The U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite® Card is a good credit card for big-spenders with excellent credit who like to travel, dine out and use a mobile wallet to make purchases. The U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Card has a high annual fee, at $400, but it’s worth paying if you can take advantage of the card’s bonus rewards. You can earn an initial bonus worth up to $750, get up to $325 in travel and dining credits each year, and save as much as $100 if you decide to apply for expedited airport security screening.

The U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Card makes for a great travel companion – even internationally, thanks to its 0% foreign transaction fee. But it is not a good option for financing big-ticket purchases over time, given its high APR. So, you should plan to always pay your monthly statement balance in full by the due date if you decide to apply for this card.

Below, you can find more details that should help you decide whether the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite® Card is a good fit for you.

What I Like About the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite® Card

50,000-Point Initial Bonus 

The U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite® Card offers 50,000 points for spending $4,500 in the first 90 days. Those bonus points are worth $750 in travel booked through U.S. Bank and around $625 on average across redemption methods, according to WalletHub’s calculations.

For comparison, credit card offers with initial bonuses currently offer an average of 37,069 points/miles or $235 cash back. The best bonuses provide hundreds of dollars in additional value.

Up to $325 in Annual Credits

This card gives you credits to cover the first $325 that you spend each year on eligible travel as well as at bars, restaurants and fast-food spots. Eligible travel includes things like flights and hotel reservations booked directly with the travel provider.

If you earn the full allotment of credits each year, the savings offset the majority of what you have to spend on the annual fee. 

Up to 5 points / $1 Spent on Hotels & Rental Cars

If you use U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Card to book prepaid hotels and rental cars directly through the U.S. Bank Altitude Rewards Center, you will earn 5 points / $1 spent. That’s up to 7.5% back, depending on what you redeem for. Just make sure you’re not overpaying on the rental room or vehicle. Comparing prices from other travel-booking sites can help with that.

3 Points / $1 Spent on Travel & Mobile Wallets

The U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite® Card’s mid-tier rewards rate applies when you use the card to make a payment via Apple Pay®, Google Pay™ or Samsung Pay. If you spend a lot with a mobile wallet, this is an excellent deal, with the potential to save you more than some of the best cash back cards. Other people may get very little from this particular perk, however.

This earning rate also applies to eligible travel. That, of course, begs the question of what “eligible” signifies. Well, examples of “eligible travel” expenses are purchases made directly with airlines, hotels, rental car companies, taxi/limo services, passenger trains and cruise lines. Basically, if it seems like a travel purchase and you make the purchase directly from the travel provider, it probably counts.

If most of your spending doesn’t qualify for the card’s bonus reward rates of 3-5 points per $1, U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Card might not be the right fit for you. Normal purchases get you just 1 point / $1 spent, and you can earn more than that with cards that have no annual fee.

Up to 8 Free Airport Lounge Visits

New cardholders can activate a 12-month Priority Pass Select membership, then enjoy as many as 8 complimentary visits during the year. There are more than 1,300 lounges to choose from worldwide.

This is a nice benefit, but other cards are better for airport lounge access if that’s one of the features you’re most interested in. You can get unlimited access for a much lower cost.

Airport Screening Credit

If you apply for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite® Card will cover the application fee. This can save you up to $100 every 4 years.

Real-Time Redemption

If you enroll in Real-Time Rewards, U.S. Bank will text you after you make a qualifying purchase, allowing you to decide whether you want to pay for the purchase with rewards. Normal redemption rates seem to apply, so you will get 1.5 cents per point when redeeming for travel, for example.

What I Don’t Like About the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite® Card

$400 Annual Fee

The U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite® Card’s $400 annual fee can be worth paying, especially if you earn the initial bonus and the annual credits. But you should still compare offers to make sure it will save you more than other cards. The best approach is to estimate how much you’ll save via rewards and other perks, then subtract any fees and go with whichever card you expect to save you the most money when all is said and done.

21.49% - 28.49% (V) APR

If you carry a large balance from month to month with this card, the annual fee could end up being the least of your worries. The U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite® Card’s APR – 21.49% - 28.49% (V), depending on your overall creditworthiness – is much higher than average for a credit card that requires excellent credit for approval.

To maximize your savings and avoid wasting money on expensive interest charges, you should only apply for this card if you anticipate paying your bill in full monthly. Doing so will prevent the high APR from taking effect.

Excellent Credit Score Needed

We recommend applying for the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite® Card only if your credit score is 750 or higher. You can check your credit score for free right here on WalletHub.