U.S. Bank Altitude Go Card review

One of the trickiest parts of choosing a rewards credit card is finding one that offers bonus rewards that match your lifestyle and spending habits. This is especially true when it comes to travel credit cards, many of which offer big rewards on travel purchases, but fall short when it comes to everyday expenses like gas and groceries.

But that’s where the U.S. Bank Altitude Go Card shines. The card boasts a refreshingly practical and flexible rewards program that lets you earn points on a wide variety of everyday expenses, without paying an annual fee. Plus, you don’t need to already be a U.S. Bank customer to get the card.

While frequent travelers in search of luxury perks will want to look elsewhere, the Altitude Go card is a great option for the average cardholder thanks to its low cost of ownership and terrific ongoing rewards rate.

Impressive rewards rate on everyday purchases

The Altitude Go card offers great flexibility if you want to earn rewards on a variety of everyday spending. You’ll get 4 points per dollar on dining purchases, including at restaurants and on takeout and food delivery services like Grubhub, Uber Eats, DoorDash and Postmates.

You’ll also earn 2 points per dollar at grocery stores and on grocery delivery (including meal kit subscriptions like Blue Apron), as well as on gas station and streaming service purchases. You get 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

The average person spends a sizable chunk of their income on these sorts of everyday expenses, making the Altitude Go a very practical choice for earning rewards. Indeed, it’s tough to earn bonus rewards on dining, gas and groceries year-round with a single card – especially without paying an annual fee.

See related: Best credit cards for groceries

Along with flat-rate rewards cards, two options that stand out in this area are the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express and the the Citi Custom Cash® Card. The Blue Cash Everyday earns 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%), 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations (up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%) and 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases (up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%), but sadly only earns 1% back on dining purchases. Meanwhile, the Custom Cash automatically earns 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category (including dining, gas, groceries and more) each billing cycle (up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter).

Based on the average consumer’s spending, we estimate that the Altitude Go card carries an average ongoing rewards rate of around 1.82 points per dollar. That beats out the rate offered by most no annual fee travel cards (as well as a number of premium travel cards) and comes close to the rate you’ll find on some of the best flat-rate cash back cards on the market.

Still, it’s not the highest rewards rate out there. The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, for example, offers a flat 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, and the Citi Double Cash® Card offers up to 2% cash back on all purchases (1% when you buy and 1% when you pay off those purchases).

Altitude Go points are worth 1 cent each, so if your spending matches that of the average consumer and you put $15,900 per year on the card, you stand to earn about $290 in annual rewards with the Altitude Go card.

See related: Best credit cards for dining

Instant card number on approval

Another advantage of the Altitude Go is that it lets you start earning rewards on your everyday spending without waiting days or weeks for the card to arrive in the mail.  With the Altitude Go card, U.S. Bank joins a growing number of issuers who have started making cards available to use instantly upon approval. Once you’re approved for the Altitude Go card, you get immediate access to your card number and can easily add it to your favorite mobile wallet.

Flexible redemption, but no travel bonus

Unlike the higher-tier U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card, which offers an outsized point value when your redeem for travel through the Altitude Rewards Center, the Altitude Go card’s points are worth a flat 1 cent per point, however you choose to redeem them.

You can use your points to book airfare, hotel stays, rental cars and more through the Altitude Rewards Center, or cover nearly any purchase (including travel purchases) with U.S. Bank’s Real-Time Rewards feature, which lets you redeem points for card purchases via text message.

You can also redeem points for online shopping or cash back as a statement credit or direct deposit into a U.S. Bank savings or checking account. The only catch is that you’ll need a minimum of 2,500 points (worth $25) before you’re eligible for a cash redemption. While this is a fairly common cash back redemption threshold, you can find some cards, like the Discover it® Cash Back, that let you redeem cash back in any amount, at any time.

Annual credit for streaming service purchases

Along with the ongoing rewards you’ll earn on streaming service purchases, the Altitude Go card comes with a unique annual credit for streaming: Use your card to pay for streaming services for 11 consecutive months and you’ll receive a $15 credit on the twelfth.

You can also mix and match which services you use and still get the credit, as long as you’ve made 11 consecutive monthly streaming service purchases. For example, you could use the card to pay for Netflix for six consecutive months, then switch to Hulu for five consecutive months, and on the twelfth month you’d get a $15 credit.

This combination of solid ongoing rewards on streaming, an annual streaming credit and a robust list of eligible services (including Disney+, Netflix, Spotify and more) makes the Altitude Go a shoo-in on our list of the best credit cards for streaming services.

Solid sign-up bonus for a no annual fee card

The Altitude Go card also offers a relatively high sign-up bonus: You’ll earn 20,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days of card ownership. At a value of 1 cent per point, this bonus is worth $200 – about the same as you’ll find on many no annual fee cash back and travel cards.

The Altitude Go card’s bonus is especially appealing when you take into account the fact that your points are worth the same amount regardless of how you choose to redeem them.

Pay off a transferred balance or finance new purchases

Not only does the Altitude Go card offer some terrific ongoing rewards on everyday purchases like dining, gas and groceries, it can also come in handy if you need to pay off existing debt or temporarily carry a balance.

You can transfer your outstanding balances to the Altitude Go card and get a 0% introductory APR for 12 billing cycles (19.99%-28.99% variable after that). That gives you a full year to chip away at your debt without paying interest. You can also use the card to pay off purchases over time with the same 0% intro APR on new purchases for 12 billing cycles, followed by a 19.99%-28.99% variable APR.

This is a nice perk, especially considering how difficult balance transfer offers can be to come by. That said, the card’s promotional APR period is relatively short. Most balance transfer cards offer at least 15 months of no-interest payments, with a few offering 18 or 20 months. Of course, few balance transfer cards offer the sort of long-term value you’ll find with the Altitude Go.

Approval odds

The U.S. Bank Altitude Go card is designed for users with good credit to excellent credit (above 670) so you’ll want to ensure you meet those qualifications before you apply. You can check if you prequalify for the Altitude Go card using the CreditCards.com CardMatch tool, which will match you to card offers from our partners that fit your credit profile, with no impact to your credit score. Since U.S. Bank typically does not offer soft pull preapproval online, this is a great way to get a sense of your chances before you submit a formal application.

See related: Increase your odds of getting preapproved on CardMatch

How does the U.S. Bank Altitude Go card compare to other rewards cards?

While the Altitude Go charges no annual fee and comes with a terrific rewards rate on dining and other everyday purchases like gas and groceries, a few other cards offer a comparable rewards rate and additional perks and bonuses that boost their value. Here are some of our top picks.

Citi Double Cash® Card	Citi Custom Cash® Card	Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
Rewards rate Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, a special travel offer, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/25.	Rewards rate Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Special Travel Offer: Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2026. Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.	Rewards rate 8% Cash Back on Capital One Entertainment purchases 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply) 3% Cash Back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services 1% Cash Back on all other purchases
Welcome bonus Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.	Welcome bonus Earn $200 in cash back after you spend $1500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.	Welcome bonus $200 Cash Back after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
Annual fee $0	Annual fee $0	Annual fee $0
Other things to know Cash back can be converted to Citi ThankYou points	Other things to know No minimum for most cash back redemptions Can pool rewards with other Citi ThankYou cards Includes cellphone protection	Other things to know No minimum required to redeem cash back You can redeem cash back as a statement credit, check or gift card and set up automatic redemptions No foreign transaction fee

Citi Double Cash Card

One of the best flat-rate cash back cards on the market, the Citi Double Cash card earns up to 2% cash back on all purchases (1% when you buy and 1% when you pay off those purchases). You can even transfer your cash back to Citi ThankYou points and enjoy an impressive travel rewards rate. The card also comes with a 0% introductory APR offer for 18 months on balance transfers (18.49% - 28.49% (Variable) thereafter). That’s an extra six months to pay off your debt compared to the Altitude Go card. However, the Citi Double Cash does not offer an intro APR on new purchases.

Citi Custom Cash® Card

This unique cash back card streamlines rewards by automatically giving you cash back in whichever category you’ve spent the most in each billing cycle. You’ll earn 5% back in your top eligible spending category (on up to $500 in purchases per billing cycle, then 1% back), as well as 1% back on general purchases. Eligible 5% categories include restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs and live entertainment. This card can be a good fit for both low-maintenance cardholders and rewards aficionados: There’s no need to track or enroll in categories, but you can also be strategic with the card, juggling multiple rewards cards and planning out purchases to ensure the Custom Cash Card is filling any gaps in your rewards strategy.

Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card

One of the most popular no annual fee dining cards on the market, the Capital One Savor gets you 3% cash back on dining, popular streaming services, grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target) and entertainment, including purchases like concert and movie tickets, as well as 1% back on all other purchases. The card also offers a $200 sign-up bonus after you spend $500 in the first 3 months.

Why get the U.S. Bank Altitude Go card?

• You frequently dine out or order food for takeout or delivery.
• You want to put most of your everyday spending on a single card.
• You want the flexibility to redeem your points for travel or cash back without sacrificing point value.
• You want a card that’s available to use as soon as you’re approved.
• You could use a year of 0-interest payments to chip away at debt or strategically carry a balance (19.99% – 28.99% variable APR thereafter).

How to use the U.S. Bank Altitude Go card:

• Use the card for all grocery, gas and dining purchases, including grocery, meal kit and food delivery services.
• Add the card as your default payment method for all streaming service subscriptions.
• Be sure to make streaming service purchases for 11 consecutive months to secure the $15 credit on your twelfth month.
• Pay off any transferred balances or new purchases before the end of the 12-month promotional period to avoid interest charges, and be sure to pay at least the minimum due each month to avoid fees and a damaged credit score.
• Upon approval, add the card to your favorite mobile wallet and start earning rewards right away.

Is the U.S. Bank Altitude Go card worth it?

The Altitude Go card comes with a terrific average rewards rate, flexible redemption and a relatively large sign-up bonus, making it a good choice if you want to earn rewards on some everyday expenses while avoiding an annual fee. That said, you can find flat-rate cards that offer higher ongoing rewards, as well as travel cards that include valuable perks and credits that more than offset their annual fee.