chase sapphire reserve travel emergency

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The Chase Sapphire Reserve® Review

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The upgraded version of the Chase Sapphire Preferred®, the card_name is my one of my favorite premium cards. It offers a lot of fantastic perks for avid travelers.

While The Platinum Card® from American Express gets all the fanfare in terms of luxury rewards cards , I personally prefer the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. It comes with better points-earning bonus categories; more practical, everyday perks (which I’ll get into below); and more comprehensive travel insurance.

Today, I want to share a bit more about this card so you can determine whether it’s the right card for you.

Table of Contents

What is the Chase Sapphire Reserve®?

Chase sapphire reserve® travel insurance, using your chase ultimate rewards® points, taking advantage of chase’s transfer partners, chase sapphire reserve® vs chase sapphire preferred®, pros of the chase sapphire reserve®, cons of the chase sapphire reserve®, who is the chase sapphire reserve® for.

The card_name (often referred to as CSR) is a travel rewards card issued by Chase. The card comes with a $550 USD annual fee and a host of benefits like lounge access, travel insurance, and an array of statement credits. When used right, these benefits can be worth much more than the annual fee.

One of those benefits is a $300 USD annual travel credit that is very easy to get, effectively reducing the annual fee to a more reasonable $250 USD. You don’t need to do anything extreme to receive this benefit either; the first $300 USD per year that you spend on travel is simply erased from your statement.

Chase also has a very broad definition of what it classifies as travel, making it easy to take advantage of this credit (even parking garages count towards it). According to Chase, they classify travel purchases as including:

“airlines, hotels, motels, timeshares, car rental agencies, cruise lines, travel agencies, discount travel sites, campgrounds and operators of passenger trains, buses, taxis, limousines, ferries, toll bridges and highways, and parking lots and garages.”

So, the first $300 USD of purchases you make in any of these categories will be removed from your statement, and after that, you’ll earn 3x points on these purchases.

And that’s just one benefit of the card. With this card, you can earn:

• bonus_miles_full
• $300 annual travel credit
• 3x points on travel (earned after earning your $300 annual travel credit)
• 3x points on dining, including eligible delivery services and takeout
• 5x points on flights when booked through Chase Travel(SM)
• 10x points on hotels and rental cars when booked through Chase Travel(SM)
• 10x points on Lyft + 2-year Lyft Pink membership
• Priority Pass Membership and access to Sapphire Lounges by The Club
• Up to $100 credit toward Global Entry or TSA Pre-Check every 4 years
• 1 year of complimentary Instacart+ membership (includes up to $15 in statement credits each month through July 2024)
• Complimentary DashPass membership (includes $5 in DoorDash credits each month)
• Travel insurance including emergency medical and dental coverage, emergency evacuation insurance, trip delay coverage, primary car rental insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, and trip cancellation insurance
• No foreign transaction fees

The card_name also offers the most comprehensive travel insurance out of any credit card and is one of the only ones to include any kind of medical insurance. It’s my top pick as the best credit card for travel insurance .

As a Visa Infinite® card, the card’s travel insurance includes the following:

• Primary car rental insurance up to $75,000 USD
• Travel accident insurance up to $1,000,000 USD
• Trip cancelation/interruption coverage up to $10,000 USD per person and $20,000 USD per trip
• Trip delay coverage of $500 USD after delays of six hours or more
• Lost luggage coverage up to $3,000 USD
• $100 per day for up to five days if your baggage is delayed
• Emergency medical and dental coverage up to $2,500 USD for treatment (minus a $50 USD deductible)
• Emergency evacuation insurance up to $100,000 USD

While I always recommend purchasing a separate travel insurance policy , having coverage through your credit card is an added benefit that you get at no additional cost.

With this card, you’ll earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. You can use those points like you would any other rewards program: to get cash back, book travel directly, or transfer them to travel partners. You can also redeem them for Amazon or Apple purchases, but these are bad redemption values and I would not recommend using points this way.

The easiest option is to redeem your points for travel in the Chase Travel portal, which works like booking through Expedia or any other online travel agency. When you do this, you’re basically using your points as cash, at a value of 1.5 cents per point. So, for example, if you have 50,000 points, they’ll be worth 75,000 points when redeemed through the portal. This is a better value than if you simply redeem your points directly as cash, as you’ll only get a value of 1 cent per point that way.

Using your points in the Chase Travel portal is very straightforward, making it an attractive option for points and miles newbies . If this is the only way that you’ll use your points, then using them is better than letting them sit around!

Just know that there are pros and cons to using the travel portal. Namely, you can usually get more for your points when you transfer them to Chase’s 14 transfer partners (which is what you should be doing with your points).

The ability to transfer to its partners is what makes Chase Ultimate Rewards® points so valuable. You can usually find airline and hotel redemptions where you can get much more than 1.5 cents per point. While the actual value you can get varies greatly based on flight or hotel, a good benchmark is The Points Guy’s monthly valuation chart , which values Chase Ultimate Rewards® points at over 2 cents per point when used as transferable points.

To give a real-life example, the 50,000 points from the example above could be an off-peak, round-trip economy fare from New York to Paris when redeemed through the Chase Travel portal. But if you transfer points to one of Chase’s partner airlines, you can take advantage of flash deals and saver space, potentially finding the same fare for up to 50% less points. Unless it’s a super cheap flight or hotel room (less than $150 USD), I always transfer points to their travel partners, especially when booking business class flights or fancy hotel rooms. You just get more bang for your buck.

Transferring to airline and hotel partners is a bit more work than using the portal, but there are more tools than ever to help you maximize your points. For example, you can use point.me for finding flights with points and Awayz for finding award hotel stays.

Chase’s current transfer partners are:

Airline Transfer Partners:

• Aer Lingus, AerClub
• Air Canada Aeroplan
• British Airways Executive Club
• Emirates Skywards®
• Flying Blue AIR FRANCE KLM
• Iberia Plus
• JetBlue TrueBlue
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards®
• United MileagePlus®
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Hotel Travel Partners:

• IHG® Rewards Club
• Marriott Bonvoy®
• World of Hyatt®

By this point, you might be wondering what makes this card different from its sibling, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® . Both cards currently have the same welcome offer: 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening. Both also earn 3x points on dining. You also get travel insurance with both cards, though the insurance offered with the Reserve is much more comprehensive.

Given all that, is the Reserve really worth the higher annual fee?

Ultimately, that’s up to you to decide based on your spending, travel habits, and whether you value the Reserve’s extra perks and benefits. But keep in mind that the real difference in cost between these two cards is only $155 USD per year. Sure, that’s considering the $300 USD annual travel credit on the Reserve, but I’m guessing that anyone thinking of getting a travel rewards card spends at least $300 USD on travel per year. And if you do, you’re likely to come out ahead with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® due to the ability to earn points faster, use statement credits, and take advantage of luxury perks like airport lounge access.

Here’s a quick cheat sheet of the main differences:

• Great rewards-earning rates
• Large welcome offer
• $300 USD travel credit
• 14 fantastic transfer partners
• Excellent travel insurance
• Statement credits for Global Entry/TSA Precheck (every 4 years)
• Airport lounge access through Priority Pass membership and access to Sapphire lounges
• Complimentary memberships (including Lyft Pink, DashPass, InstaCart)
• Large annual fee ($550 USD per year)
• $75 USD authorized user fee

This card is best for frequent travelers. If you get this card, you’ll want to be able take advantage of the card’s accelerated earning rates on travel and dining, travel statement credits, and other travel-specific benefits. You’ll get even more out of this card if you value perks like airport lounge access and expediting your airport experience through Global Entry/TSA Precheck, and will transfer your points to one of Chase’s transfer partners.

If you’re only a semi-regular traveler, you might be better served by the Chase Sapphire Preferred®. This comprehensive review has everything you need to know about that card .

The card_name is one of the best travel rewards cards out there. It comes with a high welcome offer, lots of perks, and robust points-earning capabilities so that you can quickly stack up valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards points. You get a ton of value with this card. I think it’s worth a spot in the wallet of any frequent traveler.

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner . It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld . If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

• SafetyWing (best for everyone)
• Insure My Trip (for those 70 and over)
• Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)

Want to Travel for Free? Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals.

Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip? Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more.

Ready to Book Your Trip? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.

Got a comment on this article? Join the conversation on Facebook , Instagram , or Twitter and share your thoughts!

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I recommend only products and companies I use and the income goes to keeping the site community supported and ad free.

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6 Things to Know About Chase Sapphire Reserve Emergency Medical & Dental Coverage

Signing up for credit cards through partner links earns us a commission. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Here’s our full advertising policy: How we make money .

Accidents can happen anytime, so it’s nice to know about Chase Sapphire Reserve emergency medical coverage .  And its dental coverage too!

Here are more about the details of the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s emergency medical & dental benefit .  It’ll tell you what it does and does NOT  cover!

About Chase Sapphire Reserve Emergency Medical Coverage

Link:   Chase Sapphire Reserve Review

Link:   Chase Sapphire Reserve Benefits Guide

Link:   How Can You Save Money on Travel Insurance

With the emergency medical & dental coverage from the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you can be reimbursed up to $2,500 for emergency medical & dental expenses if you or your immediate family member become sick or injured.

You must also be 100+ miles from home and on a trip lasting between 5 and 60 days.

But what types of emergencies qualify?  Here are a few examples!

1.   I Bought My Airline Tickets With Another Card.  Can I Still Use the Medical & Dental Benefit From the Chase Sapphire Reserve?

You’re only covered if your trip was purchased with your  Chase Sapphire Reserve  card or the Chase Ultimate Rewards points you earned with your Sapphire Reserve card. 

Or, if part of the cost of your trip was paid for with your Chase Sapphire Reserve .  Like paying taxes and fees on an award ticket.

And per Chase’s benefit guide, you must be traveling on a “common carrier,” like an airline, bus, cruise ship, or train.

2.   How Much Is Covered?

The emergency medical & dental benefit will cover up to $2,500 in qualifying medical or dental expenses, after a $50 deductible.  But it will only cover expenses NOT covered by your own insurance.

Plus, Chase will give you up to $75 per day for a hotel room (up to 5 days), if the doctor prescribes it,  after you’re released from hospital but before you return home.

3.   I Broke My Ankle Hiking Around Machu Picchu.  Am I Covered?

It’s likely you’d be covered by Chase Sapphire Reserve’s medical benefit.  Because they’ll reimburse you for eligible medical expenses from sickness or accidental injury (like a broken ankle!) that are NOT covered by your medical insurance.

Then the Shaman Healer Said He Could Fix My Ankle.  Is That Covered?

While ancient healing techniques are interesting and I be lieve in the power of meditation , Chase’s medical benefit only covers care received at medical facilities like hospitals and clinics, by doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals.

Also, it’s worth noting that the terms specifically exclude activities like skydiving, scuba diving, hang gliding, and rock climbing.  It’s a good thing Million Mile Secrets team member Meghan landed in one piece when she jumped out of that plane in Australia! 😉

4.   Is My Mom Covered If We’re Traveling Together?

Emily and I love using miles and points to take our families on amazing adventures.  But unfortunately, moms, dads, sisters, and brothers, for example, are NOT covered by Chase Sapphire Reserve’s emergency medical and dental benefit.

Unless they’re an authorized user on the account!  This costs $75 per year.

Then they can use their Chase Sapphire Reserve card to pay for all or part of the trip, and be covered under the card’s emergency medical & dental benefit too.

Otherwise, only the cardholder and their spouse or domestic partner, and children , can take advantage of the coverage.

Plus, the child has to be less than 18 years old (less than 25 years old if they’re enrolled in college) to qualify.

5.   My Filling Fell Out During My Vacation.  Is My Trip to the Dentist In Spain Covered?

Losing a filling isn’t considered an emergency, so it wouldn’t be covered.  But a dental emergency can happen any time!

Million Mile Secrets team member Scott once had an unexpected emergency with an infected cavity in Europe.  Because of horrendous pain, he had to have the tooth pulled.

Had he been covered by Chase’s emergency dental benefit, they might have been able to save the tooth.  Because they would have covered up to $2,500 in care!

6.   When Should I Call Chase If I’ve Had an Accident?

You should call the number on the back of your card immediately.  Because the cardholder must notify Chase within 90 days of the qualified emergency .

Plus, it’s a good idea to check with Chase before you get treatment (if you can!), to make sure you’re covered.

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What To Know About Chase Sapphire Reserve ® Travel and Purchase Insurance Benefits

Reviewed by Ryan Smith

AwardWallet receives compensation from advertising partners for links on the blog. Terms Apply to the offers listed on this page. The opinions expressed here are our own and have not been reviewed, provided, or approved by any bank advertiser. Here's our complete list of Advertisers .

The Chase Sapphire Reserve ® comes with an abundance of high-value benefits and features. Cardholders get a fantastic return on Chase Sapphire Reserve travel insurance and dining, plus receive an industry-leading $300 travel credit — which covers any travel expense — and a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership . Furthermore, that’s before factoring in the 60,000-point sign-up bonus.

Some of the Sapphire Reserve’s best features, however, are the least visible. Tucked away deep in the Sapphire Reserve Guide to Benefits is a suite of Chase Sapphire travel insurance and purchase protections that can add thousands of dollars to the value proposition of holding the card long-term.

After reviewing the coverage options, you may learn that you've been spending money on coverage you didn't need — or that you've got coverage you never knew about!

Page Contents

Chase Sapphire Reserve phone number

Chase sapphire reserve trip cancellation and trip interruption, trip delay reimbursement, baggage delay insurance, chase sapphire reserve auto rental collision damage waiver (cdw), lost luggage benefits, travel accident insurance, emergency evacuation and transportation, emergency medical and dental, travel and emergency assistance services, roadside assistance, chase sapphire reserve purchase protection, extended warranty protection, return protection, price protection, final thoughts, chase sapphire reserve travel insurance benefits.

First things first: For questions about the following benefits or to file or follow up on a claim, call the Chase claims phone number at 888-675-1461 .

As one of the best credit cards for travel insurance , the Sapphire Reserve‘s trip interruption and trip cancellation insurance covers the cardholder, cardholder’s spouse or partner, and immediate family members for trips of less than 60 days. The two policies are similar, but trip cancellation covers you before the trip while trip interruption covers you from the moment you start traveling.

Coverage kicks in when a covered loss either interrupts travel or prevents you from traveling. The coverage will reimburse you up to $10,000 for each person or $20,000 per trip.

Claims are limited to:

• Per occurrence: $20,000
• Per 12 months: $40,000

Tip: Immediate family members are covered if travel is charged to the Sapphire Reserve , even if the primary account holder is not present.

You can catch the extensive list of definitions and exclusions in the Sapphire Reserve Guide to Benefits , or head over to our post on Chase Sapphire cards' trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance .

One of the most valuable benefits on the Sapphire Reserve , trip delay reimbursement covers what Chase deems “reasonable” expenses:

“The Trip Delay Reimbursement benefit will reimburse Your reasonable additional expenses incurred during a Covered Trip delay, including meals, lodging, toiletries and medication. This benefit applies to reasonable expenses incurred during Your delay not otherwise covered by Your Common Carrier, another party, or Your primary personal insurance policy. You will be refunded the excess amount (up to the maximum) once all other reimbursement has been exhausted up to the limit of liability.”

Coverage kicks in after a delay of six hours (or a forced overnight stay) , and you can claim up to $500 for each ticket purchased with your Sapphire Reserve. To qualify for reimbursement, the delay must not have been made public or have been communicated to you before departure.

If you made it to your destination but your bags didn’t, you might be eligible to claim for baggage delay. Covering the cardholder and immediate family members up to $100 per day for a maximum of five days when your bags are delayed for six or more hours , you can claim emergency purchases of essential items including clothing, toiletries, and one phone charger per device. The list of purchases not included is extensive (including items like false teeth and event tickets), so be sure to read page six of the guide to benefits for more details.

Related: Chase Sapphire Reserve full review

We rate the primary rental insurance offered on the Sapphire Reserve as one of the best available to U.S. cardholders. The terms and conditions feature no specific country exclusions, and cardholders receive primary coverage at home in the U.S. in addition to most foreign countries.

To ensure coverage when renting a car, you need to pay for the entire rental using your Sapphire Reserve and decline the rental company’s collision insurance. If you accept the rental company’s additional auto insurance, you won't be covered by the Sapphire Reserve. You can read all the details in our review of Chase’s auto rental CDW . Note: If you use Ultimate Rewards to pay for your rental, you'll also receive coverage under the auto rental CDW benefit .

Be aware that the auto rental CDW isn’t liability insurance. You are only covered for damage and theft of the rental vehicle, not damage to other people's property or if someone is injured.

Related: Best Credit Cards for Rental Car Insurance

The Sapphire Reserve ’s lost luggage benefit covers the cardholder and immediate family members for up to $3,000 per person for a covered trip, including up to $500 for valuable items like jewelry, watches, cameras, and other electronics.

The benefit reimburses the cost of repairing or replacing checked and carry-on baggage, as well as the personal property contained within due to loss or damage. Note that liability is limited to the cash value of the items (replacement value less depreciation) at the time of loss, and you must report the loss or damage to the carrier as soon as you exit the aircraft.

This is one of the more morbid, but very practical, insurances included on the Sapphire Reserve . Travel accident insurance covers you for accidental death, dismemberment, and loss of speech, sight, and hearing benefits, on a 24-hour basis, while traveling on any motorized land, water, or air transport, operated by an organization licensed to carry passengers, as long as you charge the cost of the trip, minus any points and miles, to the Sapphire Reserve.

Coverage is for 30 days from the date of departure and ends at the beginning of the 31st day if your trip extends past 30 days. The coverage provides a 24-hour loss of life benefit of $100,000 and a common carrier loss of life benefit of up to $1,000,000. This is a complex and hard-to-understand policy and requires a thorough reading of the benefits guide to grasp the details. We recommend reviewing the policy with a licensed insurance professional if you have any doubts as to the validity of your coverage.

Another complex benefit, it covers the cardholder and immediate family for up to $100,000 towards emergency evacuation or transportation. You’re covered for emergency evacuation and transportation if you are injured or become ill during your trip and require emergency evacuation on trips of between five and 60 days at least 100 miles from home.

The benefits administrator must make all the medical travel arrangements, and the evacuation must be pre-approved by the benefits administrator in consultation with a legally licensed physician who certifies that emergency evacuation is warranted due to the severity of the injury or sickness.

You’re covered for up to $2,500 in emergency medical and dental expenses that would not otherwise be covered by your travel or health insurance. Claims are subject to a $50 deductible, and treatment must be received in the course of a trip a minimum of 100 miles from home when paid for with your Sapphire Reserve or points earned with the card. If the treatment requires hospitalization, you may also be eligible for a daily benefit of $75 per day for up to five days.

If you need help and you’re not sure who to turn to, Chase travel and emergency assistance provides a wide range of emergency services available 24/7, 365 days a year. It's essentially a hotline allowing you to call ( 888-675-1461 ) to get advice, assistance, or referrals when you are in an unfamiliar place. This could provide help with translating terms and conditions, medical referrals, emergency assistance, or help to replace a lost airline ticket — almost anything that can be accomplished over the phone.

Services include:

• Emergency message service
• Medical referral assistance
• Legal referral assistance
• Emergency transportation assistance
• Emergency ticket replacement
• Lost luggage locator service
• Emergency translation service
• Prescription assistance and valuable document delivery arrangements
• Pre-trip assistance

Sapphire Reserve cardholders are covered for up to $50 per service callout, up to four times per year. Roadside emergencies can include such issues as towing, jump start, tire-changing, lockout, fuel delivery, or standard winching. To use this service, call 866-860-7978  (Cross Country Motor Club).

Chase Sapphire Reserve Purchase Insurance Benefits

Purchase protection covers eligible items purchased using your Sapphire Reserve or Ultimate Rewards points earned on the card in the event of theft, damage, or involuntary and accidental parting with the item within 120 days. You will be reimbursed up to the dollar amount required to repair or replace the item, up to $10,0000 per item.

The Sapphire Reserve has a high claim value of up to $10,000 per item and a cap of $50,000 per year. Purchases made outside the U.S. are covered as long as you purchased them with your Sapphire Reserve card and the purchase meets the terms and conditions. There is a long list of items not covered, so refer to pages 25–26 of the guide to benefits.

You need to contact the benefits administrator within 90 days of the loss, damage, or theft, and you have 120 days to complete the claim.

Yes, a cracked screen is covered. Or, if you accidentally lose your phone in a taxi, that'd be covered as well!

Extended warranty protection extends the manufacturer’s U.S. repair warranty for an additional year on items purchased with your card. The benefit applies to eligible warranties of three years or less, up to a maximum of $10,000 per claim, and a $50,000 maximum per account. You need to charge a portion of the purchase price to the Sapphire Reserve for the protection to kick in or have purchased the item using Ultimate Rewards earned on the card. Again, there's an extensive list of exclusions that can be found in the benefits guide.

In many cases, this benefit can save you $20–$100 for an extended warranty on a single piece of electronics!

If you’re unhappy with an item purchased entirely using your Sapphire Reserve or points earned on the card, and the merchant won’t accept the return, return protection will reimburse you for the cost of the item within 90 days of the purchase date. Claims are limited to $500 per item, up to a maximum of $1,000 per year per account. Coverage is secondary to any store guarantees, and the benefits administrator must receive the purchase in like-new or good working condition.

As of August 26, 2018, price protection is no longer a benefit of this card.

Big-ticket benefits like travel credits and lounge access are what marketing teams use to advertise cards like the Sapphire Reserve , but there are plenty of benefits hiding under the hood that can provide thousands of dollars per year in additional value. Take time to familiarize yourself with the guide to benefits for the Chase Sapphire Reserve, as these benefits can help reduce headaches with an unfortunate delay or health problem while traveling. The benefits also can reduce your out-of-pocket expenses when things go awry.

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Does the travel insurance cover a non refundable ticket to Italy for a 2 week trip? Literature is ambiguous?

Hi Mary, whether the ticket is refundable or not doesn’t impact your credit card’s coverage details for things like cancelation, lost luggage, etc.

When I travel alone I keep a hard copy of the Guide to Benefits with my passport, usually locked in the safe in my accomodations. I also carry a statement in my wallet or backpack giving instructions on how to contact the benefits coordinator along with my credit card number and other identity details.

Does anyone have any experience on how the pre-approval for medical evacuation works for people who are traveling alone? I often travel alone and it seems that if I am in need of am emergency medical evacuation there could be a pretty high chance that I will not be able to contact the credit card benefit coordinator to get pre-approval and make arrangements for the evacuation. Thanks for any info you can share.

True. I had to file all kind of paperwork to get reimbursement, took about few months. Good thing I charged everything on my Reserve card for Europe trip together with my parents, when my dad passed away suddenly shortly before the trip.

Will the Sapphire reserve cover you for jewelry or watches that have been lost ?

I would double check the benefits guide. Jewelry is almost always an exclusion.

I booked for my parents visiting from India to USA for 6 months. At last minute, my father had an accident and he could not travel. The ticket was a non-refundable ticket. so i cancelling with no refund. i tried to file a claim with Chase. they said the trip duration must be less than 60 days. they said my case will not be covered. My annual fee payment of 450$ is of no use when they do not cover our emergency needs.

I have used both the CSP and CSR travel insurance and while you have to get your documents together they do indeed pay for the loss. One thing to note though is they do not pay for medical pre-existing conditions. If you have a lot of ongoing issues you might want to call their policy provider to get more clarity if that might be an issue. Also, it only covers prepaid items. I once had to purchase a ticket back home for a family medical emergency and it was not reimbursed since it was not prepaid. They said if it was a changed ticket it would have been reimbursed. I have not tested that theory but it is something to be aware of.

In addition I used CSP for price protection and was successful. It was pretty painless.

If you have pre-existing conditions you have a couple of options. Trip interruption insurance will offer coverage for pre-existing conditions has long as you take out the coverage within a certain time frame (usually the same time you make the final payment on your travel), or you can go the travel medical insurance route. The latter is actually the most cost effective. They cover what’s called “Acute Onset of a Pre-existing Condition” and offer higher benefit amounts than what you get with the credit cards. A 40 year old can get a $100,000 policy for a 3 week trip for under $50.

Sometimes Chase not not often

So many gimmicks like requiring submit claim to personal insurance then giving only cash value.

My experience is Chase benefits is a bunch incompetent idiots to deny the claim.

thanks for the article. have you compared the Sapphire insurance benefits to the Amex Platinum cards benefits?

We haven’t, but mostly because the Amex Platinum card insurance benefits are horrible. They’re not even in the same league.

Nice benefit. I am seriously considering going the sapphire route. Although I enjoy using pts within a certain program. Feel that I pull more value out of it.

I had a positive experience with the trip cancellation benefit when my flight was cancelled last March. Amsterdam to ATL. They reimbursed me and my Domestic partner for expenses occurred (hotel, food, transportation). It was a lot of paperwork but sucessful!

Great info, and book marked, thanks for all your hard work!

Another reason I’ll have to look into this card, at least for the first, bonus year.

Thanks! Been looking for a go to card for travel/insurance benefits and appreciate the article.

Super helpful — I listed CSR as my insurance for an upcoming rental this weekend. Thank you for this guide!

Great benefits review!! Thanks!!

Great write up!

Thanks for the detailed info!

Good reference for CSR card holders.

Good to know the added benefits for using the card

These are really useful! Might be worth that astronomical annual fee.

great benefits with this card

I wish I was below 5/24 to get this card.

After reading this posting, I may have to apply for this card.

This is a really concise summary, thanks for putting it together.

Some great benefits in there which I didn’t about, thanks!

Yes, we know we know, it’s great. 🙂

Wow great benefits. May have to go for it. Nice work on the write up.

Thanks for this info. You have explained this convoluted area quite well.

Thanks for the info. I recently used this card on a rental in Germany and am in the process of submitting a claim. I will report back with the results.

Thanks for providing these details. I tend to overlook these benefits when comparing cards.

As do many of us, but sometimes there’s true value to be had in these features.

Howie, happy New Year to you and all your readers. Sorry if this topic was covered in a previous post, but what can you use the Ultimate Rewards points for?

Steve, thank you! What can you use Ultimate Rewards points for? Oh man, lots of stuff — start here: https://awardwallet.com/blog/different-ways-to-redeem-ultimate-rewards/

Good piece. Definitely bookmarking this article. Thanks.

This card is such a good deal that I might choose to upgrade my Sapphire Preferred despite the much-greater annual fee. I think Chase’snew rules make it almost impossible for me to get another bonus anyway unless I cancel the Sapphire Preferred and go without that card for a period of time. (Which I don’t wish to do). Have you covered this in a blog post?

Yes, indeed. https://awardwallet.com/blog/updated-terms-approvals-signup-bonuses-sapphire-credit-cards/

An impressive array of protection benefits!

This is such a great card, lots of benefits, exactly what I like to see.

This card actually seems like the high annual fee is worth it, especially if you use the $300 travel credit. $150 a year for PP membership, 3x points, and all these benefits on top is not bad.

Exactly why I love it.

If you time it right you can get the $300 travel credit twice before you get charged the first annual fee.

That only works the first year into the second, if you’re cancelling the card. If you keep the card open, you end up with $300 each year. And the year you cancel an opportunity for for an extra $300. The $150 net cost of the card, though, is well worth it if you use the benefits. If you don’t do any traveling, the $300 travel credit and the access to the PP Lounge are not of value to you. But if you use the travel benefits, then the extras that are listed in the article, are well worth the $150.

The benefits guide was a little intimidating and I haven’t read it completely since I got the card almost a year ago! Thanks for breaking it down in smaller chunks for us! Love this card so far!

I’ve found that reading these guides with your favorite adult beverage works out well 🙂

Always good to have all of this info in one place. Many thx!

Thanks These insurance benefits are a major reason NOT to use miles for a ticket. Use miles for an upgrade, but don’t lose the insurance due to the fact that you went cheap for a miles ticket!

NO!!!!! Using miles for upgrades can *sometimes* work out: https://awardwallet.com/blog/upgrade-airline-tickets-miles/ — but it is more of an exception than the rule.

Keep using your miles, just pay the taxes/fees with this card and you’ll receive coverage!

That’s a great tip. I didn’t know that just paying the fees got you covered as well.

This benefits could easily be worth a lot more than lounge access.

EXACTLY! I agree 100%

Wow, these benefits are amazing. Almost hard to believe. I wonder how problematic actually filing a claim and exercising the coverage is.

It actually isn’t that hard. You need to simply have your documentation in order, which for any of us that collect points and miles shouldn’t be too hard to do!

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Chase sapphire preferred review: a standout travel card with impressive perks.

Whether you just learned about travel credit cards on TikTok or are a seasoned pro at using rewards to reduce vacation costs, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® card is an excellent option to help you save on travel. It has a generous rewards program and new cardmember bonus and, if you use your card to book your airfare and accommodations, it also provides you with significant protections and added benefits.

However, the card has an annual fee and no promotional annual percentage rate (APR) for purchases or balance transfers. Whether the Chase Sapphire Preferred card would be a worthwhile addition to your wallet depends on your spending and travel habits.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Annual fee : $95

Welcome offer : Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first three months

5x points on travel booked through Chase

5x points on Lyft rides (through March 31, 2025)

5x points on Peloton purchases over $150 (through March 31, 2025)

3x points on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases

2x points on other travel purchases

1x points on everything else

More details : $50 annual hotel credit, 25% higher redemption value when you use points to book travel through Chase, and perks at partners like DoorDash, Instacart, Lyft, and Peloton.

The Sapphire Preferred’s variable APR ranges from 21.49% to 28.49%, depending on your credit.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card has an annual fee of $95. Even occasional travelers may find it easy to recoup that cost with the card’s added benefits.

Welcome offer

New card members can earn 60,000 bonus points after spending at least $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of opening an account. Those points are worth $750 if you use them to book travel through Chase.

You're only eligible for the bonus if you haven't received another Chase Sapphire card member bonus — such as from the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card — within the past 48 months.

This card doesn’t offer a 0% introductory APR on purchases or balance transfers. The standard APR applies right away.

Rewards rate

You can earn the following rewards with the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card :

5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel

3x points on dining, including qualifying delivery services and takeout

3x points on groceries purchased online (excluding wholesale clubs, Target , or Walmart )

3x points on select streaming services

1x points on all other purchases

How to earn rewards

You’ll earn points on every purchase you make with the Sapphire Preferred Card . However, you can maximize your earnings by booking travel like flights, hotels, and rental cars through Chase — this nets you 5x points, compared to the 2x points you earn when booking elsewhere.

In addition, dining will net you 3x points, whether you dine in a restaurant, drop in for takeout, or order through an eligible delivery service. If you frequently purchase groceries online, you could also reap larger rewards. However, popular retailers like Target or Walmart don’t qualify.

You don’t earn rewards on any credits, cash advances, or balance transfers .

How to redeem rewards

The Chase Ultimate Rewards program offers several ways to cash in your points, offering more flexibility than some other cards. But, using your points to book travel through Chase or transferring them to a loyalty program partner can maximize your point value.

If you redeem your points through Chase Travel, you’ll receive a 25% bonus on your points’ value. But if you don’t find what you’re looking for there, you can transfer your points directly to a partner airline or hotel. Points transfer at a 1:1 ratio to over a dozen travel partners.

In addition, you can cash in your points via:

Statement credits

Credits for qualifying purchases

Amazon and Apple purchases

Bookings made through Chase Experiences or Chase Dining

Additional benefits

You’ll earn an annual $50 credit after booking a hotel through Chase Travel. Maxing out that perk alone essentially cuts the annual fee in half.

In addition, you earn bonus points on your account anniversary each year. Get a bonus equal to 10% of your spending over the last 12 months. If you spent $20,000 on the card last year, for example, you’ll get a 2,000-point anniversary bonus.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is an excellent card to take with you when you travel. It doesn't charge foreign transaction fees, making it especially useful if you're traveling outside of the U.S. Plus, it provides the following travel benefits:

Trip cancellation/interruption insurance: If you use your card to pay for your travel and your trip is canceled or interrupted due to weather, illness, or other covered events, you'll be reimbursed up to $10,000 per person and up to $20,000 per trip for non-refundable expenses like fares and hotel stays.

Baggage delay insurance: If your baggage is delayed by six hours or more when traveling by a passenger carrier, get reimbursed up to $100 per day for up to five days.

Auto rental collision damage waiver: The card provides primary coverage against theft or collision damage if you decline the car rental company's insurance and pay for the entire cost with your card.

Trip delay reimbursement: If your travel on a common carrier is delayed by 12 hours or more, the card will reimburse you for food and lodgings, up to a maximum of $500 per ticket.

Travel and emergency assistance: If you need help while traveling, you can call a benefits administrator for legal and medical referrals, but you're responsible for the cost of any services provided.

The Sapphire Preferred also provides the following benefits:

Purchase protection: New purchases made with the card are covered against theft or damage for up to 120 days for up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account.

Extended warranty: On purchases with warranties of three years or less, the card will extend the warranty.

Partner benefits: For a limited time, you can take advantage of the following:

5x points on Lyft rides through March 31, 2025

5x points on purchases of $150 or more of Peloton equipment (up to a maximum of 25,000 points) through March 31, 2025

Six months of complimentary membership to Instacart+ if you enroll by July 31, 2024

Get a complimentary DoorDash and Caviar membership and take advantage of $0 delivery fees if you enroll by Dec. 31, 2024

Who is the Chase Sapphire Preferred best for?

While frequent travelers should easily recoup their costs with the rewards they earn, you don’t need to travel every month to get good use out of the Sapphire Preferred . Even occasional vacationers can come out ahead with a little planning.

Consider the card’s welcome bonus of 60,000 points after spending at least $4,000 in the first three months. Those points are worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel — enough to offset the $95 annual fee for the first seven years. Add in the card’s numerous other perks, including an annual $50 hotel credit, and it’s easy to see how many people could use this card to their advantage.

However, if you rarely travel or don’t often spend in the card’s bonus reward categories, you may not have much use for this card. The same goes for applicants who aren’t eligible for the welcome bonus or who might struggle to spend the $4,000 necessary to earn it. If you fall into any of these categories, you may have to work a little harder to make this card worthwhile.

Chase Sapphire Preferred pros

Competitive earning categories: This card offers solid rewards for both travel and everyday categories. If you can maximize these on a regular basis, you could quickly rack up points.

Bonus redemption value : Redeeming your points through Chase Travel offers a 25% bonus in your points’ value. That means you can stretch your rewards farther and get more bang for your buck.

Transfer partners : If you prefer to book travel directly with the provider, it’s easy to transfer your points to more than a dozen airline and hotel partners. Doing so could increase the value of your rewards even more, depending on what you redeem them for.

Travel protections: Frequent travelers may be put at ease by the Sapphire Preferred’s ample travel insurance and reimbursement opportunities. Notably, the card offers primary rental car coverage ; many travel cards only offer secondary coverage for rentals, meaning any claims must go through your personal car insurance first before the card’s insurance will kick in.

Chase Sapphire Preferred potential cons

No promotional APR: Unlike many cards, the Sapphire Preferred doesn't have a promotional APR offer on purchases or balance transfers.

Annual fee: While there are many rewards cards without annual fees , this card has a $95 annual fee. Make sure the rewards and perks you earn outweigh that cost.

High-value redemption options may be limited: You must redeem your points for travel through Chase or transfer points to a travel partner to get the most value for your rewards. Other redemption methods, such as gift cards or statement credits, give you less value for your points.

High spending requirement for new cardmember bonus: The new cardmember bonus is relatively high, but it requires you to spend at least $4,000 within three months of opening an account. That works out to about $1,330 a month in purchases, which may be out of some cardholders’ typical budgets.

Where can you use the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is a Visa card, meaning it belongs to the largest credit card network. It's accepted by most physical and online retailers.

How to make a Chase Sapphire Preferred payment

You can make a payment online, through the Chase mobile app, over the phone or by mail:

Online or in-app: Visit chase.com/paycard or download the Chase app and log into your account to make a payment via a linked checking or savings account.

Phone: You can make a payment 24 hours a day, seven days per week, through Chase's automated phone line at 1-800-436-7958.

Mail: Mail a check or money order to the following address: Cardmember Services P.O. Box 6294 Carol Stream, IL 60197-6294

Chase Sapphire Preferred customer service info

To get help with your account, contact customer support through the following methods:

Phone: 1-800-432-3117

Chase’s credit card resource center

Chase Sapphire Preferred login page

Alternative cards to consider

Capital one quicksilver cash rewards credit card.

Why we like it: The Quicksilver Cash Rewards card stands out for its straightforward 1.5% cash back on all purchases, offering simplicity compared to the Chase Sapphire Preferred's category-based reward system. With no annual fee, it’s also a more cost-effective option for those who prefer a hassle-free experience. Additionally, its flexible redemption options, allowing cash back to be redeemed in any amount at any time, provide greater accessibility and convenience for users.

Read a comparison of the Quicksilver Cash Rewards card .

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Why we like it : The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers significantly higher rewards, particularly with its 3x points on travel and dining worldwide, compared to the Sapphire Preferred's 2x points in these categories. Its inclusion of a $300 annual travel credit effectively offsets a substantial portion of the higher annual fee, making it more valuable for frequent travelers. Additionally, the Reserve provides superior travel benefits like access to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide through Priority Pass Select, enhancing the overall travel experience.

Read our full review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve .

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

Why we like it : The Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express is appealing for its strong cash-back rates in everyday spending categories, offering 3% at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%). This is more beneficial for typical shoppers compared to the Sapphire Preferred, which only offers bonus grocery rewards for online orders.

It also stands out with a $0 annual fee, making it a cost-effective choice for budget-conscious consumers. Plus, the card’s introductory 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months is a significant perk that the Sapphire Preferred doesn’t offer. (See rates and fees .)

This article was edited by Alicia Hahn

Editorial Disclosure: The information in this article has not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The details on financial products, including card rates and fees, are accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information. This site doesn't include all currently available offers.

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Comparing Insurance Between the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve®

August 31, 2021

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The Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card are two of the most popular credit cards for frequent travelers due to their rewarding bonus categories and the valuable Ultimate Rewards points they earn. However, these two cards also provide a host of often-overlooked protection policies that can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars in case of misfortune.

To take advantage of these protections, you’ll need to have paid for your trip with the Sapphire card you’re filing a claim under (or through the Ultimate Rewards travel portal with points attached to that card). Generally, this means using your card or points to pay for your transportation – plane ticket, cruise ship, train or bus – not necessarily other pieces like hotels or activities. If you file a claim, you can still be reimbursed for items paid for with other cards, as long as your travel was booked with your Sapphire card.

Since the Sapphire Reserve’s annual fee is so much higher than the Sapphire Preferred, you might expect it to have significantly better coverage. In some cases, that’s true – but the Sapphire Preferred holds its own in many categories. Here’s a rundown of the different travel and purchase protections offered by Chase’s Sapphire credit cards.

Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption

Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption protection can reimburse you for nonrefundable reservations if you are forced to cut short a trip or cancel it entirely as the result of situations outside your control such as illness or injury, severe weather, terrorism, jury duty, or death of a traveler or family member. It covers the cardholder and their immediate family members, even if not traveling together, and applies to trips up to 60 days.

Both the Sapphire Reserve and the Sapphire Preferred cover up to $10,000 per covered trip, with a maximum of $20,000 per occurrence (for example if multiple family members have to cancel a trip for the same extenuating circumstance) and $40,000 per rolling 12-month period.

Winner: Tie

Auto Rental Coverage

Both Sapphire cards provide primary rental car coverage, which means that if you use your card to pay for a rental car and it’s damaged or stolen, Chase will cover the cost of repair or replacement as well as towing fees and “valid loss-of-use charges” from the rental agency. This coverage applies to rentals up to 31 consecutive days. The Sapphire cardholder (who can be an authorized user) must be the primary renter, but additional authorized drivers are also covered.

The two cards are nearly identical in their protections, with two small differences that won’t apply to most renters. The Sapphire Preferred has no stated maximum value for the cost of a car replaced under the policy, but “expensive” and “exotic” vehicles are not covered. The Sapphire Reserve card does not exclude expensive and exotic vehicles, but its coverage is limited to $75,000.

Winner: Sapphire Reserve (by a hair)

Trip Delay Reimbursement

Trip Delay Reimbursement can cover unexpected expenses like lodging, meals, toiletries, and medicine if your flight, train, bus, or cruise is delayed. You can be reimbursed up to $500 per ticket purchased, and can only file one claim per trip.

Both the Sapphire Reserve and the Sapphire Preferred offer coverage if you’re forced to stay somewhere overnight due to your delayed trip. For delays that don’t require an overnight stay, the Sapphire Reserve’s coverage kicks in if your trip is delayed for six hours, while with the Sapphire Preferred, you’ll have to experience a 12 hour delay.

Winner: Sapphire Reserve

Baggage Delay Insurance

If your baggage is delayed or misdirected for more than six hours, Chase will reimburse you up to $100 per day for essential items including clothing, toiletries, and one cell phone charging cable, for up to five days. This coverage is secondary, meaning that Chase will only cover expenses not paid for by the carrier or by a separate travel insurance policy. Both Sapphire cards have identical coverage.

Lost Luggage Reimbursement

If your luggage gets damaged, never makes it back to you or you leave something on board and the carrier doesn’t find it, Chase will reimburse you up to $3000 for your lost items (electronics and jewelry are subject to a lower cap of $500). Like the baggage delay insurance, this coverage kicks in after any reimbursement from the carrier or a travel insurance policy, and both Sapphire cards offer identical coverage.

Roadside Assistance

If you have a roadside emergency, Chase will help you get a tow, jumpstart, tire change, locksmith or gas. If you’re a Sapphire Reserve cardholder, they’ll cover up to $50 per incident up to four times per year; if you have the Sapphire Preferred, they’ll send someone to help, but the cost of the service will be charged to your card.

Unsurprisingly, the Sapphire Reserve comes out as the winner in this comparison, beating the Sapphire Preferred in 6 of the 9 categories. However, it’s a helpful reminder that despite the Sapphire Preferred being $455 less expensive than the Sapphire Reserve, it still has a lot of similar or even identical insurance options.

Emergency Evacuation and Transportation

This is one of those benefits that you hope you never have to use, but makes a huge difference if you need it. If you, your spouse/partner, and/or your dependent children experience an injury or illness away from home that’s so severe it requires medical transportation or evacuation, Chase will cover up to $100,000 in expenses if you paid for the trip with your Sapphire Reserve card.

The Sapphire Preferred card does not offer this benefit.

Pro tip: If emergency evacuation coverage is important to you, the American Express Platinum Card offers unbeatable coverage: there’s no cap on the amount they’ll pay, and you’re covered just for being a Platinum cardmember regardless of whether you used the card to pay for the trip.

Travel Accident Insurance

Okay, this is really the one you never want to have to use. Both Sapphire cards provide insurance in case of “accidental death or dismemberment, or a combined loss of speech, sight or hearing” while traveling on an airplane, bus, train, or cruise ship, or while you’re away from home if you’ve flown somewhere.

Both cards offer up to $100,000 in coverage for covered incidents between the day you leave and the day you return home. If the accident happens while you’re on board, boarding, or exiting one of the aforementioned carriers, Sapphire Preferred cardholders get up to $500,000 in coverage while Sapphire Reserve cardholders are covered up to $1,000,000.

Emergency Medical and Dental Coverage

This benefit is one of the rarest and most interesting travel protections available on a credit card. If you’re traveling at least 100 miles away from home and require emergency medical or dental care, Chase will step in and reimburse you for expenses not covered by your health insurance, up to $2,500. They have a deductible of just $50, and will even pay $75/day for a hotel for up to five days if a doctor says you need time to recover before traveling back home.

This benefit is exclusive to the Sapphire Reserve.

Bottom Line

Unsurprisingly, the Sapphire Reserve comes out as the winner in this comparison, beating the Sapphire Preferred in 6 of the 9 categories. However, it’s a helpful reminder that despite the Sapphire Preferred being $455 less expensive than the Sapphire Reserve, it still has a lot of similar or even identical insurance options. Hopefully, you’ll never need to use any of these policies – but if you do, any of them could easily make up for many years’ worth of credit card annual fees.

New to the world of points and miles? The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the best card to start with.

With a bonus of 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening. , 5x points on travel booked through the Chase Travel Portal and 3x points on restaurants, streaming services, and online groceries (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs), this card truly cannot be beat for getting started!

after you spend $4,000 in 3 months

after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening.

Editors Note: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

bonus points

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Chase Ultimate Rewards® Points

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Venture Miles

after you spend $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months.

American Express® Gold Card

Membership Rewards® Points

after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months. Terms apply.

Anya Kartashova

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This One Perk Makes the Chase Sapphire Reserve the Best Travel Credit Card for New Yorkers

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Get Unlimited Access to the Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club at LaGuardia Airport

Inside the chase sapphire lounge at lga, why the chase sapphire lounge comes out on top for new yorkers, other card benefits that make the annual fee worth it, final thoughts.

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If you live in New York and travel often for work or leisure, I’d argue there’s one credit card that is a cut above the rest — and that’s the Chase Sapphire Reserve ® .

This card is packed with a long list of premium perks that may easily be worth the $550 annual fee, depending on your travel habits. If you’re in the market for a new card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card is the right choice for this reason alone.

Here’s my take on why.

Once billed as a “Third World” airport by President Joe Biden, Terminal B at LaGuardia Airport (LGA) is a stunner after major renovations wrapped up in January 2022. Now a shared space for airlines including Air Canada , American , JetBlue , United , Southwest , and most recently, Frontier , LaGuardia is easily one of the best airports (if not the best) in the country.

What’s more exciting than a brand-new airport, though, is the opportunity for brand-new airport lounges to enter the landscape, replacing tired spaces made for business travel with a reimagined experience for many different passengers.

At the beginning of the year, Chase opened doors to its very first Sapphire Lounge in the New York metro area. Directly next to the competing American Express Centurion Lounge at LaGuardia , the new Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club makes the lounge experience about the journey rather than just your next destination.

While I didn’t get the chance to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony, I finally got to visit the lounge on an early Monday evening — between waves of consultants heading home from a workday in New York and families checking out for spring break.

Stepping into the lounge nearly 3 months after the initial fanfare felt like a great time to check out the space for myself, incognito among other travelers. While there was a line forming outside the Centurion lounge next door, I walked down a quiet hallway and took the elevator 4 flights down to the baggage claim level.

The elegant Chase Sapphire lounge at LGA was tucked just behind a corner — no wait to be found.

I had only planned to be at the lounge for an hour, just enough time to grab a bite and see the space. But after several flight delays, I found myself spending more than a few hours until it was closing time.

Beyond the delicious tapas dishes (Korean fried chicken bites and pistachio grilled cheese, anyone?), you could order made-to-order menu items from classic New York restaurants.

The waitlist will be long on any given day, but you might be lucky enough to get a 30-minute facial appointment at the spa desk or even score time in the dedicated snooze rooms.

I found myself plenty entertained and can easily say it was the best domestic lounge I’ve been to — ranking higher above the Capital One Lounge at Dallas Fort Worth or any Amex Centurion Lounge in the country, in my opinion.

While the lounge experience was quite amazing and felt almost over the top, the major downside is that the Chase Sapphire lounge footprint is quite limited at this time:

• Boston (BOS)
• Hong Kong (HKG)
• New York (JFK) — In partnership with Etihad Airways
• Philadelphia (PHL) — Coming soon
• Phoenix (PHX) — Coming soon
• San Diego (SAN) — Coming soon
• Washington-Dulles (IAD) — In collaboration with Etihad Airways

The Chase Sapphire Terrace at Austin (AUS) is also open, but it’s mostly an outdoor terrace with drinks and grab-and-go food.

For general travelers looking for a card with lounge access , the Chase Sapphire Reserve card isn’t necessarily compelling enough just yet, although the issuer is working on plenty of lounge openings. (While the card comes with Priority Pass access , its domestic network is … just all right, and nothing worth writing home about.)

Now that the Chase Sapphire lounge is open at LaGuardia — and at the biggest terminal at the airport, serving 6 different airlines — most New Yorkers pass through Terminal B on their travels. Not to mention, LaGuardia is the easiest (and quickest) airport to reach from many parts of the city via ride-share or taxi.

As it stands, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card has one of the most friendly guest policies we’ve seen — cardholders can bring up to 2 guests at no extra charge.

The major exception, of course, is Delta Air Lines, which has an amazing new Sky Club at its own Terminal C and dozens more across the country. For access to any Delta Sky Club, though, you need a same-day Delta ticket and a card like the Delta SkyMiles ® Reserve American Express Card , The Platinum Card ® from American Express , or The Business Platinum Card ® from American Express .

However, Amex has taken several steps recently to cut off lounge access and guest passes:

• Effective February 1, 2025, Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum cardmembers receive 10 visits per year to the Delta Sky Club. To earn an unlimited number of visits each year starting on February 1, 2025, the total eligible purchases on the card must equal $75,000 or more between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024, and each calendar year thereafter.
• Effective February 1, 2025, Delta Reserve cardmembers receive 15 visits per year to the Delta Sky Club. To earn an unlimited number of visits each year starting on February 1, 2025, the total eligible purchases on the card must equal $75,000 or more between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024, and each calendar year thereafter.
• Amex Platinum card and Amex Business Platinum cardholders will be charged a $50 fee for each guest (or $30 for children aged 2 through 17, with proof of age). Amex Platinum card and Amex Business Platinum cardholders may qualify for unlimited guest access to Amex Centurion lounges for up to 2 travelers per visit after spending $75,000 or more on eligible purchases on the account in a calendar year.

But if you’re indifferent to the airline you fly, Terminal B at LaGuardia has far more to choose from — which is why many would prefer the Chase Sapphire Lounge.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card comes out on top for New Yorkers who travel domestically often , so having this card at your disposal is a no-brainer.

While it’s certainly possible that Chase could take measures to limit lounge access in the future, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card currently has one of the most generous access policies. However, it’s worth noting that a Capital One lounge is coming to LaGuardia’s Terminal B in the near future, too, so we’ll have to see the space to compare the 2 effectively.

That’s just 1 perk that I think most New Yorkers who travel frequently will find useful when traveling out of LaGuardia. I realize that’s a niche benefit, but with millions of people living in the city, I know many are looking to access to this world-class lounge.

Chase Sapphire Reserve ®

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve ®  is one of the best options out there.

The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like airport lounge access , with excellent point earning and redemption options.  Plus it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to keep you covered whether you’re at home or on the road.

Don’t forget the $300 annual travel credit which really helps to reduce the annual fee!

• 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase TravelSM immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually
• 10x points on Lyft purchases March 31, 2025
• 10x points on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $250 through March 31, 2025
• 5x points on airfare booked through Chase Travel SM
• 3x points on all other travel and dining purchases; 1x point on all other purchases
• $300 annual travel credit
• Priority Pass airport lounge access
• TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, or NEXUS credit
• Access to Chase Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection
• Rental car elite status with National and Avis
• $550 annual fee
• Does not offer any sort of hotel elite status
• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• 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
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• 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 ®
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 22.49%-29.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

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• Best Sign Up Bonuses

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

• Chase Sapphire Reserve 100k Bonus Offer
• Chase Sapphire Reserve Benefits
• Chase Sapphire Reserve Airport Lounge Access
• Chase Sapphire Reserve Travel Insurance Benefits
• Chase Sapphire Reserve Military Benefits
• Amex Gold vs Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Amex Platinum vs Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Reserve

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card certainly doesn’t come cheap, but there are certainly other rewards and benefits that luxury travelers should find worthwhile:

• $300 annual statement credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card
• 10x points on hotels and car rentals and 5x points on flights when purchased through Chase Travel; 3x points on other travel and dining; 1x points on all other purchases
• Points are worth 1.5 cents apiece for flights, hotels, and more through Chase Travel . You can also transfer Ultimate Rewards points at a 1:1 ratio to more than a dozen airline and hotel loyalty programs like Southwest, United, Hyatt, Marriott, and more.
• Up to $100 application fee credit every 4 years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck

The new Chase Sapphire Lounge at LaGuardia is worth going out of your way for on your next trip out of the city. It’s a steep price to pay but could potentially be worth it, depending on how often you frequent the airport and whether want to bring your family and friends along with you.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here . For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here . For rates and fees of Delta SkyMiles ® Reserve American Express Card, click here .

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About Stella Shon

With a degree in media and journalism, Stella has been in the points and miles game for more than 6 years. She most recently worked as a Corporate Communications Analyst for JetBlue. Find her work in The New York Times, USA Today, and more.

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Tell me if this sounds familiar: you have 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to redeem, and right before you cash them in for a $600 statement credit, you think to yourself: 

Nah. There has to be a better way. 

So you hit the back button and stare at your 60,000 points, wondering just how much value you can truly squeeze out of them. $750? $1,000? Maybe even $1,200 or more? 

Well, I’m here to tell you that all three are possible. Chase Ultimate Rewards points can indeed be worth up to 2 cents per point (CPP)–but only if you know where to look. 

So let’s uncover the best redemption options for Chase Ultimate Rewards in 2024!

For Sapphire cards

The first thing you should know about redeeming Chase Ultimate Rewards points is that Chase Sapphire cards have slightly different redemption options than Chase Freedom cards. 

The primary difference is that the two Sapphire Cards–the Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® –allow you to transfer your points to one of Chase’s 14 travel partners. 

The second difference is that the Preferred and Reserve get a 25% and 50% redemption bonus on every point redeemed through Chase Travel℠, respectively. So your 60,000-point welcome bonus with each card is worth $750 in travel with the Preferred and $900 with the Reserve. 

As a result, transfers and travel redemption instantly become your two best options when redeeming Chase Ultimate Rewards points with these cards. Let’s have a look at both in a little more detail. 

Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card

Intro bonus.

Rewards Rates

• 5x 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠ (excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit)
• 3x 3x points on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
• 2x 2x points on travel purchases not booked through Chase
• 1x 1x points on other purchases
• 5x 5x points on Lyft rides through March 31, 2025 (that's 3x points in addition to the 2x points you already earn on travel)
• Valuable welcome bonus
• Extensive list of transfer partners
• Extra value on travel redemptions
• No premium travel perks
• Has an annual fee
• Additional perks: $50 annual hotel credit, trip cancelation/interruption insurance, auto rental collision damage waiver, complimentary Doordash and Instacart+ membership along with quarterly Instacart+ credits
• Foreign transaction fee: None

Transfers – up to 2 CPP

When you visit Ultimate Rewards after you log into your Chase account and select your Sapphire Preferred or Reserve account, you should see an additional option on the far right dropdown menu for Transfer points to partners. 

Here’s where you’ll see Chase’s 14 transfer partners, which all accept Chase Ultimate Rewards points at at least a 1:1 ratio. Sometimes you’ll get even more, thanks to bonus offers listed at the very top: 

Here’s a complete list of Chase’s travel partners as of April 2024:

Now, if each partner takes Chase Ultimate Rewards points at a 1:1 value, which partner should you pick for maximum value? 

The answer is probably Hyatt. While most of the loyalty programs on this list have points valued in the 0.8 to 1.2-cent range, various estimates pin the value of a single World of Hyatt Credit Card point to around 2 cents each. 

So, provided you’re a fan of Hyatt, there are definitely ways you can stretch ~60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to $1,200 in Hyatt value–and enjoy a well-deserved weekend at the Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach on the Gulf Coast of Florida. 

World of Hyatt: Everything you need to know

Travel – up to 1.5 CPP

Even if your travel plans don’t involve one of the transfer partners above, you can always redeem your Chase Ultimate Rewards through Chase Travel for a redemption value of 1.25 CPP if you have the Preferred and 1.5 CPP if you have the Reserve. 

If you’ve never used the Chase Travel portal before, know that it’s surprisingly robust and very easy to use. You can book hotels, flights, rental cars, cruises and “activities” (e.g. food tours, skydiving lessons and more). I’ve used it countless times to book flights and hotels, and you get a confirmation email from both Chase and the travel vendor when you do (which is extra comforting). 

Just be mindful that if you book a hotel room through Chase Travel, you typically won’t qualify for loyalty points or rewards on the hotel side. Plus, you’ll definitely want to use up your annual travel credits ($50 with the Preferred, $300 with the Reserve) before using up your points. 

An under-the-radar use of Ultimate Rewards points is redeeming them for activities. You can get 1.25 or 1.5 cents per point by buying airport transfers, catamaran tours, or cooking classes through the portal. 

For Freedom cards

As mentioned, Chase’s trio of Freedom-branded cards (the Chase Freedom Rise℠ , Chase Freedom Flex℠ and Chase Freedom Unlimited ® ) lack the option to transfer points to travel partners. They also don’t get 25% or 50% travel redemption bonuses like the Sapphire cards, so your list of the best redemption options isn’t quite as “spicy.” Even still, it has plenty of kick–and you won’t have to look far to get more than a penny per point in value.

Chase Freedom Rise℠

Intro bonus.

• 1.5x Unlimited 1.5% cashback on all purchases (Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open and there is no minimum to redeem for cash back)
• Great for building credit
• No annual fee
• Earns rewards
• Foreign transaction fee
• Strongly encourages banking relationship with Chase to be approved
• Additional perks: Cell phone insurance, car rental insurance
• Foreign transaction fee: 3% of the amount of each transaction in U.S. dollars

Pay Yourself Back – up to 1.25 CPP

Under Ultimate Rewards > More ways to use, you’ll see that 5,000 points are pretty much worth $50 across the board. 

But wait – what’s this?

Somehow, the Pay Yourself Back option–which lets you cover past purchases with points–has a 25% multiplier. Let’s investigate. 

From the Pay Yourself Back dashboard, you can see that there’s a temporary 25% bonus on select charitable donations–which is awesome. It may not help you pay your bills per se, but it’s a great redemption option nonetheless that helps you stretch your points to 1.25CPP.

Gift cards – up to 1.1 CPP

In a similar vein, Chase often has “sales” on gift cards that you can’t always see from the main Ultimate Rewards dashboard. 

But if you go to Shopping & Experiences > Redeem for gift cards, you’ll see that some of your options are 10% off–meaning your points suddenly carry a redemption value of ~1.1 CPP with select merchants: 

You can also filter by Sale to see all of your current options in one easy view:

Again, your options may be limited here–but if you were planning on doing some home improvement (and rewarding yourself with pancakes after), there are some good savings to be had from this redemption option. 

The takeaway

So there you have it–the four best redemption options for Chase Ultimate Rewards in 2024. From a weekend getaway at the Grand Hyatt to a fresh banana cream cheesecake, there are plenty of ways to redeem your points for more than a penny each in value.

Please note that card details are accurate as of the publish date, but are subject to change at any time at the discretion of the issuer. Please contact the card issuer to verify rates, fees, and benefits before applying.

EDITORIAL DISCLOSURE : The advice, opinions, or rankings contained in this article are solely those of the Fortune Recommends ™ editorial team. This content has not been reviewed or endorsed by any of our affiliate partners or other third parties.

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Chase Sapphire Reserve Review: A First-Class Premium Travel Card

What’s on This Page

The bottom line, pros and cons, detailed review, compare to other cards, benefits and perks, drawbacks and considerations, how to decide if it's right for you.

With a big sign-up bonus, elevated rewards on travel and dining, hundreds of dollars in annual credits and other perks, this card is a good choice for frequent travelers.

Rewards rate

Bonus offer

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Ongoing APR

APR: 22.49%-29.49% Variable APR

Cash Advance APR: 29.99%, Variable

Penalty APR: Up to 29.99%

Balance transfer fee

Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

Foreign transaction fee

• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• 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
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• 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®
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more
• Member FDIC

High rewards rate

Luxury perks

Premium travel protections

Transfer partners

Primary rental car coverage

High annual fee

Requires excellent credit

For avid travelers, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a good deal — even with its $550 annual fee.

Thanks to features such as an annual $300 travel credit, as well as bonus rewards that can be transferred at a 1:1 ratio to several loyalty programs, it stands out as one of the best premium travel cards available.

However, to earn the card’s highest rewards rate, you’ll have to make travel purchases through the Chase portal, which can be limiting. And while the card offers excellent overall value for those who spend heavily on travel and dining, if you can't take advantage of its more niche benefits, a different travel card could be a better fit.

» MORE: Full benefits of the Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Chase Sapphire Reserve® : Basics

Card type: Travel .

Sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Annual fee: $550 .

Ongoing rewards:

10 points per dollar spent on Chase Dining purchases.

10 points per dollar spent on hotel stays and car rentals purchased through Ultimate Rewards®.

5 points per dollar spent on air travel booked through Chase.

3 points per dollar spent on travel and dining not booked with Chase.

1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.

Through March 2025: 10 points per $1 spent on Lyft (7 points per dollar spent on Lyft plus 3 points per dollar spent on travel).

Foreign transaction fees: None.

Other benefits:

Up to $300 a year in statement credit automatically applied to travel purchases.

Complimentary Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership.

Access to Chase's Sapphire Lounges in select airports.

Multiple hotel and airline transfer partners.

Primary rental car coverage of up to $75,000 for theft and collision damage.

TSA PreCheck, Global Entry or NEXUS credit, worth up to $100.

“Reserved by Sapphire” restaurant-booking feature, which grants cardholders access to reservations at popular restaurants across the country.

Trip delay reimbursement.

Trip cancellation or interruption insurance.

Lyft Pink All Access free membership for two years (must activate by Dec. 31, 2024).

How much is a point worth?

Chase Ultimate Rewards® points earned on this card are worth 1.5 cents each when redeemed for travel booked through Chase. Cardholders can also get more value per point by transferring them to Chase's airline and hotel partners.

Otherwise, points are worth less when redeemed for cash back, gift cards and merchandise.

Big sign-up bonus

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® features the following generous sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

To find out whether you pre-qualify for this card, check out NerdWallet’s pre-qualification tool.

Bonus rewards

Holders of the Chase Sapphire Reserve® can earn the following:

10 points per dollar spent on hotel stays and car rentals booked through Chase.

5 points per dollar spent on air travel purchased booked through Chase.

Travel and dining-related purchases made through the Chase portal will get you the highest rewards rates, which are lucrative for those who spend heavily in those categories.

And even for travel and dining purchases not made through the issuer, cardholders will still earn bonus rewards.

Plus, if you redeem those points through Chase for travel, they are worth an elevated 1.5 cents, which gives the card an impressive 4.5% effective rewards rate in those popular categories. That's a boon for folks who spend plenty in these areas — in the U.S. and worldwide as well.

Additionally, through March 2025, you can earn a total of 10 points per $1 spent on Lyft (7 points per dollar on Lyft plus 3 points per dollar on travel). That’s one of the highest earn rates you’ll find for ridesharing purchases on any credit card.

» MORE: NerdWallet's best credit cards for transit spending

Travel statement credit of up to $300

While many premium cards offer airline fee credits for baggage fees and other select purchases, the travel credit of up to $300 on the Chase Sapphire Reserve® covers a much broader range of travel purchases , including taxi rides, campground fees and train fares.

Because this credit is applied automatically, taking advantage of it is effortless. Use this card to pay for a $20 Uber ride and — poof! — that travel credit is applied to your credit card statement right away.

Airport lounge access and Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS reimbursement

With the Chase Sapphire Reserve® , your next layover could be spent in an exclusive lounge with a complimentary cocktail in hand. The card comes with Priority Pass Select membership, with access to over 1,000 airport lounges internationally and meal credits at select airport restaurants and bars. Plus, you'll get access to Chase's own Sapphire Lounges . As of February 2024, there are Sapphire lounge locations in Boston, New York (LaGuardia and JFK) and Hong Kong, plus a Sapphire Terrace location in Austin.

With the card's TSA PreCheck, Global Entry or NEXUS reimbursement, you can also speed through security and get to those swanky lounges a little sooner. The card offers reimbursement for the application fee for TSA PreCheck ($78) or Global Entry ($100) or NEXUS ($50) once every four years.

» MORE: The guide to Chase Lounges

Effective Nov. 15, 2022, cardholders will receive complimentary Lyft Pink All Access membership for two years and 50% off for their third year when they enroll. This is the highest tier membership available from Lyft and retails for $199.

With the Chase Sapphire Reserve® , you can move points to several other loyalty programs at a 1:1 ratio. Transferring points and redeeming them strategically can be incredibly lucrative. NerdWallet values the points earned on this card at more than 1.5 cents per point when transferred to some partners.

Here are Chase’s transfer partners:

Aer Lingus (1:1 ratio).

Air Canada (1:1 ratio).

Air France-KLM (1:1 ratio).

British Airways (1:1 ratio).

Emirates (1:1 ratio).

Iberia (1:1 ratio).

JetBlue (1:1 ratio).

Singapore (1:1 ratio).

Southwest (1:1 ratio).

United (1:1 ratio).

Virgin Atlantic (1:1 ratio).

Hyatt (1:1 ratio).

InterContinental Hotels Group (1:1 ratio).

Marriott (1:1 ratio).

Complementary cards

Like a handful of other Chase cards, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® earns Ultimate Rewards® points. That means if you already have another card in the Ultimate Rewards® family, you can generally transfer points to your Chase Sapphire Reserve® , potentially allowing you to get more value on the points earned.

Say you already have the Chase Freedom Unlimited® , which earns a minimum of 1.5% cash back on purchases, but lacks 1:1 transfer partners and bonuses when redeeming for travel through Chase. When you log on to your Chase account, you have the option of moving the rewards earned on that card to your Chase Sapphire Reserve® , where you can then transfer them to partners or book travel for 1.5 cents per point. That could effectively boost your rewards rate on the Chase Freedom Unlimited® to 2.25% or more.

» MORE: How the Chase Sapphire Reserve® fits into the 'Chase trifecta'

Sapphire Reserve vs. Sapphire Preferred

If you're looking at the Chase Sapphire Reserve® , you might also have your eye on its lower-cost sibling, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card . That card has an annual fee of $95 , but it lacks the same rich benefits.

Which card is the better deal for you depends on your spending. For frequent travelers, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers far more long-term value. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a better choice for those who don’t plan on using so many perks but still want a large sign-up bonus and elevated point values.

For a more thorough breakdown of the differences, read NerdWallet's full comparison of these two cards. Here's how they stack up at a glance:

Restricting rewards

Although the Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers competitive earn rates for dining and travel spending, you’ll be able to get the highest rewards rate only if you make purchases through the Chase portal. This can significantly limit your options.

For example, restaurants available to you through the Chase Dining portal will depend on your location. This means that cardholders based in larger cities like New York, for instance, will have more options available to them than those based in smaller areas.

Similarly, to earn the card's 10x and 5x rate for travel-related spending, you’ll have to book through the Chase portal, which can prove limiting compared with buying flights or renting cars directly, for example.

Moreover, if you're not an avid spender in either of the card’s bonus categories, travel and dining, you won’t get much use out of the card. A cash-back credit card that offers more diverse and flexible rewards options would be a better fit.

Somewhat limited lounge choice

If your go-to airport doesn’t have a Chase Sapphire Lounge or Priority Pass lounge, you'll be missing out on a key benefit of the Chase Sapphire Reserve® . Capital One offers a similar alternative with the $395 -annual-fee Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card . Cardholders also have access to Priority Pass lounges, plus Plaza Premium Lounges and Capital One Lounges at Dulles International Airport, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Denver International Airport.

But if lounge access is a priority for you, a better option might be The Platinum Card® from American Express .

Though The Platinum Card® from American Express has a higher annual fee ( $695 ), this card comes with much broader airport lounge coverage, along with plenty of other top-tier benefits. In addition to giving cardholders Priority Pass Select coverage (once you enroll), the card also offers access to several other lounge networks, including AmEx's own Centurion lounges and Delta Sky Clubs (for folks flying with Delta on the same day). Keep in mind, however, that the Priority Pass Select coverage on this card no longer includes credits to select airport restaurants, unlike the Chase Sapphire Reserve® . The card also offers several other premium benefits and statement credits, including up to $200 in Uber Cash, which can be used toward free Uber rides in the U.S. (up to $15 each month, plus a bonus $20 in December). Plus, it comes with a big welcome offer. Terms Apply.

» MORE: Credit cards with airport lounge access

If the $550 fee on the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is too rich for your blood — even with all of its big perks — look to the less-expensive Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card instead.

As mentioned earlier, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has an annual fee of $95 . It has the same 1:1 transfer partners as the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and a similarly robust sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠. Although it lacks the most attention-grabbing perks, such as the $300 travel credit, it's ideal for folks looking for a versatile travel card with a lower price. Check out NerdWallet's best credit card deals to see how these cards stack up.

» MORE: NerdWallet's best no-annual-fee travel credit cards

Spending $550 a year on a credit card is a big deal — and probably isn’t worth it in this case if you’re not a frequent traveler. But if you fly often and can take advantage of the card's many perks, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is worth every penny.

To view rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express , see this page .

No appetite for actively managing your credit card travel rewards? This card gives you a flat 2 miles per dollar spent on most purchases. Redeem miles to "erase" any travel purchase at a penny per mile. There's a great sign-up bonus, and the annual fee is $95 .

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Methodology.

NerdWallet reviews credit cards with an eye toward both the quantitative and qualitative features of a card. Quantitative features are those that boil down to dollars and cents, such as fees, interest rates, rewards (including earning rates and redemption values) and the cash value of benefits and perks. Qualitative factors are those that affect how easy or difficult it is for a typical cardholder to get good value from the card. They include such things as the ease of application, simplicity of the rewards structure, the likelihood of using certain features, and whether a card is well-suited to everyday use or is best reserved for specific purchases. Our star ratings serve as a general gauge of how each card compares with others in its class, but star ratings are intended to be just one consideration when a consumer is choosing a credit card. Learn how NerdWallet rates credit cards.

Frequently asked questions

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® 10 earns points per dollar spent on Chase Dining purchases through Ultimate Rewards®, 10 points per dollar spent on hotel stays and car rentals purchased through Ultimate Rewards®, 5 points per dollar spent on air travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards®; 3 points per dollar on dining and travel not booked through Chase and 1 point per dollar everywhere else. But rewards alone aren't enough to justify the hefty $550 annual fee. The card comes with an array of travel perks that can significantly reduce the cost of carrying it.

For its higher fee ( $550 , versus $95 for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card ), the Chase Sapphire Reserve® earns richer bonus rewards, provides more perks and protections (travel credits, airport lounge access and more) and gives you a higher point value when you redeem for travel (1.5 cents apiece versus 1.25 cents). Both cards offer the option of transferring points to about a dozen airline and hotel loyalty programs.

If you’ll use the travel perks — like the $300 annual travel credit and lounge access — and maximize the way you earn and redeem points, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® can be a good value . If you don’t travel much, you're better off with a different card.

You’ll need excellent credit to qualify for this card. That generally means a score of 720 or better, but credit scores alone do not guarantee approval. Your income and other factors will also be considered.

When you pay for your rental car with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® , you’ll get primary collision damage and theft protection up to $75,000. The card also offers trip delay/cancellation insurance, lost luggage reimbursement and emergency medical evacuation.

You can transfer Ultimate Rewards® points earned on the Chase Sapphire Reserve® to 13 travel partners , including United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue, Marriott, Hyatt and IHG.

Chase issues some of the better rewards credit cards on the market, including outstanding options in travel, cash-back and small-business cards. See the best Chase cards here .

About the author

Claire Tsosie

Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights

A s you look ahead to summer and fall trips, it's important to consider what card you will use to book your flights. Every time you purchase an airline ticket with your credit card, you could earn valuable bonus points or miles toward your next award trip.

And don't forget about the perks that make your flights go smoother and protect you when things go wrong, such as airport lounge access and trip delay reimbursement .

Surprisingly, cobranded airline cards won't always get you the highest value from your flight tickets. So, before you miss the opportunity to earn additional rewards on this spending, consider opening and using one of these top cards for airfare purchases.

The top cards for airfare purchases

• The Platinum Card® from American Express
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
• Chase Sapphire Reserve®
• Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
• American Express® Gold Card
• American Express® Green Card
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
• Citi Premier® Card (see rates and fees )

The information for the American Express Green Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Comparison of the best cards for booking flights

Now, let's look at each option to help decide which makes the most sense for your wallet.

The Platinum Card from American Express

Annual fee: $695 (see rates and fees )

Welcome offer: The current welcome offer for the Amex Platinum is 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership. Check the CardMatch tool to see if you're targeted for an even higher bonus (offer is subject to change at any time).

Earning rates: Earn 5 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines and through American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year). Plus, you'll earn 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotel bookings through amextravel.com and Fine Hotels + Resorts and 1 point on everything else.

Analysis: In addition to earning 5 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines and through Amex Travel, cardmembers can unlock significant discounts on airfare through the International Airline Program and will get a suite of travel protections when booking round-trip flights. Plus, your airport experience will be more comfortable because you'll get access to airport lounges in Amex's Global Lounge Collection .

You'll get value far beyond booking flights with the Amex Platinum since it offers more than $1,500 in annual statement credits for select prepaid hotels, Equinox gym memberships , Clear Plus membership, select digital entertainment subscriptions , incidental fees on airlines and Uber purchases in the U.S., effectively reducing the annual fee. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

Plus, you can transfer your points to Amex's 18 airline and three hotel partners .

Finally, you'll receive Gold status with Hilton and Marriott and elite status with Avis, Hertz and National. (Enrollment required for select benefits.)

For more details, check out our full review of the American Express Platinum Card .

Related: Best credit cards for airport lounge access

Apply here: The Platinum Card from American Express

The Business Platinum Card from American Express

Welcome offer: The current welcome offer for the Amex Business Platinum is 120,000 points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership.

Earning rates: Earn 5 points per dollar on airfare and prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel , 1.5 points per dollar on eligible purchases in select business categories and eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year), and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

Analysis: Unlike the personal Amex Platinum, the Amex Business Platinum doesn't earn 5 points per dollar on tickets purchased directly from the airline — only on airfare and prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel. Still, if you can find what you need through the Amex travel portal, paying with the business card will get you the same impressive 10% return (based on TPG's valuations ).

And with the Amex Business Platinum, if you pay with points for first- or business-class airfare on any airline or any class of airfare on your airline of choice, you get a 35% rebate (up to 1 million points per calendar year), which effectively yields 1.54 cents per point in value. Like the personal version, the Amex Business Platinum includes access to the International Airline Program , which can give you significant savings on flights.

Cardholders get access to airport lounges in Amex's Global Lounge Collection and other travel benefits, such as an up-to-$200 annual airline fee credit, a credit for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application (up to $100), and automatic Gold status in both the Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy loyalty programs. Non-travel benefits include up to $400 in annual statement credits toward U.S. Dell purchases (valid until 12/31/24). Enrollment is required for select benefits.

For more details, check out our full review of the American Express Business Platinum Card .

Related: Why you should consider having both the personal and business Amex Platinum cards

Apply here: The Business Platinum Card from American Express

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Annual fee: $550

Sign-up bonus: The Chase Sapphire Reserve currently comes with 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.

Earning rates: Earn 10 points per dollar on hotels, car rentals and Chase Dining purchases through the Ultimate Rewards portal, 5 points per dollar on flights booked through the Ultimate Rewards portal, 3 points per dollar on all other travel (including airfare, hotels, car rentals, parking and tolls) and dining and 1 point per dollar on everything else. You'll also earn 10 points per dollar on Lyft rides (through March 2025).

Analysis: The Chase Sapphire Reserve earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points, worth 2.05 cents each according to TPG valuations , thanks to the option to transfer them to Chase's 11 airline and three hotel transfer partners . You can also redeem these points for travel and activities through the Ultimate Rewards travel portal . Your points are worth 1.5 cents a piece when you go this route.

With this card, you'll get additional benefits like an annual $300 travel statement credit , a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit, and access to Sapphire and Priority Pass lounges and restaurants . If anything goes wrong with your flight, this is the card you want to carry since it comes with industry-leading trip cancellation/interruption insurance, auto rental collision damage waiver, lost luggage reimbursement, trip delay reimbursement, and emergency evacuation and transportation.

For more details, check out our full review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve .

Related: What credit score do you need for the Chase Sapphire Reserve?

Apply here: Chase Sapphire Reserve

Ink Business Preferred Credit Card

Annual fee: $95

Sign-up bonus: The Ink Business Preferred Card currently has a sign-up bonus of 100,000 points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.

Earning rates: Earn 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 spent in combined travel ; shipping; internet, cable and phone services; and advertising purchases made on social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per dollar on everything else.

Analysis: Note that the enhanced earning rate on the above categories applies to the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases across those categories. This card also earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which you can transfer to any of Chase's travel partners or redeem through the Ultimate Rewards portal at a rate of 1.25 cents each.

Although coverage isn't as comprehensive as with the Chase Sapphire Reserve, the Ink Business Preferred still offers a good array of travel protections.

For more details, check out our full review of the Chase Ink Preferred Card .

Related: Is the Ink Business Preferred worth the annual fee?

Apply here: Ink Business Preferred Card

American Express Gold Card

Annual fee: $250 (see rates and fees )

Welcome offer: The Amex Gold 's current welcome offer is 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new card within the first six months of card membership. Check the CardMatch tool to see if you're targeted for an even higher offer (subject to change at any time).

Earning rates: Earn 4 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, 4 points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets (on the first $25,000 spent each calendar year, then 1 point per dollar), 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or American Express Travel, and 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.

Analysis: This card offers 3 points per dollar on airfare purchased directly from the airline or through Amex Travel . According to TPG valuations , American Express Membership Rewards points are worth 2 cents each, so you'll earn a 6% return. You also get a whopping 4 points per dollar at restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets each calendar year.

The card also offers up to $120 in statement credits for dining at participating restaurants each calendar year and up to $120 annually in monthly Uber Cash . It provides solid shopping protections , though its travel protections aren't as comprehensive as those other American Express cards offer. Enrollment is required.

For more details, check out our full review of the American Express Gold Card .

Related: Want to switch to the Rose Gold Amex? It's easier than you might think

Apply here: American Express Gold Card

American Express Green Card

Annual fee: $150

Welcome offer: New applicants can earn 40,000 bonus Membership Rewards points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership.

Earning rates: Earn 3 points per dollar on travel (including flights, hotels, vacation rentals and more), transit (including trains, buses, ferries, subway and more) and dining at restaurants, as well as 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

Analysis: The Amex Green Card is a great way to earn Membership Rewards points on all your travel purchases for a lower annual fee than its Gold and Platinum siblings. The ability to earn 3 points on broadly defined travel and transit categories means you're likely to earn an effective 6% return (according to TPG valuations ) on all the major elements of your travels, and you'll be able to earn bonus points when you dine out whether you're traveling or at home.

In addition to these solid bonus categories, the Amex Green offers up to $189 in credits for a Clear Plus membership and up to $100 in Lounge Buddy credits . These aren't nearly as valuable as the Amex Platinum Card's statement credits or as easy to use as the Amex Gold's, but they can help make your travels more comfortable. You'll also get travel and shopping protections with this card.

For more details, check out our full review of the Amex Green Card .

Related: Why the Amex Green Card is great for beginner travelers

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Sign-up bonus: The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card 's current sign-up bonus is 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.

Earning rates: Earn 5 points per dollar on all travel purchased through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal; 2 points per dollar on all other travel (including airfare) not purchased through the Chase travel portal; 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services and online grocery purchases and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

Analysis: The Chase Sapphire Preferred is ideal for those who want to earn valuable rewards without paying a high annual fee . Five points per dollar on travel through Chase's travel portal is extremely generous for a card with this low of an annual fee. It also earns 2 points per dollar on all other travel expenses booked outside the Chase travel portal, including hotels, Airbnbs, public transit and more.

The rewards you earn with this card are fully transferable, so you can transfer your points to any of Chase's travel partners. Similar to the other Chase cards listed above, you'll get several travel protections when booking your flights with this card, including trip delay reimbursement , trip cancellation insurance and baggage delay insurance . You'll also get primary car rental coverage if you rent a car during your trip.

For more details, check out our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card .

Related: How to maximize your earnings with the Chase Sapphire Preferred

Apply here: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Citi Premier Card

Annual fee: $95 (see rates and fees )

Sign-up bonus: The Citi Premier Card 's current sign-up bonus is 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months of account opening.

Earning rates: For a limited time, earn 10 points per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked on the Citi Travel Portal through June 30, 2024. Earn 3 points per dollar on air travel, hotels, gas stations, restaurants and supermarkets and 1 point per dollar everywhere else.

Analysis: The main selling point of the Citi Premier card is the number of airline partners you can transfer your points to through the ThankYou Rewards program .

The card's relatively low annual fee can be easily offset by the $100 annual hotel credit you get when you book a hotel stay of $500 or more through thankyou.com (excluding taxes and fees). There's no fee to add authorized users to your card, and there are no foreign transaction fees .

For more details, check out our full review of the Citi Premier .

Apply here: Citi Premier Card

Bottom line

Airfare is a popular bonus category among the top rewards cards . However, the Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum stand out. Besides offering what's effectively a 10% return on your spending, they can score you exclusive discounts on your flights and offer an array of travel protections. On top of that, they provide access to more airport lounges than any other card.

That said, if you don't want to pay a high annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Preferred Credit Card are solid options and offer solid sign-up bonuses. Regardless of your priorities, reach for a card on this list the next time you book airfare to ensure you get a good return.

For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum Card, click here .

For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum Card, click here .

For rates and fees of the Amex Gold Card, click here .

For rates and fees of the Amex Green Card, click here .

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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Credit Cards

Why I chose the Chase Sapphire Preferred as my first ever rewards card

Sarah Li Cain

Robin Saks Frankel

“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.

Grace Pilling

Published 6:03 a.m. UTC April 15, 2024

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DaLiu, Getty Images

I first started learning about the world of rewards credit cards from friends and bloggers and knew I wanted in. The challenge was that it took me a long time to build my credit , and I wanted to be sure I picked the right card. After some research, I landed on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card as my first rewards credit card. Yes, there are other cards with lower (or no) annual fees, but I have squeezed a ton of value from this credit card.

Here are the reasons why I landed on the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

our partner

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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Welcome bonus.

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Regular APR

Credit score.

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

Editor’s Take

• Flexible points that can be transferred to 14 travel partners or redeemed through Chase Travel℠ at 1.25 cents each.
• $50 annual statement credit toward Chase Travel hotel bookings.
• Valuable travel protections.
• $95 annual fee.
• Category bonuses are limited and not competitive against other travel cards.
• Transfer partner list is limited compared to programs like Amex Membership ® Rewards and Citi ThankYou ® .

Card Details

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
• Member FDIC

1. I wanted flexible redemption options

Learning about travel rewards and how to redeem points as a beginner all those years ago felt extremely intimidating. I wanted to earn rewards that offered plenty of redemption options and where I could learn at a pace that felt accessible to me. Initially, I ignored the airline and hotel transfer partners and decided I would focus on how I would use my Ultimate Rewards® points through the Chase Travel℠ portal. 

Taking this route eased my fears about how to book flights and hotels using rewards. I was also happy that I didn’t have to feel loyal to one airline or hotel chain like I would have with a cobranded rewards card. After booking a few trips through the Chase travel site, I took the time to learn about the issuer’s travel loyalty transfer partners (there are 14 in total). But I still liked choosing which method — booking through Chase Travel or transferring points — was better for me to squeeze the most out of my points. 

Some travel rewards redemptions offer more value than others. Here’s some of the best ways to use Chase points .

2. The annual fee is accessible, even for occasional travelers

When I opened the Sapphire Preferred card, my family wasn’t traveling much. We were still settling into our new home, my husband had started a new job and I was juggling taking care of my young child with my freelance career. I aimed to earn enough rewards from the card to nab heavily discounted hotels and the occasional flight when we visited family once or twice a year.

At $95, the annual fee felt affordable to us. A pricier card with lounge access wasn’t important, because we didn’t fly enough to feel that feature would be worth it. However, the Sapphire Preferred’s $50 annual Chase Travel hotel credit was, since we stop and stay overnight on our cross-country drives during the summer. 

3. I was able to earn the welcome bonus easily

My family and I mostly used credit cards to pay for bills like utilities and groceries. Looking over our expenses, we could easily spend thousands of dollars over a span of several months. The minimum spend requirement to earn the welcome bonus — 60,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening — was well within our reach. Plus, I paid off my credit cards each month, meaning we didn’t pay any interest and our rewards earnings didn’t cost us extra. 

The minimum spend is higher than some rewards cards, though lower than luxury ones — my family and I were able to hit the minimum spend in a little over two months. Considering I earned $750 worth of travel if I booked through Chase Travel (which I was mostly doing in the beginning anyway), it was well worth it.

4. There are no foreign transaction fees

My mom and sister live in Canada where I grew up, so I make the annual trek with my family to visit them along with several other close friends. I knew that whatever credit card I signed up for, I wanted no foreign transaction fees when using it in another country. My last credit card did charge fees for transactions overseas, and though they may not seem like much on their own, they do add up.

This benefit alone didn’t convince me to sign up for the Sapphire Preferred but it was certainly a welcome benefit in addition to all the others. 

5. Why I keep the Sapphire Preferred even years later

The Chase Sapphire Preferred has stayed in my wallet for the last six years and I don’t plan on canceling it anytime soon. The initial signup bonus earned my family several hotel nights when we visited family and friends. In subsequent years we took advantage of the $50 annual hotel credit and other benefits, such as primary rental car insurance , to make the annual fee worth it. 

Over the years I’ve added two other Chase cards to the mix — the Chase Freedom Unlimited® and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card * The information for the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. . I pool the points I earn from these two credit cards with my Sapphire Preferred because the Preferred offers a 25% points boost when booking travel through Chase. Since I have a family of three to book travel for, I want to use all the advantages I can get. 

Considering a rewards card? Here’s how to choose the right credit card for you.

*The information for the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Sarah Li Cain is a finance and small business writer currently based in Jacksonville, Florida whose articles have been published with outlets such as Fortune, CNBC Select, the Financial Planning Association and Zillow.

Robin Saks Frankel is a credit cards lead editor at USA TODAY Blueprint. Previously, she was a credit cards and personal finance deputy editor for Forbes Advisor. She has also covered credit cards and related content for other national web publications including NerdWallet, Bankrate and HerMoney. She's been featured as a personal finance expert in outlets including CNBC, Business Insider, CBS Marketplace, NASDAQ's Trade Talks and has appeared on or contributed to The New York Times, Fox News, CBS Radio, ABC Radio, NPR, International Business Times and NBC, ABC and CBS TV affiliates nationwide. She holds an M.S. in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University. Follow her on Twitter at @robinsaks.

Grace Pilling is a deputy editor for credit cards at USA TODAY Blueprint. She believes credit cards are the ultimate choose-your-own-adventure tools of the financial world and gets excited about helping people discover the best credit card strategy for their unique goals. Prior to joining Blueprint, Grace worked on and led personal finance teams at Bankrate, CreditCards.com, MoneyUnder30 and MoneyGeek. She has a bachelor’s degree in English and writing and a diploma in editing and publishing.

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Chase sapphire lounge at 2024 pga championship: complete guide.

Quick insights

• Chase Sapphire is an official partner of the 2024 PGA Championship.
• Access to the Sapphire Reserve Lounge is one benefit available to Sapphire Reserve cardmembers at the 2024 PGA Championship.
• By showing their Sapphire Reserve credit card, you can enjoy a comfortable double-decker hospitality lounge with an outdoor patio and various amenities.

Chase Sapphire is an official partner of the 2024 PGA Championship, which takes place May 13-19 at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky. Some of the pros competing are among past PGA Championship winners .

This year, the Sapphire Lounge is a larger space with two levels that will feature elevated food experiences and local beverage pairings. Read on to learn more.

Location of the Sapphire Reserve Lounge at the 2024 PGA Championship

The Sapphire Lounge will return to the PGA Championship with a double-decker hospitality lounge located on Hole 11. This 211-yard par three features a shallow green that takes some serious accuracy to hit on the mark. A well-placed hill could threaten a pro's ability to make par if his first shot carries too far left.

Accessing the Sapphire Reserve Lounge at the 2024 PGA Championship

If you have a Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card, show it to access the Sapphire Lounge at the 2024 PGA Championship. Amenities of the double-decker hospitality lounge include reserved premium seating, bathrooms, complimentary gourmet bites and beverages, a cash bar and more.

Using a Sapphire Reserve card at the PGA Championship

Chase Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve cardmembers can use their credit card in several ways at this year's PGA Championship. Use your credit card to buy tickets through Ultimate Rewards, pay for purchases at the PGA Shops and access the Sapphire Reserve Lounge.

2024 PGA Championship ticket options for Sapphire Reserve cardmembers

Ticket packages are also available for Sapphire cardmembers to purchase through Chase Ultimate Rewards ® , including Daily Grounds Tickets (for Sapphire Preferred and Reserve cardmembers) and 2024 Premium PGA Championship VIP Experience (for Sapphire Reserve cardmembers).

Daily tickets

Daily grounds ticketholders will receive standard access to the tournament grounds. This ticket is inclusive of concessions on-course and non-alcoholic beverages. Prices start at $230 for Thursday and $285 for either Friday, Saturday or Sunday, respectively.

Sapphire Reserve cardmembers who purchase grounds tickets on Ultimate Rewards will have the option to purchase a premium ticket inclusive of a reserved seat at the Sapphire Reserve Lounge. The premium seating section at the Sapphire Reserve Lounge will include waiter service from the bar and a gift (while supplies last) to accompany a stellar view of championship play.

2024 Premium PGA Championship VIP Experience

Sapphire Reserve cardmembers who purchase the VIP Experience on Ultimate Rewards receive fast entry to the Sapphire Reserve Lounge (plus one guest), a reserved seat in the tip-down seats located outside of the lounge, complimentary beer and wine at an exclusive bar and a dedicated wait staff.

Exclusive Sapphire Reserve cardmember benefits at the PGA Championship

Chase Sapphire is the presenting partner of the PGA Shops at the 2024 PGA Championship. Access to the Sapphire Reserve Lounge is for Sapphire Reserve cardmembers. However, Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve cardmembers can both enjoy several perks and activate additional on-site experiences at the 2024 PGA Championship.

Sapphire Reserve and Preferred cardmembers will receive $20 off a purchase of $150 or more at the PGA Shops. The benefit can be redeemed on Sunday, May 19, at a Sapphire-dedicated checkout line.

Sapphire Reserve and Preferred cardmembers also receive complimentary ground shipping throughout the continental U.S. and complimentary storage for purchases during the event.

Sapphire Reserve will return to the PGA Championship with a double-decker hospitality lounge overlooking the Hole 11 green. If you have a Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card, present it to enter the lounge's two levels and enjoy elevated food experiences, assorted beverage options, comfortable seating and more.

Sapphire Reserve and Preferred cardmembers can activate additional on-site experiences, as well, including a way to save money at the PGA Shops on Sunday, May 19.

Chase Sapphire Reserve cardmembers can enjoy many everyday travel, dining and entertainment benefits and perks. Discover Sapphire Reserve cardmember benefits today.

2024 PGA of America. All rights reserved. The PGA Letters and PGA Championship names, logos and marks are trademarks of PGA of America.

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The highest cash-back credit card with no annual fee

How the freedom flex works, how much could you earn, what happens once the rewards rotate, push your rewards even higher with the chase sapphire preferred or reserve, the bottom line, the chase freedom flex just became spring’s best travel card.

This card's rotating categories hit the sweet spots to potentially help you earn up to $320 on your next trip.

Evan Zimmer

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Evan Zimmer has been writing about finance for years. After graduating with a journalism degree from SUNY Oswego, he wrote credit card content for Credit Card Insider (now Money Tips) before moving to ZDNET Finance to cover credit card, banking and blockchain news. He currently works with CNET Money to bring readers the most accurate and up-to-date financial information. Otherwise, you can find him reading, rock climbing, snowboarding and enjoying the outdoors.

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There are a lot of great travel credit cards you could bring with you on your spring trips, but few have the same breadth as the Chase Freedom Flex℠ *. 

The card has potentially the highest cash-back rates when you activate on two of the best parts of traveling: food and board. It doesn’t charge an annual fee, either, helping you maximize your savings.

But you’ll need to act quickly. These rewards will only last through June 2024.

Chase Freedom Flex℠

What makes the card’s current offer so enticing is its unparalleled cash back rate at restaurants and hotels -- so long as you can book the latter through Chase Travel℠. 

The Freedom Flex typically offers 3% cash back at restaurants, but combined with its rotating 5% cash back (on the first $1,500 spent in quarterly combined purchases, then 1%) bonus categories when you activate, the Freedom Flex boosts that number to 7% cash back.

And, since the card earns 5% cash back for travel booked through Chase Travel already, combined with its current 5% cash back offering for hotels, you could earn 9% cash back on your hotel booking if you can make it through Chase. 

The math doesn’t quite add up -- if you earn 3% cash back on dining at restaurants and the bonus categories typically earn 5% cash back, shouldn’t that be 8% cash back on dining?

Here’s a breakdown of how Chase explained the rewards rates:

• Hotels booked through Chase: Earn 4% cash back from rotating rewards and 5% back from the standard bonus category -- 9% cash back total .
• Hotels booked directly: Earn 4% cash back from rotating rewards and 1% from the card’s base rate -- 5% cash back total .
• Restaurants: Earn 4% cash back from rotating rewards and 3% from the standard category -- 7% cash back total .
• Amazon.com: Earn 5% cash back from rotating rewards.
• Drug stores: Earn 3% cash back from the standard bonus category.
• All other purchases: Earn 1% cash back.

However, there are a few caveats. First, these rates won’t last -- the Freedom Flex only offers 5% cash back at Amazon.com, hotels and restaurants when you activate from April to June 2024.

Second, the rotating reward category has a spending cap of $1,500 in combined quarterly purchases. So once you hit that limit, your restaurant rewards will fall to 3%, your Amazon.com purchases will fall to 1%, and your hotel rewards rate will fall to 5% for hotels booked through Chase Travel and 1% for hotels booked directly through the hotel brand.

The Chase Freedom Flex offers rotating rewards that change quarterly , or about every three months. Its current rotating bonus categories cover purchases made at Amazon.com, hotels and restaurants. Keep in mind you’ll need to manually activate these rewards each time they change.

Luckily, you can set alerts to inform you when it’s time to activate. And, if you do forget, you can still activate by June 14, 2024. You’ll even earn retroactive rewards for any purchases made in the featured categories before you activated -- something that gives this card an edge over the Discover it® Cash Back* .

In addition to its rotating rewards, the Freedom Flex offers a few static bonus categories. These categories cover restaurants, drug stores and travel booked through Chase.

With its spending cap of $1,500 in combined purchases, you could earn a total of $75 across the quarter at the 5% cash-back rate when you activate, before it falls to 1%. 

However, even once you hit that cap, you’ll still earn 5% cash back on hotels booked through Chase and 3% cash back at restaurants, which is among the best rates found on a cash-back credit card with no annual fee .

As an example, suppose you spent $750 on both your hotel and restaurants, making a combined total of $1,500, the Freedom Flex’s spending cap:

You could earn upwards of $120. Remember, these are merely estimates. How you spend might not be an even split, so your rewards could look different.

The Freedom Flex also features a welcome bonus -- you can earn $200 after you spend $500 on purchases in your first three months from account opening. Based on the example above, you’d hit the required spending threshold, adding another $200 to your rewards. That totals $320, which should be enough to help cover some part of your travel, whether it’s a night at a fancy hotel, your rental car or a good dinner out.

Once the Freedom Flex’s bonus categories change on July 1, you’ll still have a powerful rewards credit card to use for whichever purchases Chase decides to feature next. Past categories have included Target, fitness memberships, groceries and gas, among others.

Chase offers the opportunity to increase how much your rewards are worth by pooling them with other credit cards in its Chase Ultimate Rewards family.

You could earn the Chase Freedom Flex’s higher cash-back rates, for example, and then pool your rewards with either the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve® .

Note that both of those credit cards charge an annual fee , the Preferred comes in at $95 and the Reserve at $550. However, they both offer annual travel credits that help soften the blow of their fees. They have two other great perks -- a 1:1 point transfer rate to Chase’s hotel and airline partners , as well as a 25% and 50% point redemption bonus respectively for travel booked through Chase Travel.

It’ll take a bit more work, and an additional credit card, but if you can use the Chase Trifect strategy , you could increase the return you earn on your travel spending exponentially.

If you’ve got travel plans this spring, you should consider adding the Chase Freedom Flex to your card collection. 

Even if you don’t want to take the extra step of using it in tandem with a Chase Sapphire card, it’ll be a rewarding and inexpensive choice. You might even earn an extra $320 to spend on your travels.

*All information about the Chase Freedom Flex and Discover it   Cash Back has been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.

CNET editors independently choose every product and service we cover. Though we can’t review every available financial company or offer, we strive to make comprehensive, rigorous comparisons in order to highlight the best of them. For many of these products and services, we earn a commission. The compensation we receive may impact how products and links appear on our site.

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Now Arriving at an Airport Lounge Near You: Peloton Bikes, Nap Pods and Caviar Service

In recent months, a handful of exclusive credit card lounges have opened in airports in the United States. More are coming this year.

By Christine Chung

A handful of new lounges opened by credit card issuers, including Capital One and American Express, have recently landed in airports across the United States, promising posh spots of refuge for select travelers awaiting their flights. At La Guardia Airport, caviar service will be available for pre-order. At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, travelers can get complimentary massages, and at Denver International Airport, there are nap pods. In addition to amenities, the new lounges provide an ambience reminiscent of a luxury hotel lobby, both in interior design and scale, and fit several hundred people at a time.

“Lounges have certainly gotten busier, so we’ve expanded our footprint,” said Audrey Hendley, president of American Express Travel, which in February opened its largest Centurion lounge, at 26,000 square feet at Hartsfield-Jackson , bringing its total number of lounges in the United States to 14.

Broadly, there are three types of airport lounges available to travelers: airline operated; shared-use spaces that aren’t limited to one airline or frequent flier status (think Priority Pass); and credit card lounges. Many are operated in partnership with lounge development companies.

For more than a decade, American Express was the only credit card issuer with lounges in the United States. That changed last year, when Chase Sapphire and Capital One each opened locations at major airports across the country, with plans to unveil a handful more in the coming years.

The proliferation is driven in part by changing demographics and travel patterns of fliers today. This year may set a record for the number of air travelers, with an estimated 4.7 billion people expected to fly globally. According to a survey published last May by the polling firm Morning Consult, younger travelers are more inclined than older generations to book travel with credit card loyalty programs, and those in the Gen Z age group, in particular, have signaled a declining loyalty to airline frequent flier programs.

While credit card companies saw opportunities to expand their brand awareness with lounges, the facilities also provide additional benefits to card members who pay hundreds of dollars in annual membership fees. Card fees range from $395 a year for a Capital One Venture X to $695 for an American Express Platinum.

Here are the latest highlights of new credit card lounges from around the country.

Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club

Domestic locations: John F. Kennedy Airport’s Terminal 4, La Guardia Airport’s Terminal B, Boston Logan International Airport by Gate B40.

Forthcoming locations: San Diego International Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas and Philadelphia International Airport.

Who can use: Travelers with the Chase Sapphire Reserve, J.P. Morgan Reserve or Ritz-Carlton credit cards who have activated their Priority Pass memberships. Those without these cards but who have Priority Pass can enter once a year. Chase Sapphire Reserve and J.P. Morgan Reserve cardholders can bring up to two guests per visit for free, and additional guests cost $27. Those with the Ritz-Carlton card can bring unlimited guests at no extra cost.

What’s on offer: Locally made draft beers and coffee, menus designed by local restaurants, private bathrooms with showers and, at La Guardia Airport’s 16,200-square-foot space spanning two floors, three suites with caviar service that can be reserved up to 72 hours before a flight ($2,200 to book).

American Express Centurion

Domestic locations: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Denver International Airport, George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Los Angeles International Airport, Harry Reid International Airport, Miami International Airport, Kennedy Airport, La Guardia Airport, Philadelphia Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, San Francisco International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Forthcoming locations: Reagan National Airport later this year, Newark Liberty International Airport in 2026.

Who can use: Eligible American Express cardholders, and those with Delta’s SkyMiles Reserve Card or Reserve Business Card; details vary based on the card. Complimentary guest access depends on credit card use; American Express Platinum and Business Platinum Card Members who spend $75,000 or more a year can bring up to two guests in free per visit.

What’s on offer: A whiskey bar, phone booths and work stations, wellness rooms, food by local celebrity chefs, complimentary massages, game rooms and wine tastings

Capital One

Domestic locations: Dallas-Fort Worth Airport’s Terminal D, Denver Airport’s Concourse A, Dulles International Airport’s Main Terminal.

Forthcoming locations: Harry Reid International Airport.

Welcomed travelers: Venture X and Venture X Business cardholders, who can bring up to two guests per visit. Additional guests cost $45. All other travelers can pay $65 per visit to enter.

What’s on offer: A fitness room with Peloton bikes, nap pods, shower suites, small plate dining options and grab-and-go food, luggage lockers, coffee bars.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Christine Chung is a Times reporter covering airlines and consumer travel. More about Christine Chung

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Mumbai:  Spend 36 hours in this fast-changing Indian city  by exploring ancient caves, catching a concert in a former textile mill and feasting on mangoes.

Kyoto:  The Japanese city’s dry gardens offer spots for quiet contemplation  in an increasingly overtouristed destination.

Iceland:  The country markets itself as a destination to see the northern lights. But they can be elusive, as one writer recently found .

Texas:  Canoeing the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park can be magical. But as the river dries, it’s getting harder to find where a boat will actually float .