I’ve carried either the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) or its mid-tier sibling in my wallet for a decade — and the Reserve continues to anchor my travel strategy.
It’s one of the strongest travel rewards cards on the market thanks to high-value Chase Ultimate Rewards points, a large suite of statement credits and best-in-class travel protections. If you’re willing to put in a little effort to maximize its perks, this card can easily deliver outsize value year after year. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
Chase Sapphire Reserve: The basics
The Sapphire Reserve is Chase‘s premium travel card. It earns valuable, transferable Ultimate Rewards points, which are my go-to currency for high-end hotels and business-class flights.
The annual fee is steep at $795, but the value can far outweigh the cost if you use even a couple of the card’s statement credits. I recoup this fee through the $300 annual travel credit and up to $500 in hotel credits — and everything else the card offers feels like added value.
I rely on the Sapphire Reserve for the perks I use constantly: airport lounge access when I’m traveling, hotel benefits that make stays smoother and travel insurance that has come through for me more than once.
The Sapphire Reserve is a flexible, premium rewards card designed for people who want to be hands-on with their travel strategy — it’s not a passive, “set-it-and-forget-it” product.
Chase Sapphire Reserve pros and cons
ProsCons
- 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
The Sapphire Reserve‘s value largely hinges on its extensive set of travel and lifestyle benefits, which can offset the annual fee if you use them regularly.
Annual travel credit
The Sapphire Reserve’s $300 annual travel credit is one of the easiest credits to use across any premium card. Chase codes nearly every travel-related expense as eligible — from flights and hotels to car rentals, train tickets and tolls.
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This perk alone drops the card’s effective annual fee to $495. I trigger it organically within the first month of each cardholder year, usually with a single flight or a hotel booking. This year, it automatically covered the first $300 of public transit and ride-hailing purchases I made on a five-week summer trip through Europe.
The Edit hotel credits
The other most valuable credit on this card is up to $500 per year in credits for The Edit, Chase’s curated hotel booking platform. Cardholders receive two up-to-$250 credits per year for stays of two nights or more. (In 2025, they’re split across the first and second halves of the year, but starting in 2026, you’ll have the flexibility to use them anytime.)
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:
- Up to $300 per year via OpenTable: Valid for dining at Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables restaurants; no prepayment, payment or reservation through OpenTable is required (split into two up-to-$150 biannual credits).
- Up to $300 per year with DoorDash: Up to $25 in monthly promos plus at least one complimentary year of DashPass (activate by Dec. 31, 2027). TPG credit cards writer Chris Nelson saves at least $15 monthly in delivery fees by leveraging this benefit.
- Up to $300 per year with StubHub/Viagogo: I attend enough concerts and sporting events that I’m practically guaranteed to use this credit (split into two up-to-$150 biannual credits; through Dec. 31, 2027)
- Up to $288 per year with Apple Music and Apple TV+: An easy, one-time activation for both services (through June 22, 2027). This allowed me to cancel my Spotify Premium subscription, saving me over $12 a month.
- Up to $120 per year with Lyft: Up to $10 each month (through Sept. 30, 2027; does not apply to Wait & Save, bike or scooter rides).
- Up to $120 per year for Peloton subscriptions: I use this when I’m traveling so I can keep up with workouts.
- Up to $120 in credits every four years for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus: I always recommend Global Entry since it includes PreCheck.
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:
The Chase Sapphire Lounge in Philadelphia. ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Chase’s newer lounges are shaping up to be some of the best in the U.S. and are beautifully designed with elevated food and amenities. They’re not as widespread as American Express’ Centurion Lounges yet, but they’re expanding quickly.
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
You’ll also get a $100 property credit and complimentary breakfast on stays booked through The Edit. And, you’ll receive Hertz Five Star status for car rentals.
You can also unlock extra perks with brands like Hyatt, IHG and Southwest Airlines after spending $75,000 on the card in a calendar year.
Travel protections
This is the card I trust most for booking flights and hotels directly. Highlights include:
Chase once fully reimbursed me for damaged luggage on an international trip, a claim that took me just five minutes to submit. The strong protections are one of the reasons I prioritize using this card for airfare.
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:
- 10 points per dollar spent on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases (of at least $150; maximum of 50,000 points; through Dec. 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
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I primarily use this card to earn 4 points per dollar spent on flights and direct hotel bookings, and 3 points per dollar spent on dining, both at home and while traveling abroad. And since the card has no foreign transaction fees, I use it often when traveling abroad.
Redeeming points
You have several ways to 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:
Qatar Airways Qsuite. QATAR AIRWAYS/FACEBOOK
I try to leverage a transfer bonus to squeeze even more value out of my flight redemptions. I recently took advantage of a 30% bonus to transfer just 3,000 Chase points to Iberia Club to book a flight from Seville to Barcelona, Spain, on Vueling (plus $22 in taxes).
You can also redeem points through Chase’s travel booking portal at competitive rates, particularly when using Points Boost for better-value premium airfare and select hotel redemptions.
TPG Senior Director of Content Summer Hull found Disneyland hotels for just 17,000 points a night using Points Boost, compared to triple the amount of points through Marriott. For many travelers (especially beginners), this is simpler than juggling transfer partners.
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.
Still, if you use the credits consistently and prefer transferring points for elevated redemptions, the Sapphire Reserve can easily justify its cost.
Sapphire Reserve vs. Amex Platinum
The American Express Platinum Card® is the Sapphire Reserve’s closest competitor. Both are premium travel cards with high annual fees, valuable points and extensive perks — but they’re built for slightly different types of travelers.
The Platinum offers the industry’s strongest lounge network and a long list of statement credits with high-end brands. Enrollment is required for select benefits.
It’s a great fit if you can take advantage of benefits like Centurion Lounge access, Fine Hotels + Resorts bookings, Hilton and Marriott elite status, and statement credits for entertainment and fitness.
The Sapphire Reserve, on the other hand, focuses more on simplicity and everyday value. Its automatic annual travel credit, strong earning rate on dining and best-in-class travel protections make it easier to use consistently without managing so many credits.
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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
Now is the best time to apply for this card as Chase is offering its highest-ever bonus on the Sapphire Reserve to eligible cardholders.
Check your eligibility to see if you’re targeted for an elevated offer to earn up to 175,000 points after spending $6,000 in the first three months. These points are worth up to $3,588 according to TPG’s December 2025 valuations. (The standard public offer is 125,000 points for the same spending requirement.) You must check to see if you’re eligible for the 175,000 point offer via the Chase pre-qualification widget. There is no impact to your credit score. This offer is only available via this tool.
Chase’s prequalification tool. CHASE
Before applying, remember Chase’s 5/24 rule and Sapphire family restrictions. Chase will tell you during the application if you’re eligible for the bonus.
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:
For additional options, check out our picks for the best premium credit cards.
Bottom line
The Chase Sapphire Reserve remains one of the most powerful travel rewards cards available — especially for people who enjoy actively earning and redeeming their points and maximizing their card perks.
For me, the combination of top-tier earnings, valuable transfer partners, premium travel protections and useful credits makes it a mainstay in my wallet.
Apply here: Chase Sapphire Reserve
