The Chase Sapphire Reserve card has a lot going for it, not least of which is its awesome 100,000 point signup bonus. Soon, however, the bonus will be cut in half. As of January 12th for online applications and March 12th for in-branch applications, the Sapphire Reserve bonus will drop to 50,000 points after $4,000 spend.
Those who have opened 5 or more accounts in the past 24 months have had better success in getting approved by going in-branch, so for many this is a 3+ month warning. Those without a local Chase branch, though, will have to apply online no later than January 11th.
More about the Chase Sapphire Reserve…
The Sapphire Reserve is my current top pick for a travel rewards credit card. It does have a steep annual fee, but its benefits far outweigh the fee:
- Standard Signup Bonus: 100,000 points after $4K spend (limited time!)
- $300 in annual travel credits automatically applied to account for travel purchases charged to card
- Points worth 1.5 cents each when used to purchase travel
- Earn 3X points per dollar for travel and dining; 1X elsewhere
- Airport Lounge Access via Priority Pass Select with unlimited free guests
- Primary car rental collision damage waiver
- Rental car privileges and discounts
- Global Entry or TSA Pre Fee Credit
- No foreign transaction fee
- Points transferable 1 to 1 to selected airline and hotel programs
Those who travel often will have no trouble earning $300 per year in travel reimbursements. In that case, the effective annual fee is really just $150. That’s not bad at all for a card that offers 3X points for travel & dining, 1.5 cents per point redemption value, and airport lounge access!
I recommend pairing this card with the no-fee Chase Freedom Unlimited which earns 1.5X everywhere, and the no-fee Business Ink Cash which earns 5X in select categories. Points from both no-fee cards can be moved to your Sapphire Reserve account in order to make them more valuable.
Ultimate Rewards points can be redeemed as follows:
- Cash or merchandise (1 cent per point value)
- Purchase Travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel site (1.5 cents per point value)
- Transfer to a variety of airline and hotel programs (per point value varies from very low to extremely high when points are used this way)
See also
- Chase Sapphire Reserve Complete Guide
- How to get approved for the Sapphire Reserve 100K offer [NEW]
- Your Sapphire Reserve Card arrived. Here’s what to do next…
- The Sapphire Reserve Couple Conundrum
- Chase point transfer rules made simple [Infographic]
Hat Tip: The Points Guy