4.4/5
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card
- Best for: Road-trippers and travelers who spend heavily on flights, hotels, and gas
- What Sets It Apart: Four free Priority Pass lounge visits a year and up to $100 toward TSA PreCheck or Global Entry every four years, with no annual fee
- Cost: $0 annual fee; no foreign transaction fee; 0% intro APR on purchases and on balance transfers made in the first 60 days for 15 billing cycles, then 17.74% to 27.74% variable APR; 5% balance transfer fee ($5 minimum)
- Rewards: 5X on hotels and car rentals prepaid through U.S. Bank’s Travel Center; 4X on travel; 2X on dining, streaming, and groceries (not at supercenters or warehouse clubs); 1X on everything else; 20,000 bonus points after $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days
- Gas: 4X on the first $1,000 of gas and EV charging each quarter, then 1X; 1X on gas from warehouse clubs, supercenters, and grocery stores
- Points: Full value for travel or a deposit to a U.S. Bank checking or savings account; may be worth less as a statement credit
- Pros: Lounge visits and a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit with no annual fee; lounge passes when a registered flight runs two or more hours late; trip cancellation, interruption, and delay coverage when you charge the trip
- Cons: Gas bonus capped at $1,000 a quarter; points can’t move to airline or hotel programs; 1X outside the bonus categories
The Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card is U.S. Bank’s travel card today, since the bank stopped taking applications for its premium Altitude Reserve in November 2024. It’s built for road-trippers and occasional flyers.
Key Features
- No annual fee or foreign transaction fee, and a 0% intro APR (annual percentage rate) on purchases for 15 billing cycles, then a 17.74% to 27.74% variable APR
- 4 points per dollar on travel, 5 on hotels and car rentals you prepay through U.S. Bank’s online Travel Center, 2 on dining, streaming, and groceries (not at supercenters like Walmart or at warehouse clubs), and 1 on everything else
- 4 points per dollar on the first $1,000 of gas and electric vehicle charging each quarter, then 1 (gas at warehouse clubs, supercenters, and grocery stores always earns 1)
- 20,000 bonus points after $1,000 of spending in the first 90 days
- Four free Priority Pass airport lounge visits a year (each guest counts as one), and up to $100 every four years toward TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, which speed you through security and customs
Pros
- Lounge visits and a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit without an annual fee
- Lounge passes for you and up to three companions when a flight you registered for the perk runs two or more hours late
- Trip cancellation, interruption, and delay coverage (delays over 12 hours) on trips you charge to the card
Cons
- Points get their full value only as travel or a deposit to a U.S. Bank account, and may be worth less as a credit on your bill
- No way to move points into airline or hotel loyalty programs
- Just 1 point per dollar outside its bonus categories, short of a flat 2% cash back card unless each point is worth at least 2 cents
Open the Connect if travel and gas are a big share of your spending and you’d use the lounge visits. If you mostly eat out, U.S. Bank’s Altitude Go pays 4 points per dollar on the first $2,000 of dining a quarter, double the Connect’s 2 points per dollar.
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