple Pay on an iPad or Mac?
I don’t know for sure, but I expect that would work
@Greg- I am assuming that mobile wallet payments only work from in-app and website purchases on a phone. I recently tried to pay a gas bill with google pay via the desktop and I did not earn 3X. Are there any other data points for desktop purchases on websites or will only website purchases work if using safari or chrome via a phone? Just trying to figure this out to see what exactly in-app and websites that accept mobile wallet works. Thanks
Oh, good to know! Thanks for that info!
DP on this particular passage:
This happened instantly transferring points from my spouse’s Altitude Reserve account to my own.