Last updated on September 20th, 2023
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Chase Sapphire Reserve
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Chase Sapphire Reserve
- 22.49% to 29.49% variable based on creditworthiness and Prime Rate Regular Purchase APR
- 22.49% to 29.49% variable based on creditworthiness and Prime Rate Balance Transfer APR
- 29.99% variable based on the Prime Rate Cash Advance APR
At a Glance
With the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card, luxury and travel rewards come together with this upper-tier card, which offers an attractive points system and includes a lengthy list of perks for any jet setter.
- Best Benefits
- Rates & Fees
- Why Should You Apply?
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more
- Regular Purchase APR: 22.49% to 29.49% variable based on creditworthiness and Prime Rate
- Balance Transfer APR: 22.49% to 29.49% variable based on creditworthiness and Prime Rate
- Balance Transfer Transaction Fee: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
- Cash Advance APR: 29.99% variable based on the Prime Rate
- Cash Advance Transaction Fee: Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater
- Penalty APR: Up to 29.99% variable based on the Prime Rate
- Annual Fee: $550, each authorized user: $75 per year
- Late Payment Penalty Fee: Up to $40
- Return Payment Penalty Fee: Up to $40
- You travel often and want a card that provides worldwide value
- You eat at restaurants frequently
- You plan to use rewards for travel, which provides the best value for redemption
- You want a card with no foreign transaction fees
Chase Sapphire Reserve® Review
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is the go-to travel card when it comes to points. The reason for the card’s popularity is the extraordinary redemption value it offers – although the lounge access and travel credits don’t hurt either.
Impressive Signup Bonus
The Sapphire Reserve Card comes with a signup bonus worth $1,200 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards. That bonus equates to 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points after making $4,000 in purchases in the first three months.
This $900 bonus is one of the most lucrative introductory offers in the travel credit card space. It is due to the enhanced redemption rates that come with the Sapphire Reserve.
Earn Triple Points on Travel and Dining
One of the major selling points of the Chase Sapphire Reserve is the sheer number of points the card earns in key categories. Cardholders earn 3X points on travel and dining. Those points are earnable at any restaurant worldwide.
Even better, dining, plus hotel stays and car rentals booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal earn an impressive 10X points per dollar spent. Cardholders also enjoy 5x total points on air travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards. Keep in mind that all these huge point categories require booking through Ultimate Rewards – still, with that potential earning rate, it’s a tough offer to pass up.
Every other purchase with the card receives a single point, with no limit to the number of points a cardholder can amass.
As with any credit card, however, there are limitations to some points categories. The 3X travel rewards, for instance, only apply after the first $300 in spending in that category each year. This is because the card also comes with a $300 travel credit each year. Of course, this isn’t a drawback, as it is a free $300 for travel, but it does bear keeping in mind.
Chase Sapphire Reserve Vs. Sapphire Preferred: Which Is Right for You?
Not sure which Chase Sapphire credit card is right for you? Here is a helpful, quick breakdown of the features of both the Sapphire Preferred and luxurious Sapphire Reserve:
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| Card | Sapphire Reserve | Sapphire Preferred |
| Rewards rate | Earn 5X on flights through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 10X on hotels and car rentals through Ultimate Rewards, 10X on Chase Dining, 3X on all other travel purchases, 3X on dining, and 1X on all other purchases | Earn 5X on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 2X on all other travel purchases, 3X on dining, 3X on groceries and streaming services, and 1X on all other purchases |
| Statement credits | $300 travel | $50 hotel |
| Annual fee | $550 | $95 |
How to Redeem Points with the Sapphire Reserve
The ability to earn points with the Reserve is excellent. The real strength with the Reserve, however, lies in the value of the points themselves. Chase Ultimate Rewards is one of the best rewards programs out there. Part of this is because Chase points are worth two cents per point ($0.02/pt.), which is among the highest valuations. The other reason is because of the ways to redeem points.
Chase Ultimate Rewards is the rewards portal for Chase credit cardholders. The portal allows cardholders to redeem points for a variety of awards, including:
| Statement credits | Gift cards | Travel |
| Shopping | Charitable donations | Transfers with partners |
50% Additional Redemption Value with the Sapphire Reserve
Reserve Cardholders get 50% more redemption value through the Ultimate Rewards program. This extra value makes redemptions for things like travel or points transfers with partners even more lucrative. While Sapphire Preferred Cardholders get a 25% increase in points value, the Reserve’s 50% additional redemption value means the Reserve earns 4.5X points on travel and dining worldwide.
Chase Transfer Partners
As mentioned, Chase also allows 1:1 point transfers to specific partners. These transfer partners provide exceptional versatility to the Ultimate Rewards program. The following airline and hotel loyalty programs offer 1:1 point transfers with Chase:
| Aer Lingus (AerClub) | Air France/KLM (Flying Blue) | Emirates (Skywards) |
| Air Canada (Aeroplan) | British Airways (Executive Club) | Iberia Plus |
| JetBlue (TrueBlue) | Southwest (Rapid Rewards) | Singapore Airlines (KrisFlyer) |
| Virgin Atlantic (Flying Club) | United Airlines (MileagePlus) | IHG Rewards |
| Marriott Bonvoy | World of Hyatt |
Luxury Perks
The Chase Sapphire Reserve is less of a luxury credit card than the Platinum Card from American Express. That doesn’t mean, however, that the Reserve lacks those perks. It comes with Priority Pass Select membership, for example, which allows cardholders to visit over 1,200 airport lounges – including the new Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club.
Cardholders also receive a couple of excellent statement credits. First, the $300 annual travel credit previously mentioned. That credit applies for reimbursement of the first $300 in travel purchases each year. The other credit is a once-every-four-years credit towards the application fee for TSA Precheck or Global Entry. These services provide expedited security when flying, as well as fast-track customs checks at airports throughout the U.S.
Other perks include access to Visa Infinite’s Luxury Hotel Collection and 24/7 access to Visa Infinite’s customer service hotline.
Amex Platinum Vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve
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| Card | The Platinum Card® | Sapphire Reserve® |
| Rewards rate | Earn 5X Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines of Amex Travel, 5X on prepaid hotels booked thorugh AmexTravel.com, and 1X on all other purchases | Earn 5X on flights through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 10X on hotels and car rentals through Ultimate Rewards, 10X on Chase Dining, 3X on all other travel purchases, 3X on dining, and 1X on all other purchases |
| TSA Precheck | Yes | Yes |
| Lounge access | Priority Pass Select, Centurion Lounge | Priority Pass Select |
| Travel credits | $400/year | $300/year |
| Annual fee | $695 | $550 |
Other Card Features
Other Chase credit cards enjoy Doordash perks, and the Sapphire Reserve is no different. The card comes with complimentary DashPass membership. This perk provides free delivery on orders of $12 or more. Cardholders also receive $60 in DoorDash statement credits.
FAQs About the Chase Sapphire Reserve
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions regarding the Chase Sapphire Reserve Visa Infinite, along with the answers:
- Chase credit cards require a good or excellent credit score to qualify.
- Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth one cent per point ($0.01/point). That said, Chase Sapphire cardholders enjoy even more value thanks to enhanced redemption rates through Ultimate Rewards. The Sapphire Preferred Card earns 25% more on travel, for example, or 1.25 cents per points. The Sapphire Reserve enjoys 50% more value, or 1.5 cents per point when redeeming through Chase Ultimate Rewards for travel.
- Chase Ultimate Rewards points won’t expire as long as your credit card account stays open and in good standing.
- Chase’s 5/24 rule means that you can’t be approved for most Chase cards if you’ve opened five or more personal credit cards (from any card issuer) within the past 24 months.
- Chase will often automatically increase your credit limit about every 12 months, but an increase is never guaranteed.
- The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® are both made out of metal.
- Chase credit, debit, and banking products are available in all 50 U.S. states plus the District of Columbia.
JP Morgan Chase and Sapphire Preferred Card Ratings
How does the Sapphire Reserve Visa Infinite Card stack up? Here are a selection of expert reviews for the card, as well as an overview of JP Morgan Chase as a bank:
| BestCards | Better Business Bureau | TrustPilot |
|
4.5/5 |
3.5/5 |
2/5 |
Should You Apply for the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Credit Card?
Travel credit cards don’t get much more comprehensive than the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. Up to 10X points on travel make it a great frequent-use option; conversely, annual incentives like credits for travel-related charges and enrollment in Global Entry or TSA Precheck ensure that you’re continually getting value for the hefty $550 annual fee. Also, the Sapphire Reserve card gives you two very appealing options for redeeming your points.
Through Chase’s proprietary Ultimate Rewards program, points are worth an extra 50% when redeemed for travel. In other words, 60,000 points are worth $1,200 rather than $800 through Chase Ultimate Rewards. If you prefer to cash out your points through one of Chase’s partnered loyalty programs, however, you can do so at a 1:1 rate, so 60,000 points earned through Chase will be worth 60,000 points through the airline or hotel program of your choice.
Other enticing features of the Chase Sapphire Reserve include complimentary Priority Pass Select enrollment, giving you access to over 1,200 VIP airport lounges worldwide, trip cancellation insurance, and auto rental collision damage protection; and lost luggage and trip delay reimbursement. While it’s always preferable to avoid inconveniences when on holiday, the Chase Sapphire Reserve might be your best friend if misfortune strikes.
