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Benefits of the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card

  • The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of the most highly acclaimed travel credit card, offering a high earning potential, an abundance of travel perks and hundreds of dollars in shopping and travel credits. 
  • Using your points on Chase Travel℠ provides the highest reward rate – each point is worth 1.5 cents each this way.
  • Cardholders can access over 1,000 airport lounges, a $300 annual travel credit, travel insurance benefits and more with the Sapphire Reserve card.

Benefits of the Chase Sapphire Reserve

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® card is chock-full of benefits and rewards, perfect for elevating your everyday spending and travel experiences. 

With travel perks such as airport lounge access, elite hotel upgrades, no foreign transaction fees and robust travel protections, this Chase credit card is the perfect addition to a frequent traveler’s wallet.

Let’s explore the benefits of the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

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Best for premium flexible travel rewards

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Chase Sapphire Reserve®
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Up to 10X Reward Rate

Earn 10X points on hotels and car rentals booked through Chase Travel℠, 10X points on Chase Dining purchases, 5X points on flights booked through Chase Travel, 3X points on non-Chase travel and dining, and 1X points on all non-bonus spending.

Annual Fee
$550
Welcome Offer
60,000 points
Regular APR
22.49% to 29.49% variable
Recommended Credit
Excellent (740 - 850)
Why we like it
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® card earns points generously on travel and everyday purchases. It also comes loaded with valuable benefits like airport lounge access, a high-value welcome offer, an annual $300 travel credit and more.

Earning Chase Sapphire Reserve rewards

1. Welcome bonus

With the Sapphire Reserve, you can 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℠.

▶︎ See our picks: Best credit card welcome offers

2. Earning rewards

You can earn ongoing points as follows with this rewards credit card:

Note that you won’t start earning points on travel until after you’ve spent the $300 annual travel credit. The first $300 spent on travel each year will automatically go toward the credit.

3. 50% more value for travel

Book your travels through the Chase Travel℠ platform and you can get an enhanced redemption value of 1.5 cents per point instead of the standard 1 cent per point rate for statement credits or gift cards. 

▶︎ Learn more: Chase Ultimate Rewards® guide

4. Transfer partners

Chase has a long list of travel partners— 13 airlines and 3 hotels— that you can transfer your points to at a 1:1 ratio. Sometimes this won’t net a great value, but other times it can be even more lucrative than the 1.5 cent Chase Travel redemption rate.​​

Airline partners:

Hotel partners: 

Chase Sapphire Reserve travel benefits

In addition to the points you can use to book future travel, you can also enjoy plenty of travel perks with this travel credit card.

5. Airport lounge access

With your Sapphire Reserve card, you can access a complimentary Priority Pass membership, which gives you access to over 1,500 airport lounges worldwide. The amenities offered by these lounges varies, but typically include free food, beverages and comfortable seating.

Additionally, you can access Chase Sapphire Lounges by The Club. Anyone with a Priority Pass membership can access these lounges once per calendar year, but Sapphire Reserve cardholders get complimentary unlimited access. 

▶︎  See our picks: Best credit cards for airport lounge access

6. Access to The Edit by Chase Travel℠

The Edit by Chase Travel℠ provides access to premium benefits, such as room upgrades, complimentary Wi-Fi, early check-ins, late checkouts, daily breakfast for two people and up to $100 in property credits you can use to cover dining or other activities at your hotel during a qualifying stay.

7. No foreign transaction fees

You won’t pay an additional fee if you use your card outside of the United States, which can help save international travelers money.

▶︎  See our picks: Best no foreign transaction fee credit cards

8. Elite hotel benefits at Relais & Châteaux

When you book your stay at Relais & Châteaux properties and pay with your Chase card, you gain access to VIP benefits, such as complimentary breakfasts and room upgrades.

9. Car rental privileges

You can leverage your card and Chase Travel℠ to enroll in special car rental programs with vendors, such as Avis, National and Silvercar. Membership affords privileges, such as car rental discounts and rental upgrades. 

10. Ennismore hotel benefits

When you book stays at Mondrian, Delano, Morgans Originals, Hyde or SLS properties and pay with your card, you get access to perks, such as room upgrades, late checkouts, a $30 food and beverage credit and a complimentary fourth night free when you book at least three nights. 

11. Free Lyft Pink

If you activate this perk by the end of 2024, you can get two years of Lyft Pink All Access membership for free, and 50% off your third year. The value of this perk is over $400 in total, and membership lets you access better pricing and priority pickup upgrades. 

Additionally, until March 2025, Sapphire Reserve cardholders can earn 10X points on all Lyft purchases.

12. Up to $300 annual travel credit

Every year you have this card and are an account holder in good standing, you get up to $300 in travel credits. That means your first $300 in qualified travel spending is covered each year — a great perk that gets you more than halfway to covering the annual fee every year. 

13. Up to $100 in Global Entry or TSA Precheck® or NEXUS fee credit

Every four years, you can get up to $100 in credit to help cover the cost of a NEXUS, TSA Precheck or Global Entry fee. To get the credit, you must charge the application fee to your Chase Sapphire Reserve card. 

▶︎  See our picks: Best credit cards for Global Entry

14. No blackout dates or restrictions on Chase Travel℠

Chase Travel℠ doesn’t limit you with restrictions and blackout dates that make using your points for travel bookings difficult or confusing. 

Chase Sapphire Reserve travel protections 

In addition to Chase Sapphire travel benefits that reduce the cost of trips or let you enjoy complimentary upgrades, you can leverage your card for travel protection. 

To get the Chase Sapphire benefits below, you typically need to pay for all of your flight, hotel or rental car booking with your card.

▶︎  Learn more: Chase Sapphire travel insurance 

15. Trip cancellation and interruption insurance

With Trip Cancellation insurance, you can get up to $10,000 per person if a trip is interrupted by covered events such as severe weather or illness. This coverage is limited to $20,000 total per trip and only applies when travel expenses are prepaid and not refundable. 

16. Emergency evacuation and transportation

In an emergency that involves you or a loved one traveling with you requiring medical evacuation and treatment, this benefit may help cover up to $100,000 in qualifying transportation and medical expenses. 

17. Travel accident insurance

If you use your card to cover fares or tickets for a flight, cruise, train or bus, you have automatic insurance coverage for accidental death or dismemberment. The coverage is limited to up to $1 million. The amount of coverage will depend on the severity of the loss (e.g. losing a finger gets less coverage than losing an entire arm).

18. Trip delay reimbursement

You can get coverage of up to $500 per ticket if your flight is delayed enough to cause an overnight stay of six hours or more. This benefit helps pay for accommodations, meals and other expenses associated with the delay.

19. Baggage delay insurance

When your baggage doesn’t show up when you do, you may need to purchase personal items or clothing. This coverage kicks in if your bags are delayed six hours or more. You can get up to $100 in reimbursement daily for up to five days.

20. Car rental coverage

You can decline the optional car rental company’s insurance when you pay for your rental car with this card. You’ll have automatic primary rental car coverage up to $75,000 for collision damage or theft of the rental car.

21. Roadside assistance

This perk lets you reach out for assistance with gas, a tire change or other common roadside issues, including help unlocking your car or a tow to a nearby mechanic. You can use this benefit up to four times each year with a $50 credit per incident toward the service you might require. 

Chase Sapphire Reserve shopping and lifestyle benefits

Many of the benefits of a Chase Sapphire Reserve card relate to lifestyle and shopping perks. 

22. Access to exclusive events and experiences

Gain access to exclusive VIP dining, concerts and other events. Some examples include special insider access to the Outside Lands festival or Lollapalooza. 

▶︎  See our picks: Best credit cards for restaurants and dining

23. Visa Infinite Concierge Service

You can use this perk to get help booking reservations and tickets, accessing local services or finding rental supplies and equipment when traveling. If you need help arranging the delivery of gifts or finding attractions on a trip, you can also call this service. 

24. DoorDash membership

Through December 2024, you can activate a complimentary one-year DoorDash DashPass membership as a cardholder. You also get a complimentary membership to Caviar. These memberships save you money on food delivery because you won’t pay delivery fees on eligible orders. 

Chase Sapphire Reserve shopping and lifestyle protections

You can also use your card to pay for items and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with the following protections. 

25. Zero liability protection

This protection ensures you’re not held responsible if someone uses your card or account number to make unauthorized charges. Check your statements each month, and report these types of charges in a timely manner if you see them.

26. Fraud protection and alerts

Chase uses automated monitoring and complex algorithms to detect potential fraud on each account. If these measures note anything out of the ordinary, alerts are sent to you via email, text or phone to ensure you can review your account and report any issues. 

27. Return protection

If you purchase something and can’t return it within the first 90 days because the merchant won’t accept the return, you may be covered if you paid with this card. This protection is limited to $500 per item, and you can only use it for up to $1,000 per year.

28. Extended warranty protection

When you use this card to purchase items that have a three-year manufacturer warranty or less, you can get an extra year of warranty coverage. This perk does have some limitations, and the product must qualify, so check with the customer service line for your card if you have questions. 

29. Purchase protection

When you use your card to pay for purchases, you have up to $10,000 per claim worth of coverage for those items for the first 120 days. This protection covers theft of or accidental damage to items and is capped at $50,000 of coverage per year total.

Other Chase Sapphire Reserve benefits

30. Add authorized users

You can add authorized users and get them a card too. When they spend, it helps you earn points and rewards. However, you will need to pay a fee of $75 per authorized user. 

31. 24/7 customer service

You can call Chase Sapphire customer service any time of the day or night — and any day of the week — if you have questions about any of your card benefits or your account. 

How to maximize Chase Reserve benefits

To maximize the benefits of a Chase Reserve card, consider implementing some of these tips:

  1. Add an authorized user and earn rewards points on their purchases too.
  2. Pay off your statement every month so interest expenses don’t eat into your rewards.
  3. Use your card to cover a planned large purchase, such as a new fridge or living room furniture, to get to the spending threshold for the welcome offer. 
  4. Use your card to pay for travel bookings so you get 5x or 10x points plus the travel protections offered by Chase.

▶︎  Read more: Chase Sapphire Reserve review

FAQs: Chase Sapphire Reserve benefits

Does Chase Sapphire Reserve get you into airport lounges?

Yes, you get a complimentary Priority Pass membership as a cardholder. Once you set up a Priority Pass, you can gain entry into numerous airport lounges.

What are the benefits of Chase Sapphire Reserve?

Some of the benefits of the Chase Sapphire Reserve card include 1X to 10X points earned on each dollar spent, a $300 annual travel credit, and travel and shopping credits.

Is the Chase Reserve worth it?

Although this card comes with a $550 annual fee, if you travel and dine out a lot, you can easily earn enough points and get enough perk value to more than cover that fee, making this card worth it.

What is the value of Chase Sapphire Reserve points?

The value of these points depends on how you redeem them. For statement credits, points are worth 1 cent each but for travel booked through Chase Travel, they’re worth 1.5 cents each.

What credit score is required to qualify for the Chase Sapphire Reserve?

You typically need good or excellent credit to get approved for this card. That’s a score of 670 or higher.

What is the Chase Sapphire Reserve best for?

This card is best for travel enthusiasts who can maximize rewards points and use those points to book future travel.

About the Author

Sarah Stasik
Sarah Stasik Personal Finance

Sarah Stasik is well versed in personal finance thanks to her previous role as a Revenue Cycle Manager for a Fortune 500 healthcare company. Using her inside knowledge and expertise, Sarah often covers topics ranging from insurance and the economics of private healthcare to personal finance and small business management.

With more than a dozen years of writing experience, Sarah has tackled niches that range from technical advances in fintech to personal budgeting challenges. She has covered topics such as insurance and the economics of private healthcare, small business management and accounting, and credit and savings. Her writing focuses on making complex or seemingly daunting financial topics more accessible and providing helpful and relevant resources for readers.

* Opinions expressed here are those of the LA Times Compare Cards Team and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser or entities included within this content. See our editorial policy for more details.

All products or services are presented in this content without warranty. The information, including card details such as rates and fees, is accurate at the time of publish. Please visit each bank's website directly for the most current information.

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