U.S. Bank Altitude^® Reserve Visa Infinite^® Card Review [2024]: Under-the-Radar But Shouldn't Be

The U.S. Bank Altitude^® Reserve Visa Infinite^® Card is an under-the-radar premium credit card that offers many valuable benefits in exchange for its $0 annual fee. To start, each calendar year, cardholders will receive up to $325 in statement credits on eligible travel purchases and dining, takeout, and delivery purchases. This effectively brings your annual fee to just $75 per year, assuming you can utilize the credits.

You’ll also be reimbursed for the application fee (up to $100) for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck once every four years. Cardholders also receive up to eight visits per year to Priority Pass network lounges. If you don’t travel too often, you won’t mind that the lounge visits are capped. However, if you tend to travel once every month or two, you might find that you run out of visits and could be better off with a card that gives you unlimited access.

Apart from the benefits associated with holding a Visa Infinite card, the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve doesn’t add in a bunch of fluff that is difficult to take advantage of. Instead, you’re left with a card with valuable and easy-to-use perks that almost any traveler could find value from. Here’s everything you need to know about the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve.

Key takeaways

• The U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite has a high annual fee, but its redemption rate and $325 annual credit more than make up for it for frequent travelers.
• This card comes with a host of extra travel perks, including limited Priority Pass lounge access and a TSA PreCheck enrollment credit.
• U.S. Bank does not have transfer partners to maximize the value of your points.

Credit card basics

FinanceBuzz star ratings	4.9 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.
FinanceBuzz valuation1 <p class="">These values are based on the <a href="https://financebuzz.com/financebuzz-credit-card-valuation">FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model</a>, which takes a look at rewards earned via spending, the welcome offer, and the annual fee. We used a valuation of 1 cent/point unless otherwise stated above. These are estimated values - your actual earnings will depend on how much you spend and in what categories.<br></p>	Year 1: $1,804 Year 2: $1,054
Annual fee	$400
Intro bonus	Earn a 50,000 point bonus after spending $4,500 in the first 90 days
Reward rate	5X on prepaid hotel and car rentals booked in the Altitude Rewards Center; 3X points on eligible travel and mobile wallet purchases; and 1X points for all other eligible purchases
Recommended credit score	Excellent
Foreign transaction fee	None

Who should get the U.S. Bank Altitude^® Reserve Visa Infinite^® Card?

The U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Card is designed for frequent travelers. The majority of its benefits and bonus earning categories are travel-focused. If you don’t travel often enough to take advantage of this card’s benefits and earn rewards, you may not be able to offset the $400 annual fee.

However, the $325 annual credit goes a long way toward making this card worth it. If you already have an established relationship with U.S. Bank, you could certainly look into applying for the card.

Rewards

Earnings

Cardholders earn 5X points on prepaid hotel and car rentals booked in the Altitude Rewards Center, 3X points on eligible travel and mobile wallet purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases. This essentially means you can earn 3X points per dollar on almost any purchase as long as you use your mobile wallet, which includes Apple Pay, Google Wallet, and Samsung Pay. This is a fairly unique bonus category and one that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Cardholders can also earn a 50,000 point bonus after spending $4,500 in the first 90 days.

Redemptions

The U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Card offers multiple ways to redeem your points, including travel, statement credits, online shopping, gift cards, event tickets, and more. Your points are worth 1.5 cents per point when redeemed for travel through the U.S. Bank travel portal, whereas other redemption options offer only 1 cent per point. Because travel redemptions offer the highest value, they’re typically the best way to maximize redemptions with your points on this card.

For example, the 50,000-point welcome offer would be worth $750 toward travel.

Cardholders can also enroll in Real-Time Rewards, which will send you a text message every time you make a qualifying purchase to see if you want to redeem your points to cover the cost of the purchase. The redemption value is 1.5 cents per point when using your Altitude Reserve on travel purchases and 1 cent per point on all other purchases. Gas station and restaurant purchases don’t qualify for redemptions, and there’s a minimum purchase requirement of $150 on car rentals and lodging and $10 on all other categories.

If you prefer booking travel directly with the airline or hotel, this can be a great way to use your points. You have to enroll and activate this feature and select which categories you want included in Real-Time Rewards.

Potential earnings in years one and two

Here's a look at how your points can add up with the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Card. To calculate these values, we used a point valuation of 1.5 cents.

Remember, this is an estimation. The actual value will be determined by how much you spend and in which categories you spend.

Year one earnings: $1,804

Year two earnings: $1,054

These values are based on the FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model, which looks at points earned via spending, the welcome bonus, and the annual fee. We also included this card’s $325 annual credit in our calculations and assumed that you will redeem these points for travel.

Note that the amounts above reflect rewards earned from general travel spending, not specific rewards earned on eligible travel booked through the Altitude Rewards Center. These values also don’t account for this card’s bonus earnings on mobile wallet spending or the Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee credit. If you factor those in, the value you’ll get from this card will likely increase.

Benefits

• Annual credits: Receive up to $325 in annual credits for eligible travel and dining purchases.
• Complimentary Priority Pass membership: Receive up to eight visits each year to more than 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a Priority Pass Select membership.
• TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fee credit: Receive complimentary TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fee reimbursement every four years when you use your card to pay the application fee for either membership.
• Travel benefits and coverage: Receive complimentary travel benefits and coverages, such as car rental collision damage waiver, roadside dispatch, emergency evacuation and transportation coverage, lost luggage reimbursement, trip cancellation/trip interruption insurance, travel accident insurance, travel and emergency assistance services, and trip delay reimbursement.
• Shopping coverage: Receive purchase protection, return protection, and extended warranty benefits when using your card for eligible purchases.

Other cards to consider

The U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Card has plenty to offer if you like to travel and frequently spend money on travel-related purchases. Still, it may not exactly line up with what you’d expect from a luxury travel card. For some great travel credit card options, consider these cards:

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

The Chase Sapphire Reserve^® is one of the best premium travel cards available because of its flexible redemption options. Your Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be transferred to multiple Chase travel partners, including many major airline and hotel loyalty programs. You also get travel benefits like a $300 annual travel credit, a Priority Pass membership with unlimited access, and 50% bonus in value when you redeem points for travel through the Chase Travel℠ portal.

If you feel confident in your abilities to transfer points to partners, the Sapphire Reserve might be a better choice than the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve. However, if you’re looking for simplicity, U.S. Bank wins by far.

Learn more in our Chase Sapphire Reserve review.

The Platinum Card^® from American Express

The Platinum Card^® from American Express also offers plenty of value with its perks and benefits. You can get a coupon book worth of statement credits, and assuming you know how to maximize each and every one of them, you’ll more than cover the $695 annual fee. Cardholders also get airport lounge access with several different lounge networks and elite status with Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors. You can transfer your Amex Membership Rewards to more than a dozen transfer partners to get maximum value. (Some benefits require enrollment.)

Similar to the Sapphire Reserve, the Amex Platinum is a better choice for savvy travelers who know the ins and outs of the points and miles world. It takes a lot of effort to utilize each statement credit, so it’s not an ideal choice for everyone.

Find out more in our Amex Platinum review.

Designed for Frequent Travelers

U.S. Bank Altitude^® Reserve Visa Infinite^® Card

4.9

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

U.S. Bank Altitude^® Reserve Visa Infinite^® Card

4.9

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Why We Like It

Earn a 50,000 point bonus after spending $4,500 in the first 90 days

See how these cards compare:

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

• Up to $300 in annual travel credits
• Great rewards on travel purchases and dining
• Complimentary Priority Pass Select membership
• Comprehensive travel protections, including trip delay and cancellation insurance
• 50% point redemption bonus when booking through Chase Travel

The Platinum Card® from American Express

• Enjoy hundreds of dollars in annual credits (enrollment required for select benefits)
• Gain access to exclusive airport lounges worldwide (enrollment required)
• Elevate your hotel stays with elite status perks (enrollment required)
• Earn valuable Membership Rewards points on flights and hotels
• Protect your trips with top-notch travel insurance
• See rates and fees | Terms Apply

FAQ

Bottom line

If you typically use your mobile wallet when making day-to-day purchases, the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite is a card you should seriously consider. With the automatic statement credits allowing you to offset the majority of your annual fee, it’s a no-brainer to earn extra points on your purchases. If you already have a relationship with U.S. Bank, it’s even easier. If not, it could still be worthwhile to initiate a relationship based on the earning potential alone.

Premium Travel Benefits

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

5.0

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

Apply Now

Current Offer

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

Annual Fee

$550

Rewards Rate

5X points on flights and 10X points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually; 3X points on other travel and dining & 1X points per dollar on all other purchases

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• Up to $300 in annual travel credits
• Great rewards on travel purchases and dining
• Complimentary Priority Pass Select membership
• Comprehensive travel protections, including trip delay and cancellation insurance
• 50% point redemption bonus when booking through Chase Travel

Drawbacks

• $550 annual fee
• High spending requirement for the welcome offer
• $75 annual fee for each authorized user

Card Details

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $120 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Member FDIC