Bankcheckingsavings has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Bankcheckingsavings and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card is a premium travel rewards card well-suited for frequent travelers. This is an astonishingly overpowered card with many readily available benefits for a $550 annual fee.
It offers goodies like an annual travel credit worth up to $300, airport lounge access, and waived application fee for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. In the midst of many luxury travel rewards cards, the Sapphire Reserve stands out with its valuable perks for those who travel often.
Earn 3X points on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
New applicants can earn a 50,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 toward travel when you redeem through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal.
Editor’s Note: If you’re uncertain about getting this card, you may want to get the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card first. It has a much lower annual fee of $95. In addition, it’s a good way to see just how much value you can get out of the Ultimate Rewards program. However, you can’t get the sign-up bonuses on both cards.
If you’re interested for more offers from Chase, check out all the ongoing Checking/Savings account bonuses!
| BONUS LINK | OFFER | REVIEW |
| Chase Business Complete BankingSM | $300 Cash | Review |
| Chase Total Checking® | $200 Cash | Review |
| Chase SavingsSM | $150 Cash | Review |
| Chase Private Client | $2,000 Cash | Review |
Table of Contents
Chase Sapphire Reserve Card Summary
 |
| Bonus Available | 50,000 Points when you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months. |
| *Bonus Value | $1,000 |
| Travel Credit | $300 annually in travel reimbursements |
| Ongoing Rewards/Benefits |
|
| Foreign Transaction Fees | None |
| Airport Lounge Access | 1,200+ VIP lounges in over 500 cities worldwide with Priority Pass Select. |
| Annual Fee | $550 annual fee; $75 for each authorized user |
Recommended Free Credit Score (Get Free Score)
720 – 850 (Excellent)
* The Chase Sapphire Reserve is issued by Chase. They also offer great sign-up bonuses. You can also compare this card with other credit card bonuses!
* Bonus value is an estimated value calculated by BankCheckingSavings and not the card issuer.
View our latest valuations here.
PROS
- Good intro bonus value
- Has annual travel credits
- Good ongoing rewards
CONS
- Has an annual fee
- Excellent credit needed to qualify
Additional Advice: We recommend combining it with another Chase credit card, such as the no annual fee cash-back Chase Freedom card. This way, you can transfer the points you earn on the Chase Freedom® to your Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card account and redeem them for more than 1 cent per point. Since both cards are on the Ultimate Rewards platform, you can also combine the points instead of using two different rewards platforms. That’s an immediate 25% increase on the value of your points when used for travel.
Why Choose the Chase Sapphire Reserve
If you’re looking for a premium travel card, make use of the Chase Sapphire Reserve card’s introductory offer of 50,000 bonus points. This is a good selection since it comes with premium travel benefits like Priority Pass lounge access, 3X points on travel and dining, and a $300 in annual travel credit.
The 50k bonus points you earn will be worth $750 towards travel when booked through Chase. This offer makes up for the $550 annual fee that is not waived for the first year. Plus, you can get the most value with your points by transferring points over to the Ultimate Rewards travel partners.
This card if not a good option if you’re only looking for bonus value, but you can check out other cards with bonus options that has lower annual fees and are waived the first year. Like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.
Get access to more than 1,200 airport lounges worldwide with the complimentary Priority Pass Select membership. It’s considered to be equivalent to the “Prestige” membership plan that would cost your $400+ if purchased directly on the Priority Pass site. Plus, your guests, up to two people, will also be covered!
This will benefit you on those long international travels! You’ll get common amenities like showers, food buffets, refreshments, alcohol, WiFi, and comfortable seating at lounges abroad.
You can visit the Priority Pass website to find a lounge in your intended destination and terminal.
Tips:
- When you receive your Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you’ll need to activate your free Priority Pass Select membership to take advantage of the premium benefit.
- Log into your Ultimate Rewards account.
- Click on either the “Use Points” or “Earn Points” menu at the top.
- Click on “Card Benefits.”
- Click to activate your Priority Pass Select membership.
- Make sure to carry your Priority Pass member card during your travels, just in case some lounges don’t give you access with just your Chase Sapphire Reserve card. It might take between two to three weeks after activation to receive your card, so plan ahead! Plus most lounges now accept the card digitally through the smartphone app.
- If you’re travelling before your Priority Pass member card arrives, charge the in-network lounge access to your Chase Sapphire Reserve card and you can call in to have it reimbursed.
With the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you can earn 3X points per dollar spent on travel worldwide from airfare and hotels to taxis and trains. Moreover, the 3X points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide applies to both casual to fine dining. If you spend outside of these categories, you’ll earn 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
What are these points worth?
You’ll receive 50% more value when you book travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. Through the 50% extra value, your rewards rate will be 4.5% on Travel/Dining and 1.5% on all other purchases compared to the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card that earns an effective rat of 2.5% on Travel/Dining and 1.25% elsewhere.
To get even more value from your earned points, you can take advantage of the 1:1 points transfer feature with one of Chases’ travel partners. You can transfer your Ultimate Rewards points earned with the Chase Sapphire Reserve card for an equivalent amount of points/miles with their transfer partners.
Depending on how you use your rewards with the partners, you transferred points could worth even more. This is also the case with many hotel rewards partners.
Please note that their partners sometimes change, but here’s the current list:
Ultimate Rewards Airline/Hotel 1:1 Point Transfer Partners
| Airline Transfer Partners | Hotel Transfer Partners |
| Aer Lingus AerClub | IHG Rewards Club |
| British Airways Executive Club | Marriott Bonvoy (Previously Marriott Rewards) |
| Flying Blue AIR FRANCE KLM | The Ritz-Carlton Rewards |
| Iberia Plus | World of Hyatt |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | |
| Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards | |
| United MileagePlus | |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club |
The $300 Annual Travel Credit can help cut down the annual fee substantially! You can use the credit as reimbursement for travel purchases that includes airfare and hotels charged to your card.
This is one of the more generous benefits of this card. Apply it toward purchases qualifying as travel. No need to specify what kind of travel you want to use it for — Chase will automatically credit your account $300 when you use it to make eligible purchases.
Earning The 50,000 Bonus Points
Frequent travelers should have no issues meeting the spending requirement for the bonus. However, for some more ideas to meet the $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months requirement, here are some ideas:
| • Plastiq: Plastiq allows you to pay for expenses that you generally won’t be able to with your card like rent, tuition, auto lease, mortgage payment, and more. There’s a 2.5% processing fee for using your credit card. However, this’ll be worth the card bonus you’ll get. There’s also a referral program where you can earn “Fee-Free Dollars” to use towards processing fees. See our Plastiq review. |
| • Fund Checking accounts with your card: Many banks will allow you to fund the opening deposit with a credit card. Consider opening Checking accounts that also offer a sign-up bonus. This way, you can work towards bonuses from two different sources. Big banks like Chase, HSBC, Huntington, and TD Bank have great offers and allow credit card funding. You can generally fund anywhere from $50 to $1,000 towards the opening deposit with a credit card, depending on the bank. |
| • Buy gift cards: Consider buying gift cards with your credit card that you can then spend later at your leisure. Individual merchant cards (restaurants, gas stations, supermarkets, etc.) generally don’t have purchase fees, so this is a plus. On the other hand, American Express and Visa gift cards will have purchase fees. Amazon gift cards are a great idea as you can shop for almost anything there with no purchase fees either. Unfortunately, Citi credit cards tend to code gift card purchases as Cash Advances and there’ll be a fee. Call in to customer service and lower your Cash Advance limit to $0 before purchasing gift cards. You can also buy discounted gift cards as well from Raise or find gift cards on eBay. |
| • Everyday spending & bills: Always using your credit card for everyday spending, such as for dining, gas, groceries, etc. You can also use your credit card to pay for things like insurance bills, property taxes and income taxes. However, you’ll have to consider the convenience fees. |
Other Cardholder Perks
- Application Fee Credit for Global Entry / TSA PreCheck: This is a perk found on many other premium cards. Get your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee reimbursed when you charge it to the card. Global Entry includes PreCheck, so you might as well apply for that option. Receive this benefit once every four years. Those already enrolled can use the credit to cover a friend or family member’s application fee.
- Visa Infinite Perks: Since the Sapphire Reserve is a Visa Infinite card, you can access a selection of perks available. Receive primary rental car insurance, trip cancellation and delay coverage, lost luggage reimbursement, a concierge service and access to the Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection, and more.
Earn More Ultimate Rewards Points
Did you know? You can combine Ultimate Rewards points from all Chase products that earn them. The Chase Sapphire℠ Checking account is offering bonus Ultimate Rewards points when you sign up today. Read our Chase Sapphire℠ Checking review.
 With the United ClubSM Infinite Card: With this card, you'll earn: • 4X miles per $1 spent on United purchases including tickets, Economy Plus, inflight food, beverages and Wi-Fi, and other United charges. • 2X miles per $1 spent on all other travel • 2X miles per $1 spent on dining at restaurants and eligible delivery services • 1X mile per $1 spent on all other purchases Plus, you'll get 25% back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights when you pay with your Club Card. This card does carry an annual fee of $525 (waived first year). However, you can get up to $100 Global Entry or TSA PrecheckTM Fee Credit. In addition, you'll get a savings of up to $320 per roundtrip (terms apply) by getting your first and second checked bags for free! |
Conclusion
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card is well known for the perks it offers. Although the annual fee seems quite steep initially, you quickly realize that even an infrequent traveler can get tremendous value out of the card.
Enjoy $300 annual travel credit that can be applied toward purchases qualifying as travel, Priority Pass Select membership, and Application Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. As a Visa Infinite card, you’ll have access to a selection of the perks that come along with the program. These include primary rental car insurance, trip cancellation and delay coverage, lost luggage reimbursement, a concierge service, access to the Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection, and more.
In fact, if you can use up the $300 annual travel credit, it’s like getting the rest of the perks for just $150 per year.
However, if you don’t travel often or you can’t take advantage of all the perks it offers, check out the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card instead. It offers 2X points on travel and dining for a $95 annual fee. Though it doesn’t offer all the perks the Sapphire Reserve offers, you can earn 1.25 cents per point when redeeming through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® travel portal. Or, you can see if any other credit card promotions here on BCS can entice you.
|
What’s the Competition?
Premium Cards
 The The Platinum Card® from American Express offers 75,000 Membership Rewards(R) Points after you spend $5,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. You'll earn: • 10X points on eligible purchases on your new Card at U.S. Gas Stations and U.S. Supermarkets, on up to $15,000 in combined purchases, during your first 6 months of Card Membership. That's an additional 9 points on top of the 1 point you earn for these purchases. • 5X Membership Rewards(R) Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel. Starting January 1, 2021, earn 5X points on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year. • 5X Membership Rewards(R) Points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com. This card comes with an annual fee of $550 (See Rates & Fees), but you cardholders can enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member and Additional Centurion Cards only. Plus, up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue on your Platinum Card® & receive complimentary benefits with an average total value of $550 with Fine Hotels & Resorts. |
General Travel Rewards
 The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers 100,000 bonus miles when you spend $20,000 on purchases in the first 12 months from account opening, or still earn 50,000 miles if you spend $3000 on purchases in the first 3 months. You're able to earn 2X miles on every purchase, every day. This card does come with a $95 annual fee. Enjoy no foreign transaction fees and receive up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✔®. |
Travel with Lower Annual Fees
 The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®! You'll earn 2X points on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide, eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases. And when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards, you'll get 25% more value! Furthermore, you'll earn 2X total points on up to $1,000 in grocery store purchases per month from November 1, 2020 to April 30, 2021. Includes eligible pick-up and delivery services. You get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee & reduced service fees on orders over $12 for a minimum of one year on qualifying food purchases with DashPass, DoorDash's subscription service. Activate by 12/31/21. This card carries a $95 annual fee. |
| BONUS LINK | OFFER | REVIEW |
| Chase Business Complete BankingSM | $300 Cash | Review |
| Chase Total Checking® | $200 Cash | Review |
| Chase SavingsSM | $150 Cash | Review |
| Chase Private Client | $2,000 Cash | Review |
| HSBC Premier Checking Member FDIC | $450 Cash | Review |
| HSBC Premier Checking Member FDIC | Up To $600 | Review |
| HSBC Advance Checking Member FDIC | $200 Cash | Review |
| HSBC Advance Checking Member FDIC | Up To $240 | Review |
| BBVA Online Checking + Savings | $250 Cash | Review |
| Aspiration | $100 Cash | Review |
| TD Bank Beyond Checking | $300 Cash | Review |
| TD Bank Convenience CheckingSM | $150 Cash | Review |
| Huntington 25 Checking | $500 Cash | Review |
| Huntington Bank Unlimited Plus Business Checking | $750 Cash | Review |
| Huntington Bank Unlimited Business Checking | $400 Cash | Review |
| Huntington Bank Business Checking 100 | $200 Cash | Review |
| Axos Bank Basic Business Checking | $100 Cash | Review |
| Ally Invest | Up to $3,500 Cash | Review |
| Simple | 0.60% APY | Review |
Bankcheckingsavings has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Bankcheckingsavings and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.
Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.
