Best premium travel card for value
The Chase Sapphire Reserve is a no-brainer card for those who are looking to up their reward earnings to the highest level. Chase Ultimate Rewards are one of the most valuable points currencies. (Partner offer)
At a glance
- 10x Earn 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠.
- 5x Earn 5x total points on flights through Chase Travel℠.
- 3x Earn 3x points on other travel and dining.
- 1x Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
At a glance
- 10x Earn 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠.
- 5x Earn 5x total points on flights through Chase Travel℠.
- 3x Earn 3x points on other travel and dining.
- 1x Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
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Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,125 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
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$300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
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Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ 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
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Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 75,000 points are worth $1125 toward travel.
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1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
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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®
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Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
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Member FDIC
Our Take
TPG Editor's Rating
Overview
If you are looking to take your premium rewards to the highest level, this card is really a no brainer in our eyes. Chase’s Ultimate Rewards make points easy to redeem, with a wide range of 11 airline and three hotel transfer partners and a friendly user interface. Despite the high annual fee, Chase is consistently adding new benefits to keep the card competitive in a fierce premium rewards field.
Pros
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$300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year
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Access to Chase Ultimate Rewards hotel and airline travel partners
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Unlimited 3x points on the broad category of travel and dining
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50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠
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Broad definitions for travel and dining bonus categories
Cons
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Steep $550 annual fee
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May not make sense for people that don't travel frequently
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You must spend the $300 travel credit before earning 3x points for travel and dining
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No automatic hotel elite status
Who is this card good for?
The Chase Sapphire Reserve is great for travelers who want a credit card with premium perks. First, Ultimate Rewards are one of the most valuable points currencies. They’re incredibly easy to redeem, with a wide range of airline and hotel transfer partners. Because of Chase’s 5/24 rule, you’ll want to apply for Chase cards first before turning to other issuers.
The Sapphire Reserve’s $550 annual fee is a valid concern, but the $300 annual travel credit drops your real out-of-pocket cost to $250 a year. That’s before you factor in other perks such as, a Global Entry fee credit and Priority Pass lounge access.
Like the bonus categories, this annual credit is automatically applied to a broad range of travel purchases in the U.S. and abroad.
Some people might be better off applying for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. For example, you may find that the Sapphire Reserve’s 3x bonus on dining and travel worldwide might be a more rewarding for you.
On a similar note, points earned with the Sapphire Reserve are worth 1.5 cents each when redeemed through Chase Travel℠. Meanwhile, points earned with the Sapphire Preferred are worth just 1.25 cents each.
Crunch the numbers on your spending habits and don’t make a decision based on the annual fees alone.
Earning Rewards
At 2 cents apiece for Ultimate Rewards points according to TPG valuations, the 75,000-point bonus (after you spend $4,000 in the first three months) on the Sapphire Reserve is worth $1,538 based on TPG valuations.