INSIDER SECRET: The US Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Card is a fantastic choice for Costco purchases because Costco accepts mobile wallet payments, and the Altitude Reserve earns 3x points per $1 on these types of purchases.
I’ve been a long-time Chase credit card fanatic. I’ve used Chase Ultimate Rewards points to fly to and stay in various spots in the US and around the world, including California, Colorado, France, Peru, Portugal and more.
Currently, I have these three Chase cards:
- Chase Sapphire Reserve (My favorite Chase card for its $300 annual credit for travel purchases)
- Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card (A card that’s a no-brainer for small-business owners thanks to a crazy-good welcome bonus)
- Chase Freedom Unlimited (My first pick for earning Ultimate Rewards points on non-bonus spending)
But I recently signed up for the US Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Card, and it’s quickly becoming the most frequently used card in my wallet. I’m especially loving the card’s Real-Time rewards feature, but there are other reasons I think it’s an excellent card. I’ll explain.
Chase Credit Cards vs. US Bank Altitude Reserve
With a 50,000-point sign-up bonus (worth $750 in travel) after spending $4,500 in the first 90 days, $325 annual travel credit, and 3x points on travel and mobile-wallet purchases, the US Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Card is hard to beat.
No, the US Bank Altitude Reserve card doesn’t have transfer partners like certain Chase cards. But there’s something to be said for the ease of using the card’s Real-Time Rewards option and not having to worry about award charts or blackout dates.
Once you’re registered for Real-Time Rewards, every time you make a qualifying travel purchase you’ll get a text message asking if you want to redeem your points for it. By texting back “Redeem,” your points will automatically be credited at 1.5 cents each toward the purchase.
Plus, you can use the card’s $325 credit per cardmember year to offset common travel expenses like flights, hotels, car rentals, and even public transportation.
There’s also the fact that you’ll earn 3x points per $1 on mobile-wallet purchases (like Apple Pay or Samsung Pay). Since getting the card, I’ve noticed many of the spots where I regularly shop accept mobile payments (hello, Costco). This is a great benefit because I don’t have to think about which card to use for a particular purchase. As an added bonus, I don’t even have to carry the card around with me.
For a more in-depth look at this great card, check out our US Bank Altitude Reserve review here.
What do you think? Do you think other banks are doing a good job at competing with the ever-popular Chase Ultimate Rewards credit cards? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
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The most underappreciated card on the market. In some ways, I hope more people don’t begin to realize just how great this card is (especially in urban areas with many places that accept mobile wallet payments), because I’m not sure how long US Bank can continue to support 3X on mobile payments.