For ten years I’ve had the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) or its mid-tier sibling in my wallet and the Reserve still holds up my travel strategy.

With high-value Chase Ultimate Rewards points, a large collection of statement credits and best-in-class travel protections, it’s one of the strongest travel rewards cards on the market. This card can be a year after year, and is easy to deliver outsize value if you’re willing to do little to make the most of its benefits. ************** 1-2**, **Card rating*.

*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.

Chase Sapphire Reserve: The basics

Chase’s premium travel card is the Sapphire Reserve, which is a luxury card for s. This makes valuable, transferable Ultimate Rewards points the currency I use to pay for luxury hotels and business-class flights.

Despite the steep $795 annual fee, it can be much more than what is cost-effective to use even a couple of card’s statement credits. The $300 annual travel credit and up to $500 in hotel credits recoup this cost for me, I pay the bill. What else does the card offer feels like added value?

My favorite Sapphire Reserve is the benefits that I use constantly airport lounge access when I’m traveling, hotel amenities that make stay smoother and travel insurance which has been issued for me more than once.

This is an affordable, premium rewards card for people who want to be hands-on with their travel strategy – it’s not just passive, “set-it and-forgett” product.

Chase Sapphire Reserve pros and cons

| Pros | Cons |
| — | — |
| * Flexible annual travel credit * Access to Chase’s full list of airline and hotel partners * Strong bonus categories on flights, hotels and dining * Sapphire and Priority Pass lounge access * Automatic IHG elite status * Useful lifestyle credits | * High $795 annual fee * No bonus-earning on general travel purchases (like vacation rentals) * Statement credits require some management * Chase 5/24 rule may affect eligibility * Not a good fit for those who don’t spend heavily on travel |

Chase Sapphire Reserve benefits

But the value of The Sapphire Reserve is largely dependent on its extensive collection of travel and lifestyle benefits, which can offset annual cost if you regularly use them.

Annual travel credit

One of the easiest credits to use across any premium card is the $300 annual travel credit from the Sapphire Reserve. Nearly every travel-related expense is eligible for Chase codes, which are from flights and hotels to car rentals, train tickets and tolls.

HINTERHAUS PRODUCTIONS/GETTY IMAGES

Just like this perk, it reduces the card’s effective annual fee to $495. Within month of each cardholder year, I naturally trigger it within the first month (usually with one flight or a hotel booking) to initiate its own . It automatically covered the first $300 of public transit and ride-hailing purchases I made on a five-week summer trip through Europe this year, which was my first $600 in total.

The Edit hotel credits

Chase’s curated hotel booking site, The Edit, is worth the other $500 per year credit on this card. A year, cardholders earn two up-to-$250 credits per year for stays of two nights or more. When they split in 2025, it’s a year’ first and second halves but from 2026 you can use them any time. Paraphrast.

IHG HOTEL & RESORTS

Here’s what I personally value with this perk:

• Many major hotel brands, including Hyatt and Marriott, participate.
• You can stack the credit with points redemptions through Chase’s travel portal.
• You still earn hotel elite night credits and loyalty points because these bookings count as qualifying stays.

If you use both the hotel credits and the travel credit, you’ll easily justify the Sapphire Reserve’s annual fee.

Lifestyle and subscription credits

The card comes with several other recurring credits that are useful if they match your spending patterns:

OpenTable Up to $300 per year for the restaurant’s sake, as it is known at Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables restaurants; no prepayment, payment or reservation through Opentable (split into two up-to-$150 biannual credits) are required.
**Up to $300 a year with DoorDash Up to $25 in monthly promos plus at least one free DashPass (activate by Dec.) 31, 2027) Chris Nelson, a writer at TPG credit cards, uses this benefit to save at least $15 per month in delivery fees.
StubHub/Viagogo * Up to $300 per year with S tubHube, I attend enough concerts and sporting events that I’m practically guaranteed this credit (split into two up-to-$150 biannual credits; through Dec. 31, 2027)
With Apple Music and Apple TV+** An easy, one-time activation for both services (through June 22, 2027)* * **Up to $288 per year with Apple music and apple TV +***. I cancelled my Spotify Premium subscription because of this and saved me more than $12 per month.

• • *t** Up to $10 per month (through Sept.) yearly with Lyft;Up to $120 per year,’ . 3027; Does not apply to Wait & Save, bike or scooter rides)
    I use this when I’m traveling so I can keep track of workouts. * Up to $120 per year for Peloton subscriptions ‘I do it while travelling and keeping myself updated with exercises?
    In addition to PreCheck and its preCheck, * *****Up to $120 in credits every four years for** Global Entry********* *******TSA PRECheck ***or Nexus*##** I always recommend Global Entry.

If you’re strategic, these credits can add thousands of dollars in value over the course of a year.

Lounge access

Sapphire Reserve cardholders get access to:

• Eight Chase Sapphire Lounges by The Club, a growing network that’s expanding faster than Capital One’s lounge footprint
• Over 1,800 Priority Pass lounges worldwide (excluding restaurants) for the primary cardholder and two guests
• More than 20 Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges when flying a Star Alliance carrier

The Chase Sapphire Lounge in Philadelphia. ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

It is a trending newer lounge in Chase’s newers, which are among the best at the U.S. for its latester Lounges. S, meanwhile. And they are a beautiful piece of art with high food and amenities, as well as the style of . While they’re not as widespread as American Express’ Centurion Lounges are so far, they’re growing rapidly.

Cardholders can also add authorized users for $195, who get full lounge access on their own.

Hotel and elite status benefits

The Sapphire Reserve includes IHG One Platinum Elite status (through Dec. 31, 2027), which offers:

• Early check-in and late checkout (when available)
• Complimentary room upgrades (when available)
• 60% bonus points on stays

It also gives you $100 property credit and free breakfast on stays booked through The Edit. You’ll get Hertz Five Star status for car rentals, and you’re going to be a .

For example, if you spend $75,000 on the card in a calendar year, you can also unlock other benefits with brands such as Hyatt, IHG and Southwest Airlines.

Travel protections

This is the card I trust most for booking flights and hotels directly. Highlights include:

• Delayed and lost luggage reimbursement
• Primary rental car insurance
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
• Trip delay reimbursement

Chase once fully reimbursed me for damage to my luggage during a foreign trip, claiming it took only five minutes to submit the claim. This card is one of the reasons I value most in a flight for its strong protections, especially those that are so important to me.

How to earn and use your rewards

Understanding how you can earn and redeem points with the Sapphire Reserve is key to maximizing the card’s overall value.

Earning points

The Sapphire Reserve has strong bonus categories, particularly for travelers:

Peloton equipment and accessories purchases (of at least $150; maximum of 50,000 points); through Dec.) * 10 points per dollar spent on PeLOTon gear and accessory purchases? 31, 2027)

• 8 points per dollar spent on purchases made through Chase Travel℠ (including The Edit)
• 5 points per dollar spent on Lyft rides (through Sept. 30, 2027)
• 4 points per dollar spent on flights and hotels booked directly
• 3 points per dollar spent on dining worldwide
• 1 point per dollar spent on everything else

D3SIGN/GETTY IMAGES

The most important thing I do with this card is that it earns 4 points per dollar on flights and direct hotel bookings, and 3 points a dollar for dining (both at home and abroad). Since the card has no foreign transaction charges, I use it a lot when traveling abroad and often.

Redeeming points

You can redeem Ultimate Rewards points, but the two most valuable are transferring points to partners for sweet-spot redemptions or using them to book travel through Chase.

Ultimate Rewards points transfer to 13 airline and hotel partners, including my favorites:

• Air Canada Aeroplan
• Air France-KLM Flying Blue
• British Airways Club
• World of Hyatt (incredible value for mid-tier and high-end hotels)

Qatar Airways Qsuite. QATAR AIRWAYS/FACEBOOK

I try to use a transfer bonus to squeeze even more out of my flight redemptions. I just got the 30% bonus for a flight from Seville to Barcelona, Spain on Vueling (plus $22 in taxes) and recently used it as 3,000 Chase points.

Then you can also use Chase’s travel booking portal to redeem points at a very low price, especially when using Point-Boost for more value premium airfare and select hotel redemptions.

Using Points Boost, TPG Senior Director of Content Summer Hull was able to find Disneyland hotels for only 17,000 points a night (compared to three times the point through Marriott). This is easier than juggling transfer partners for many travelers (especially beginners) and it’s simpler.

Related: How to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for maximum value

Downsides to consider about the Chase Sapphire Reserve

No premium card is perfect, and this one requires some intentional effort.

• The $795 annual fee is among the highest on the market.
• If you’re chasing lounge access alone, there are cheaper options.
• General travel purchases (like parking or tolls) do not earn bonus points.
• You must receive the $300 travel credit before you start earning points on travel.
• The card works best for people willing to actively manage multiple statement credits.

But if you use the credits consistently and prefer to transfer points for higher redemptions, still can the Sapphire Reserve afford its price.

Sapphire Reserve vs. Amex Platinum

The Sapphire Reserve’s closest competitor is the American Express Platinum Card®, which is its most recent rival. The premium travel cards are both a high annual fee, valuable points and extensive benefits card (though they’re designed for slightly different types of travelers).

The Platinum is the industry’s most powerful lounge network and a long list of statement credits with high-end brands. In order to get selected benefits, you must be enrolled.

You can take advantage of amenities such as Centurion Lounge access, Fine Hotels + Resorts bookings, Hilton and Marriott elite status or statement credits for entertainment and fitness.

Conversely, the Sapphire Reserve focuses more on simplicity and everyday value. This is easier to use consistently without managing so many credits, thanks to its automatic annual travel credit, high earning rate on dining and best-in-class travel protections.

XAVIER LORENZO/GETTY IMAGES

Choose the Amex Platinum if you prioritize:

• Unmatched lounge access, including Centurion Lounges
• High-end lifestyle statement credits that fit your spending
• Access to more transfer partners (20 versus 13)

Choose the Sapphire Reserve if you value:

• Simpler, more flexible credits that reduce the effective annual fee
• Stronger travel protections
• Higher earnings on dining

Related: Amex Platinum vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve: Which premium travel card is right for you?

When to apply for the Chase Sapphire Reserve

Chase has its highest-ever bonus on the Sapphire Reserve for eligible cardholders, so it’s time to apply for this now.

See if you’re under pressure for an elevated offer to earn up to 175,000 points after spending $6,000 in the first three months. TPG’s December 2025 valuations of these points value up to $3,588. (standard public offer is 125,000 points for the same spending requirement) For example, you have to check if you’re eligible for the 175,000 point offer through the Chase pre-qualification widget. You have no effect on your credit score if you are . This tool is the only one that can offer this offer, .

Chase’s prequalification tool. CHASE

For those who apply, remember Chase’s 5/24 rule and Sapphire family restrictions before applying. When applying for the bonus, Chase will tell you if you’re eligible to get it.

Other cards to consider if you don’t want the Chase Sapphire Reserve

If the Sapphire Reserve isn’t the right fit, consider these alternatives:

• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card A lower-budget premium card with great lounge access and simple benefits is available. Read the whole article about ».
• **Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

For beginners (see rates and fees) ** Lower annual fee, same transfer partners as the Sapphire Reserve and high earnings for beginners. See our full review of .

• **Citi Strata Elite℠ Card

The Admirals Club access, AAdvantage transfers and high earnings on Citi Travel portal bookings make it a compelling option for American Airlines flyers (see rates and fees)** Check out our full review of .

For additional options, check out our picks for the best premium credit cards.

Bottom line

Chase Sapphire Reserve is one of the strongest travel rewards cards ever – especially for people who like to actively earn and redeem their points and make most of their card perks.

I’m a wallet-friendly guy with high incomes, good transfer partners, premium travel protections and useful credits.

Apply here: Chase Sapphire Reserve

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