The U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card is a travel card that offers 4x points on travel, travel, at gas stations and EV charging stations, and at grocery stores, dining, and streaming services. The Altitude Connect’s annual fee is waived the first year ($95 thereafter), but it is offset by Priority Pass airport lounge access with four free visits, an annual $30 streaming credit, a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit, cell phone insurance, and trip delay and trip cancellation insurance.
This credit card review will cover everything you need to know about this card to determine if you should add this card or a different card to your wallet. Let’s dive right in.
Welcome Bonus of the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect
The Altitude Connect Visa currently offers the following welcome bonus:
Earn 50,000 Points After Spending $2,000 in Eligible Purchases in the First 120 Days.
Earning Points with U.S. Bank Altitude Connect
The Altitude Connect Visa earns points at the following rates:
- 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Altitude Rewards Center.
- 4 points per dollar on travel, at gas stations and EV charging stations.
- 2 points per dollar at grocery stores, grocery delivery, dining, and streaming services.
- 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
Annual Fee of the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect
The Altitude Connect Visa has a $0 intro annual fee the first year and $95 thereafter.
Altitude Connect Benefits
The Altitude Connect Visa offers the following benefits and perks:
$30 Streaming Credit: You can get a $30 steaming credit each year after paying with your Connect card for 11 consecutive calendar months of eligible streaming services (listed below). You can mix and match streaming services as long as you have a streaming charge each month.
Priority Pass: Receive a complimentary Priority Pass membership and four free visits each year to over 1,300 airport lounges.
Global Entry / TSA PreCheck Credit: This card offers a credit for TSA PreCheck (expedited airport security) or Global Entry (expedited airport security and customs).
Cell Phone Protection: When you use your card to pay your monthly phone bill, you’ll receive valuable coverage against damage or theft of your device.
No Foreign Transaction Fees: You’ll save money on every purchase while traveling internationally since this card doesn’t add the typical 3% surcharge that many other cards impose.
Trip Delay Insurance: When your trip is significantly delayed due to covered reasons like equipment failures or severe weather, this protection reimburses you for reasonable expenses including lodging, meals, toiletries, and medication. The coverage activates when you pay for travel with your card and extends to family members on the same itinerary, though you’ll need to seek reimbursement from the travel carrier first.
Trip Cancellation & Interruption Insurance: This protection reimburses you for non-refundable, prepaid travel expenses if you need to cancel before departure or cut your trip short due to covered situations like severe illness or weather events. Coverage activates when you pay for your trip with the card, but it’s important to note that reimbursement only applies for specific covered reasons rather than any cancellation.
Travel and Emergency Assistance Services: You’ll get 24/7 access to emergency support worldwide, including medical referrals, legal help, and lost luggage assistance. While the service itself is included, you’re responsible for any actual costs incurred.
Visa Signature Benefits: This card is a Visa Signature card offering special benefits such as rental car discounts, golf and wine discounts, and emergency travel assistance.
Eligible Streaming Services
Eligible streaming services for the $30 streaming service credit include:
Amazon Music, Amazon Prime Video, AMC+, Apple Music, Apple TV+, Audible, Bally Sports+, DirecTV Stream, Discovery+, Disney+, ESPN+, Fubo TV, HBO Max, Hulu, iHeart, LiveOne, Luminary, MLB TV, NBA League Pass, Netflix, NHL Live, Pandora, Paramount+, Peacock, Showtime, SiriusXM, Slacker Radio, Sling TV, Spotify, Starz, Stitcher, Tidal, Vudu, YouTube Music, YouTube Premium and YouTube TV.
How to Redeem Points
The Altitude Connect’s points are a fixed value of 1 cent per point for travel, merchandise, gift cards, cash back, and more.
Other cards allow you to transfer points to airline and hotel partners to achieve a higher value for your points potentially.
But for people who want a simple way to redeem their points, the Altitude Connect’s fixed value point system is easy and straight forward.
Pros and Cons
Now that you know about this credit card’s various benefits and pros and cons, it’s time to see its alternatives.
Pros:
- 4x points on travel and at gas stations and EV charging.
- Priority Pass membership with four free visits.
- Global Entry/TSA PreCheck and streaming credits.
- Nice travel protections for a lower annual fee card.
Cons:
- $95 annual fee after the first year.
- Points are only worth 1 cent per points and cannot be transferred to airline or hotel programs.
- Only 1x points (equal to 1% cash back) on everyday spending.
Alternatives to the Altitude Connect Card
Now that you know about this credit card’s various benefits and pros and cons, it’s time to see its alternatives.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (review) is one of the most popular travel rewards cards because it offers nice welcome bonus and extra points on travel and dining, which can be transferred to airline and hotel partners or redeemed directly for travel at a rate of 1.25 cents per point through Chase Travel℠. The Sapphire Preferred also offers great travel and purchase protections for a card with a $95 annual fee. Welcome Bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Earning Rewards: 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3x points on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2x points on all other travel purchases, and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. Card Benefits: Ability to transfer to airline and hotel partners, 25% bonus when redeeming points through Chase Travel, $50 annual hotel stay credit via Chase Travel, 10% anniversary points bonus, no foreign transaction fees, primary rental car insurance, trip delay insurance, trip cancellation insurance, baggage delay insurance, purchase protection, and extended warranty. Transfer Partners: Aer Lingus, Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways, Emirates, Air France KLM Flying Blue, Hyatt, IHG, Iberia, JetBlue, Marriott, Singapore KrisFlyer, Southwest, United, and Virgin Atlantic.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (review) delivers both everyday value with unlimited 2x miles on purchases and premium comfort through comprehensive airport lounge access for you upon enrollment. You’ll also receive $300 in annual travel credits plus 10,000 anniversary bonus miles, creating substantial ongoing value. Welcome Bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months. Earning Rewards: 10x miles on hotels and rental cars and 5x miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel; 2x miles on all other purchases. Card Benefits: $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, 10,000 bonus miles every account anniversary, airport lounge access (Capital One and Priority Pass) upon enrollment, Global Entry / TSA PreCheck credit, Hertz President’s Circle elite status, primary rental car insurance, trip delay insurance, trip cancellation insurance, and cell phone protection. Transfer Partners: Accor (2 to 1), Aeromexico, Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Avianca LifeMiles, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Choice Privileges, Emirates, Etihad, Finnair, I Prefer Hotels (1 to 2), Japan Airlines(2 to 1.5), JetBlue (5 to 3), Qantas, Qatar, Singapore KrisFlyer, TAP Air Portugal, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Red, and Wyndham Rewards.
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® (review) sets itself apart with 1.5% back on non-bonus purchases, plus higher rewards in select categories including dining and travel. This flexible rewards card becomes even more valuable when paired with a premium Chase card, allowing you to transfer your rewards to travel partners. Welcome Bonus: bonus_miles_full Earning Cash Back: 5% back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3% back on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services; 3% back on drugstore purchases; 1.5% back on all other purchases CaBenefits: Purchase protection, extended warranty, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, secondary rental car insurance, and 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, after that reg_apr,reg_apr_type APR applies; 
Is the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Worth It?
The Altitude Connect Visa is a pretty good card overall, especially if you plan to use it primarily for travel purchases and at gas and EV charging stations. It also offers nice benefits such as a $30 streaming credit, Priority Pass, cell phone protection, and trip delay insurance.
However, other cards are much better when it comes to rewards on everyday spending, at grocery stores, dining, and streaming.
