U.S. Bank credit card offers

U.S. Bank operates under one of the oldest continuous national charters. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, its consumer banking division serves both consumers and small businesses. 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.

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 2020 lists, including:

• U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card – Best cash-back credit cards
• U.S. Bank Business Platinum – Best 0% APR credit cards

One of its many credit cards is U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card (This card is not currently available on CardRatings), a rewards credit card that truly stands out. It is a card that you need to pay attention to, with its revolving categories, but if you're willing, you'll earn a lot. You get two categories that you can choose, which will earn you 5% cash back, up to $2,000 for each category. You'll also get to choose a category that will give you 2% cash back unlimited; and one everything else, you'll get 1% cash back. There is also no annual fee for this card.

U.S. Bank cards compare well against the following cards from other banks:

ABOC Platinum Rewards Mastercard® Credit Card

There are several reasons to like both of these reward cards. The ABOC Platinum Rewards Mastercard® Credit Card awards five points per $1 spent on up to $1,500 spent in quarterly rotating categories that include everything from home improvement purchases to dining to travel and more. You also earn one point per $1 spent on your other purchases and in the bonus categories after reaching the spending cap. At the same time, the U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card awards 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in combined eligible net purchases ($100 per quarter) on two categories you choose and 2% cash back on your choice of one everyday category, like gas stations or grocery stores, and 1% cash back on all other eligible net purchases. In other words, both are going to require some strategy and thoughtfulness when it comes to which card you use for each purpose, but the U.S. Bank card lets you choose where you'll be doing it.

Neither card has an annual fee, so in order to choose which is best, you'll likely want to take a look at your spending and determine which rewards program provides the best opportunity for earning. With the U.S. Bank card, however, you do get a little more flexibility in choosing your bonus categories.

Citi^® Diamond Preferred^® Card

If you're paying a high interest rate on another credit card, it might be a good idea to consider transferring your balance to a credit card offering a 0% intro APR. Both the U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card and Citi^® Diamond Preferred^® Card offer 0% intro APRs for balance transfers, but the Citi card currently offers one of the longest durations – 18 months from the date of your first balance transfer (all transfers must be made within the first four months) as well as 18 months 0% APR on new purchases (then 14.74% - 24.74% Variable). There is a balance transfer fee of 3% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum

The U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card offers 0% intro APR on balance transfers for the first 12 billing cycles (then 13.99% - 23.99%* Variable) with a balance transfer fee of 3%. However, in addition to the balance transfer offer, this card comes with a $150 bonus for new cardholders who spend $500 on net eligible purchases in the first three months after opening an account. It also includes a rewards program that you don't get with the Citi card. Citi is a CardRatings advertiser