U.S. Bank credit card offers

While branches can be found in mostly Western states, its credit cards are offered nationwide, some of which feature travel and cash rewards, and introductory APRs. Additional offerings include cards to rebuild or establish credit and small business cards.

Like a lot of banks, U.S. Bank’s history involves a lot of swallowing up of little banks and becoming bigger and bigger. If you enjoy the history of corporate mergers and acquisitions, this is your bank.

Even U.S. Bank doesn’t try to pretend that its history is all that gripping. According to its website, “our history dates back to 1863 when First National Bank of Cincinnati opened for business. As regional banks proliferated across the country in the years that followed, a number of other predecessors were born. After a series of mergers at the turn of the 21st century, we formally took on the U.S. Bank name and established our headquarters in Minnesota.”

It may not be the most interesting history of the banks, but merging banks and buying them was a centuries-old strategy that now makes it the fifth-largest bank in the country, with more than 70,000 employees and $495 billion in assets as of December 31, 2019.

Fun fact: Peregrine falcons are known for nesting on the top of the U.S. building headquarters. As of last year, there were 66 peregrine falcons that have taken flight. It’s a pretty big deal. Back in the 1950s and 1960s, due to DDT poisoning, the peregrine falcon population started going downhill, and the birds were endangered.

Helpful fact: During the last seven years in a row, U.S. Bank has been named one of the world’s most ethical companies by the Ethisphere Institute, a global for-profit company that specializes in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices. So that should make you feel good, if you were considering applying for a credit card with this bank, or if you’re already a member of the bank.

As has been mentioned, U.S. Bank is huge, and with it comes all the cool stuff you’d want from a big bank, such as some impressive credit cards.

CardRatings has named several U.S. Bank credit cards to its best credit cards of 2021 lists, including:

• U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card – Best U.S. Bank Card for Cash Back Rewards
• U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card – Best U.S. Bank Card for Dining Out, Carry Out and Delivery
• U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card(This card is not currently available on CardRatings) – Best U.S. Bank Card for Travel
• U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card – Best U.S. Bank Card for 0% Intro APR

What Are the Benefits of a U.S. Bank Credit Card?

Some of the benefits you’ll find on a U.S. Bank credit card – beyond the generous welcome offers and rewards programs – include…

Warranty manager. If you use your U.S. Bank card to make your purchase, you may be able to double your warranty for up to one extra year.

Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver. As you would imagine, if your rental car is damaged or stolen, your U.S. Bank will reimburse you – after other insurance has paid for everything – and assuming you rented the car with your U.S. Bank card.

Purchase security. Some credit cards call this “purchase protection.” U.S. Bank goes with “purchase security.” Either way, if you buy something, and it’s stolen or damaged in the first 90 days within the purchase, you’ll get reimbursed. Hopefully. There are a lot of exclusions. For instance, if you go to a garden or pet store and buy a houseplant or goldfish, and either happen to perish under your watch, you won’t be covered. If you lose an item – not stolen or damaged – but it’s gone – you won’t be covered. But plenty of items you buy, like a rake or patio furniture or a TV, and something goes wrong, you should be covered.

Cell phone protection. Some U.S. Bank cards have this perk. If you have a U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card, you’ll get coverage for damage or theft up to $600, with a $25 deductible, for up to two claims ($1,200) per 12-month period. Just make sure you’re paying your cell phone bill with your card, to receive the benefit.

Is It Hard to Get a U.S. Bank Credit Card?

As is the case for all credit cards, it’s hard if you have bad credit – and probably won’t be hard if you have good to great credit.

If you have excellent credit, you can probably land a U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card, which offers a lot of reward points when you dine out or get takeout.

Now, that said, U.S. Bank does have a U.S. Bank Secured Visa® Card , if you want to work on improving your credit.

That said, the better the U.S. Bank card you want, the better your credit score will need to be.

What Is the Best U.S. Bank Credit Card?

Good question. We’ll run through them.

Best U.S. Bank Credit Card for Cash Back

U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card

So here’s how it works: new cardholders who spend $1,000 within the first 120 days of account opening earn $200 cash back.

You can earn 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in combined eligible net purchases ($100 per quarter) on two categories that you choose. That adds up to $400 back every year, and that first year, if you also earn the welcome bonus, you’ll see $650 cash back. That doesn’t include the 5% back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly through the Rewards Travel Center or the 2% cash back on your choice of a category you get to select, like gas or grocery. You’ll receive 1% cash back on all other eligible net purchases.

So you could earn far more than $650 in cash back that first year.

There are other reasons to consider the card, such as a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 billing cycles (then, 14.74% - 24.74% Variable Variable APR), and no annual fee. As a travel card, however, it doesn’t work too well since it charges cardholders 2% of each foreign purchase transaction or foreign ATM advance transaction in U.S. Dollars 3% of each foreign purchase transaction or foreign ATM advance transaction in a Foreign Currency.

Best U.S. Bank Credit Card for Dining Out, Carry Out and Delivery

U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card

You’ll receive 4x points on takeout, food delivery and dining in.

Feel like cooking? You’ll get 2x points at supermarkets – also if the groceries are delivered.

Driving somewhere? You’ll get 2x points at gas stations and EV charging stations.

Streaming something? Also 2x points.

You’ll receive 1x point on all other eligible purchases.

The welcome bonus offer is also attractive – 20,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on eligible purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account. That translates to $200. All of this, and no annual fee.

Best U.S. Bank Credit Card For Travelers

U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card

(This card is not currently available on CardRatings)

First, let’s talk about that welcome bonus offer – as a new cardholder, you’ll receive 50,000 points (worth $750) to be spent on travel, if you spend $4,500 in the first three months of opening the account.

You’ll get 5x points on hotels and car rentals booked through the Altitude Rewards Center.

You’ll earn 3x points for every $1 you spend on eligible net travel purchases and mobile wallet spending.

There are other perks as well, such as a $100 statement credit to offset your application fee when you pay for TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry, the names for the programs that allow you to pass through airport security easily.

You’ll get a 12-month Priority Pass that gets you into 1,200 VIP airport lounges around the world.

But only get the card if you really are going to be doing some serious traveling in the near future. After all, there’s a $400* annual fee.

Best U.S. Bank Credit Card for 0% Intro APR

U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card

For 20 glorious billing cycles, you’ll receive a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers (limited time offer). After that, 15.24% - 25.24% Variable Variable APR. Who knows where it’ll be in 20 months, and so obviously, the goal is to make sure in 20 months, that you aren’t carrying a balance.

It’s definitely something to think about if you do have debt you’re trying to kill off. You can choose whatever payment date you like (as long as it’s every month… if you get cute and try to choose a Friday in 2040 to make your first payment, they’ll catch onto you).

There is no annual fee, and there are some perks such as cell phone protection.