We talk about the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card’s little brother quite a bit…
(…the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card you may have heard of him).
Wink. Wink.
While the Preferred usually boasts a pretty solid offer, the Reserve is also rocking a nice one right now.
The offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Y’all — that's $900 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠.
Don’t be fooled. The Sapphire Reserve is not a beginner card.
The Sapphire Reserve is a premium travel card tailored for frequent travelers who want luxury perks. And its impressive travel rewards more than justify the high annual fee.
It offers a generous welcome offer, travel statement credits, and airport lounge access. Plus, the valuable rewards through the Chase Ultimate Rewards program make it an excellent choice for travelers seeking the suite life (if you catch my drift).
Here’s everything we’ll dive into:
Pros and Cons
Let’s get into it, shall we?
Pros:
10X per $1 on hotels and car rentals through Chase after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually
10X per $1 on Lyft rides (ending March 31, 2025)
5X per $1 on flights purchased through Chase (after the $300 travel credit is used)
3X per $1 on travel (after the $300 travel credit is used) and dining purchases
3X per $1 on dining at restaurants, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out
1X per $1 on all streaming services, online grocery purchases, and all other purchases
Cons:
The $550 annual fee 🙃
Why we’ve deemed the Sapphire Reserve as the best card for travel credits:
The current welcome offer…amen and amen.
Its $300 travel statement credit reimbursements each anniversary year
Complimentary membership to Priority Pass lounges
Access to the Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club
Perhaps the world’s best transfer partners list (including our personal fave — World of Hyatt), many of which have frequent transfer bonuses to help you get even more value from your points:
Program Name | Transfer Ratio |
|---|---|
Aer Lingus | 1:1 |
Air Canada | 1:1 |
British Airways | 1:1 |
Emirates | 1:1 |
Iberia | 1:1 |
JetBlue | 1:1 |
Air France/KLM | 1:1 |
Southwest Airlines | 1:1 |
United Airlines | 1:1 |
Singapore Airlines | 1:1 |
Virgin Atlantic | 1:1 |
IHG One Rewards | 1:1 |
Marriott Bonvoy | 1:1 |
World of Hyatt | 1:1 |
Despite what Hannah Montana once famously sang, in this case, we cannot have the best of both worlds.
Kissing the thought of holding both cards *goodbye*
Simply put — you have to choose between the Sapphire Preferred and the Sapphire Reserve. Sigh.
The truth is, we push the Chase Sapphire Preferred more than we do the Sapphire Reserve.
The only justifiable reason for that likely stems from the difference in annual fees. And while it may seem much steeper, the Sapphire Reserve’s credits truly help offset that cost.
I ain’t lyin.
It really boils down to — what kind of travel perks and benefits do you most desire? Is it luxury? Lounge access? Trusted traveler programs?
If you answered “yes” to those questions, you should consider the Sapphire Reserve. If not, and you’re just looking to earn flexible Ultimate Rewards on everyday spending while paying basically nothing, then the Sapphire Preferred is your guy.
To wrap things up:
While it might seem like Sophie’s choice, we’re confident you will be satisfied with either card in your wallet.
There’s no bad deal here.
Better yet — Chase makes this decision rather difficult. Weigh your preferences, check your budget, and choose the card that just feels right.
