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The U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve card is a great travel rewards credit card for military servicemembers and their spouses. The annual fee of $400 is waived for active duty US military and their spouses with the Military Lending Act (MLA).
This military annual fee waiver is similar to the Chase Sapphire Reserve MLA and The Platinum Card® from American Express military fee waiver.
Eligible military servicemembers and spouses who apply for the US Bank Altitude Reserve card automatically have their Social Security numbers checked against the MLA database here. If there is a positive match, your annual fees are waived.
- US Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite card
- Earn 50,000 points worth $750 towards travel when you spend $4500 in the first 90 days of account opening
- Earn 5x points on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked through Altitude Rewards Center
- 3x points on mobile wallet (Apple Pay, Google Pay) and travel purchases
- $325 annual statement credit on travel purchases
- You must be a U.S. Bank customer before applying
In this post:
Altitude Reserve Points Value
Altitude Reserve points are earned at 5x for prepaid hotels and car rentals booked through the Altitude Reserve center, 3x on mobile wallet and travel purchases, and 1x on everything else.
US Bank has a unique rewards system called “Real Time Rewards.” You can use your points earned instantly to offset charges as you make them. The credit will post to your account within 3 business days.
Points are redeemed at 1.5 cents per point when redeeming for airlines, hotels, car rental companies, taxis, limousines, passenger trains, and cruise lines.
This gives you effectively 7.5% cash back on prepaid hotels and car rentals, 4.5% back on mobile wallet and travel, and 1.5% on everything else.
The value of these points are fixed and there are no travel transfer partners to move the points to. That makes this card weak for scoring big military travel hacking redemptions, but good for offsetting travel purchases.
Altitude Reserve vs Amex Platinum vs Chase Sapphire Reserve
Military servicemembers and their spouses don't need to worry about comparing the US Bank Altitude Reserve vs the Amex Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve. You can get all 3 cards without paying an annual fee!
Compare the Chase Sapphire Reserve vs the Amex Platinum for military in this article.
| US Bank Altitude Reserve | Amex Platinum | Chase Sapphire Reserve | |
| Welcome Bonus Points | 50,000 | 100,000 | 60,000 |
| Value of Welcome Bonus | $750 | $2000+ | $1000+ |
| Bonus Categories | 3x Travel and Mobile Wallets | 5x points on travel booked directly with airline or AmexTravel.com up to $500,000 | 3x on Travel and Restaurants |
| Foreign Transaction Fees | None | None | None |
| Airport Lounge Access | Only 4 Priority Pass Visits Per Year | Unlimited Priority Pass + Guest and Centurion Lounge | Unlimited Priority Pass + Guest |
| $100 Global Entry Credit | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Annual Fee Waived | $400 | $695 (rates and fees) | $550 |
- The Platinum Card® from American Express – learn how to apply
- Annual fee of $695 waived for US military personnel and spouses
- Best Ever Public Offer: Earn 100,000 Membership Reward Points welcome bonus (valued at $2000+) when you spend $6000 in the first 6 months
- Earn 5x points on airfare booked directly with airline or on amextravel.com up to $500,000 per calendar year
- Earn 5x points on prepaid hotels at amextravel.com
- Get $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings, which requires a minimum two-night stay, through American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credits: Up to $20 in monthly statement credits when you use your Platinum card to pay for: Peacock, Audible, Sirius, Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, and the New York Times. Enrollment Required.
- $200 Uber Cash: Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on Uber Eats and rides
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at 1 qualifying airline
- $100 annual Saks Fifth Avenue credit, can be used for gift cards, enrollment required
- 40 Centurion Lounges and 1200+ Priority Pass airport lounge access for free
- $189 CLEAR® Credit: Use your Card and get up to $189 back per year on your CLEAR® membership. CLEAR® is available at select airports and stadiums.
- $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $25 back each month on the Equinox+ digital fitness app, or eligible Equinox club memberships when you pay with your Platinum Card(R). Enrollment required.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Ups are excluded.
- No foreign transaction fees
- Heavy metal card that looks and feels really cool
- The Platinum Card® from American Express – learn how to apply
- Read my full review of the Amex Platinum card for military, terms apply
- Learn how to apply for the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card
- $550 annual fee waived to $0 for US military + spouses with Chase MLA policy
- Earn 60,000 Chase Ultimate Reward Points after $4000 of spend in the first 3 months – $900 value when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- $300 annual travel credit
- 10x points on hotels and rental cars & 5x points on air travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards after the first $300 spent on travel annually
- 3x Points on other Travel (airfare, hotels) after earning the $300 travel credit
- 3x Dining restaurants, takeouts, delivery)
- Chase Ultimate Reward Points redeemed through the Chase travel portal are worth 1.5 cents, a 50% bonus
- Priority Pass lounge and restaurant access with over 1300+ airport lounges worldwide
- Up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry
- Primary car rental auto insurance and trip cancellation/interruption insurance
- No foreign transaction fees
- Learn more in the Chase Sapphire Reserve review
US Bank Altitude Reserve Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
You must be a U.S. Bank customer before you apply for a US Bank Altitude Reserve card.
Yes, the US Bank Altitude Reserve waives annual fees for servicemembers with the Military Lending Act (MLA). This is similar to how Chase and Amex waive annual fees for active duty military and spouses.
As of 2021, I believe that the Altitude Reserve also waives annual for military spouses. I could use a few more data points, so please leave a comment if your spouse's annual fees were waived, thanks!
Yes, US Bank waives annual fees on their Altitude Reserve card for military servicemembers.
The $325 travel credit on the Altitude Reserve covers purchases directly from airlines, hotels, car rentals, taxicabs, limousines, passenger trains and cruise line companies.
Amex Platinum Card With NO Annual Fees for Military
Military servicemembers and spouses can get The Platinum Card® from American Express with NO annual fees. This ultra premium luxury travel card normally has a $695 annual fee.
Learn how to apply for the Amex Platinum military fee waiver.
The Amex Platinum offers:
- $695 Annual Fee WAIVED for US Military (and spouses)!
- Earn 100,000 Membership Reward Points with $6000 spend in 6 month
- Earn up to $200 annual Hotel Credit: Get $200 statement credit on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or the Hotel Collection, which requires a two-night minimum stay, booked on Amex Travel and paid for with your Platinum Card
- Earn up to $200 credit for Uber rides (or Uber Eats!) annually
- Earn up to $200 airline fee credit
- Centurion Lounge and Priority Pass Airport Lounge Access
- Earn up to $100 annual Saks Fifth Avenue credit, can be used for gift cards, enrollment required
- No foreign transaction fees, terms apply
- Earn 5x points on airfare booked directly with airline or on amextravel.com up to $500,000 per calendar year
- Transfer to 22 travel partners
These benefits, especially up to $600 of credits for hotels, airlines, and Uber, plus the massive 100,000 point welcome bonus, make the Amex Platinum card my TOP recommended card.
This is the largest welcome bonus on this card I've seen in years.
You have a leisurely 6 months to meet the $6000 minimum spend to earn the 100,000 points. That's only $1000 per month.
If you already have an Amex Platinum card, check out the American Express® Gold Card, fee waived Chase military credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, and this month's top recommended credit card bonuses, all with no annual fees for US military personnel and their spouses.
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My wife got approved for the US Bank Altitude Reserve card and we just started to spend on it. I’ll update in a couple months if she had her fee waived.
Thanks, we will appreciate the data point.
Data point from AUG21 — I’d had the prerequisite no-fee US Bank “military checking account” for about a year with $50 in it before applying. Received card and couple days later received letter confirming “…we will also eliminate all fees while you are subject to the terms of MLA,” and “…for the MLA terms to apply, a borrower must be an Active Duty servicemember or must be a spouse of dependent at the time of application for a new account.” Signing up spouse for her own no-fee US Bank “military checking account” now!
hey PAS, did you submit any documents for your US bank military checking account? or they just verify it for you? I kind want to have the checking and then apply their credit cards, thank you!