I have a special connection with my Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees).
It was my first travel rewards card, and I proudly used its rewards to make my first-ever transferable points redemption in 2023 — booking a comfortable Hyatt House in Atlanta by transferring my Ultimate Rewards points to World of Hyatt. From there, I was hooked.
The Sapphire Preferred’s premium sibling, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees), has been on my radar since Chase eased eligibility requirements to carry both Sapphire cards at the same time. The card’s beloved flexible travel credit and luxurious airport lounge access have especially caught my eye.
Now, with the Sapphire Reserve’s outstanding bonus, offering 150,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, and solid ongoing value, I am ready to add a second Sapphire to my wallet.
Here’s a deeper dive into what’s driving my decision.
Why I’m eligible for the Sapphire Reserve
As I mentioned earlier, I became eligible for the Sapphire Reserve after Chase loosened restrictions on holding multiple Sapphire cards. I’ve never wanted to part with the simple, useful ongoing benefits of my Sapphire Preferred, and now I don’t have to if I want to enjoy the Sapphire Reserve as well.
This is because I’ve never held the Sapphire Reserve or earned its bonus. I’ve only done so with the Sapphire Preferred. If I had previously held the Sapphire Reserve, I wouldn’t be eligible.
I’m also under Chase’s 5/24 rule right now, which means I’ve opened fewer than five new personal cards across all issuers in the last 24 months. This is important to be approved for any Chase card — not just the Sapphire Reserve.
Now that I’ve established my eligibility, let’s dive into the four key reasons I am excited to become a Sapphire Reserve cardholder.
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Related: Am I eligible for the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s bonus?
Statement credits I’ll easily use
With the Sapphire Reserve‘s steep $795 annual fee, it is important to me that I can offset that on an ongoing basis.
While there’s a long list of statement credits with the card, three stand out to me in particular.
Annual travel credit
The Sapphire Reserve’s $300 annual travel credit is one of the best perks out there. It’s flexible, applies to many different types of purchases, and is applied automatically.
These are some examples of what I can use this credit for:
- Airlines
- Buses
- Campgrounds
- Car rental agencies
- Cruise lines
- Discount travel sites
- Ferries
- Hotels
- Limousines
- Motels
- Parking lots and garages
- Passenger trains
- Taxis
- Timeshares
- Toll bridges and highways
- Travel agencies
An important consideration is that you won’t earn points on travel charges that are offset by the $300 credit. However, you will start earning points on travel purchases as soon as you use the full credit.
TPG’s partnerships and newsletter editor, Emily Thompson, found this credit to be useful when she moved across the country earlier this year. The ability to use it at any hotel during the road trip was a game changer.
The Edit credits
I can’t wait to have access to The Edit, Chase’s curated selection of luxury hotels, where Sapphire Reserve cardholders can unlock perks such as daily breakfast for two, room upgrades at select properties (when available) and a special benefit worth up to $100 (unique to each property but often includes a lunch or dinner for two, a spa treatment, golf green fee waivers, a welcome gift or airport transfers).
The Edit isn’t included with my Sapphire Preferred, so this will be a real upgrade.
Plus, the Sapphire Reserve provides up to $500 annually (split into two up-to-$250 credits; must be used on separate bookings) for prepaid The Edit bookings (of two nights or more).
I’ve been eyeing aspirational properties, such as Raffles London at The OWO or Thompson Madrid.
Related: Enjoy luxury perks at our favorite hotels that are part of The Edit by Chase Travel
StubHub credits
I absolutely love going to concerts, sports events and live comedy shows, so the Sapphire Reserve’s statement credits for StubHub and Viagogo purchases will be very easy for me to use up.
With the card, I’ll receive up to $300 annually (split into two up-to-$150 biannual credits; through Dec. 31, 2027).
The Sapphire Reserve offers several other credits, but these three are my favorites — and the ones I expect to use up with ease. When you add them all together, they amount to $1,100 in annual value — offsetting the card’s $795 annual fee by $305.
Related: Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Sapphire Reserve: Which is better for you?
Access to Chase Sapphire Lounges
Ever since I got American Express Platinum Card®, I have become a true airport lounge fanatic.
Visiting the lounge has become one of my favorite parts of any trip, and I’ve experienced serious FOMO as I pass by the gorgeous Chase Sapphire Lounges, since I don’t get access with my Sapphire Preferred.
Thankfully, when I add the Sapphire Reserve, I will have some more lounges to check out:
Though the Priority Pass Select membership benefit (enrollment required) I receive with my Amex Platinum includes one visit to a Chase Sapphire Lounge per calendar year, I am looking forward to expanded lounge access in general with the Sapphire Reserve.
Related: Who should (and shouldn’t) get the Chase Sapphire Reserve?
Better redemptions with Points Boost
While I’ve been accessing Points Boost through the Sapphire Preferred, I’ve long been dreaming of unlocking the sweet potential of up to 2 cents per point with the elevated Points Boost redemptions with the Sapphire Reserve.
The Sapphire Reserve unlocks:
- Up to 2 cents per point in value on select hotel redemptions
- Up to 2 cents per point in value on flight redemptions with select airlines
- 1 cent per point on other eligible purchases
Meanwhile, my Sapphire Preferred currently allows:
- Up to 1.75 cents per point in value on flight redemptions with select airlines
- Up to 1.5 cents per point in value on select hotel redemptions
TPG senior director of content Summer Hull has even stacked The Edit credit with the Sapphire Reserve’s Points Boost for impeccable value, which is a strategy I’d love to replicate in my own upcoming travels.
Related: I saved 100,000 points and $200 on a hotel stay with this 1 booking tweak
Best-ever welcome bonus
The Sapphire Reserve is currently offering new cardholders 150,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
Per TPG’s May 2026 valuations, this bonus is worth an estimated $3,075.
It’s the highest bonus we’ve seen in the card’s history and may be one of the best welcome bonuses we’ve ever seen on a personal card.
With this bonus, I could book multiple nights at a beautiful, all-inclusive resort such as the Secrets Mirabel Cancun Resort & Spa by transferring to World of Hyatt. Or I could book round-trip Polaris business-class tickets to Europe by transferring to United MileagePlus.
With 14 transfer partners, there’s a bevy of options for me.
Related: Why Hyatt continues to be my favorite Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partner
Bottom line
From StubHub credits to more deals on Points Boost and premium lounges to bonus points, there were a lot of reasons for me to finally apply for the Sapphire Reserve.
Knowing how much I have enjoyed the Sapphire Preferred, going up to the next tier of premium benefits with the Sapphire Reserve will add even more luxury to my travel experiences.
The icing on the cake is that I won’t have to give up my beloved Sapphire Preferred, since I can now carry both cards — and earn the Sapphire Reserve’s fantastic 150,000-point bonus.
To learn more, read our full review of the Sapphire Reserve.
Apply here: Chase Sapphire Reserve
