US Bank Altitude® Go Card Review: A Cash Back Card Disguised as a Travel Card | bank fee (2023)

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On the surface, the U.S. Altitude® Go Card* Bank to offer good travel reward points with bonuses in key everyday spending categories: restaurants and diners, grocery stores, streaming services and gas stations. These "points" actually correspond to various forms of cashback available in the U.S. Rewards Center. Bank can be rescued.

Points are redeemable in a lump sum and can be used for airline tickets, hotel rooms, gift cards or billing credits. Despite these options, however, this rewards card is limited by its lack of redemption options, such as transfers to partner airlines or hotel loyalty programs. While the card for those who already bank with the U.S. Banking, offers great value, may not be the best option for frequent travelers who want itMaximize your earnings with your credit card rewards.

quick highlights

• Reward Fee:4 points per $1 on dine-in, restaurant pickup and delivery; 2 points per $1 at supermarkets, grocery delivery, streaming services, gas stations and EV charging stations; 1 point per $1 on all other qualifying purchases
• Welcome offer:Earn 20,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days after opening the card
• Annual fee:$ 0
• Buy introductory APR:0 percent for the first 12 billing cycles
• Balance transfer introduction APR:0 percent for the first 12 billing cycles
• TAEG normal:19.49% to 28.49% variable depending on credit quality

Current welcome offer

Qualified new cardholders can earn 20,000 bonus points by spending $1,000 within the first 90 days of account opening. At a fixed value of 1 cent per point, this adds up to $200 in rewards that can be used for discounted travel, gift card purchases, or cash redemption when opening a US checking or savings account. has bank.

Compared to other no annual fee cashback cards, the US Bank Altitude Go card has a high spending requirement to earn the welcome bonus. Similar maps - including theCapitalOne SavorOne Rewards Cardit's atChase Freedom Flex℠-Karte– Offer a $200 reward after spending just $500 in the first three months of opening the account.

reward fee

Perhaps the best advantage of the USA. The Bank Altitude Go card gives you 4 points for $1 worth of food and grab and go, which is one of the best perks among cards with no annual fee. But that's not the only way to earn points. You can earn bonus points through daily spend or US purchases. Collect the Bank Reward Center.

how do you win

The biggest category of rewards is food. This includes eating out at restaurants or bars, ordering takeout from your favorite places, or having food delivered to your home. You can earn 4 points for every $1 you spend on most restaurant or grocery purchases. Your options aren't just limited to seats. The bonus applies wherever you are classified as a restaurant, fast food restaurant or bar. Compared to other cards, the 4 points per $1 spent on bonus levels makes Altitude Go one of the bestThe best credit cards for restaurants and restaurants.

Plus, you can earn 2 points per $1 spent on four daily categories: Groceries, Grocery Delivery, Streaming Services, and Gas Stations. While these bonus categories are popularbonus credit cardswhat the US What makes the Bank Altitude Go card unique is the streaming service category.

Along with the increased rewards rate for streaming services, you can earn $15 in credit annually after 11 consecutive months of purchases on up to 23 different services, including Apple TV+, AT&T TV Now, Disney+, Hulu and Netflix. Considering the average household subscribes to nearly nine streaming services, using this card just for streaming can net you over 700 points a year (assuming $350 a year is spent on streaming services). Combine that with the $15 credit, which is essentially a free month on one of their services, and that could make it one of thebest maps for streaming services.

Like other award cards, the U.S. Bank Altitude Go card bonuses for purchases through the issuer's online portal, aptly named Rewards Center Earn Mall. By using your card on this portal, you have the opportunity to increase your rewards depending on current offers from well-known retailers. While this may add more points to your spending, it requires the extra hassle of going online shopping first instead of shopping directly at the retailer. But you have to keep in mind the online portal as it can make your dollar earn more with every purchase which in turn increases the yearly value of your Altitude Go Card.

how to rescue

Points can be redeemed for merchandise, gift cards, premium debit cards, or redeemed for discounted travel. That's what the US does Bank Altitude Go more like a cashback credit card with travel benefits and less like a travel rewards card.

Despite the myriad options offering a one-to-one exchange rate, your best redemption option may be travel. Points can be used to book flights on several major airlines, rooms in thousands of hotels, as well as car rentals, cruises or activities categorized as travel. Also, since you are booking through the Rewards Portal, you may still earn points or qualifying nights for elite status or award travel.

Even if you don't have enough points for a reward, you can still use them to get a discount on your next trip. US The bank allows cardholders to make purchases with points and cash on the rewards portal, allowing them to reduce the cost of travel purchases and offset the rest with cash. There is also no limit to the number of points you can use, giving you the flexibility to use as many points as you like.

Finally, you can redeem your points with your U.S. Altitude Go immediately after purchase. rescue bank. With Real-Time Rewards, you can be notified on your mobile device when you have enough points to cover your expenses. Just reply with a confirmation and your points will be applied to that purchase immediately.

Just like a cashback card, each point earned with the US Bank Altitude Go card is collected, fixed value of 1 cent each. When you use your card for qualifying restaurant purchases, you'll effectively get 4 cents back on every US dollar spent.

While this makes it easier to calculate the value of your rewards, it also has some drawbacks. Since the card does not have partner airlines or transfer hotels, it is impossible to obtain a value greater than 1 cent per point. Additionally, you may not use points to purchase and redeem other rewards: if you wish to redeem merchandise, a gift card, or cash into a US bank savings or checking account, you must have the correct number of points to redeem and you cannot settle the difference with cash.

If flexible travel is your ultimate goal for credit card rewards, US Bank's Altitude Go card can offer a fair value in redemptions over time. However, if you want more control over how you use your rewards points, as well as the added flexibility and perks familiar to travel rewards cards, you might want to spend time investigating others.Types of reward credit cardsor travel maps to see if you could get a better return over time. This is especially true for cardholders who want to add value to their earnings by transferring points to partner airlines and hotels, or who are looking for a broader portfolio of redemptions for their rewards card.

While other travel cards are keen to publicize their benefits, the U.S. The Bank Altitude Go card is relatively easy. Rather than offering airport lounge access or elite benefits when booking hotels, most cardholder perks come from Visa Signature. Benefits include discounts on car rentals, luxury experiences and travel insurance benefits.

Car rental discounts

If your trip requires a rental car, you can access discounts from four different brands. US Altitude Go cardholders The bank receives discounted rates from Enterprise, National and Alamo, all with branded benefits. If you fancy a little more luxury, you can get up to 15% off Silvercar by Audi in 25 US cities.

Visa Signature Luxury Experiences, including the Signature Luxury Hotel Collection

Sometimes that particular journey requires a higher class of service. As a Visa Signature card, U.S. Altitude Go has Visa Banking Access Signature Luxury Hotel Collection, with a selection of hotels worldwide. Booking through the program guarantees the best available rate, automatic room upgrade, complimentary daily continental breakfast and a daily $25 food or beverage credit. Additional benefits include silver status at Troon Golf and special access to over 50 Sonoma County wineries.

Travel benefits when using your card

If you're stuck on the road, your US Bank Altitude Go card can help get you moving again. With roadside assistance, you can get help with a number of problems you might encounter on the road. For a set service price per call, get help with changing tires, getting back in the car after locking the car, fueling and jump starting. If you have an emergency abroad, Travel and Emergency Assistance can also help you get referrals, a prescription and more.

One of America's biggest attractions The Bank Altitude Go card is the way to earn rewards with no annual fee. But the savings don't stop there - the card also offers an introductory APR for new purchases and balance transfers and comes with no fees for common travel-related expenses.

• Annual fee:Since US Bank includes no annual fee, so you don't have to worry about minimum spending limits to offset card costs. Also, reward points don't expire as long as you have the card and there's no limit to how much you can earn.
• Introductory APR:Eligible cardholders receive an APR of 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 12 billing cycles (then 19.49% to 28.49% variable). With effectively 0% interest for the first year, the Altitude Go is one of the bestbest balance transfer credit cardsaccessible.
• TAEG normal:After the introductory period, your interest rate is between 19.49% and 28.49%, depending on your credibility when opening the card. This is in line with other cashback credit cards.
• Foreign transaction fee:Similar to a real travel card, there is no foreign transaction fee with this card. When using this card abroad, you only have to pay the purchase price, saving you money every time you use it.
• Transfer rate:While your balance transfers have a 0% APR for the first 12 billing cycles, you'll still have to pay a fee to move your balance. The fee for transferring the balance is $5 or 3% of the transferred amount, whichever is greater.
• Cash advance fee:Regardless of how you receive money - from an ATM, through a cash advance or other cash equivalent - you must pay an extra fee to take out a loan with your credit card. In addition to the higher 5 percent or $10 to $20 fee, your balance will be charged an APR of 30.49 percent.

Although the U.S. Bank has a lot in common with other travel reward cards, best compared to cashback reward cards for three reasons:

1. It is not possible to transfer points to other travel rewards programs (such as airlines or hotels).
2. Points can only be earned on travel through the US Rewards Portal. bank or as cashback through bank statements.
3. Each point has a fixed monetary value, no matter how you redeem it.

That's not to say it's not a good card for travel: with generous premium levels and a fixed rate of return, the card has many good points. Depending on where you spend the most and how you use your cards, there are alternatives that can offer greater rewards over time.

U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Card vs. SavorOne Rewards da CapitalOne

Bonus categories distinguish the USA. Bench height Go fromRewards SavorOne from CapitalOne. While Altitude Go nets between 2 and 4 points per dollar spent on restaurants, groceries and streaming services, Capital One's SavorOne Rewards offers unlimited 3% cashback on all of these categories, plus "entertainment" purchases like z, like movie theaters, tourist attractions, bowling alleys and much more. Combined with a lower spending requirement for the same bonus amount, if you want to use one card for all your grocery and entertainment purchases, the SavorOne Rewards card can offer more consistent rewards.

US card Bank Altitude® Go vs. Chase Freedom Flex℠ Card

Chase Freedom cards are a perennial favorite due to generous rewards cashback levels that are remarkably flexible when combined with a card.Chase Ultimate Rewards® recompensas. OChase Freedom Flex℠is no different. In addition to 5% cashback on up to $1,500 on combo purchases across bonus tiers each quarter (with activation), this card offers 5% cashback on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards and 3% cashback on restaurants, services qualified delivery agents and pharmacies. If you're looking for a more versatile card for everyday expenses, the Chase Freedom Flex might be a better option than the US Altitude Go Card. Bank.

Best cards to pair with this card

If your ultimate goal for earning rewards is to travel, it might be best if you choose the US. Pair Bank Altitude Go with one that earns cashback on categories not covered by the card, or one that earns flex points that can be transferred to other partners. You might consider a flat rateCash back card that earns 2 percenton all purchases when you spend in a variety of categories that would otherwise only net you 1 point per $1 with Altitude Go. Or consider a high-earning cashback card offering US grocery rewards to add to your high-rate rewards portfolio across multiple categories using multiple cards.

Since Bank of the USA's Altitude Go only earns you two points for every $1 you spend at the grocery store, consider combining it withAmerican Express Blue Cash Preferred® Card, which earns 6% back on US grocery purchases. While the Blue Cash Preferred card has an annual fee of $95 ($0 initial annual fee for the first year), the cost of the fee can easily be offset by spending at least $1,590 on the card at US supermarkets each year.

OAmex EveryDay® Credit Cardis another option that offers flexible points instead of cashback with no annual fee. Instead of cash, earn your expensesAmerican Express Membership Rewards®-Punkte, which can be used to purchase airline tickets, book hotels through Amex Travel, or transfer to 18 airline loyalty programs and three hotel loyalty programs.

Although advertised as a travel rewards card, the U.S. The Bank Altitude Go Card is best described as a cash rewards card with a travel option. While this is an option to consider, other US bank cards may offer better overall returns. For example, the U.S.A. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® card two levels of 5% cashback bonus you choose each quarter (for spending up to $2,000) and 2% cashback at the same levels, Altitude Go card earns 2 points per dollar spent - all no annual fee. If money is your top priority, you'll want to weigh these two cards against each other and consider your spending habits and potential redemption options to determine which offers the most value.

If your main rewards goal is to earn points for discounted travel, this card may not offer the best returns on your day-to-day spending. With a higher spend requirement to earn the bonus offer and fewer earning categories than other cards, this product only offers a valuable bonus offer to a very narrow group of customers. If your goal is to see the world, you might be better off helping yourself to another rewards card that offers travel benefits and a wider range of redemption options.

*Information about the US Bank Altitude® Go Card andChase Freedom Flex℠was independently collected by Bankrate.com. Card details have not been verified or approved by the card issuer.

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