Stan, kudos for another excellent video. There are many credit card gurus on TH-cam. You stand above the rest for being responsive to questions and interests of your viewers Case in point, you post a survey to gauge viewer interest in USBAR. A few hours later you post an informative video on the USBAR. Outstanding.
Such a powerful card, and one of my favorites too. I seem to never have any US Bank Altitude Reserve points because I'm always redeeming them via Real Time Rewards haha! I see the Altitude Reserve as the ultimate hybrid card. Great video, Stan! If it's helpful for folks considering the Altitude Reserve, here were my datapoints when I got approved for the card back in February: 2/12, 0/6; had a US Bank checking account open for ~3 months before applying. I had to call reconsideration and request manual review, but was approved the day after. FICO scores across all three credit bureaus was about 770.
Thanks for leaving your DP Josh! I know how much of a USBAR fan you are (and the hybrid credit card setup), and yeah, it's nice to always have a low balance of USBAR points because you know that value is being used!
@Stan, I was planning on doing what you did and garden for a year and then apply for the usbar in March 25. In light of the recent rumor, I decided to apply last night 7 months since my last card. I just got approved an hour ago. I didn't think I would get it. Thanks for keeping us informed.
Congrats on the new card!!🎉🎉 You’re welcome. It looks increasingly likely that the card will be discontinued soon so happy to hear that you were able to get in!
The USBAR can really be the ultimate catch-all Card if you can use mobile wallets for a lot of your purchases, and like you said can use Real Time Rewards to take that multiplier even further! The ability to pretty easily decrease the EAF significantly is a great benefit as well. Love the datapoints you shared on approvals for this Card as well since U.S Bank can sometimes be tricky. Great video Stan!
Absolutely Matt! It's a great card for sure, and I'm so happy that I took the plunge and got it last year. It got (and still is getting) a ton of use, and it's nice to know that the flat 4.5% cash back equivalent is being put to good use!
I called US Bank this morning and was able to upgrade one of my US Bank cards to the Alt. Reserve card with no hard pull since I already had a card with them.
That's awesome! Congrats!! I've heard that when PC'ing into this card you may also qualify for the welcome offer too, so I'd take a look at your account to see if you have it!
This is awesome. Strongly considering upgrading my Altitude Go to the Reserve since I barely use it and mixed data points on whether I was grandfathered on the No FTF or not. Plus with my current velocity on new cards , I don’t want to sit on the sidelines too long just to “hope” for a new approval
Thanks for the Shoutout, Stan!!!! USBAR For the win! The 1,000 point retention offer was a bit lame .... I speculate that they take your whole bank relationship into account for that offer. Yes, you remembered correctly. My retention offers have been: 2x 5,000 and 2x 10,000.
Of course Dugroz! Dang, you got some sweet retention offers. Maybe if I get a Smartly card and drop some $$$ into their ecosystem they'll treat me better or something haha!
The mobile wallet multiplier is special in that it is a benefit that is getting easier to use every day. Just imagine if Walmart/Sams ever joins the party and modernized to mobile wallet acceptance.
I got this card right after I saw your application video. I put 35k on it and used the 1.5 redemptions for flights to Greece and checked baggage. It’s my number 1 used card.
@@TheCreditFrog so I was reading about using RTR and how it’s a gamble for international travel purchases. So I did it through the portal. One DP is when I paid for checked luggage in JFK for Austrian airlines the RTR was NOT triggered. Same in Greece for British Air back to USA. All my domestic checked bag fees activated so it seems that many international travel expenses won’t trigger RTR.
Just as a data point, I was able to use this for restaurant access using priority pass in August successfully for four people. Hopefully that benefit still sticks around as priority pass from my USB AR is exclusively for use at PP restaurants
I was also able to use Priority Pass for restaurants last month at Boston Logan with my USB AR to order food for two. They did ask which credit card I had before ordering. According to the restaurant people were still trying to use their VX and Sapphire Reserve to order food through Priority Pass.
Unfortunately that’s what I was told. I’m not sure if I should apply for it now. I don’t want to waste the hard pull if the card is going away. She didn’t have any details on what will happen to the card once they stop taking applications.
@@sgabor16 I'm REALLY hoping you just had a confused or mistaken banker. Maybe they're pulling it down temporarily to revamp it? It's till online as of now.
No, I just used it in Norway 🇳🇴 6 weeks ago as no lounges accepted the Priority Pass other than one restaurant accepted the Priority Pass with U.S. Bank attitude reserve!
Nice video! I was wondering after one year with this card about how many points you are able to acquire. Just want to see this card's potential and whether it is worth it.
I’d have to look into it, I’m not entirely sure of the total amount of points earned, but I can safely say I spend at least $20k on this card over a year, and that’s all mobile wallet only purchases so at least 60k points or $900 in value!
You can set the limit to as low as $10. RTR will work for any purchase over that. To get 1.5X, set the categories to airfare, lodging, rental car, and other travel.
So if I understand correctly, the 3x earned from non-travel purchases can be applied to travel purchases at 4.5x. I'll use my real-world spend. I'm currently putting about $5k on a BoA catch all (2.62%), all travel goes on a 5% card, and spend $300-$500 on hotels - we'll call it $500. So the $150 earned from $5k of non-travel spend at 3x can become $225 at 4.5x if I apply those points to the $500 spent on hotels (not counting the $325 credit which I'll just say goes towards dining)?
Considering this card. Does the 1.5x for Real Time Rewards only work for the travel categories within RTR or for all categories within real time rewards? I've heard mixed things, so wondering what your experience has been! Hoping the rumors of them cancelling this card in mid-November aren't true!
It's only 1.5X for travel categories. I also hope so too, but if you're thinking of getting it, applying for it sooner may be better in case the rumors are true and applications are no longer being accepted!
How do the realtime rewards work? Do you need the full amount of points to cover the purchase to activate the real time rewards, or can you use it like the Venture X to pay yourself back for travel?
I think there's some debate about this. I'm pretty sure that you need to the full amount of points to cover the purchase as I said in the video, but I was talking to Dugroz recently, and he reported that you only need the redemption amount. So the jury is still out, but I'll be sure to be extra careful when I do my next RTR redemptions to see if I can get to the bottom of it personally.
I have a US Bank Gov travel charge card that we use for out work travel through the Fed. Would my Gov CC be considered a pre-exiting relationship with US Bank and make it more likely to get approved as I use it frequently and its always in good standing ?
It's a good question, but sadly I don't know the answer to that. If it's connected to the US Bank app or your US Bank online account, I'm inclined to say yes, but not sure.
So you heard they’re closing applications to the USBAR? Do you have any idea what it means? I know they’ve done this a few times over the 17 year lifespan but it’s still worrisome
I don't have the full story, but I just have been heard from secondhand sources that the applications may be halted soon. Unfortunately, I don't have any further definitive information so if you were thinking about getting it, it may be worth it to shoot off an application sooner rather than later.
@@TheCreditFrog oh don’t worry I snagged it a couple weeks ago. I just don’t want them to eventually phase it out and PC us to something else :( Also appreciate your quick response and candidness 😁
Hey Stan, could you double confirm on that hypothetical Real-Time-Rewards perk 1.5x redemption rate? If a United Airlines flight for example, cost $750, would you need the 75k pts or just 50k pts? If I understand correctly, it the RTR would only subtract 50k from the balance, but wasn’t sure how much you needed in the first place for it to trigger properly?
I'm not entirely sure, tbh. I was always under the impression that you needed 75k points, but some have said that they were able to trigger with 50k points. I've never run into that issue personally, so I can't personally confirm that.
I personally would use the Bank of America Premium Rewards, but if not Platinum Honors, the Fidelity Rewards VISA or similar 2% no FTF card would work too! You could also do the Capital One Venture X
I would add the Citi Premier if you’re in the Citi Ecosystem, since it’s a No FTF Mastercard with a lot of 3X categories. So a NO FTF VISA catch all card, USBAR, and a Mastercard. Bilt is only useful for dining, so I would be hesitant recommending that one. I’m personally moving away from Bilt since my Evolve Bank issued card expires end of this year and don’t want to use a 5/24 slot to apply for a new one with WF. I’d rather put that spend towards high welcome offers on other cards, and it seems likely the Bilt Rewards program will get nerfed to be sustainable. Also no more worrying about the 5 minimum transactions each month!
It’s easy! Once you have the card, sign up, check the 4 boxes for 1.5X redemption (travel, accommodation, rental car, other travel) and then you’ll receive a text message for a qualifying purchase and then text back to redeem
I seriously considered getting the USBAR, but there are two things, the first more than the second, that ultimately had me decide against doing so. First and foremost, when the USBAR is used for a Hyatt or Hilton stay, instead of paying with hotel points, all regular taxes and fees must be paid as well as all destination and resort fees. Alternatively, Hyatt and Hilton waive all taxes and fees on stays paid with points. Second, and to a lesser extent, international travel purchases don’t work for Real-Time Rewards. Correction: I removed the reference to a taxes and fees being waived for hotel cards as that information is incorrect.
Hey, that's why there's a lot of credit card options out there so you can find the right card that fits your needs! I'm curious about what you said at the beginning though. I'm familiar with Hilton/Hyatt waiving taxes and fees with point redemptions, but if you pay for a Hilton/Hyatt stay with a Hilton/Hyatt card, do you also get taxes and fees waived? Unless I read that wrong.
@@TheCreditFrog I completely agree about there being so many credit card options to fit different folks' lifestyle and spending habits. I may even feel somewhat differently if I didn't already have an optimized setup for me. Regarding my reference to using "the corresponding hotel card," you are definitely not wrong. I guess I got a little carried away with that one. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. I will edit my original post so as to not cause confusion. Sorry about that!
@@TheCreditFrog he might be referring to resort fees which are waived by some loyalty programs when booking using points. An analysis of which hotel brands waive resort fees for those with certain status or using points is not a bad idea for a video.
Great breakdown Stan! I want to hop on the hype train but I can’t get myself to pay $75 for points that don’t have outsized value 😭 plus I’m in SUB mode anyways but I can see myself getting it a few years from now when simplicity beats everything else
Thanks Cody! Yeah, it all depends on what you're looking for. USBAR is basically cash back simplicity on a single card, but of course, transfer partners can net you a lot better value if redeemed right! It should (hopefully) still be around when you've decided to slow down on the points or even go with a hybrid setup!
I’m currently working on preparing to apply for the USBAR, as this is the next card I want to add to my setup. I just (a couple of days ago) opened a checking account with them and I’m currently waiting to hit somewhere around 7ish months without a new account (should be around next March) then will apply. Any other tips you’d suggest? Or do you think this much will likely be sufficient to confidently give it a go?
If I knew for sure I could get the PP restaurant credit, I'd apply. There is one airport I go through 6-8 times a year with no lounge at all. There is a Chili's there that is on the list of restaurants that honor the PP restaurant credit, though, but it might be an old, unupdated list. Too much uncertainty for my trouble.
USBAR is my current best catch all card. But with the 4% everywhere uncapped smartly coming out soon at no AF, I will likely product change to smartly after launch
What's 100k between friends for a No AF card? 😂 The best travel card for the masses is actually the US Bank Altitude Connect card. No AF, 4 PP w/restaurant access, no FTF and 4x on travel. We have to fight back on all these annoying $300 travel credits.
Smartly will be an interesting card. I'm still holding my breath whether it gets no FTFs or not. While this will still be a great card domestically, I'll have to switch up my credit card setup (at least the catch-all portion) when I travel, and I dunno, I'd like a simple setup that works with all the situations if I can!
Sucks they didn’t give you a better retention offer, but the card still obviously gives you & many others great value. If you live in an urban area & use rideshares/taxis a fair amount, that’s an excellent use of RTRs.
Yeah, I know! Wish I had a better retention offer, but oh well 😕. Rideshares have been a great redemption option for me, and keeps my stock of points low so I know the points are being put to good use!
BoA CCR (with Platinum Honors) for 3.5% cash back at Costco (up to $2,500 per quarter). The Sam's Club card is also pretty good for Sam's Club, specifically.
i just recently got this card. the app ui sucks compared to chase but besides for that its my go to now just about everywhere besides restaurant's and walmart. the fact walmart doesnt have apple pay blows my mind.
UI is ok in my book. But yeah, I'm the same. Just sit-down restaurants and online shopping, otherwise this card covers basically all my purchases, which is super nice!
I will be 0/12 in 45 days regarding inquiries, is it true that I will be denied because I have opened more cards than 5 in the last 24 minths, though I have a checking account & Cash+ credit card. To be honest I don't want to waste unnecessary hard pull.
Nothing is set in stone, but it is much more likely that you'll be approved if you are 0 for 12 with inquiries. I think the number of cards opened between 12 and 24 months is less important. You'll never know until you try!
The way I describe USBAR: easily both a top 3 travel card AND cash back card. No other card can make such a claim. Let’s just hope USbank don’t nerf it🙏
They count business credit cards, too? Looks like I'll be getting the USBAR a lot later than I expected lol. I'm still churning through the chase and soon amex business credit cards. Damn.
More than cards in the last few years. They are very sensitive to inquiries. So if you want to apply for USB AR, you should have a gardening period With no inquiries for at least 6 months based on my experience. Best if you open a relationship with the credit card like US Bank Cash Plus or checking account before you apply for USB AR. And for new customers they might even give pitiful credit limit like $500 that I got with my cash Plus despite 800 plus credit score.
Well, I have 2 construction businesses so I had to p own one of credits and stuff with suppliers and they do hard checks. My case might be a little different
Great video Stan. I see the Effective AF as $59.72 or slightly lower - cause you earn 3x on the $325, then you'll earn 3x on the redemption, but you'll earn 3x on that redemption, etc. This card is so OP. I got 4.5% back on a dentist co-pay last week. I chipped in $200 on some odd transient taxes at Disneyland Hotel this weekend. I redeemed points to erase the charge but also earned points for $200. Mobile wallet is everywhere. I rarely have to use my physical catch-all card. This thing wipes the floor with 2% cards or 1.5x CFU. Add in the Visa infinities. If I had to have ONLY one card, this would be it. Thanks to you and Dugroz for introducing it to me.
Of course Chad! And you’re totally right, that travel/dining credit is a statement credit so we get the 3X points on those purchases too! I thought it was cool that if you use MW for dining purchases it also counts for dining with the statement credit! Such a flexible credit! The fact that tap to pay can be used at so many places is the card’s superpower. Also nice that you’ve found some niche Disney use-cases!
@@TheCreditFrog I am a frequent flyer and use lounges WAY more than 8 times per year. So this reason alone forces me to have 2 credit cards just for the sake of getting those unlimited passes. Except for that one reason i'd cancel all credit cards for this one.
@@TheCreditFrog Oh - I recommend doing it too but, viscerally, it rubs me the wrong way. If you have great credit, you meet all the requirements, and you're making me jump through a bunch of extra manual hoops, it's not a great start to the relationship. Like maybe the fact that you don't trust your tech-stack enough that you need to double-check it manually could also mean you might have other technical issues that screw users our of tap-to-pay points or something. lol 😂
Stan, kudos for another excellent video. There are many credit card gurus on TH-cam. You stand above the rest for being responsive to questions and interests of your viewers
Case in point, you post a survey to gauge viewer interest in USBAR. A few hours later you post an informative video on the USBAR. Outstanding.
Thanks! I'm glad you found a lot of value in this video about the USBAR, and yes, that's my strategy with the community polls!
Stan is in a class of his own as a creator and overall good human being.
Appreciate that so much Chad!
Stan + Dugroz = US Bank Alt Reserve champions! Thanks for the info + video!
You're welcome Jimmy James! Dugroz is the OG USBAR owner!!
"We are the champions, my friend! We'll ... keep on tapping ... to the end!!!!" :)
Such a powerful card, and one of my favorites too. I seem to never have any US Bank Altitude Reserve points because I'm always redeeming them via Real Time Rewards haha! I see the Altitude Reserve as the ultimate hybrid card. Great video, Stan!
If it's helpful for folks considering the Altitude Reserve, here were my datapoints when I got approved for the card back in February: 2/12, 0/6; had a US Bank checking account open for ~3 months before applying. I had to call reconsideration and request manual review, but was approved the day after. FICO scores across all three credit bureaus was about 770.
Thanks for leaving your DP Josh! I know how much of a USBAR fan you are (and the hybrid credit card setup), and yeah, it's nice to always have a low balance of USBAR points because you know that value is being used!
@Stan, I was planning on doing what you did and garden for a year and then apply for the usbar in March 25. In light of the recent rumor, I decided to apply last night 7 months since my last card. I just got approved an hour ago. I didn't think I would get it. Thanks for keeping us informed.
Congrats on the new card!!🎉🎉 You’re welcome. It looks increasingly likely that the card will be discontinued soon so happy to hear that you were able to get in!
It sure did discontinue. It looks like I just made it!
@@boombstc1 Awesome!!
The USBAR can really be the ultimate catch-all Card if you can use mobile wallets for a lot of your purchases, and like you said can use Real Time Rewards to take that multiplier even further! The ability to pretty easily decrease the EAF significantly is a great benefit as well. Love the datapoints you shared on approvals for this Card as well since U.S Bank can sometimes be tricky. Great video Stan!
Absolutely Matt! It's a great card for sure, and I'm so happy that I took the plunge and got it last year. It got (and still is getting) a ton of use, and it's nice to know that the flat 4.5% cash back equivalent is being put to good use!
I called US Bank this morning and was able to upgrade one of my US Bank cards to the Alt. Reserve card with no hard pull since I already had a card with them.
That's awesome! Congrats!! I've heard that when PC'ing into this card you may also qualify for the welcome offer too, so I'd take a look at your account to see if you have it!
This is awesome. Strongly considering upgrading my Altitude Go to the Reserve since I barely use it and mixed data points on whether I was grandfathered on the No FTF or not. Plus with my current velocity on new cards , I don’t want to sit on the sidelines too long just to “hope” for a new approval
Thanks for the Shoutout, Stan!!!! USBAR For the win!
The 1,000 point retention offer was a bit lame .... I speculate that they take your whole bank relationship into account for that offer.
Yes, you remembered correctly. My retention offers have been: 2x 5,000 and 2x 10,000.
Of course Dugroz! Dang, you got some sweet retention offers. Maybe if I get a Smartly card and drop some $$$ into their ecosystem they'll treat me better or something haha!
@@TheCreditFrog Probably!
The mobile wallet multiplier is special in that it is a benefit that is getting easier to use every day. Just imagine if Walmart/Sams ever joins the party and modernized to mobile wallet acceptance.
Walmart is still holding on to their Walmart Pay and it's so sad. They should just join the club!
I got this card right after I saw your application video. I put 35k on it and used the 1.5 redemptions for flights to Greece and checked baggage. It’s my number 1 used card.
Damn, FDF, 35k is no joke! Was the redemption on an international flight or a domestic one? I'm still not sure if RTR works for international flights.
@@TheCreditFrog so I was reading about using RTR and how it’s a gamble for international travel purchases. So I did it through the portal. One DP is when I paid for checked luggage in JFK for Austrian airlines the RTR was NOT triggered. Same in Greece for British Air back to USA. All my domestic checked bag fees activated so it seems that many international travel expenses won’t trigger RTR.
@@SpartanOfFinance Ah I see. Thanks for the clarification!
Just as a data point, I was able to use this for restaurant access using priority pass in August successfully for four people. Hopefully that benefit still sticks around as priority pass from my USB AR is exclusively for use at PP restaurants
Thanks for the DP Remgb! Good to know that PP restaurants are still alive and well on this card!
I was also able to use Priority Pass for restaurants last month at Boston Logan with my USB AR to order food for two. They did ask which credit card I had before ordering. According to the restaurant people were still trying to use their VX and Sapphire Reserve to order food through Priority Pass.
@@robertperales8877 That may be the confusion. USBAR FTW!!
Love hearing about cards that nobody else is talking about. 😊
Of course! Have to draw attention to amazing cards like this one!
Thanks you for introducing me to this card. It's great
You’re welcome! I love it too!
My US Bank rep just told me that the SUB is going away Nov 18 and they plan to stop allowing people to apply for it at some point after that.
Oh no! That would be awful!
WHATTTTTTTTTTT???????????????????????????????????
Unfortunately that’s what I was told. I’m not sure if I should apply for it now. I don’t want to waste the hard pull if the card is going away. She didn’t have any details on what will happen to the card once they stop taking applications.
@@sgabor16 We will have to watch this story with great interest.
@@sgabor16 I'm REALLY hoping you just had a confused or mistaken banker. Maybe they're pulling it down temporarily to revamp it? It's till online as of now.
I have USB AR for 7 years, since it was introduced in 2017! And it's one of my favorite cards.
Very nice Yuri! I wish I had this card 7 years ago. I would have gotten a lot of value with it over the years.
Great card overall. I'll be getting one soon. Thanks for the incredible video Stan!
You're welcome Chez! Good luck with the application!
Question Stan will they bring USBAR back for new applications?
@@frankcutronijr I don’t know, but I hope so. It was a great card!
Good informal video Stan 🌟
Thanks! 👍
Nice video Stan. Love the USBAR, used mobile wallet to put deposit on new vehicle. USBAR for the 🏆
Wow that is awesome! So many points!!
Thanks for another awesome video!
You're welcome! Glad you enjoyed it!
No, I just used it in Norway 🇳🇴 6 weeks ago as no lounges accepted the Priority Pass other than one restaurant accepted the Priority Pass with U.S. Bank attitude reserve!
Very nice! Thanks for leaving your data point! Happy to hear that it still works!
That's a win!
Great outline of the card's features!
Thank you!
Great info! 👍🏼
Thanks Xavier! 💯
Does the USBAR count towards 5/24? I don’t see it being reported to my credit report.
Yes it does. It will.
Nice video! I was wondering after one year with this card about how many points you are able to acquire. Just want to see this card's potential and whether it is worth it.
I’d have to look into it, I’m not entirely sure of the total amount of points earned, but I can safely say I spend at least $20k on this card over a year, and that’s all mobile wallet only purchases so at least 60k points or $900 in value!
So the real time rewards only works on travel above 150$? What about for Ubers and such?
You can set the limit to as low as $10. RTR will work for any purchase over that. To get 1.5X, set the categories to airfare, lodging, rental car, and other travel.
I have this card, hit the sub and havent really used it since. I need to look into it more and use those points
You're missing out on one of the best cards to spend on in the industry!
@@TheCreditFrog pretty sure you’re right
So if I understand correctly, the 3x earned from non-travel purchases can be applied to travel purchases at 4.5x. I'll use my real-world spend. I'm currently putting about $5k on a BoA catch all (2.62%), all travel goes on a 5% card, and spend $300-$500 on hotels - we'll call it $500. So the $150 earned from $5k of non-travel spend at 3x can become $225 at 4.5x if I apply those points to the $500 spent on hotels (not counting the $325 credit which I'll just say goes towards dining)?
Yup! You just have to redeem using USBAR portal or RTR to get the 1.5X boost and get more cash back!
Considering this card. Does the 1.5x for Real Time Rewards only work for the travel categories within RTR or for all categories within real time rewards? I've heard mixed things, so wondering what your experience has been!
Hoping the rumors of them cancelling this card in mid-November aren't true!
It's only 1.5X for travel categories. I also hope so too, but if you're thinking of getting it, applying for it sooner may be better in case the rumors are true and applications are no longer being accepted!
How do the realtime rewards work? Do you need the full amount of points to cover the purchase to activate the real time rewards, or can you use it like the Venture X to pay yourself back for travel?
I think there's some debate about this. I'm pretty sure that you need to the full amount of points to cover the purchase as I said in the video, but I was talking to Dugroz recently, and he reported that you only need the redemption amount. So the jury is still out, but I'll be sure to be extra careful when I do my next RTR redemptions to see if I can get to the bottom of it personally.
I have a US Bank Gov travel charge card that we use for out work travel through the Fed.
Would my Gov CC be considered a pre-exiting relationship with US Bank and make it more likely to get approved as I use it frequently and its always in good standing ?
It's a good question, but sadly I don't know the answer to that. If it's connected to the US Bank app or your US Bank online account, I'm inclined to say yes, but not sure.
So you heard they’re closing applications to the USBAR? Do you have any idea what it means? I know they’ve done this a few times over the 17 year lifespan but it’s still worrisome
I don't have the full story, but I just have been heard from secondhand sources that the applications may be halted soon. Unfortunately, I don't have any further definitive information so if you were thinking about getting it, it may be worth it to shoot off an application sooner rather than later.
@@TheCreditFrog oh don’t worry I snagged it a couple weeks ago. I just don’t want them to eventually phase it out and PC us to something else :(
Also appreciate your quick response and candidness 😁
@@Olafdaschneemann You're welcome! Yeah, same. Hope they don't PC this card to something else!
Hey Stan, could you double confirm on that hypothetical Real-Time-Rewards perk 1.5x redemption rate? If a United Airlines flight for example, cost $750, would you need the 75k pts or just 50k pts? If I understand correctly, it the RTR would only subtract 50k from the balance, but wasn’t sure how much you needed in the first place for it to trigger properly?
I'm not entirely sure, tbh. I was always under the impression that you needed 75k points, but some have said that they were able to trigger with 50k points. I've never run into that issue personally, so I can't personally confirm that.
This card seems great and is definitely on my radar, but probably a few years away haha
No prob Jacob! Lots of traveling to do between now and then!
Used priority pass restaurant last week
Nice! 👍
Hey Stan, what international travel card would you pair with USBAR?
I personally would use the Bank of America Premium Rewards, but if not Platinum Honors, the Fidelity Rewards VISA or similar 2% no FTF card would work too! You could also do the Capital One Venture X
I would add the Citi Premier if you’re in the Citi Ecosystem, since it’s a No FTF Mastercard with a lot of 3X categories. So a NO FTF VISA catch all card, USBAR, and a Mastercard. Bilt is only useful for dining, so I would be hesitant recommending that one. I’m personally moving away from Bilt since my Evolve Bank issued card expires end of this year and don’t want to use a 5/24 slot to apply for a new one with WF. I’d rather put that spend towards high welcome offers on other cards, and it seems likely the Bilt Rewards program will get nerfed to be sustainable. Also no more worrying about the 5 minimum transactions each month!
Only thing that is preventing me from applying for this card is I’m still a bit unclear on how RTR works 😢
It’s easy! Once you have the card, sign up, check the 4 boxes for 1.5X redemption (travel, accommodation, rental car, other travel) and then you’ll receive a text message for a qualifying purchase and then text back to redeem
@@TheCreditFrogthanks for the information Stan!
I seriously considered getting the USBAR, but there are two things, the first more than the second, that ultimately had me decide against doing so. First and foremost, when the USBAR is used for a Hyatt or Hilton stay, instead of paying with hotel points, all regular taxes and fees must be paid as well as all destination and resort fees. Alternatively, Hyatt and Hilton waive all taxes and fees on stays paid with points. Second, and to a lesser extent, international travel purchases don’t work for Real-Time Rewards.
Correction: I removed the reference to a taxes and fees being waived for hotel cards as that information is incorrect.
I am in the same boat so you have explained to me why my individual situation would not be a good fit for this card. Still an excellent video 👍
I am in the same boat
Hey, that's why there's a lot of credit card options out there so you can find the right card that fits your needs! I'm curious about what you said at the beginning though. I'm familiar with Hilton/Hyatt waiving taxes and fees with point redemptions, but if you pay for a Hilton/Hyatt stay with a Hilton/Hyatt card, do you also get taxes and fees waived? Unless I read that wrong.
@@TheCreditFrog I completely agree about there being so many credit card options to fit different folks' lifestyle and spending habits. I may even feel somewhat differently if I didn't already have an optimized setup for me.
Regarding my reference to using "the corresponding hotel card," you are definitely not wrong. I guess I got a little carried away with that one. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. I will edit my original post so as to not cause confusion. Sorry about that!
@@TheCreditFrog he might be referring to resort fees which are waived by some loyalty programs when booking using points.
An analysis of which hotel brands waive resort fees for those with certain status or using points is not a bad idea for a video.
Does using the tap feature generate a virtual number?
It does not
@@TheCreditFrogthanks
Great breakdown Stan! I want to hop on the hype train but I can’t get myself to pay $75 for points that don’t have outsized value 😭 plus I’m in SUB mode anyways but I can see myself getting it a few years from now when simplicity beats everything else
Thanks Cody! Yeah, it all depends on what you're looking for. USBAR is basically cash back simplicity on a single card, but of course, transfer partners can net you a lot better value if redeemed right! It should (hopefully) still be around when you've decided to slow down on the points or even go with a hybrid setup!
I’m currently working on preparing to apply for the USBAR, as this is the next card I want to add to my setup. I just (a couple of days ago) opened a checking account with them and I’m currently waiting to hit somewhere around 7ish months without a new account (should be around next March) then will apply.
Any other tips you’d suggest? Or do you think this much will likely be sufficient to confidently give it a go?
I think that would be sufficient. The biggest thing IMO is 0/6 hard pulls and 0/6 new accounts!
It helpsif you're already a US bank customer like having a checking account. I'm over 5/24 and still got approved.
That's great! Yeah, having a relationship is always great when you apply for US Bank cards!
If I knew for sure I could get the PP restaurant credit, I'd apply. There is one airport I go through 6-8 times a year with no lounge at all. There is a Chili's there that is on the list of restaurants that honor the PP restaurant credit, though, but it might be an old, unupdated list. Too much uncertainty for my trouble.
@@dsr8223 that’s fair! You have to make sure the card works for you!
Planning to apply for this next year after my application history 'clears'
Awesome! I hope you're able to get it!
USBAR is my current best catch all card. But with the 4% everywhere uncapped smartly coming out soon at no AF, I will likely product change to smartly after launch
What's 100k between friends for a No AF card? 😂 The best travel card for the masses is actually the US Bank Altitude Connect card. No AF, 4 PP w/restaurant access, no FTF and 4x on travel. We have to fight back on all these annoying $300 travel credits.
@@ExtraGuac007 the gigsky credit is pretty good too: 5gb/15 days. The only card in US offering that credit
@@ExtraGuac007 correction: the connect is best mid tier travel card. Even then, CSP or strata or that WF card prob tie or pass it.
Smartly will be an interesting card. I'm still holding my breath whether it gets no FTFs or not. While this will still be a great card domestically, I'll have to switch up my credit card setup (at least the catch-all portion) when I travel, and I dunno, I'd like a simple setup that works with all the situations if I can!
@@ExtraGuac007 I agree! Although the $325 USBAR credit isn't really credit so much as an afterthought. It's so easy to use!
Does USBAR get 4.5% when paired with Alipay or Wechat Wallet?
No. It can only be Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, or Google Pay
@@TheCreditFrog ah shame, good call on the discontinuation, got it based on your rec thanks Stan.
Sucks they didn’t give you a better retention offer, but the card still obviously gives you & many others great value. If you live in an urban area & use rideshares/taxis a fair amount, that’s an excellent use of RTRs.
Yeah, I know! Wish I had a better retention offer, but oh well 😕. Rideshares have been a great redemption option for me, and keeps my stock of points low so I know the points are being put to good use!
I have altitude connected by next spring I'm applying for this card
Very nice! Both are excellent choices
what card with highest cashback with 0 annual fees would u recommend for wholesale club ?
BoA CCR (with Platinum Honors) for 3.5% cash back at Costco (up to $2,500 per quarter). The Sam's Club card is also pretty good for Sam's Club, specifically.
@@TheCreditFrog Ty
i just recently got this card. the app ui sucks compared to chase but besides for that its my go to now just about everywhere besides restaurant's and walmart. the fact walmart doesnt have apple pay blows my mind.
Yeah. U.S. bank’s tech (and policies and CSRs) is super mediocre. But the card is GOATED
UI is ok in my book. But yeah, I'm the same. Just sit-down restaurants and online shopping, otherwise this card covers basically all my purchases, which is super nice!
Getting this card soon
That's great! Good luck!
Does Uber Eats also count for Real Time Rewards redemptions?
Sadly they do not
I will be 0/12 in 45 days regarding inquiries, is it true that I will be denied because I have opened more cards than 5 in the last 24 minths, though I have a checking account & Cash+ credit card. To be honest I don't want to waste unnecessary hard pull.
Nothing is set in stone, but it is much more likely that you'll be approved if you are 0 for 12 with inquiries. I think the number of cards opened between 12 and 24 months is less important. You'll never know until you try!
The way I describe USBAR: easily both a top 3 travel card AND cash back card. No other card can make such a claim. Let’s just hope USbank don’t nerf it🙏
I agree! Hopefully it stays the same for many years to come!
I want this card someday I just don’t know if US Bank would ever approve me.
Yeah, it’s always a question. But I will say that you never know until you try!
USBAR is my next card to get since I'm currently seating at 6/24 til the end of 2025 🤦🏽♂️.
Uggggg gross. That's a long wait, but maybe you can pop out some Amex business cards in the meantime. Or the USBAR, whatever you think is better hah!
I applied and got denied 🤬🤬
Oh no! Make sure to call recon to see if you could get a manual review.
Got rejected becuase i opened up too many business credit cards for my company :/
Darn! Maybe try again in 6 months if you want it!
They count business credit cards, too? Looks like I'll be getting the USBAR a lot later than I expected lol. I'm still churning through the chase and soon amex business credit cards. Damn.
More than cards in the last few years. They are very sensitive to inquiries. So if you want to apply for USB AR, you should have a gardening period With no inquiries for at least 6 months based on my experience. Best if you open a relationship with the credit card like US Bank Cash Plus or checking account before you apply for USB AR. And for new customers they might even give pitiful credit limit like $500 that I got with my cash Plus despite 800 plus credit score.
Well, I have 2 construction businesses so I had to p own one of credits and stuff with suppliers and they do hard checks. My case might be a little different
@@Ricewater94 Thanks for the DP, There's only one way to find out. Hopefully things work out for my case.
Great video Stan. I see the Effective AF as $59.72 or slightly lower - cause you earn 3x on the $325, then you'll earn 3x on the redemption, but you'll earn 3x on that redemption, etc. This card is so OP. I got 4.5% back on a dentist co-pay last week. I chipped in $200 on some odd transient taxes at Disneyland Hotel this weekend. I redeemed points to erase the charge but also earned points for $200. Mobile wallet is everywhere. I rarely have to use my physical catch-all card. This thing wipes the floor with 2% cards or 1.5x CFU. Add in the Visa infinities. If I had to have ONLY one card, this would be it. Thanks to you and Dugroz for introducing it to me.
@@chadpennycuff I bought a car with this card
Of course Chad! And you’re totally right, that travel/dining credit is a statement credit so we get the 3X points on those purchases too! I thought it was cool that if you use MW for dining purchases it also counts for dining with the statement credit! Such a flexible credit! The fact that tap to pay can be used at so many places is the card’s superpower. Also nice that you’ve found some niche Disney use-cases!
Those 8 passes are the only downside of this card. If it was unlimited I'd cancel all my other cards for this one
It depends on how you look at it. Those 8 passes also get PP restaurant access! But yeah, unlimited would be nicer.
@@TheCreditFrog I am a frequent flyer and use lounges WAY more than 8 times per year. So this reason alone forces me to have 2 credit cards just for the sake of getting those unlimited passes. Except for that one reason i'd cancel all credit cards for this one.
I don't stand in lines with velvet ropes, and I don't call reconsideration lines. If you're too exclusive for me, I'll take my business elsewhere. 😂
Fair enough! Great way to live, honesstly. You gotta do you!
@@TheCreditFrog Oh - I recommend doing it too but, viscerally, it rubs me the wrong way. If you have great credit, you meet all the requirements, and you're making me jump through a bunch of extra manual hoops, it's not a great start to the relationship. Like maybe the fact that you don't trust your tech-stack enough that you need to double-check it manually could also mean you might have other technical issues that screw users our of tap-to-pay points or something. lol 😂
Altitude reserve.. + paypal mastercard = Deadly Alliance..
It would be if Paypal Mastercard wasn't nerfed to a 1.5% cash back card!
no airline partners
I know sad.
VX is the best.
🤣😂🤣😝🤣😂. Oh wait. Ur serious?! 😆
Not a bad card! But this is a USBAR video!
Nope. 🚫🚫🚫🚫🚫
ok
First
Congrats!! You are first!! 🏆🥇