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US Bank Altitude Reserve: inqs

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Shadowfactor
Valued Contributor

Re: US Bank Altitude Reserve: inqs

You guys don’t even want me to get started on my USB experience and new accounts 😂

In all seriousness though, USB has been a great bank and I’ve been very happy with them.

They approved me with a co-signer for 4K on a FlexPerks when my credit was in the dumps. I think around 600 FICO. Only had the USB secured card for 3 months too.
It’s been a pleasant relationship ever since.

AR is a fantastic card, but it’s not a good card as a joint account. The travel credit and WiFi passes far exceed the AF so anything after that is pure gravy. Especially for international travel in developed countries that accept mobile pay.




Total Revolving Limits $254,800

Message 11 of 64
longtimelurker
Epic Contributor

Re: US Bank Altitude Reserve: inqs


@imaximous wrote:

@longtimelurker wrote:

Looking at my daughter getting this.   Issue is that she isn't currently a US Bank customer.   The print says you need to have an open account at least 5 business days before applying, so that wouldn't be difficult, but as checking isn't available in her area, she would have to get a card.

 

She just got the Paypal card, but that's her only new account in the last 12 months.   But, if she gets a throwaway US Bank credit card, and then applies for the Altitude Reserve, is that going to be too many inqs?    Alternatively, would making her an AU on one of my US Bank cards make her enough of a customer for the Altitude?  (Guessing not, but...!)


How much time does she have to get the AR till her upcoming trip? If it's a few months away, then it shouldn't be a problem.

 

If it happens its two or three months, but the issue is she will been going from a very well paid tech worker to an almost unpaid grad student in another country, so obviously she would want to apply while still employed here!   I didn't suggest the cash plus because of the FTF, so was thinking of one of the no AF cards as the "make me a customer" card.

 

Are the travel rewards unrestricted?   I seem to remember some system where flights had to start (or end or both?) in the US

Message 12 of 64
Caught750
Valued Contributor

Re: US Bank Altitude Reserve: inqs

Echoing what others have said US Bank seems to like what they like and is exceedingly generous if they like you.

I applied for Cash+ (first product with them) while lol/24. It was not instant but was approved in less that 2 hrs for $4.5k which was reasonable given my profile at the time.

I opened checking within a week and had both for 6 months.

Fast forward 6 months and I’m even more LOL/24. Applied for Altitude and was approved for $9k in less than 24 hrs.

1 month later I got an auto increase on Cash+ bringing me up $6.5k and $15.5k exposure. US Bank has been nothing but generous to me and a joy to work with.

It’s certainly YMMV as new accts and inqs were never a speed bump, let alone road block, for me
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Message 13 of 64
K-in-Boston
Credit Mentor

Re: US Bank Altitude Reserve: inqs


@longtimelurker wrote:
Are the travel rewards unrestricted?   I seem to remember some system where flights had to start (or end or both?) in the US

I could be mistaken, but I think the restrictions you're thinking of may have been what triggers the airline credit on Bank of America Premium Rewards?  As long as the charge codes as a travel category, it should be fine.  My annual credit was used for paid Delta F upgrades, and I've used RTR for Delta flights booked directly with Delta, and the credit appeared immediately even though the charges took a few days to settle so I actually had a negative account balance for a few days.  I thought I had a KLM example to report for you, but now that I look, that was actually Amex.

Message 14 of 64
pizza1
Community Leader
Super Contributor

Re: US Bank Altitude Reserve: inqs

I wish I was a traveler! I almost want to try for this card just because though lol! Existing customer for a year with business checking and CC, and Cash + Smiley Wink. But, Im gardening, I can't.
Message 15 of 64
longtimelurker
Epic Contributor

Re: US Bank Altitude Reserve: inqs


@K-in-Boston wrote:

@longtimelurker wrote:
Are the travel rewards unrestricted?   I seem to remember some system where flights had to start (or end or both?) in the US

I could be mistaken, but I think the restrictions you're thinking of may have been what triggers the airline credit on Bank of America Premium Rewards?  As long as the charge codes as a travel category, it should be fine.  My annual credit was used for paid Delta F upgrades, and I've used RTR for Delta flights booked directly with Delta, and the credit appeared immediately even though the charges took a few days to settle so I actually had a negative account balance for a few days.  I thought I had a KLM example to report for you, but now that I look, that was actually Amex.


Sorry, I meant travel redemptions.   I assume the booking system is pretty standard but wanted to check!

Message 16 of 64
imaximous
Valued Contributor

Re: US Bank Altitude Reserve: inqs


@longtimelurker wrote:

@K-in-Boston wrote:

@longtimelurker wrote:
Are the travel rewards unrestricted?   I seem to remember some system where flights had to start (or end or both?) in the US

I could be mistaken, but I think the restrictions you're thinking of may have been what triggers the airline credit on Bank of America Premium Rewards?  As long as the charge codes as a travel category, it should be fine.  My annual credit was used for paid Delta F upgrades, and I've used RTR for Delta flights booked directly with Delta, and the credit appeared immediately even though the charges took a few days to settle so I actually had a negative account balance for a few days.  I thought I had a KLM example to report for you, but now that I look, that was actually Amex.


Sorry, I meant travel redemptions.   I assume the booking system is pretty standard but wanted to check!


For redemptions using the USB travel portal, you can use the points for anything there. For Real-Time Rewards (RTR), there are some rules. The more restrictive ones are $500 minimum for hotels and $250 for car rentals. More importantly, for RTR to trigger, the purchase must be at a US merchant. For instance, if you have a hotel stay in a foreign country that meets the $500 minimum, you won't get the text message. 

There's also no partial redemptions for RTR. You have to have enough points to cover the entire purchase or RTR won't trigger. 

On the portal, you can use partial points if you don't have enough. 

But, I'd still try to stay away from booking on the portal and redeem using RTR. 

Message 17 of 64
K-in-Boston
Credit Mentor

Re: US Bank Altitude Reserve: inqs

I can't say for sure on RTR, but at least in the travel portal international itineraries are widely available.  (Also that's a nice round-trip price for J from Hong Kong to Dhaka via Kuala Lumpur!)

 

usb-portal.png

Message 18 of 64
imaximous
Valued Contributor

Re: US Bank Altitude Reserve: inqs

FYI, not to be captain obvious, but you have to sign up for RTR and then select the categories that you want to trigger the text message for redemption. There's a list of merchant types, but I'd only select the travel categories to get 1.5x value. Everything non-travel through RTR is 1x only, which would make the card 3x and not 4.5x.
Message 19 of 64
Winesnoblv
Regular Contributor

Re: US Bank Altitude Reserve: inqs

I don't think the number of inquiries is going to be a problem.  I was approved for the Altitude Reserve last year with 3 new accounts in 6 months.  I applied at my branch and was sent for a manual review (which seems to be normal business practice for this card).  She contacted me later in the day with the approval for $5k.  I called UW the next day and requested an increase to $10k and was approved within minutes.

At the time I had been a banking customer for over 18 years.  

 

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Message 20 of 64
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