What the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Card is and who it's built for

The U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Card is a premium rewards card that charges an annual fee in exchange for higher cash-back rates on certain purchases and travel perks. Unlike cards that reward points you redeem later, this card gives you cash back directly — typically 4.5% on dining and gas, 3% on travel, and 1% on everything else. The annual fee is $400, which U.S. Bank waives for the first year.

This card makes sense if you spend heavily on dining and travel and can earn back more than $400 in cash rewards each year. If you spend less than $10,000 annually on those categories combined, the fee will likely cost you more than you gain. The card is not a rewards card for everyday shoppers — it's built for people who already know they'll use those bonus categories.

Key Takeaways

  • The card offers 4.5% cash back on dining and gas, 3% on travel, and 1% on other purchases, with a $400 annual fee that is waived the first year.
  • You need to earn at least $400 in cash rewards per year to break even on the annual fee, which typically requires $9,000 to $10,000 in spending on bonus categories.
  • The card includes travel protections like trip delay reimbursement, baggage delay insurance, and emergency medical and dental coverage abroad.
  • You must have a U.S. Bank checking or savings account to open this card, and approval typically requires good to excellent credit.
  • The card's rewards are paid as cash back, not points, so you don't have to track redemptions or worry about point devaluation.

How the cash-back rates work and what counts toward each one

The 4.5% rate applies to purchases coded as dining (restaurants, bars, food delivery) and gas (gas stations only, not convenience stores or car washes). The 3% rate covers travel purchases: airlines, hotels, rental cars, taxis, rideshare, trains, buses, and travel booking sites like Expedia or Kayak. Everything else — groceries, retail, utilities, subscriptions — earns 1% cash back.

Cash back posts to your account monthly and can be used to pay your statement balance, transferred to a linked U.S. Bank checking or savings account, or left to accumulate. Unlike points-based cards, you don't have to wait for a redemption window or worry about bonus categories changing mid-year. The rates are fixed for as long as you hold the card.

One important limit: the 4.5% rate on dining and gas has an annual cap of $75,000 in combined purchases per calendar year. Once you hit that cap, those categories drop to 1% for the rest of the year. For most cardholders this is not a practical limit — $75,000 in dining and gas spending annually is roughly $6,250 per month — but it's worth knowing if you run a business or have very high spending.

Travel benefits and protections included with the card

The Altitude Reserve includes several travel protections at no extra cost. Trip delay reimbursement covers meals and lodging if your flight is delayed more than 12 hours. Baggage delay insurance reimburses essential items if your luggage is delayed more than 12 hours. Emergency medical and dental coverage applies to treatment needed while traveling outside the United States, up to $10,000 for medical and $500 for dental.

The card also includes emergency evacuation and transportation coverage, which pays for emergency evacuation by air or ground ambulance if you're injured or become ill while traveling more than 100 miles from home. Lost luggage reimbursement covers baggage that is permanently lost by an airline. These protections are secondary — they pay after your primary insurance — but they fill gaps that many travel insurance policies leave open.

You do not automatically receive these benefits. You must charge your trip to the card for the protections to explore. If you book travel on a different card or pay cash, these protections won't cover you.

Annual fee, credit requirements, and account requirements

The $400 annual fee is charged on your card anniversary each year. U.S. Bank waives it for the first 12 months, so you can test the card without paying. After that, the fee posts automatically unless you close the account. There is no way to keep the card without paying the fee after year one.

To open this card, you must have a U.S. Bank checking or savings account. If you don't have one, you'll need to open an account first — this can be done online and typically takes 10 to 15 minutes. You'll also need good to excellent credit, which usually means a credit score of 740 or higher, though U.S. Bank does not publish a minimum score.

U.S. Bank may deny your process if you've opened too many credit accounts recently, if you have recent late payments, or if you carry very high balances relative to your income. If you're denied, you can call the reconsideration line to discuss your process, though this rarely changes the decision.

How this card compares to other premium rewards cards

The Altitude Reserve's main competitor is the Chase Sapphire Reserve, which charges $550 annually and offers 3% cash back on dining and travel, plus 1% on everything else. The Sapphire Reserve does not require a checking account and has no annual cap on bonus categories. However, it costs $150 more per year and offers lower dining cash back (3% vs. 4.5%).

The American Express Platinum Card charges $695 annually and does not offer cash back at all — instead it offers points that you redeem through Amex's travel portal or transfer to airline and hotel partners. It's built for people who want maximum travel perks and don't mind paying for them; it's not a direct competitor to the Altitude Reserve.

If you spend heavily on gas and dining, the Altitude Reserve's 4.5% rate is higher than most competitors offer. If you spend more on travel than dining, or if you want a card without an account requirement, the Sapphire Reserve may be the better choice despite the higher fee.

How to decide whether this card is worth the annual fee

Start by adding up your annual spending in the bonus categories: dining (including food delivery and bars) and gas. Multiply that total by 4.5% to see how much cash back you'd earn. Then add your travel spending and multiply by 3%. If the total is less than $400, the card will cost you money.

Example: If you spend $6,000 per year on dining and gas combined, and $3,000 on travel, your cash back would be ($6,000 × 4.5%) + ($3,000 × 3%) = $270 + $90 = $360. That's $40 less than the annual fee, so this card would not be worth it for you.

If you spend $8,000 on dining and gas and $4,000 on travel, your cash back would be ($8,000 × 4.5%) + ($4,000 × 3%) = $360 + $120 = $480. That's $80 more than the fee, so the card would pay for itself. The higher your spending in these categories, the more value you get.

Remember that the first year has no annual fee, so you can test the card and see how much you actually earn before deciding whether to keep it in year two.

How to open the card and what happens after approval

You can open the card online at usbank.com or by calling U.S. Bank at 1-800-285-8585. If you don't have a U.S. Bank checking or savings account, you'll need to open one first — this can be done in the same session. The online process takes about 10 minutes.

After you submit your process, U.S. Bank will give you a decision within minutes to a few business days. If you're approved, your card will arrive in 7 to 10 business days. You can request expedited shipping for an additional fee. Once the card arrives, set up it through the U.S. Bank app or website before making your first purchase.

Your cash back will start posting to your account 30 days after your first purchase. You can check your rewards balance anytime in the U.S. Bank app or online portal. If you decide the card isn't right for you, you can close it anytime, though closing it within the first year may trigger a review by U.S. Bank.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get the annual fee waived after the first year?

No. U.S. Bank waives the $400 fee only in year one. After that, the fee is charged automatically each year unless you close the account. Some cardholders call to ask for a waiver, but U.S. Bank rarely grants one.

What happens to my cash back if I close the card?

Any cash back you've already earned remains yours and can be transferred to your U.S. Bank checking or savings account or used to pay your statement balance. You won't lose rewards you've already accumulated.

Do I earn cash back on the annual fee itself?

No. The annual fee does not earn cash back or any other rewards. It's a separate charge from your purchases.

Can I use this card outside the United States?

Yes. The card works internationally and has no foreign transaction fees. You'll earn the same cash-back rates on dining and travel purchases made abroad. The emergency medical and dental coverage also applies when you're traveling outside the U.S.

What credit score do I need to be approved?

U.S. Bank does not publish a minimum credit score, but approval typically requires good to excellent credit — usually 740 or higher. If you have a score below 700, approval is unlikely. If you're denied, you can call the reconsideration line to discuss your process.