Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Capital One Venture: Which Card Wins? (100k Bonus, June 2026)
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US Bank Transfer Partners: Complete Guide (May 2026)
NC
nextcard teamPublished May 13, 2026
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So, to put it simply: US Bank does not have any transfer partners as of May 2026.
Despite US Bank announcing they would introduce transfer partners by December 2025, it's been several months since that anticipated rollout and we've gotten nothing since.
Let's look at what your options are for maximizing points without transfer partners and whether keeping the card still makes sense.
TLDR:
As of May 2026, US Bank still has no airline or hotel transfer partners on any of its credit cards. No firm launch date, no updated timeline, minimal public communication of any kind (kinda sucks).
U.S. Bank offers several ways to redeem your Altitude Reserve or Altitude Connect points, though the value you get depends heavily on how you choose to cash them out.
Here are the main redemption options available:
The gap between redemption methods matters. Altitude Reserve cardholders who stick to Real-Time Rewards on travel purchases consistently get the most value out of their points, while cash back redemptions leave a fair amount of value on the table.
Most major US card issuers offer some form of transfer partners, but the depth of each program varies a lot. If you're comparing credit cards with transfer partners, here's a quick breakdown of who's actually in the game:
| Card Issuer | Primary Travel Card | Number of Transfer Partners | Transfer Partner Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Bank | Altitude Reserve | 0 partners | Announced August 2025, still not launched as of May 2026 |
| Chase | Chase Sapphire Reserve® | 14 partners | Active program with United, Hyatt, Southwest, and more |
| American Express | American Express Platinum Card® | 22 partners | Active program with Delta, British Airways, Air France, and more |
| Capital One | Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card | 15+ partners | Active program with Air Canada, Turkish Airlines at 1:1 ratio |
Wells Fargo launched its own transfer program more recently, giving cardholders access to a growing list of airline and hotel partners through the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card card.
The travel portal is your best option right now. Altitude Reserve points are worth 1 cent each when redeemed for flights and hotels through the portal, which beats cashing out for statement credits or gift cards where the rate drops even lower.
On the earning side, the Altitude Reserve's 3x on mobile wallet (up to $5,000 in spending per billing cycle) and travel purchases is a solid way to build your balance faster before you redeem. Tap to pay where you can, and those points stack up quicker than you'd expect, but keep in mind practical limits.
One practical takeaway: if you're sitting on a large balance right now, booking a trip sooner rather than later beats holding out for transfer partners with no confirmed launch date. Idle points don't earn anything while you wait.
Most people should run through a quick cost-benefit check before deciding. Add up the credits you actually use, the lounge visits you take, and the rewards you're earning on mobile wallet spend. If those numbers clear $400, you're in good shape with the Altitude Reserve.
If you're not traveling enough to use the perks, or if you can get similar benefits at a lower annual fee with another card, canceling or downgrading to a no-fee U.S. Bank card is worth considering.
Keeping tabs on transfer partners, point balances, and card benefits across multiple issuers gets messy fast. nextcard is a free app built to solve exactly that, giving you a single place to see all your credit card perks, track your rewards, and stay on top of transfer partner options without jumping between bank portals.
nextcard lets you see your card transfer partners, monitor expiring benefits, and get reminders so you never leave value on the table. It's especially handy if you're holding something like the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve alongside other travel cards, because keeping those benefits organized across issuers is genuinely tedious otherwise.
Get started by adding your cards here.
US Bank told cardholders that transfer partners were coming to the Altitude Reserve, then went silent after the feature never launched. Managing US Bank transfer partners would be easier if they actually existed, which is why tracking your real redemption options across all your cards matters more than waiting on empty promises.
Your points are now worth just 1 cent through the travel portal, so if you're sitting on a balance, booking something now beats waiting on a feature with no confirmed timeline. Start tracking your cards with nextcard to stop guessing and start using the benefits you actually have.
Chase Sapphire Reserve gives you access to 14 airline and hotel transfer partners right now, while US Bank Altitude Reserve still has zero transfer partners as of May 2026. If point transfers matter to you, Chase delivers immediately while US Bank is still promising a feature with no launch date.
You can redeem through the U.S. Bank travel portal for flights and hotels at 1 cent per point, but that's the ceiling right now; there's no way to squeeze more value out without transfer partners. It's a workable option if you need to use your points, though it's a step down from what other travel cards offer.
Add up the credits you actually use, lounge visits you take, and rewards you earn on mobile wallet spend... if those clear the $400 annual fee, keep it. If not, or if you need transfer partners now rather than waiting indefinitely, downgrading to a no-fee card or switching to Chase or Amex makes sense.
