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US Bank Altitude Reserve: inqs

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longtimelurker
Epic Contributor

US Bank Altitude Reserve: inqs

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...!)

Message 1 of 64
63 REPLIES 63
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: US Bank Altitude Reserve: inqs

Hmm... well I'm not in their service area and here's what I did while not AR.

 

I apped for Cash+ and 365, went pending, denied, recon for manual review due to # of inq's which were modest 5-6 at the time, overturned the denial for 1K/ea and then called again for another review and bumped to 10K/ea.

 

Post approvals and after meeting the SUB for the cards decided to open Checking account w/ them for moving the rewards to a deposit account instead of redeeming them on the statements.  I didn't have any issue opening the Checking account at that point. 

 

Some have went through the specific process of opening a checking account and adding a CC through the process and taking a TU pull.  When I did it my way it wasn't TU but EQ instead.  Checking didn't result in a HP at all they just use ARS / Chexsystems.

Message 2 of 64
Remedios
Credit Mentor

Re: US Bank Altitude Reserve: inqs

I dont think three inquires in a year would be too much, but based on what I was told by UW during recon for Cash+, for new customers they  like to see minimum of six months app free time for AR app. I'm groveling over it. 

 

Cash+ was opened because of AR but I actually like the card, so there is that. Either way, without checking, she's looking at waiting for a little bit. 

 

I guess this is the right time for YMMV disclaimer. 

Message 3 of 64
K-in-Boston
Credit Mentor

Re: US Bank Altitude Reserve: inqs

I was wondering about the geographic restrictions since they offer me checking all the time and my closest US Bank branch is in Ohio, but it certainly looks like existing customers are eligible for checking accounts regardless, while new customers are georestricted.

 

Cash+ is certainly the gateway for many of us to Altitude Reserve.  My file's thick and things are always YMMV, but I had no problems getting the Cash+ (other than quirky initial $500 SL that a lot of us got around that time, requiring recon to $15k) or Altitude Reserve with numerous inquiries and always being LOL/24.  But again, for every case like mine, you're going to see another forum member with excellent credit that may have run into issues. 

 

AR is a fantastic card (I keep saying it, but it bears repeating - I got this card to churn for the bonus but now find it an absolute keeper with its 4.5% back on non-category spend for mobile payments and instant mobile rewards redemption) and I think it's worth jumping through hoops if necessary.  After the $325 travel credit, the AF is really only $75, and personally the gogoinflight WiFi passes alone already made that up for me.  Cash+ seems to be good for a lot of people to get into USB.  If I had to do it again, I likely would have grabbed one of the Korean Air or Aeromexico cards instead, but neither AR nor SkyTeam loyalty was really on my radar at the time.

 

The AU would not make her a customer.  If the Cash+ is a throwaway, is there another card offered that makes sense?  (Don't forget co-branded.)

Message 4 of 64
simplynoir
Community Leader
Mega Contributor

Re: US Bank Altitude Reserve: inqs


@K-in-Boston wrote:

[...] but it certainly looks like existing customers are eligible for checking accounts regardless, while new customers are georestricted.


We're going to find out how hard this rule is when lending calls me to either decline my checking account app or ask for documentation hopefully between now and the end of the week at the latest. My gut tells me because of said geo-restrictions I'm going to get told no and gonna have go the Cash+ route to get in both with a card and opening a checking account. AR is definitely the endgame here.

Message 5 of 64
imaximous
Valued Contributor

Re: US Bank Altitude Reserve: inqs


@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.

 

I'll start with the YMMV disclaimer... I got my AR in Feb 2018. That was about 10 days after I got the Cash+, which I only applied for to be eligible for the AR. I had a bunch of new accounts at the time of both USB apps. If I remember correctly, I'd added Lowe's, PP 2%, Uber, CFU, Penfed PCR, Pathfinder and a stupid $500 overdraft LOC (I didn't even realize I'd requested it while opening the checking account with Penfed). All those within 1 - 3 months prior to applying. Plus a few others in the last 12 or 24 months.

My AR app was denied at first, and I had to plead my case with an underwriter to send it for a second review. She didn't even want to submit for review because of all my new accounts, plus the Cash+ I'd just got a few days before. Eventually, a wonderful soul at USB approved me for the bare minimum $5k SL. Then, it took me about a year to finally get a CLI of 5x my SL. 

That was my experience, but I probably had some luck on my side.

 

I don't know if AUs are considered customers for qualification purposes. You'd probably have to call and make sure before wasting a HP. 

If you have a banking product, she could probably qualify if you add her as a joint account holder to a checking or savings account. That might be able to get her around the geofence, but not sure.

Message 6 of 64
Remedios
Credit Mentor

Re: US Bank Altitude Reserve: inqs

Cash+ was auto denied for two new accounts in over a year. Recon worked, but preaching was involved.  

If I "knew" I'd get the same chatty UW, I'd apply right now. 

 

Also, I dont know if you care or not, but he also had copy of EWS and Sage Stream report available and seemed to care more about those two than TU pull  once we passed the new accounts talk. It seemed he rely on those two SL wise 🤷

 

That's the only thing I dislike about them so far, too much human interaction at first. None since, so it's all good now. 

 

Message 7 of 64
imaximous
Valued Contributor

Re: US Bank Altitude Reserve: inqs


@Remedios wrote:

Cash+ was auto denied for two new accounts in over a year. Recon worked, but preaching was involved.  

If I "knew" I'd get the same chatty UW, I'd apply right now. 

 

Also, I dont know if you care or not, but he also had copy of EWS and Sage Stream report available and seemed to care more about those two than TU pull  once we passed the new accounts talk. It seemed he rely on those two SL wise 🤷

 

That's the only thing I dislike about them so far, too much human interaction at first. None since, so it's all good now. 

 


Now that I recall. My Cash+ was not auto-approved either. I had to call for a manual review on that app too Smiley Very Happy

Message 8 of 64
K-in-Boston
Credit Mentor

Re: US Bank Altitude Reserve: inqs

This is why these forums are great, because it's really obvious to see that US Bank, who rely mostly on manual underwriting, is the poster child for YMMV.  Looking at it objectively, I likely should have been very borderline for my Cash+ approval with my approximately 5 new cards in the previous 6 months, @Remedios should have had them throwing money at her, and @imaximous appeared ripe for a declined application even upon recon due to numerous account in just the few months/weeks prior.  But it all worked out (or will soon) in the end.

Message 9 of 64
imaximous
Valued Contributor

Re: US Bank Altitude Reserve: inqs


@K-in-Boston wrote:

This is why these forums are great, because it's really obvious to see that US Bank, who rely mostly on manual underwriting, is the poster child for YMMV.  Looking at it objectively, I likely should have been very borderline for my Cash+ approval with my approximately 5 new cards in the previous 6 months, @Remedios should have had them throwing money at her, and @imaximous appeared ripe for a declined application even upon recon due to numerous account in just the few months/weeks prior.  But it all worked out (or will soon) in the end.


100%.

 

In retrospect, I shouldn't have been approved for the Cash+ and much less for the AR with all the new INQs and accounts leading to the USB apps. I won't complain, though. The AR has been really great all around for me. I was lucky to get it at a time when I was pretty much fed up with point transfers, award availability, etc. Mobile wallet with Samsung Pay for 4.5x was my biggest discovery last year Smiley Very Happy

The Cash+ was supposed to be a throwaway card, and I'm squeezing 5% month after month on utilities, which almost max out every quarter. I didn't have a good card for that before USB added Utilities.

Message 10 of 64
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