The U.S. Bank Altitude Go is a Visa Signature credit card best used for dining and streaming purchases. It’s arguably the best no-fee card for both categories, and unquestionably in the top 5. If you don’t live near a bank location, there’s also a close yet slightly worse alternative: the Elan Everyday Rewards+ Visa Signature.
FEATURES AT A GLANCE
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
- 4x points on dining (including delivery and takeout)
- 2x points on groceries (including delivery)
- 2x points on streaming
- 2x points on gas (and electric vehicle charging stations)
- 1x points on everything else
- $15 annual streaming credit
SIGN UP BONUS
You can earn 20,000 bonus points ($200) after spending $1,000 in your first 90 days after opening the card. This is a 20% RoS (Return on Spend).
You’ll also get 0% APR for 12 months.
U.S. Bank has occasional sign-up bonuses for checking accounts too, up to $400. Or if you check with your friends who already use the bank, there may be referral offers.
OTHER BENEFITS OF THE ALTITUDE GO CARD
- Visa Signature benefits, including:
The card doesn’t have purchase protection, return protection, or insurance options. It’s light on universally useful benefits.
RESTRICTIONS AND CREDIT SCORE
Recommended credit score: 670+
U.S. Bank usually pulls credit reports from TransUnion.
U.S. Bank (USB) can be tough on approvals and they have regional restrictions. If you don’t live within 50 miles of a bank branch, they may automatically deny your application. People have reported that opening a brokerage account (IRA) can get around this requirement, and start a banking relationship, but YMMV. Otherwise, their general anti-churning rules apply. There isn’t a hard limit on how many U.S. Bank cards you can carry around.
“Streaming” includes: Amazon Music, Amazon Prime Video, Apple Music, Apple TV+, DirecTV Stream, Discovery+, Disney+, ESPN+, Fubo TV, Google Music, HBO Max, Hulu, iHeart, 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 TV, and YouTube Premium.
MAXIMIZING REWARDS WITH THE ALTITUDE GO CARD
To earn the streaming credit, just pay the monthly fees for your service(s) of choice for 11 months. You’ll get the $15 on the 12th month. The value of this credit depends on how much you pay for streaming. If you spend $300 annually on streaming, the Go is equivalent to 7% cash back ($6 back at 2% plus $15 credit). The effective cash back rate rises if you spend even less. If you spend closer to $200, it’s almost a 10% annual discount on your streaming costs.
Although they share the “Altitude” name, you can’t transfer your points to the Altitude Reserve for increased value.
Points are unlimited and don’t expire. With U.S. Bank’s “Real Time Rewards,” points can be redeemed instantly if you want.
The Gold Checking account is free for anyone with an open U.S. Bank personal loan or credit card. Some people start their U.S. Bank relationship by opening a no-fee card like Altitude Go or Cash+. Then getting a checking account sign-up bonus later.
Otherwise, just use the card normally for restaurant or streaming expenses.
ALTERNATIVES TO THE ALTITUDE GO
The closest no-fee alternative is a generic card found at many local credit unions, issued by Elan Financial Services: Everyday Rewards+ Visa Signature. It’s identical to the Altitude Go except for the streaming credits and sign-up bonuses. Valley Bank, for example, offers this card. Check your area to see what credit cards are available, or even beyond your area. Dozens of banks should have something under the “Everyday Rewards+” name.
The next best no-fee card is probably the Capital One SavorOne. It earns an unlimited 3% cash back for groceries, dining, entertainment, and streaming. It doesn’t have foreign transaction fees either.
The other categories are somewhat useless here. Any card offering 2% cash back in a particular category is no longer useful. There are now about 20 options for earning at least 2% cash back on all purchases. For a general-use card, any of the best everyday cards will work.
You can earn up to 5% cash back on groceries or gas with no-fee cards. Citi Custom Cash is generally best for groceries. It gets 5% cash back in a single category of your choice. For gas, Abound credit union has the best card.
The U.S. Bank Altitude Connect is a potential upgrade option. However, it’s generally a worse option than the Altitude Go. It depends on your needs and spending habits. Big spenders may also prefer the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve.
CONCLUSION
U.S. Bank’s Altitude Go is a great card for dining and streaming expenses. Most no-fee cards have lower cash back rates or more restrictions. There aren’t many competitors to the Altitude Go, and it’s definitely worth considering for most people.
We rate the Altitude Go card 4 out of 5 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Note: This review was last updated in March 2023. Details may have changed since then. Please do your own research where applicable, to ensure you’re getting the best deal. Or contact us directly to benefit from our personalized consulting services!