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

Overview

The U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® is a category rewards card from U.S. Bank, running on the Visa network. The U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® earns up to 4x on gas, travel, and dining, so it pays you the most exactly where you already spend. There is no annual fee, which means every dollar of rewards is pure profit. New cardholders can earn 20,000 points after $1,000 in 90 days.

It earns its keep without an annual fee, which is rare for a card with real bonus categories. That combination makes it a strong everyday keeper that you never have to justify paying for.

Our 4.0 out of 5 rating

Each score weighs the rewards rate, value after the annual fee, welcome offer, points flexibility, and perks, with every point valued at a flat 1 cent. This is our editorial assessment to help you compare cards, not a guarantee of approval or of the value you will get.

Rewards: how it earns

Where the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® earns its rewards is its bonus categories: 4x on gas (about $86 a year on the $2,160 a typical household spends there), 4x on travel (about $72 a year on the $1,800 a typical household spends there), and 2x on dining (about $60 a year on the $3,000 a typical household spends there). Across a full year of average household spending, the card returns roughly $506 in rewards before any welcome bonus, so the more your spending overlaps those categories, the better it does.

Brand and bonus rates: beyond the everyday categories above, this card also earns:

• 5x points on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked in the U.S. Bank Rewards Travel Center

Every point and mile above is valued at a flat 1 cent, the same honest standard we use for every card. Run your own spending through the calculator to see what this card would actually return for you.

Pros and cons

The welcome bonus

The current welcome offer is 20,000 points, earned after you spend $1,000 in 90 days. Valued honestly at a flat 1 cent per point, that is worth about $200. Stacking the welcome offer on top of a typical year of rewards and accounting for no annual fee, the first year is worth roughly $706.

Is the annual fee worth it?

The U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® has no annual fee, so there is no break-even math to worry about. Every dollar of rewards is profit, and you can keep it open for free, which also helps the average age of your credit over time.

Benefits and protections

Beyond the rewards, the perks and protections worth knowing about include:

• 20,000 bonus points after $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days (a $200 value)
• Complimentary Priority Pass Select with 4 airport lounge visits per year
• Up to $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit (once every 4 years)
• No foreign transaction fees

Lounge access

This card includes airport lounge access. Here is exactly what you get, including the Priority Pass distinctions that vary by card:

• Complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership with 4 visits per membership year (enroll at prioritypass.com); guests count toward the 4-visit allowance, then $35 per person

Statement credits

• Up to $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit (once every 4 years)

Who should get it, and who should skip it

It is best for people whose biggest monthly spending is gas and travel and who want to maximize those categories without paying an annual fee.

Skip it if your spending does not line up with its bonus categories, or if you would rather not think about where you swipe at all.

Frequently asked questions

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