Chase Sapphire Reserve Review: A Premier Travel Credit Card

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a high-end travel card with a big sign-up bonus, lucrative statement credits, and an excellent rewards program packed with different airline and hotel partners.

While this card has quite a few features, it also has a costly $550 annual fee. Find out if this is the credit card for you in our Chase Sapphire Reserve® review.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is worth it for frequent travelers, as it provides plenty of useful benefits and one of the most flexible travel rewards programs.

This credit card is a good fit for: Travel enthusiasts who want a card that has it all. Those who can take advantage of this card's robust travel perks will get thousands of dollars in value.

Top perks

With a long list of benefits, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of the most feature-packed cards we know of.

60,000 bonus points

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® rewards you with 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months after opening your account. Keep in mind that the annual fee doesn't count toward that spending minimum. That's equivalent to $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards, making it one of the most valuable sign-up bonuses.

$300 annual travel credit

Chase reimburses you for up to $300 in travel purchases every account anniversary year. Credits are applied to your statement automatically, so there's no work required on your part.

Up to 10 points per $1

This Chase credit card earns the following rewards rates:

• 10x points per $1 hotels and car rentals through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually
• 5x points per $1 air travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually
• 3x points per $1 travel and other dining
• 1x points per $1 all other purchases

Flexible travel points

One of the biggest advantages of Chase travel cards is the card issuer's Ultimate Rewards program, which gives you several ways to redeem your points. Here's what you can do with your points when you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve®:

• Transfer them to Chase's airline and hotel travel partners. After you transfer your points, you can make an award booking in that partner's loyalty program. This can be a very lucrative way to redeem your points, as it's possible to get $0.02 per point, $0.03 per point, or sometimes more.
• Redeem them through the Chase Travel portal. With the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, points are worth 50% more than the standard cash back value of $0.01 per point when redeemed this way -- a value of $0.015 per point.
• Get a statement credit toward certain types of purchases through the Pay Yourself Back feature. Rewards are also worth $0.0125 to $0.015 per point this way, depending on the option you choose, with the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.

Although those redemptions tend to offer the most value, there are also other options available, including redeeming points for cash back or gift cards.

Priority Pass airport lounge access

You'll receive a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership (a one-time account activation is required), allowing you and up to two guests access to the program's airport lounges free of charge. Priority Pass has lounges in many major airports within the United States, and coverage is even better worldwide.

Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit

Chase reimburses you either $100 for your Global Entry fee or $85 for your TSA PreCheck fee every four years, so you can register as a trusted traveler and get through airport security more quickly. It's better to sign up for Global Entry because that also includes TSA PreCheck, meaning you get the benefits of both. TSA PreCheck doesn't include Global Entry.

LEARN MORE: TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, and CLEAR: Which Program Is the Best?

Partner benefits

This Chase travel card includes special benefits with the following partners:

• Lyft: A complimentary Lyft Pink All Access membership for up to two years (up to $199 per year value) when you activate by Dec. 31, 2024, plus a 50% discount for a third year. Lyft Pink All Access members receive lower prices, free priority pickup upgrades on Lyft rides, and many other perks. Membership auto-renews.
• DoorDash: A complimentary DashPass membership -- a membership for DoorDash and Caviar -- which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees on eligible orders for a minimum of one year when you activate by Dec. 31, 2024. With DashPass, you also receive $5 in DoorDash credits per month through Dec. 31, 2024. Membership auto-renews.
• Instacart: A complimentary one-year membership to Instacart+. With Instacart+, you also receive $15 in statement credits each month through July 2024. Membership auto-renews.
• Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection: Book through The Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection℠ for complimentary daily breakfast for two, complimentary wifi, room upgrades if available, early check-in and late checkout if available, and a special benefit worth up to $100.

What could be improved

Even though the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is among the best travel credit cards, it's not without its drawbacks.

Annual fee

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® has a $550 annual fee. This fee is justifiable for travelers who can take advantage of the perks, but it is worth considering the value you can get out of the card before applying.

If you can use the benefits, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® annual fee is well worth it. But if you're not sure, it may be better to look at other credit cards.

While the annual fee is expensive at $550, there's also the $300 annual travel credit, which is easy to use. Assuming you use that, the card's true annual cost is $250. It also has plenty of other spending credits and travel perks, plus the value you get from the rewards it earns.

Here's a simple way to look at it: If you plan to use the Chase Sapphire Reserve® for most of your expenses, its value will likely outweigh the annual fee. If you're going to use multiple top credit cards, then you'll need to do the math to see if the annual fee makes sense for you.

• You don't travel often: Many of this card's benefits are travel related. It only makes sense for cardholders who travel multiple times per year and are sure to use the $300 annual travel credit. Everyone else should keep browsing credit card reviews to find a more suitable option.
• You carry a credit card balance: Interest charges will always cost you more than any credit card rewards you earn. To come out ahead with the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, you need to pay off your full balance consistently so you don't get charged any interest.
• You're on a tight budget: This Chase card can be worth the annual fee, but it's still a sizable cost of $550 per year. If you're trying to reduce your spending, you're probably better off with a more affordable card.

Aim for a FICO® Score of 670 or higher -- ideally, a credit score of 700 or higher -- when applying for the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. Lower scores may not disqualify your application. Chase will also consider your income and debts when making its decision.

Chase credit cards are known for an unofficial application rule. If you've already opened five or more credit cards during the previous 24 months, you likely won't meet Chase's approval requirements and your application will be denied.

LEARN MORE: A Guide to Chase's 5/24 Rule

You travel often and you want a premium credit card packed with benefits. In particular, this Chase card is a great choice if most or all of the following are true:

• You normally travel three or more times per year.
• You spend quite a bit on travel and dining.
• You can take advantage of this card's air travel perks, including airport lounge access and a credit for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership.
• You want versatile travel points that you can transfer to your favorite hotel and airline brands.

Considering its annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® won't be right for everyone. But if its features fit your lifestyle, it could be your ticket to big savings and an improved travel experience.

Our credit card methodology

At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.

We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.