Who ought to (and shouldn’t) get the Chase Sapphire Reserve?

Metro Loud
13 Min Read


The Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and costs) costs a hefty $795 annual payment — so is it price including to your pockets? For vacationers who worth luxurious perks, it is seemingly price it.

The Sapphire Reserve delivers distinctive worth to these prepared to maximise its advantages. Nevertheless, budget-minded vacationers might not recognize what the cardboard has to supply.

Proper now, new candidates can earn a welcome bonus of 100,000 factors plus a $500 Chase Journey℠ promo credit score* after spending $5,000 within the first three months from account opening.

This bonus is price as much as $2,550 per TPG’s July 2025 valuations of Chase factors, and is a wonderful technique to gather a bit of factors upfront.

Here is who would possibly — and may not — wish to add the Chase Sapphire Reserve to their pockets.

*The promotional credit score is legitimate for a one-time use solely; when you apply the promotional credit score to a transaction lower than $500, you’ll forfeit the remaining steadiness.

Who ought to get the Chase Sapphire Reserve?

Let’s discover why you might wish to add the Chase Sapphire Reserve to your pockets.

You spend rather a lot on journey

The Sapphire Reserve provides a $300 annual journey credit score. This credit score could be very versatile and mechanically applies to the primary $300 spent on journey with the cardboard.

THE POINTS GUY

Journey is a broadly outlined class on the Sapphire Reserve, so it is simple for frequent vacationers to make use of.

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You worth lounge entry

The Sapphire Reserve grants entry to Chase Sapphire Lounges and greater than 1,700 Precedence Move lounges for cardholders and as much as two company at no cost. When touring with a Star Alliance airline, cardholders additionally obtain entry to greater than 20 Air Canada Maple Leaf lounges.

Chase Sapphire Lounge Philadelphia
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

If you happen to fly regularly in or out of an airport with a Chase lounge or worth Precedence Move membership, this card is the ticket.

You need luxurious lodge perks

Sapphire cardholders additionally obtain entry to The Edit by Chase Journey, Chase’s luxurious lodge assortment. This program is just open to those that maintain a Sapphire Reserve or J.P. Morgan Reserve® Card.

The data for the J.P. Morgan Reserve Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.

If you do not have elite standing with fashionable packages akin to Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors — otherwise you wish to keep at boutique properties outdoors of those packages and nonetheless obtain perks — The Edit properties present comparable advantages like complimentary breakfast, early check-in, late checkout and complimentary upgrades (when accessible). Plus, the Sapphire Reserve provides as much as $500 yearly in The Edit credit.

If you happen to get pleasure from staying at IHG properties, this card additionally supplies automated IHG One Platinum elite standing (by Dec. 31, 2027).

You wish to maximize redeeming your factors

Sapphire Reserve cardholders are eligible to redeem Chase factors by the Chase Journey portal with the Factors Enhance accelerator. With Factors Enhance, you may redeem your Chase factors for choose lodge bookings and flights by Chase Journey at a price of as much as 2 cents per level. (This depends upon the redemption you select; see your rewards program settlement for full particulars.)

Nobu Hotel Hilton
CHARLY SIMON/SMALL LUXURY HOTELS OF THE WORLD

With Factors Enhance, we have seen inns close to Disneyland for simply 17,000 Chase factors an evening — as a substitute of 57,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors.

You are prepared to e book by a portal to earn double the factors

If you happen to’re open to reserving with the Sapphire Reserve by the Chase Journey portal, you may earn 8 factors per greenback on these purchases. That is double the return you’d obtain with the cardboard on flight or lodge bookings made straight with the airline or property (4 factors per greenback spent).

If you do not have elite standing or loyalty to a selected airline or lodge, reserving with the portal may provide help to earn extra in your reserving.

You could have a Chase card that earns money again

Pairing the Sapphire Reserve with a Chase cash-back card is a brilliant technique to increase your rewards.

That is as a result of you can switch your factors to one in every of Chase’s 14 loyalty program companions while you additionally maintain the Sapphire Reserve. Transferring to companions permits you to unlock the worth of Chase factors at 2.05 cents per level, per TPG’s July 2025 valuations.

If in case you have a Chase cash-back card — however not one which permits you to switch Chase factors to switch companions such because the Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card (see charges and costs), Chase Sapphire Reserve for Enterprise℠ (see charges and costs) or the Ink Enterprise Most popular® Credit score Card (see charges and costs) — including the Sapphire Reserve might be a great choice.

woman using a smartphone
ALEXANDR DUBYNIN/GETTY IMAGES

Some playing cards that pair nicely with the Sapphire Reserve are:

The data for the Chase Freedom Flex has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.

You worth robust journey protections

The Sapphire Reserve is a wonderful card for journey and buying protections. The cardboard supplies journey cancellation and interruption insurance coverage, baggage delay insurance coverage, buy safety and prolonged guarantee protection.

Associated: The last word information to the most effective bank card mixtures

Who should not get the Chase Sapphire Reserve?

The Chase Sapphire Reserve is a superb alternative for a lot of vacationers, however it is not for everybody. Listed here are some causes this card might not be superb for you.

You hardly ever journey

The Sapphire Reserve is designed for frequent vacationers. Its versatile annual journey credit score and a number of assertion credit towards travel-related purchases are geared towards them. Plus, when you do not want airport lounge entry since you aren’t flying a lot, the Sapphire Reserve seemingly is not the cardboard for you.

You favor money again

The Sapphire Reserve earns Chase Final Rewards factors for spending. If you happen to’d choose cash-back rewards, apply for a card that earns money again as a substitute.

You will not maximize many of the assertion credit

The Sapphire Reserve comes with a protracted record of assertion credit for a number of forms of spending. This consists of as much as $300 in annual StubHub and Viagogo credit by Dec. 31, 2027 ($150 biannually), as much as $300 in annual eating credit with Sapphire Reserve Unique Tables and as much as $300 in annual promos with DoorDash by Dec. 31, 2027.

High angle view of woman passing platter of food to friend during brunch in an outdoor restaurant against beautiful sunlight
D3SIGN/GETTY IMAGES

Maximizing these credit is a sure-fire technique to get the complete worth out of the cardboard in trade for its excessive $795 annual payment. Nevertheless, when you aren’t eager about protecting monitor of assertion credit or need a less complicated card, the Sapphire Reserve might not be for you.

The Chase Sapphire Most popular Card doesn’t cancel out the Sapphire Reserve by any means, for the reason that playing cards are fairly completely different. The Sapphire Most popular would not supply lounge entry and the Sapphire Reserve not has a basic journey bonus class, so it could make sense to carry each playing cards in some circumstances.

The explanation you might not need the Sapphire Reserve when you already maintain the Sapphire Most popular is the welcome bonus. On account of Chase’s up to date welcome bonus eligibility necessities, you are unlikely to earn the Sapphire Reserve welcome bonus when you at present maintain the Sapphire Most popular.

This might imply lacking out on a big a part of the Sapphire Reserve’s general worth, so you might wish to skip the premium card when you’re pleased along with your Sapphire Most popular.

If you happen to’re considering of upgrading to the Sapphire Reserve from the Sapphire Most popular, you may acquire extra from Factors Enhance redemptions — however you’d lose out on the final journey bonus class. Take into account what you’d acquire and what you’d lose earlier than making the choice.

You have utilized for five or extra playing cards within the final 24 months

Chase’s well-known 5/24 rule restricts those that have opened 5 or extra playing cards within the final 24 months from being authorized for one in every of its playing cards.

Woman sitting on the floor with a laptop
ROCKAA/GETTY IMAGES

If you happen to’re over 5/24, you might wish to think about one other premium card till you are again beneath the brink. The Platinum Card® from American Categorical or Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card might be good choices as a substitute — or you can wait to submit your Sapphire Reserve utility.

As with most premium playing cards, you might also have hassle qualifying when you’re new to credit score solely.

Backside line

Regardless of its excessive $795 annual payment, the Chase Sapphire Reserve may make a wonderful addition to the luxurious traveler’s pockets. That is very true when you’re a frequent traveler who values lounge entry, desires to maximise their factors redemptions and would e book by the Chase Journey portal typically.

Occasional vacationers, budget-conscious customers and people who choose cash-back rewards could be higher with an alternative choice.

To be taught extra, learn our full assessment of the Chase Sapphire Reserve.


Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Reserve


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