U.S. Bank Altitude^® Connect Visa Signature^® Card Review

In this U.S. Bank Altitude^® Connect Visa Signature^® credit card review, we’ll look at the credit score requirements, fees, the kind of APR you can expect, benefits, and more. 

This Article Contains: 

(Click on a link to jump to the specific section) 

• Who is the U.S. Bank Altitude^® Connect for?
• U.S. Bank Altitude^® Connect credit score requirements
• U.S. Bank Altitude^® Connect fees
• U.S. Bank Altitude^® Connect APR
• U.S. Bank Altitude^® Connect rewards
• U.S. Bank Altitude^® Connect benefits
• Pros and cons of the U.S. Bank Altitude^® Connect

Let’s get started.

Who is the U.S. Bank Altitude^® Connect for?

The U.S. Bank Altitude^® Connect Visa Signature Card could be an attractive option if you're a frequent traveler. As a midtier credit card, it offers fantastic rewards on travel and gas, as well as bonus earnings when using it at grocery stores, restaurants, and streaming service purchases. 

Ultimately, if you’re looking for a simple, low-cost travel card that offers strong rewards on everyday purchases, the Altitude Connect is a strong contender. 

However, since this card focuses heavily on travel, you may find other Altitude-branded cards more suitable, especially if you have minimal travel-related expenses.

U.S. Bank Altitude^® Connect credit score requirements

Since the card is primarily for frequent flyers and road trippers, it requires a credit score of good (670) to excellent (800+). You will have the greatest chances of approval with a credit score around 700. 

It’s worth noting here that the card issuer doesn’t offer pre-approval. As a result, applying for the Altitude Connect card involves a hard pull on your credit history, which will temporarily affect your credit score.

U.S. Bank Altitude^® Connect fees 

The card issuer charges no annual fee in your first year. After that, there’s an annual membership fee of $95. There are also some transaction fees e.g. balance transfers carry a fee of 3% or $5 minimum.

The US Bank Altitude Connect card also includes a couple of penalty fees. Both a late payment and returned payment incur a penalty of up to $41. There’s no overlimit fee or foreign transaction fee. 

Having no foreign transaction fee will be another desirable perk for frequent flyers. You can shop worldwide without paying any international surcharges.  

U.S. Bank Altitude^® Connect APR

The U.S. Bank Altitude^® Connect credit card includes an ongoing variable APR (Annual Percentage Rate) of 21.24% - 29.24% (Variable). This APR applies to both purchases and balance transfers.

Your creditworthiness when opening the account determines your APR and will vary depending on the market based on the Prime Rate. 

The Altitude Connect card also includes a fixed APR of 29.99% on any cash advance you make.

U.S. Bank Altitude^® Connect Rewards

For a rewards card, the Altitude Connect card offers a high rewards rate. As a welcome offer, you earn 50,000 bonus points when spending $2,000 on eligible purchases within the first 120 days of card membership. 

U.S. Bank points are worth a penny each. That equates to $500 worth of gift cards, cash back, merchandise, travel, and more. 

As a cardholder, you have the choice of redeeming your cash back as a statement credit or as a deposit made into your U.S Bank savings or checking account.

There are several ways you can earn points: 

• 5X points on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Altitude Rewards Center.

• 4X points on travel, gas stations, and EV charging stations.

• 2X points on streaming services. Plus, a $30 credit for annual streaming purchases like Netflix, Hulu, Spotify^®, Apple Music, Disney+, HBO Max and more!

• 2X points at grocery stores, grocery delivery, and dining.

• Receive up to $100 in statement credits for reimbursement toward your TSA PreCheck^® or Global Entry^® application fee once every four years.

• 1X point on all other eligible purchases.

Your points won’t expire, and there’s no limit to how many you can earn. 

U.S. Bank Altitude^® Connect benefits

The U.S. Bank Altitude^® Connect also provides other travel related benefits like: 

• Up to $100 in statement credit every four years as reimbursement for either your TSA PreCheck^® or Global Entry^® application fee. 
  
• Airport lounge access through Priority Pass Select. 

Pros and cons of the U.S. Bank Altitude^® Connect

Let’s have a look at a few of the perks and drawbacks of the Altitude Connect: 

Pros 

• No annual fee in the first year - US Bank offers a $0 introductory fee for the first 12 months. From the second year, there’s an annual fee of $95.
  
  
• Visa Signature benefits - Being a Visa card, the Altitude Connect card has all the perks that come with Visa Signature. This includes roadside dispatch, travel protections and insurance, and discounts and benefits at hotels in the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection.
  
  
• Cell phone protection included - Pay your monthly phone bill with the card, and you’ll be reimbursed up to $600 if there’s any accidental damage or theft of your device. 
  
  
• Streaming credit - Cardholders receive $30 credit for annual streaming service purchases, such as Netflix, Apple TV+, Spotify^® and more.

Cons 

• Unable to transfer points - Transferring rewards to travel partners is a feature common among other similarly-priced travel credit cards from other credit card companies. Unfortunately, it’s not a feature present with this card.
  
  One thing to note here is that you can combine your points with those earned on the US Bank Altitude^® Go Visa Signature^® Card. However, these two cards are so similar you don’t need to own both. 
  
  
• Relatively high interest rate - With a variable APR of 21.24% - 29.24% (Variable), it’s best to avoid carrying any balances with this card. Additionally, you’ll want to avoid taking a cash advance whenever possible, considering the 29.99% APR.
  
  

Final thoughts

If you’re in the market for low-cost travel credit cards with a solid rewards rate on everyday purchases, the US Bank Altitude Connect is a good option. 

With an appealing signup bonus, travel rewards, and reimbursement for your TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee, frequent travelers will find the rewards on gas and travel appealing.