Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market. See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. You can also review our credit card rating methodology.
![38 Valuable Benefits of the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card [$5,000+ Value]](https://upgradedpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Chase-Sapphire-Reserve-Upgraded-Points-LLC-Large-17.jpg?auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=1420&height=650&fit=crop)
We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.
There’s no doubt that the Chase Sapphire Reserve® took the travel credit card world by storm when it launched in 2016.
The card was one of the first to offer 3x points on dining and travel purchases, extend a huge $300 travel credit, and provide other valuable benefits like rental car insurance and discounts, as well as hotel perks at select brands.
These benefits are all in addition to the fact that the card earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points — some of the most flexible and valuable points on the market.
The card does, however, come with a higher annual fee, so you may be wondering if the card is actually worth having.
We’ll help you answer that question in this article. First, we’ll walk you through the card’s benefits and assign each a cash value. Then, we’ll round up all of the benefits and show you their combined value, giving you a complete look at the card’s benefits. Keep in mind that we’ve based our valuations on moderate spending and moderate travel, so the values are definitely subjective.
Make sure to think of how often you’ll use these benefits and assign your own values as you read through the article — this will give you an even better look as to if the Chase Sapphire Reserve card is the card for you.
While 60,000 points are worth $900 when redeemed for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards, we find that based on our valuations, Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth 2 cents per point, making 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points worth $1,200.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card has 2 travel statement credits: 1 for general travel expenses and 1 for Global Entry, Nexus, or TSA PreCheck.
These benefits are the quickest and easiest ways to realize savings with the card as they apply to your eligible purchases instantly. Plus, these credits help cancel out part of the card’s $550 annual fee so long as you use the entirety of both credits.
Let’s take a look at the credits.
Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders automatically receive a statement credit for travel purchases charged to the credit card, up to $300 per cardmember year. Do note that qualifying purchases for the annual travel credit do not earn 3x points.
This credit does not have to be used up in a single purchase. Instead, multiple smaller purchases will also be reimbursed so long as the $300 maximum has not been reached and the purchases are in an eligible travel category.
Specifically stated eligible purchases include the following:
If you haven’t already applied, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card will help you get either Global Entry, Nexus, or TSA PreCheck at no out-of-pocket cost.
Simply charge the application fee to your card and it will be automatically reimbursed as a statement credit.
Global Entry is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection program that prescreens passengers and then allows expedited entry into the U.S. when returning from international travel. It requires a detailed application and an in-person interview before approval.
When you are approved for the Global Entry program, you also receive TSA PreCheck, so with your application fees being covered, there’s no reason not to apply for Global Entry if you are eligible.
If you already have Global Entry (like many of us do), this credit is great for your renewal or for gifting Global Entry to a friend or family member. As long as the application fee is paid for with your Chase Sapphire Reserve card, it doesn’t matter whose application fee it is.
Since the Global Entry and TSA PreCheck programs only require you to renew your membership every 5 years, this credit is not available every year that you hold the card. Instead, it is available every 4 years, so you’ll always have it when it’s time for you to renew.
We’ll value this credit at $100 for those that can use the credit for either their own Global Entry application fee or an application fee for a friend. Otherwise, the credit is worth $0.
Hot Tip: Looking for more info on Global Entry? Don’t miss our post on the top Global Entry FAQs.
Thankfully, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees. This applies to both purchases you make when you are traveling internationally and to purchases you make from the U.S. but in a foreign currency — like buying train tickets in advance or buying something from an international online store.
Although the majority of travel credit cards have no foreign transaction fees, this is an important benefit because you will not have to think about switching the card you use when traveling or booking trips.
This lack of foreign transaction fees can save you up to 3% per purchase, so we’ll value this benefit at $100 for those who travel often.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card earns valuable Ultimate Rewards points.
What makes these points so valuable? One word: flexibility!
Not only can you use Ultimate Rewards points to book travel directly through the Chase travel portal, but you can transfer your points to a variety of airline and hotel partners like United Airlines, Singapore Airlines, and Hyatt hotels. This gives you the ability to book some seriously valuable rewards.
Make sure to check out our guide to redeeming Ultimate Rewards points — if you know where to look, you can find some amazing values in the program.
Hot Tip: The Chase Sapphire Reserve card does fall under the bank’s 5/24 rule. That means you can’t apply for a new Chase Sapphire Reserve card if you have received 5 or more new credit cards in the past 24 months.
You’ll earn 3 points per dollar spent on both travel and dining purchases made with your Chase Sapphire Reserve card. This applies both at home and abroad.
To earn 3x points, all you need to do is charge an eligible travel or dining expense to your Chase Sapphire Reserve card.
These categories are super broad, too. Everything from fast food to fine dining and hostels to first class flights is eligible for 3x points, so you’ll be able to rack up points quickly. Plus, all other purchases are eligible for 1 point per dollar spent.
These bonus categories are a great way to quickly build up your Ultimate Rewards balance.
With that in mind, we value this benefit at $300. This could be higher or lower depending on how much you spend on travel and dining each year, but we think that $300 is a good medium for this perk. Plus, don’t forget about the card’s welcome bonus that could provide thousands in value across your first year of card membership.
Hot Tip: Looking for a travel rewards card without a $550 annual fee? Take a look at the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, which is a very popular card for those new to points and miles.
Chase has a broad definition of travel, making it easy to earn 3x points per dollar spent. However, if you book your hotels or car rentals via the Chase travel portal, you’ll be earning 10x total points per dollar spent.
This translates to $500 in spending equaling 5,000 Ultimate Rewards points worth up to $75, or potentially more when transferred to travel partners.
You’ll receive 3x earnings using your card for dining purchases in general, but if you book your dining experience via the Ultimate Rewards portal, you’ll earn 10x total points per dollar spent.
10x earnings apply to prepaid restaurant reservations, dining out, eligible delivery services, and takeout through Ultimate Rewards.
If you spent just $500 a year, you’d be earning 5,000 Ultimate Rewards points worth up to 1.5 cents each for travel and Pay Yourself Back.
Book your flights via the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal and earn 5x total points per dollar spent.
We’ll use just a $1,000 spending level to estimate the value of this benefit — $1,000 spent via the portal would earn 5,000 Ultimate Rewards points worth $75 or more when redeemed for travel.
Bottom Line: Earn up to 10x total Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent when you use your Chase Sapphire Reserve card to book dining, prepaid hotels, rental cars, and flights via the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal.
In addition to elevated points earning on travel and dining, Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders earn 10 points per dollar spent on Lyft purchases (through March 2025). You’ll earn these bonus points on rideshare, scooter, and bike rides booked through the app. This includes shared rides, private rides, and premium rides in Select and Lux vehicles.
Note that Lyft operates Citi Bike in New York City and Capital Bike in Washington, D.C., among others. Make sure to charge your rentals to your Chase Sapphire Reserve card through the app so you can earn bonus points while you exercise.
The value of this benefit largely depends on how often you use Lyft. But for the purpose of this article, we’ll give it a modest valuation of $30.
This is under the assumption that you spend at least $150 per year on Lyft rides, giving you a return of 1,500 in Ultimate Rewards points. We value these points at just under $30 based on our 2.0 cents per point Ultimate Rewards valuation.
Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders can earn 10 points per dollar spent on Peloton Bike, Tread, Row, and Guide purchases over $250 with a maximum of 50,000 points earned through March 31, 2025.
The best part about earning Ultimate Rewards points with your Chase Sapphire Reserve card is access to the Chase transfer partners. You can transfer your points to any of the following programs at a 1:1 transfer ratio in increments of 1,000 points.
Chase’s Airline Transfer Partners:
| Chase Airline Transfer Partner | Min Transfer | Transfer Ratio (Chase > Airline) | Transfer Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aer Lingus AerClub | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | 1,000 | 1:1 | 1 hour |
| British Airways Executive Club | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
| Emirates Skywards | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost instant |
| Iberia Plus | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
| JetBlue | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | 1,000 | 1:1 | 1-2 days |
| Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
| United Airlines MileagePlus | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
Chase’s Hotel Transfer Partners:
| Chase Hotel Transfer Partner | Min Transfer | Transfer Ratio | Transfer Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| IHG One Rewards | 1,000 | 1:1 | 1 day |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 1,000 | 1:1 | 2 days |
| World of Hyatt | 1,000 | 1:1 | Almost Instant |
Why is this so valuable, you ask? Simple: once your points have been transferred to a travel partner, the rules of that loyalty program apply.
This means you can take advantage of awesome redemptions like cheap first class tickets to Tokyo on Asiana, luxurious jaunts to Europe in business class, and much more.
When booking award flights in premium cabins, it’s sometimes possible to get up to 15 cents (or more) per point in value!
Hot Tip: Need inspiration on how to use your Chase Ultimate Rewards points? Check out our article on the best redemptions.
We value Chase’s Ultimate Rewards transfer partners at $300. This is because of the amazing value you can get from transferring your points to this vast network of airlines and hotel partners — just 1 redemption in first or business class can completely make up for the card’s high annual fee!
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card provides the highest value of all the Chase cards when you book your travel with points through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal. You can redeem for both paid airfare and hotels through this portal without blackout dates of any kind.
Hot Tip: Make sure to add your frequent flyer number to your flight bookings made through the Chase travel portal. Since you’re technically redeeming for a paid flight, you’ll earn both redeemable and elite qualifying miles on your flights.
Do keep in mind that you’ll usually get better value from your points when transferring them to one of Chase’s various transfer partners. As mentioned earlier, this is because you can use points to take advantage of partner award chart sweet spots.
However, in some cases — think low-cost flights and cheap hotel nights — the 1.5 cents per point value can be better than transferring points to an airline or hotel partner due to the number of points required.
For example, a $75 flight domestic flight on American would only cost 5,000 Ultimate Rewards points when booked through the portal but may cost a minimum of 9,000 points if you transferred points to British Airways to book the same flight.
A word of caution though: hotels booked through this portal are not eligible for elite night credit, hotel points, or elite status benefits as bookings are processed by Expedia. If you value these benefits, it’s best to forgo using points and book directly with the hotel instead.
We value this benefit at $100. While we generally recommend making high-end bookings using Chase’s transfer partners for better value, being able to redeem at 1.5 cents per point towards any paid flight or hotel room is still an excellent option for lower-cost bookings.
Cardholders can use Pay Yourself Back to redeem their Chase Ultimate Reward points for 25% to 50% more when you redeem them for statement credits against existing purchases in select, rotating categories.
While the Chase Sapphire Reserve card doesn’t have as many travel perks as The Platinum Card® by American Express, the card does offer a few perks like airport lounge access and hotel benefits that can make your travel experience more comfortable.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card comes with a complimentary membership to the Priority Pass Select network of airport lounges. All you have to do is sign up, and there is no additional fee to do so.
Once your Priority Pass Select membership is activated, you’ll have free access to over 1,300 airport lounges in more than 600 cities worldwide. Plus, you can bring up to 2 travel companions with you to the lounge for free.
Amenities in Priority Pass airport lounges can vary greatly, though, so it’s best to use its free app to get an idea of what to expect when planning your trip. Common lounge amenities include an open bar, free coffee and soda, snacks, Wi-Fi, and showers.
With your Priority Pass Select membership you can also enjoy additional amenities such as access to Minute Suites at select airports and a free $28 credit towards food and drink at select airport restaurants — check the Priority Pass website for more info on locations.
Do note that you have to enroll in Priority Pass after you’re approved for a Chase Sapphire Reserve card. You can do this on the Card Benefits page in the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal. Once enrolled, you’ll receive your physical Priority Pass Select card in 7 to 10 days. You’ll need this card (or the digital card in the Priority Pass mobile app) to enter lounges worldwide.
Coming soon to New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA), Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), and Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), the new Chase Sapphire Lounges by The Club will provide elevated experiences with “exceptional food, drink, art, entertainment, and wellness.”
Priority Pass members will also have access to the new Chase Sapphire Lounges.
Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders plus 2 guests also have access to Chase Sapphire Terrace locations. Currently, there’s only 1 location which is due to open on March 20, 2023, at Austin–Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) in Texas.
We value the lounge benefits that come with the Chase Sapphire Reserve card at $300, but they can be worth much more depending on how much you travel. Lounge access at the airport can make long layovers more comfortable, and can easily save you hundreds of dollars in airport food and drink purchases if you travel often.
Bottom Line: With access to over 1,300 lounge properties worldwide, including the new Chase Sapphire Lounges, this benefit alone could provide tremendous value for the cardholder.
The Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection is a network of over 900 of the world’s best hotels and resorts around the world. Chase Sapphire Reserve cardmembers get free Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection membership, and can take advantage of special benefits and privileges including:
Special amenities can include things like lunch or dinner for 2, a spa treatment, golf green fee waivers, welcome gifts, or airport transfers. Details on the amenities available for a specific property are available when searching and booking.
Note that you must book hotels through the Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection program and pay for your stay with your Chase Sapphire Reserve card to take advantage of these benefits — hotel stays booked direct or through another portal are not eligible.
Like booking through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal, booking a chain hotel through the Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection will make you ineligible for using hotel status benefits, earning hotel points, or earning elite qualifying nights. Make sure to compare and contrast your hotel benefits and the benefits offered by the Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection before booking.
We value this benefit at $100 so long as you can use it at least once per year. You’ll quickly find that this benefit is worth more if you use it often, but is worth $0 if you don’t use it at all. Check it out before you book your next hotel stay.
Continuing on the topic of hotel perks, Relais & Châteaux is a prestigious collection of luxury properties located in various cities around the world. When you book a stay at one of these hotels with your Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you will receive a “VIP welcome” and complimentary breakfast during your stay.
The VIP welcome benefit varies by property but can include things like a bottle of Champagne at check-in or a complimentary drink at the hotel bar. Regardless of what you get, the benefit is a great way to settle into your hotel!
We’re giving this benefit a conservative valuation of $50. Relais & Châteaux is a small hotel company, so you’re not likely to use the benefit often. However, the included benefits are a nice way to enhance any upcoming hotel stays at Relais & Châteaux properties.
Ennismore (formerly sbe) is a luxury hotel brand that includes brands like Delano, Hyde, Mondrian, The Originals, The Redbury, and SLS. These properties can be found in cities like Beverly Hills, London, New York City, and others around the world.
Book Ennismore hotel stays through the Ennismore Chase Sapphire Reserve card portal and you’ll get access to benefits like:
We also value the Ennismore benefits at $50. Like Relais & Châteaux, there aren’t many Ennismore locations worldwide. However, these benefits can be extremely valuable for times when you do find yourself staying at one of the company’s boutique properties, and the fourth-night free benefit can save you a ton of money depending on the cost of your free night. For more information, check out our guide to the Chase Sapphire Reserve card’s Ennismore hotel benefits.
Chase revamped the Chase Sapphire Reserve card and added food and grocery delivery benefits. This includes a subscription to DoorDash DashPass, an annual food delivery credit, and Instacart benefits.
Here’s a look at these benefits:
All Chase Sapphire Reserve cards include a subscription to DoorDash DashPass for the card’s primary cardholder.
This subscription gives you free food delivery and discounted service fees from select DoorDash restaurants so long as your total bill is $12 or more. DoorDash is available in most large American cities, so you can order food to your home or hotel room.
DashPass usually costs $10 per month, giving you $120 in value per year. If activated by December 31, 2023, the subscription is active through December 31, 2024. If activated during the 2024 calendar year, the subscription will be valid for 1 year from the date of activation.
Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders receive a $5 monthly DoorDash credit. This fee can be carried over for a maximum of 2 months, allowing you to accrue up to $15 in credit before $5 expires.
We’ll value this benefit at its face value of $5. DoorDash partners with tons of restaurants for delivery nationwide, so chances are you can use this credit to cover dinner at one of your favorites.
Hot Tip: If you get food delivery fairly regularly, explore the best cards for food delivery services to make sure you’re earning bonus points on your purchases
Cardholders are eligible for a complimentary 12-month membership to Instacart+ which normally costs $99 per year. This membership comes with free delivery on orders over $35, a 5% credit back on eligible pick up orders, and lower service fees. Registration is required.
Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders receive a monthly credit of $15 to use for grocery delivery through Instacart.
From insurance to picking a car class, renting a car can be a stressful task. Thankfully, though, your Chase Sapphire Reserve card will make this process easier as it offers complimentary rental car discounts, elite status at select rental companies, and even free collision insurance to its cardmembers.
Here’s a look at each of the card’s rental car benefits:
After enrolling in Avis Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve cardmembers can use code S107100 to save up to 30% on qualifying rentals. We value this discount at $50, but it can be worth more if you rent cars from Avis frequently.
One of our favorite benefits of the Chase Sapphire Reserve card is a complimentary upgrade to Emerald Club Executive status.
Emerald Club Executive status allows you to reserve a midsize car and then choose any car on the lot when you pick it up — including minivans, sports cars, and other full-sized vehicles. Certain National locations are better for finding high-end cars, but you’ll almost always end up with something in a higher category than what you reserved.
Other benefits of Emerald Club Executive status include:
Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders also get up to 25% off all National bookings. Just use the code 5030849 when booking your next rental car with National.
We value these National benefits at $100, but you’ll get much more value if you rent with National often. We’re particularly big fans of being able to pick any car on the National lot, something that becomes especially valuable if you need to rent a minivan or another more expensive car for a special event.
With Audi on demand, you can save up to 30% on rentals when you use promotion code VINFINITE25 and pay for the rental with your Chase Sapphire Reserve card. This discount now even applies to single-day rentals.
For some background, Audi on demand (formerly Silvercar) is a high-end car rental company with 18 locations around the U.S. It only rents Audi cars and SUVs, and each rental comes with free Wi-Fi, GPS, and satellite radio.
We value the Audi on demand discount at a conservative $50.
While the discount can be worth a lot more if you use Audi on demand often, the company has limited locations — mostly near major U.S. airports. Make sure to enroll in Audi on demand’s loyalty program before you rent a car.
The cardholder and any additional drivers authorized by the rental agreement will be covered for up to $75,000 for car rentals that are 31 days or shorter.
This coverage is primary and pays for any loss, theft, or damage to the rental car, as well as towing and loss of use for the rental company.
For this coverage to apply, you must pay for the entire rental with your Chase Sapphire Reserve card. You also need to refuse any collision damage and loss damage waiver coverages from the rental company — if you don’t do this, the rental company’s coverage will apply first.
Do note that there are certain vehicle exclusions, namely for high-end sports and luxury cars. With that in mind, be sure to double-check your coverage if you’re renting any type of specialty vehicle.
The Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver is worth $200 for the purpose of this article, but again, it can be worth much more. You’ll generally pay $20 to $30 per day for this insurance from the rental company, so those that rent cars regularly can get thousands in value from the benefit.
Hot Tip: The Chase Sapphire Reserve card is one of the few cards that offers primary car rental coverage. This means the coverage from your card will serve as primary coverage without having to first file a claim with other insurance. Primary coverage is a huge benefit, and worth considering whenever you rent a car.
Above, we’ve taken a look at what this card can do for you when you’re planning and booking your trips. But what happens if you have an issue while you are on the road? Think of things like injuries, trip delays, and lost or delayed luggage.
Thankfully, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card will help protect you during your travels, too.
Everything from delays to cancellations to travel accidents and other emergencies can be covered. And while we’d never want anything bad to happen when we’re away from home, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card provides peace of mind so you can be confident that you’ll be taken care of if something does come up.
Here’s a look at all of the Chase Sapphire Reserve card’s travel protections:
Trip cancellation provides coverage when a trip cannot be taken on or before the scheduled date and therefore must be canceled.
Some examples of this include illness before departure or a natural disaster that affects your travel destination — just make sure to check the card’s benefits guide for restrictions.
On the other hand, trip interruption insurance provides coverage when you experience a covered loss on the way to departure or after a trip begins that causes a trip to be interrupted.
Reimbursement is secondary, meaning that it covers the excess of any other travel insurance purchased. The benefit covers arrangements for prepaid tours, trips, or vacations that have been purchased with your Chase Sapphire Reserve card (or with points earned on the card).
One especially nice part of this coverage is that it not only covers the cardholder but also immediate family members, too — even if the cardholder is not traveling with them.
Note that coverage is limited to up to $10,000 per trip and a maximum of $20,000 per occurrence. Total coverage is limited to $40,000 per 12-month period. We value this benefit at $100 as you’re unlikely to use it, but it can be worth much more when you do.
If your bag is delayed by an airline, bus, cruise ship, or train for more than 6 hours, your Chase Sapphire Reserve card will cover up to $100 per day in purchases of emergency supplies like toiletries, clothing, and 1 cell phone charger.
Cardholders, spouses, domestic partners, and immediate family members are also covered by this benefit. Just note that your ticket must have been purchased with your Chase Sapphire Reserve card or with your Ultimate Rewards points, and the benefit is limited to 5 days, so it can be worth up to $500 per use per person.
We’ll also value this benefit at $100. We certainly hope your baggage is never delayed, but if it is, this benefit can be worth hundreds of dollars while you wait for your bag to be returned to you.
This coverage provides reimbursement for the repair or replacement of checked and/or carry-on bags that are damaged or lost during a covered trip with a common carrier. Common carriers include airlines, buses, trains, and cruises.
The trip must have been purchased with your Chase Sapphire Reserve card or your Ultimate Rewards points, and coverage is limited to $3,000 per person per trip. Of that maximum benefit, $500 can be reimbursed for watches, jewelry, and electronics, so don’t check your laptop or other expensive items.
Even if the cardholder is not traveling, the cardholder and any immediate family are covered so long as travel is booked with a Chase Sapphire Reserve card. We recommend keeping a copy of your suitcase’s original receipt for reimbursement, too.
We value this benefit at $50 as an airline losing your bag is a very rare occurrence. But again, using this benefit even once can give you potentially thousands of dollars in value.
If your travel on a common carrier is delayed more than 6 hours or requires an extra overnight stay, you’re covered for up to $500 per person who had a ticket that was delayed. This delay can be for any reason — even bad weather or air traffic control issues.
Tickets must have been purchased with your Chase Sapphire Reserve card or your Ultimate Rewards points, and you are limited to 1 covered loss per trip.
The cardholder, cardholder’s spouse or domestic partner, and cardholder’s dependent children under age 22 can be reimbursed for expenses incurred during the delay, including meals, lodging, toiletries, medication, and other personal items.
Just note that to be covered, the trip must be away from your city of residence and under 365 days in length.
We value this benefit generously at $200 because it packs a ton of value, especially if you travel to the Midwest or East Coast in the wintertime. Getting stuck in a city like Chicago or New York City can be expensive, so having your hotel and meals reimbursed even once means hundreds of dollars in value.
There are 2 types of travel accident insurance provided by your Chase Sapphire Reserve card. In the case that both coverages apply, you will be paid out only by the coverage with the higher limit.
This benefit covers the cardholder and immediate family members, even if the cardholder is not traveling with them. However, if more than 1 person is injured, the maximum coverage will not exceed twice the stated limits.
There is a list of exclusions to be aware of, which include losses sustained during illegal acts, skydiving, racing, or sporting activities that have a salary or monetary prize.
We sincerely hope that you never have to use these benefits, and it’s unlikely that you’ll ever have to. However, we’ll value them at $50 for the purpose of this article. The added peace of mind is a nice perk, especially for adventurous travelers who like to travel off-the-beaten-path.
By calling the number provided with your benefits information, you can receive no-cost referrals and assistance for emergency services while away from home.
Available services include the following:
Although the referrals and assistance are provided at no cost, the cardholder will be responsible for any costs from the service providers that are referred. With that in mind, we’ll value this benefit at $25.
This benefit provides reimbursement for medical and dental expenses that are a result of emergency treatment due to sickness or injury while on a covered trip.
To be covered, the trip must have been purchased with your Chase Sapphire Reserve card or points earned with the card. Additionally, this benefit is secondary to your personal medical and dental insurance or any travel insurance you have purchased.
The cardholder, cardholder’s spouse or domestic partner, and legally dependent children under 18 years old (25 if enrolled as a full-time student) are covered.
Coverage is subject to a maximum of $2,500 with a $50 deductible. In addition, up to $75 per day will be covered for lodging when a physician says you cannot travel immediately after treatment.
Again, you’re unlikely to have to use this benefit, but it can be nice to have the peace of mind, so we’ll value the benefit at $50 for the purpose of this article.
If you or a member of your eligible party is injured or becomes ill during a trip and requires emergency evacuation, coverage will apply up to a maximum of $100,000 for emergency evacuation and medical services.
Eligible party members include cardholders, spouses or domestic partners, and legally dependent children under 18 years old (25 if enrolled as a full-time student).
Your trip must have been purchased with your Chase Sapphire Reserve card or Ultimate Rewards points to be eligible for this coverage. Further, this benefit’s coverage is in excess of your personal insurance or any other travel insurance that applies.
We’ll value this benefit at $50, but it can be worth thousands if you ever have to use it. This benefit is especially important when you consider that you could be unable to fly commercially if you fall ill with specific conditions.
Bottom Line: The above travel protection benefits are some of the best offered by any credit card available. If at all possible, you should try to purchase your prepaid travel with your Chase Sapphire Reserve card or your Ultimate Rewards points just in case something goes wrong. Doing this will make you eligible for some of the highest coverage limits and the widest range of coverages available.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card clearly takes care of you while you are out exploring the world, but what about when you are at home?
Well, it can help there, too. From shopping to special entertainment events to ensuring that you’re safe on the road, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card has you covered when you’re between trips as well.
From sports and recreation to dining and shopping, Chase Experiences will make sure you’re as close to the action as possible.
These VIP events aren’t available to the general public and are usually limited in quantity. Experience options are regularly changing, so it’s best to check back frequently to find one you want to do.
This benefit has very limited use, and we haven’t seen many of these VIP events come across our radar. With that in mind, we’ll value the benefit at $25 as you’re unlikely to actually attend any of these events. Let us know if you’ve taken advantage of this benefit in the comments.
Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the roadside assistance provided with your card covers the cardholder driving their own vehicle or any other vehicle with the permission of the owner.
Covered services include the following:
Coverage is limited to $50 per occurrence a maximum of 4 times per year, which should be more than enough for most drivers. We’ll assume that you’ll use this benefit once per year for a modest valuation of $50 per year.
When you purchase an item with your Chase Sapphire Reserve card, it’s protected from theft and damage for the first 120 days you own it. In other words: if you buy a new laptop and it’s stolen the next day, you’ll be reimbursed for the cost of replacing it.
There’s a maximum of $10,000 per claim and up to $50,000 per account is available for coverage. Further, this coverage is secondary to your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy and there is a list of excluded items, so be sure to check the details of this benefit.
Purchases made by the cardholder (including those given as gifts to others) are eligible for this protection. The benefit is especially valuable for cell phones, laptops, tablets, and other things that can be easily lost, so consider putting new tech purchases on your new Chase Sapphire Reserve card.
We value this benefit at $100, but it can easily be worth much more. After all, just think about the last time you lost something important when traveling — if it was purchased on your Chase Sapphire Reserve card and the loss happened within 120 days of purchase, it’d be replaced for free.
If you try to return a personal item (not purchased for business use) within 90 days of your purchase and the store doesn’t accept the return, you may be eligible for reimbursement from your Chase Sapphire Reserve card.
To take advantage of this benefit, you must have paid for the item in question with your Chase Sapphire Reserve card (or the points you earned with the card). Plus, you need to have a copy of your receipt to provide proof of purchase and price.
Note that this coverage is limited to $500 per item, and you can make a maximum of $1,000 in claims per year. Some types of items are not covered, so check the details on your card’s benefits page before filing a claim.
We’ll value this benefit at $50 for this article. It provides nice peace of mind, but you’re not too likely to use it more than once or twice per year. Further, it’s unfortunate that the benefit’s limits are so low, meaning that you can’t use it for returning things like laptops or high-end cell phones.
Finally, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card has an awesome extended warranty feature. When you purchase eligible items with your card, the manufacturer’s warranty will be extended for 1 year.
For coverage to apply, the item must have come with an original manufacturer-written U.S. repair warranty of 3 years or less. Certain foreign purchases may also be eligible if they have a store-purchased dealer warranty or an assembler warranty.
Chase’s extended warranty protection covers the same things that are covered by the product’s original warranty terms — this usually includes things like manufacturer defects, but not accidental damage or theft.
This benefit is limited to $10,000 per claim and a maximum of $50,000 per account, making it useful for repairing laptops, cell phones, and other high-end purchases. Purchases made by the cardholder for themselves or others as gifts are eligible for coverage.
Do note that the following items are not eligible for extended warranty coverage:
Just note that your card needs to be open and in good standing to take advantage of this benefit. This means that you can’t file an extended warranty claim after you’ve closed your credit card account, even if you’re within the 1 year extended warranty period.
We’ll value this benefit at $100, though it could be worth much more if you have to file an expensive warranty claim.
As you can see, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card has an extensive list of super valuable benefits. All of the benefits in this article add up to potentially over $4,000 in combined value — and that’s not including the card’s welcome bonus!
This great set of benefits can help you travel more comfortably, safely, and affordably. And with excellent purchase protection, roadside assistance, and extended warranty benefits, the card will enhance your life at home, too.
But before you settle on the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, make sure to check out some of its alternatives.
For example, if you only travel once or twice per year, you may want to apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred card instead — this card has some of the same benefits as the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, but with a lower annual fee of just $95.
Or if you want more benefits, check out the Amex Platinum card for luxury perks. This card gives you access to more lounges but has a harder-to-use airline credit, a higher annual fee.
Safe travels!
Was this page helpful?
Andrew was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs and now splits his time between Chicago and New York City.
He’s a lifelong traveler and took his first solo trip to San Francisco at the age of 16. Fast forward a few years, and Andrew now travels just over 100,000 miles a year, with over 25 countries, 10 business class products, and 2 airline statuses (United and Alaska) under his belt. Andrew formerly worked for The Points Guy and is now Senior Money Editor at CNN Underscored.
Travel is changing fast... Stay on top of all the points strategies, exclusive offers & pivotal news - and lock in huge savings along the way.
We respect your privacy. Please view our privacy policy here.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Disclaimer: Any comments listed below are not from the bank advertiser, nor have they been reviewed or approved by them. No responsibility will be taken by the bank advertiser for these comments.
35 comments
Robert Willard Sr.
January 03, 2018
WOW! Great Value .. The card almost pays me to use it … and do not forget the $300 for travel, airport lounges, rentals discounts … I will be in the black for fees every year … I can see dropping most of my other cards, and also only one payment each month!
Rob
July 09, 2018
Thanks so much for breaking this down in such fine detail. Very good information here. Well done sir!
Alex Miller
July 09, 2018
You are most welcome!
Chris
July 10, 2018
The CSR card only upgrades to National Emerald Club Executive status, not Executive Elite.
Jeff Brownson
July 12, 2018
Thank for catching that Chris. What I meant to say is that it comes with the elite status of Executive level. When writing this, I forgot that National also had Executive Elite as a separate level. I’ve updated the post to correct this.
Aaron Buck
August 14, 2019
Also the complimentary Executive Status only lasts for one year and if you don’t maintain it by renting multiple vehicles, then you are sent back to Emerald Club status.
Willie Kate Friar
August 31, 2018
I have this card and they make it almost impossible to collect on a claim. I had illness on a cruise ship and put in a claim as I paid for the cruise with my card. A year has passed and although I have supplied all documents they required, they keep asking for more assurance that I did not receive reimbursement from the cruise line or the airline. I have sent documents showing that I received nothing from the cruise line or the airline and sent the documents from the doctor showing that I left the ship due to illness. I sent a signed letter from the airline and from the cruise ship and the doctor but they keep asking for more documents. A year has gone by and they are asking for more documents so I am very disappointed in the Sapphire Reserve card. I would like to know about anyone who has had a claim settled. I think they believe you will eventually give up as there policy is to keep asking for more documents until you are weary of the whole operation.
I would advise you not to expect too much from their insurance claims. Would like to know of anyone who has been able to collect anything from this insurance.
Amogh Sahai
October 22, 2018
I think that YMMV when it comes to insurance claims. It can depend on many factors like how soon u submit the paperwork, who reviews the application, whether everything got submitted, nature of the incident. If they decided not to pay, they should have given you a clear reason.
My advise would be to get an attorney involved and see whether that makes a difference.
Paul
January 08, 2020
I’ve had a very similar experience with their trip cancellation insurance. I had a tend to a family member in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and cancel a trip, and got a standard form signed by the doctor fully explaining the situation for the insurance. Chase didn’t accept that and insists on me finding the doctors in the ICU and bothering them to fill out the same information on Chase’s standard form. This has been a difficult task with how hectic ICUs are.
Shiming Zhang
January 29, 2020
Me too. I went to ER in a trip to South Korea. Had gave them every piece documents that I received there. But Chase kept asking me some documents or signatures from doctors that I could never got from Korea. I ended to get nothing but wasting my time. To this point, Chase is bad.
Megan
February 26, 2020
To be fair, Chase isn’t the insurance carrier. It’s Allianz. You can buy coverage directly from Allianz. Unfortunately I’ve has to make more insurance claims that a normal person. Once using the coverage with this card and another two times on a separate coverage issued by AIG/Travel Guard. The process for all claims was lengthy and required lots of documentation. For the claim on coverage using the CRS, it was due to my mom’s having a stroke. We were both supposed to go on the trip. I had to provide proof of the cancelled tickets and attempts to get reimbursed plus the medical information. Hospitals are used to filling out forms. It’s not a problem, really.
The second two times were trips to Bali (I need to stop going to Bali) where I broke my leg and the next year got a parasite. I had coverage via AIG. Same lengthy process… except I had to send my claims first to my primary insurance company (United Healthcare) and wait for them to partially pay or deny the claims. That added the most time to the process. I am thankful that all my claims have been paid.
As long as you provide the appropriate documentation, you should be good. It does require some back and forth. Such is the nature of any insurance claim. Would I get the card just for the coverage? No, but I wouldn’t discount the benefit that I hope you never need to use.
Eiko Belsky
July 08, 2019
I have a question. Will a Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholder be refunded the change fee on an international flight when changing the return date and being charged a fee? I’m visiting my deathly ill mom but I don’t know when I’m coming back.
Thanks!
Christine Krzyszton
July 08, 2019
Hello Eiko. Sorry to hear of your mother’s illness. While there is no provision on the Chase Sapphire card for refunding a change fee, it is common for an airline to waive the fee for changes due to illness. You would fly the outbound flight as planned. If the return date you booked approaches and you are not ready to leave, you can call the airline (or Chase travel) to make the change and ask for the fee to be waived. You may have to provide documentation for the waiver. Or, if you have not booked yet, you could book a one way flight then later book the return for the date you need.
Also, it is possible that if you do have to pay the fee, the $300 annual travel credit on the Chase Sapphire Reserve (if you have not used it and it is available), may reimburse you for the change fee.
deviprasad pai
September 09, 2019
Are there any consequences for cancelling the card?
I would appreciate $0 first year annual fee to be able to try out the card.
Since there is a charge for an additional card holder, do you offer referral bonus points for this additional card holder?
Christine Krzyszton
September 09, 2019
Hello Deviprasad. First be aware that we are not Chase, we are Upgraded Points, a blog specializing in information on travel and credit card rewards. With that said, the Chase Sapphire Reserve does not waive the annual fee the first year or subsequent years. Also, there is no referral bonus for additional authorized users you may add to your card. Thanks for reading and for your questions.
David
September 18, 2019
Explain the “10k per trip and 20k per occurrence” when discussing trip cancellation.
Christine Krzyszton
September 18, 2019
Hi David. The actual language on the Chase web site describing the trip cancellation benefit states “Up to $10,000 per covered trip and a maximum limit of $20,000 per occurrence and a maximum benefit amount per 12-month period of $40,000.” When I read through the terms and conditions listed in the card’s actual guide to benefits, it clarifies further that “If more than one person insured under the same Account suffers a Covered Loss for the same Covered Trip, the Company will not pay more than $20,000 per occurrence.” That sounds like $10,000 per person per trip, up to $20,000 per occurrence but that is only my interpretation.
Bet
October 08, 2019
I always buy trip insurance when going abroad. I am mostly interested with the medical part of the insurance as my husband has a chronic heart condition.
I don’t think it would be considered a pre-existing condition as it is controlled via medication, and there has been no change for the last 10 years. Can I forego travel insurance and rely on Chase’s emergency evacuation/transportation and emergency medical/dental benefits for medical emergencies?
Christine Krzyszton
October 08, 2019
Hello Bet. The $2,500 worth of emergency medical/dental coverage that comes on the card is hardly enough to take the place of a comprehensive travel insurance policy. The evacuation insurance may be sufficient but you may want to consider purchasing supplemental coverage given your husband’s condition. We have written a couple of other articles on travel insurance that may be helpful. /best-travel-insurance and /best-travel-insurance-companies/
Mark
October 08, 2019
I have to pay a homeowners association fee each month and the management company assesses a fee if you use a credit card. I believe the fee is somewhere between 2% and 5% of the total. I am currently using a monthly draft against my checking account to avoid this credit card fee. What would the percentage rate of the fee need to be in order to break even cost-wise, counting the financial value of the points I would earn?
Jarrod West
October 09, 2019
Hi Mark,
In order to break even for the fee you’re paying you would need the rewards rate you earn to match or exceed the fee you’re paying. For example, if your fee is 2%, using a card that earns 2% back would allow you to break even.
Thanks for reading!
Mark
October 12, 2019
I would be using my Chase Sapphire Reserve card.
Jarrod West
October 13, 2019
Hi Mark,
Since the CSR earns just 1x point per $1 in for everything other than travel and dining, whether or not you’re “breaking even” would depend on how much you personally value 1 Chase Ultimate Reward point to be worth.
Mark
October 14, 2019
That answers my question. I would definitely be paying a premium for the points if I used the credit card. Thanks again for your help!
Jarrod West
October 14, 2019
Happy to help, Mark. Thanks for reading!
Phil
January 08, 2020
There are a few benefits that it might be helpful to clarify.
“ Your trip must have been purchased with your Chase Sapphire Reserve® or Ultimate Rewards points to be eligible for this coverage.”
When the UR points are transfer to partner airline to redeem for an award ticket, and say I charge the award ticketing fee to CSR, should I assume we still get the travel insurance, medical emergency insurance and medical coverage, trip cancellation etc?
Christine Krzyszton
January 08, 2020
Hi Phil. Actually, the requirements are slightly different by coverage. Some coverages require that you pay for the entire purchase with your card and/or a combination of Ultimate Rewards points. Others require that only a portion of the purchase be paid with your card. For trip interruption/trip cancellation, for example, the Guide to Benefits states that “any portion of the cost has been charged to the Cardholder’s Account issued by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and/or its affiliates; or any portion of the cost has been paid for with redeemable Rewards that were accumulated by the Cardholder from a Rewards program sponsored by JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A.and/or its affiliates.” This appears to cover the situation you’re referring to for this coverage. However, we are not in a position to interpret coverages. You’ll want to call the benefit administrator or access the Guide to Benefits to determine exact coverage before you travel.
stephen d chiquoine
February 29, 2020
Don’t get too excited by the “added bonus of 1.5 times your points” when using Chases travel program to book flights. I recently documented 4 flights (2 on two different days) where the flights were actually “available” and both Kayak and the specific airline were charging, for example, $300. If you tried to book that flight through Chase’s travel program you’d think it would cost 20000 points but NO…..going through chase that same flight cost $450 so 30000 points. That means that the “.5” point increase meant absolutely nothing.
I raised this with Chase and got a huge runaround (we cant always guarantee the best price, the flight may not have been available (I sent them screen shots…they blew me off), blah blah blah) They use a private company to do the booking and even tried to blame them…I suggested they get Kayak to do the work…..to no avail.
I’m not saying that you will never realize any benefit at all from the “.5” point increase but my experience (and the experience of a number of other Reserve Card members I have spoken to) is that it’s basically BAIT AND SWITCH.
shelby
May 28, 2020
You have to cross check. Some flights also come up cheaper. Its really a shame that Chase aligned with Expedia, because now we are all treated like trash on any hotel booked via the platform. The flight options never include southwest or any of the budget airlines, so I always use a 3-point research approach to determine when it is actually worth it to book. At the end of the day, Chase is starting to suck because Expedia REALLY sucks.
Samuel Roberts
August 08, 2020
The Chase company pretty much hides its information on how to access and use the supposed benefits it offers. Be careful. There’s no point in spending $550/yr if you can’t access the benefits. I’m very disappointed.
Christine Krzyszton
August 09, 2020
Hi Samuel. The easiest way to access a list of all the benefits on your card and how to use each one is by signing into your card rewards account at chase.com/ultimaterewards. At the top of the page, you will see “EARN/REDEEM” and a small arrow. Click on the arrow and you will see “CARD BENEFITS”. Select this option and you will find a list of all the card benefits that come with your card, an explanation of each benefit, and how to utilize it. You’ll also find a link to the card’s Guide to Benefits.
JM Park
May 14, 2022
I am a Chase credit card reserve holder. I know Priority Pass gives you access to lounges at the airport, but what about priority boarding? Thank you.
Jarrod West
May 15, 2022
Hi Jm,
Unfortunately, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card does not give you priority boarding benefits.
Patrick
November 11, 2022
Unless I missed something, you made a slight error near the beginning of this article. You mention the following: “The Chase Sapphire Reserve card has 2 annual travel statement credits: 1 for general travel expenses and 1 for Global Entry, Nexus, or TSA PreCheck.
These benefits are the quickest and easiest ways to realize savings with the card as they apply to your eligible purchases instantly. Plus, they effectively cancel out $400 of the card’s $550 annual fee so long as you use the entirety of both credits.”
However, the $100 credit for Global Entry/TSA/Nexus is once every four years, not annually. That means your $400 cancellation of the $550 annual fee only happens once every four years. The other years it’s only $300. Still a hefty chunk and utilizing the remaining benefits regularly negate the balance anyway but just want to make sure costs are correctly stated.
Jarrod West
November 14, 2022
Hi Patrick,
Thanks for pointing that out. This language has been corrected.
Any thoughts or questions? Comment below!
Email needed if you'd like comment updates. It will NOT be published.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.