December 23, 2024: The U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card recently changed to become a no annual fee card. And U.S. Bank dropped the sign-up bonus on the card to be more in-line with what is offered on cards with no annual fee.
Here’s the best new cardmember welcome bonus available on the Altitude Connect.
Best online: 20,000 point sign-up offer
Annual fee: $0
Best sign-up bonus: Earn 20,000 bonus points. Just spend $1,000 in eligible net purchases in the first 90 days. Learn how to apply.
This bonus is earned as points which can be redeemed for maximum value (1 cent per point) only when redeeming for a deposit into an eligible U.S. Bank deposit account or redeeming for travel.
Our take: Decent bonus for a no annual fee card
The bonus offered on the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card is nothing to write home about. It’s competitive among other no-annual-fee cards, but not market-leading.
The biggest catch to this bonus is remembering the fine print about how to get the most value from your points. You’ll only get maximum value for your points (1 cent per point) if you redeem them in certain ways. Travel redemptions and redemptions for deposit credits into eligible U.S. Bank accounts will get you the most value. Other redemptions will generally yield 0.8 cents per point of value or less.
You might see references online to a larger bonus previously offered on this card, but don’t get your hopes up. This card recently dropped its annual fee and the welcome bonus went down alongside that change. I’d put the chances of seeing 50,000 points as a welcome offer on this card again at close to zero.
Eligibility: Can you get the bonus?
U.S. Bank generally allows you to earn a new cardmember bonus offer more than once. In the case of the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card, you can earn a bonus once every 5 years. Here’s what the terms and conditions say:
Existing or previous U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature cardmembers are not eligible if you have received a new account bonus for this product in the last five years.
Altitude Connect bonus terms.
Keep in mind that the terms seem to indicate that when you received a bonus is when the 5 year clock starts.
Using the points: Cash back with a U.S. Bank deposit account.
As part of the changes to this card that U.S. Bank made in September 2024, points are no longer worth 1 cent each for all cash back redemptions. Only the following redemptions will receive 1 cent of cash back value per point:
- Cash back redemptions to an eligible U.S. Bank deposit account.
- Charity redemptions.
- Travel redemptions.
If you’re looking to redeem for cash back, know that you’ll need a U.S. Bank checking or savings account to get the most cash back value from your points.
About the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card
Annual fee: $0
Foreign transaction fee: None
All information about the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card offers unique value to travelers, thanks to its partnership with GigSky and its Trip Delay Reimbursement with SmartDelay.
Sign-up bonus
Best sign-up bonus: Earn 20,000 bonus points. Just spend $1,000 in eligible net purchases in the first 90 days. Learn how to apply.
This bonus is earned as points which can be redeemed for maximum value (1 cent per point) only when redeeming for a deposit into an eligible U.S. Bank deposit account or redeeming for travel.
Rewards
- 5x on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Altitude Rewards Center.
- 4x on travel.
- 4x at gas stations/EV charging stations
on your first $1,000 each quarter. Excludes discount stores/supercenters and wholesale clubs. - 2x on dining.
- 2x on streaming services.
- 2x at grocery stores
excludes discount stores/supercenters and wholesale clubs. - 1x on all other eligible purchases.
Rewards are earned as Altitude Connect points, which can be redeemed for travel through the Altitude Rewards Center, a deposit to a qualifying U.S. Bank account, and charity at 1 cent per point. Other redemptions have less value. Note that cash back redemptions other than deposits to a U.S. Bank account will net you 0.8 cents per point.
Benefits
Consumer insurance benefits
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card does not offer any consumer insurance benefits.
Travel and travel insurance benefits
- Priority Pass™ Select membership with 4 free visits per year.
- TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry® credit.
- Complimentary GigSky global mobile data plans.
- Trip cancellation and interruption.
- SmartDelay.
- Roadside dispatch.
- Travel accident benefit.
- Trip delay reimbursement.
- Travel and emergency assistance services.
Partner benefits and statement credits
- 3 months of free Shipt membership, then 9 months at 50% off.
For more on the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card, check out our overview of the card.
Frequently asked questions
In September 2024, U.S. Bank dropped the annual fee from the Altitude Connect card. Alongside the change, the bank decreased the welcome bonus to 20,000 points, which is more in-line with what is typically offered on cards with no annual fee.
Yes. Priority Pass™ Select with four complimentary visits per year is included as a card benefit. You can learn more about the Altitude Connects benefits in our Guide to the Altitude Connect.
