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 which offers a generous welcome bonus. 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.
New applicants can earn a 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.
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.
Table of Contents
Chase Sapphire Reserve Card Bonus Summary
 The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers 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. You'll earn • 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. • 5X total points on air travel • 3X points on other travel and dining • 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases When redeeming your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards, you'll get 50% more value. This card does carry a $550 annual fee and there are no foreign transaction fees. However, you're able to earn a $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year & up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓®. |
* 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!
Additional Advice: We recommend combining it with another Chase credit card, such as the no annual fee cash-back Chase Freedom Flex 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.
Chase Sapphire Reserve Card Bonus
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.
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.
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.
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.
If you’re interested for more offers from Chase, check out all the ongoing Checking/Savings account bonuses!
| BONUS LINK | OFFER | REVIEW |
| Chase Total Checking® | $200 Cash | Review |
| Chase College CheckingSM | $100 Cash | Review |
| J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing | Up To $625 Cash | Review |
| Chase Secure BankingSM | $100 Cash | 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.
