Recently, US Bank has made a few different changes to some of their cards including discontinuing some cards to new applicants. We thought the Altitude Reserve would be free from any sort of negative changes. This new survey from US Bank give us a good insight onto what’s going through US Bank’s mind.
The Survey
US Bank has sent out a survey to some of its Altitude Reserve cardholders out there. The survey shows two different options for the card. They are as follows
$400 annual fee
- $325 annual travel credit
- 3x on travel and purchases made through mobile wallet
- Global Entry/TSA Precheck
- Priority Pass membership (4 complimentary visits)
- 12 Gogo inflight WiFi credit
- Points worth 1.5 cents per point towards travel
$495 annual fee
- $400 annual travel credits ($150 rewards center credit, $250 homestay credit)
- $100 Clear credit
- 5x on dining and travel, 2x on mobile wallet purchases
- Unlimited priority pass visits
- 12 Gogo inflight WiFi credits
- Free Platinum status at Radisson hotels
- 30% annual discount at REI
- Free Platinum checking account
- Points only worth 1 cents towards travel
Final Thoughts
These are two pretty interesting options. The $400 option is pretty much the way the card is set up now. I really think the $325 travel credit is pretty nice because it’s very easy to use. For the right person, it could be one of the better travel credit cards you could get.
The second option could potentially be good for some, but I think that not having the $325 travel credit, and replacing it with different credits make it less desirable. I don’t think the annual fee increase would be worth the 5x in points if the travel credit would disappear.
Which option would you prefer? The card in its current state, or an increased annual fee for some different credits? Let us know down in the comment section below.