U.S. Bank launches rewards card with 50,000-point sign-up bonus

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After weeks of speculation, the new, premium rewards card from U.S. Bank has finally launched. The metal card, the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Card, offers luxury-card level perks and costs, including a generous sign-up bonus and a lavish rewards program, along with a hefty annual fee.

The Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite card allows cardholders to earn the following rewards:

• 50,000-point sign-up bonus – Earn 50,000 points after spending $4,500 in the first 90 days of account opening.
• 3 times the rewards on travel – Earn 3 points per dollar spent on travel when purchased directly through airlines, hotels and other qualifying travel vendors.
• 3 times the rewards on mobile purchases – Earn 3 points per dollar spent on items purchased through mobile wallets, such as Apple Pay and Android Pay.

The triple-point bonus on mobile wallet purchases is an industry first. According to the president of U.S. Bank Retail Payments Solutions, John Steward, it sets the card apart for consumers who “live life on the go,” putting the cardholder “in charge of their own spend categories so they can earn triple points on the things they like to buy – not just the categories a card presets for them.”

While the reach and use of mobile wallets is still limited, the value of the card’s unique rewards program should grow as more businesses accept mobile payments and more consumers use their smartphones as a payment method.

Travel-oriented perks

In addition to a generous sign-up bonus – which can be redeemed for $750 worth of airfare, hotel stays or car rentals – the Altitude card offers several other benefits geared toward travel, including:

• $325 in travel credits – Receive a reimbursement of up to $325 each year for eligible travel purchases.
• No foreign transaction fees – You won’t be charged foreign transaction fees for any purchases made while traveling outside the U.S.
• Priority Pass Select membership – Cardholders receive a complimentary, 12-month Priority Pass Select membership, which grants access to more than 1,000 airport lounges globally.
• Complimentary Wi-Fi – Enjoy free internet access with 12 complimentary Gogo Inflight Wi-Fi passes each year.
• $100 application credit – Receive a statement credit of up to $100 when applying for Global Entry or TSA Precheck every four years.
• Save on chauffeured rides – Book a chauffeured ride through GroundLink black car service, and receive 15 percent off, as well as $30 off your first ride.
• Travel and concierge services – Cardholders receive complimentary membership to travel planning service Andrew Harper and access to Visa Infinite concierge service.

The most luxurious of luxury credit cards?
In the realm of travel credit cards, the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Card definitely has competition. For example, the Platinum card from American Express offers a higher sign-up bonus than Altitude (60,000 points), but it also comes with a higher annual fee ($550). The Chase Sapphire Reserve, on the other hand, offers a 50,000-point sign-up bonus for spending $500 less in the first three months than the Altitude card.

See how the Altitude card stacks up against other premium travel rewards cards: