AwardWallet receives compensation from advertising partners for links on the blog. Terms Apply to the offers listed on this page. The opinions expressed here are our own and have not been reviewed, provided, or approved by any bank advertiser. Here's our complete list of Advertisers.
Offers for the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card are not available through this site. All information has been independently collected by AwardWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. Some offers may have expired. Please see our card marketplace for available offers.
All information about Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has been collected independently by AwardWallet
The U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card isn't one of the easiest cards to get. With some stringent application requirements, those who qualify for and get approved for the card are lucky — and with this recently announced news, they're even luckier. Let's take a look at the changes now available on the Altitude Reserve and what this improved Priority Pass lounge access policy means for you.
Altitude Reserve Priority Pass Changes
The Altitude Reserve an interesting beast in the world of points and miles. Although it charges a $400 annual fee, cardholders receive up to $325 of that back in annual statement credits toward travel, dining, takeout, and restaurant delivery purchases. It's also one of the few cards that awards bonus points on mobile wallet purchasess — which means that most retailers qualify for these elevated 3X earnings.
Along with these perks, the Altitude Reserve also offers airport lounge access in the form of Priority Pass visits. While these aren't unlimited — like you'll find on other premium travel rewards cards — as a cardholder, you'll get up to eight visits each year.
In the past, these have been further subdivided: Cardholders would receive four passes for themselves and four passes for guests. In theory, this was great, since it meant that those traveling in groups would be able to bring their companions. However, it needlessly complicated the passes and limited visits for those traveling on their own.
Now, U.S. Bank has revealed an update to the Priority Pass visits offered by the card: There are no longer limitations to how these eight passes can be used. If you're traveling in a group of eight people and all of you want to enter at the same time, that's allowed. You're also able to use the eight passes for yourself on eight different occasions if you'd like.
Related: Altitude Reserve full review
Interestingly, the old terms are still listed on the card's application page (at the time of publication). However, you'll find the new terms on the card's benefits page. Moreover, a spokesperson for U.S. Bank confirmed the new policy, saying this is a permanent change.
Other Options For Airport Lounge Access
If you're a frequent traveler, chances are that eight Priority Pass lounge visits in a year aren't going to cut it. You'd use one at your home airport and another on your layover before arriving at your destination. If you repeated this on a round-trip flight, you'd use four of your eight visits on just one trip.
Fortunately, there are many other options for lounge access available to travelers. These can come in the form of paid visits (such as day passes to specific lounges) but also include unlimited Priority Pass Select memberships from certain travel credit cards. These include:
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- The Platinum Card® from American Express
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.
Related: Best cards for airport lounge access
Bottom Line
U.S. Bank making changes to the Priority Pass benefits offered by the Altitude Reserve is good news. Although the card already offers great value for those who are lucky enough to snag it, the ability to freely use Priority Pass visits is another feather in its cap.
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.