U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card review

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U.S. Bank Altitude Connect makes earning and redeeming rewards simple. The card offers reliable travel and fuel rewards, with 5 points per dollar for prepaid hotels and rental cars booked directly through the Altitude Rewards Center, 4 points per dollar for travel and gas stations, and 2 points per dollar for grocery and grocery delivery, dining and Streaming services, 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases. This card may be ideal for those who are just getting started with credit card rewards travel, as the only way to travel with points is to book through a U.S. Rewards Center. bench islands.

Rewards can be redeemed for other things like cash back, merchandise, and gift cards through the Rewards Center. No matter which exchange method you choose, you get what you pay for. It’s the fixed value of each point that makes Altitude Connect more of a cash-back card than a transportation card. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, especially for those who don’t have control over their points and miles. But it also means that this card may not be suitable for those looking to maximize its rewards potential.

The Altitude Connect falls behind other similarly priced travel cards due to the inability to transfer rewards to travel partners. But as an everyday card, its lucrative income in several common spending areas — notably travel and gas — makes it a useful option for those looking for higher returns in the areas where they spend the most.

Note that your reward will be the same as in the US. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card, although the rewards structure of this card is very similar to Altitude Connect, so it doesn’t make sense to have both. You cannot use Altitude Connect and Altitude Go Rewards with each other or in conjunction with the US Premium Travel Card. Bank of America Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card, combined.

At first glance

Earn 50,000 bonus points when you spend $2,000 on eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening.
Annual Fee: $0 introductory annual fee for the first 12 months, $95 thereafter
Rewards: 5 points per dollar for prepaid hotels and rental cars booked directly through the Altitude Rewards Center, 4 points per dollar for travel and gas stations, 2 points per dollar for grocery, grocery delivery, dining and streaming services, 1 point per dollar for all Dollars for other qualifying purchases
No foreign transaction fees
Flexible exchange
Points do not expire
Receive a Global Entry or TSAPreCheck application fee credit every four years
$30 annual streaming credit on qualifying services like Netflix and Spotify
Phone protection up to $600 to compensate for lost or stolen phones.

Remuneration

Earn rewards

U.S. Bank Altitude Connect earns at the following rates: 5 points per dollar for prepaid hotels and rental cars booked directly through the Altitude Rewards Center, 4 points per dollar for travel and gas stations, and 2 points per dollar for grocery, grocery deliveries, meals and services 1 point per dollar on streaming services and all other eligible purchases.

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There’s also a welcome bonus: 50,000 bonus points after you spend $2,000 on eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening.

Redeem rewards

Rewards are worth one cent each and can be redeemed through the U.S. Rewards Center. Banks can exchange cash, travel, gift cards and merchandise. Cash back can be redeemed in the form of a statement of credit or deposited into your Bank of America savings or checking account, with a minimum redemption point of 2,500 points. Minimum 1,000 points for travel, Points+Cash booking cards, merchandise cards and gift cards through US Rewards Center.

Unique U.S. Bank of Redemption Choice: You can instantly redeem points via text message through participating retailers’ Live Rewards feature.

Reward Potential

Forbes Advisor uses data from various government agencies to determine basic income and average spending for each category. 70% of working families have an annual income of $100,172 and a standard expenditure of $52,820. Assuming 50% of spending is charged to this card, the total annual spend on the card is $26,410.

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Of that, based on the data, we estimate that the average American household spends about $3,185 a year on travel and $2,687 on gas, earning 26,673 points. Our sample family also spent $10,093 in restaurants, including takeout and delivery, and groceries, earning an additional 20,186 points; and $443 on streaming services, earning 886 points. Earn an additional 10,002 points per $1 spent on the remaining $10,002. A total of 57,747 points worth $577 are available on the card along with a welcome bonus for the first year.

More card benefits

$30 Streaming Credit: This is an annual $30 credit for qualifying annual streaming services that will be earned after 11 consecutive calendar months of streaming purchases through your Altitude Connect Card. Eligible streaming subscriptions include Spotify, Hulu, and Netflix.

Phone Protection: If your device is accidentally damaged or stolen, use your card to pay your monthly bill and get up to $600 back.

Visa Signature Benefits: As a Visa Signature Card, Altitude Connect offers benefits including roadside assistance, travel protection and insurance, as well as discounts and benefits at the Visa Signature luxury hotel collection.

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Beautifully printed

Interest expense

Regular APR: 16.24% – 24.24% (variable)
Purchase introductory APR: Not applicable
Introduction to Balance Transfer APR: N/A

Cost

Annual Fee: $0 introductory annual fee for the first 12 months, $95 thereafter
Transfer fee: 3% of each transfer amount or at least $5, whichever is greater
Cash Advances: 5% of each advance amount or a minimum of $10, whichever is greater.
Foreign Purchase Transaction Fee: N/A.

How the cards are stacked

Bank of America Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card and Citi’s Costco Anywhere Visa® Card*

If you’re looking at the Altitude Connect card primarily for its strong rewards for travel and fuel, another card to consider is Citi’s Costco Anywhere Visa® Card. Unlike Altitude Connect, it has no annual fee, but requires a Costco membership, which starts at $60 per year. With no welcome benefits, the card offers the following bonuses: 4% cash back on the first $7,000 per year on qualifying gas, 1% cash back thereafter, 3% cash back on restaurant and qualifying travel purchases, and 2% cash back on all other Costco and Costco purchases .com and 1% cash back on all other purchases.

If you already do a lot of shopping at Costco, it may be a better option because of the extra savings at the grocery store and the lower cost of carrying the card that comes with it. This is especially true because warehouse clubs like Costco don’t count as grocery shopping. You can’t redeem your Costco card for travel earnings, but you can use cash back to buy anything you want, travel or otherwise. Potential deal breaker: You can only claim rewards on your Costco card once a year.

Our Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card and Citi Premier® Card

If you’re looking for a travel card that allows you to transfer rewards to a travel partner, consider a card like the Citi Premier® Card. With an annual fee of $95, the card earns Citi Rewards Points at the following rates: 3 Rewards Points per $1 at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels, and 3 Rewards Points per dollar on all other eligible purchases Earn 1 point for $1. It also has a welcome perk: 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.

ThankYou points can be redeemed for travel through Citi’s Rewards Center, transferred to one of several airline and hotel partners, or used to purchase gift cards or merchandise. Citi Premier® Card ownership also includes a $100 annual credit for single hotel stays of $500 or more booked through the ThankYou portal, which offsets the cost of ownership for annual card usage.

Our Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

If you’re looking for a travel card that lets you get the most value out of your earnings and doesn’t want to pay hundreds of dollars in annual fees, the Chase Sapphire Preferred deserves your attention. The card’s $95 annual fee is packed with great rewards and other perks, making it a serious contender in a space teeming with travel cards in this price range. Sapphire Preferred allows users to earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.

You can redeem your reward for 25% of your travel rewards through the Chase Travel Center, or use Chase’s Pay Yourself Back tool to redeem eligible purchases and earn 1.25 cents worth of points. You can also redeem points for cash back for one cent per point or transfer to one of Chase’s many hotel and airline partners.

Is this card right for you?

People looking for a simple, inexpensive travel card to reward their everyday spending may find Bank Altitude Connect USA is right for you. It has extra premiums on travel and gas, as well as decent income rates in several areas of typical household spending.

However, those looking to get the most value out of their credit card rewards may find that a card that offers more flexibility in redemption and the ability to refer travel partners at potentially higher value can add more value overall.