Update. After opening MM and checking account, dropping about $15K in MM account and waiting for about 8 days, I yesterday applied to the Reserve card. Got standard reply.

About 15 hours later got email:

Congrats!

So without any hassle, I called today and was offered 10,000 points for renewing. That's good enough for me. Honestly, the only reason to cancel would be to take their travel credits (which start posting before the annual fee is due) and pocket the $325. But I guess I can do that next year if I want to. :) I do like the primary insurance coverage on domestic car rentals, and the travel cashback is solid on this card.

I use it for mobile payment exclusively. For travel I use CSR, Prestige or Amex Platinum. Since I have Samsung Pay, it works everywhere. I don't think it's a good idea to use this card for MS, cause US Bank can shut you down for even light MS. Safeway does accept mobile payments, as well as almost all other stores which sell gift cards, except maybe Lowe's. Most of the grocery stores accept NFC payments - Safeway, Whole Foods, Lucky, Savemart, as well as OS stores - Staples and OD/OM. Walgreens also accept NFC payments. I think the only main exclusions are Lowe's, Home Depot, Walmart and CVS. Target started accepting NFC recently.

On a website go to My Rewards -> select AR card -> card benefits -> real time rewards -> View / Modify Mobile Number
Mine has a google voice number and it works.

OK, will wait until the card arrives. I guess, contrary to Chase, US Bank uses different sites for credit and deposit accounts.
In the current online banking profile it shows only deposit accounts, does not allow me to add google voice number and there is no Rewards section.

Hmm. On my USB they are all there on one login, although the rewards site has some separate screen/tabs sort of like how UR or TYP do it.

Hm, just got a voicemail from their fraud prevention department asking to call back.

I called back. And during the conversation I understood why they called and left voicemail.

When I filled the application online, I used my virtual machine in California, RDP-ing there from 10k miles away , while in the application form I put my home address in different state. Lady from the department was specifically interested to know in which state I 'was' when I filled the application form. After getting satisfactory answer on this and two other questions about my past addresses and alternative phone number, she said that all good and card will be sent out today.

Note to self (and others as well) - when you next time fill a credit card application, please do it from home/office in US and DO NOT do it from a virtual server running on AWS/GCP/Azure because on question 'on which state was the computer used to fill application form' you will have no (immediate) answer.

I applied for the Altitude Reserve while in Barbados for work and I got this exact same phone call. They didn't ask where I applied from though. All they asked was that the Application location didnt match the home address and wanted to confirm I actually applied.

No other bank has ever done that and I've gotten many CC while in Barbados

I do appreciate their efforts trying to avoid fraud, but I would like know how common such fraud is - opening card on someone else's name warranting additional check matching the location's IP with the home address IP. Especially considering that Altitude is their flagship product and has more requirements and checks attached.

What I want to say - matching IP with the location in general might generate a lot of false positives.

It would, and they likely use an algorithm to decide which applicants with an IP mismatch to call.

No prior relationship with US Bank. Went to local branch last Friday and applied for Cash+ Card (to establish business relationship) and Altitude Reserve. Banker really had no idea about the card and was just reading stuff on her terminal and filling out forms. Regardless, Cash+ was approved instantly but had "technical issues" with Altitude. She called me two hours later saying that it was also approved but as Monday was a holiday, both would be mailed on Tuesday (yesterday) with the Altitude having overnight shipping and the Cash+ going by Pony Express. Got the fancy box today with the Altitude Reserve. Pain in the butt to set up for mobile wallet. Put it on Samsung Pay and Google Pay on my phone and Apple Pay on my wife's. Had to call for both Samsung Pay and Google Pay for "verification". I don't know any other bank that does that.

Tomorrow we start working on the $4.5k spend to get the bonus. Wife wants some patio furniture at Costco. Homeowners insurance is due. And some dental bills. That will put a dent in the $4.5k......

I suspect this card is a keeper. 4.5% for travel and mobile wallet for a couple who travels a lot.

Adding Chase Pay would be nice as Walmart takes it on-line, but I guess that's a competitor and won't happen.

Was a bit surprised that their purchase protections and insurance coverages (like rental car, lost/delayed luggage, trip delay, etc) are not competitive with Chase. Disappointing as I was hoping to cancel my sapphire reserve. Now I have to think about it.

In what ways do you find the Altitude Reserve's insurance coverages inferior to those offered by the Chase Sapphire Reserve?

Some examples -- CSR=Chase Sapphire Reserve, AR = US Bank Altitude Reserve

Auto Rental Coverage: CSR car can be worth up to $75K, AR $50k
- CSR covers world wide except where prohibited by law. AR excludes Israel, Jamaica, North and South Ireland
- CSR covers rentals up to 31 days everywhere. AR is limited to 15 days in your home country (31 days elsewhere)


Travel Protections: CSR covers any family member (including adult children and parents) if ticket is paid on card. AR only covers card holder, spouse and dependent children.
- AR does not have baggage delay coverage. CSR has $100/day for up to 35 days if baggage delayed >6hours.
- Emergency evacuation: CSR covers up to $1M. AR covers up to $10K

Priority Pass = CSR has unlimited visits for cardholder and 2 guests. AR is 4 visits for cardholder and 1 guest.

Etc etc......