Utilizing the Chase Sapphire Reserve travel credit effectively

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers numerous luxury perks, including airport lounge access, travel protections, and transferrable travel rewards. However, the card comes with a high annual fee of $550. Fortunately, you can offset more than half of that fee through the card's easily redeemable travel credits, which provide up to $300 in value annually.

Signing up for the Chase Sapphire Reserve is now a great opportunity due to a limited-time bonus offer. New members can earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first three months from account opening, which is 25% higher than the standard offer. This makes the already excellent travel credit card even better.

How does the Chase Sapphire Reserve travel credit work?

Earning the annual travel credit on the Chase Sapphire Reserve is straightforward. Simply use your card to make eligible travel purchases, and the first $300 will be credited to your account as a statement. Unlike other cards with this benefit, you don't have to make purchases through a specific site or rewards portal to earn the credit.

Although the first $300 in travel purchases won't earn points, this card offers a generous return on travel spending, making it a worthwhile investment. The statement credit will be posted to your account the same day as the eligible travel purchase posts, providing a significant discount on the card's annual fee.

What triggers the Chase Sapphire Reserve travel credit?

Some purchase categories that should be considered for your $300 annual credit include airfare and hotel bookings, in addition to other transactions.

Airlines
Hotels
Motels
Timeshares
Car rental agencies
Cruise lines
Travel agencies
Discount travel sites
Campgrounds
Trains
Buses
Taxis
Limousines
Ferries
Toll bridges and highways
Parking lots and garages

The travel credit is dependent on how the merchant codes the transaction. Although this issue is rare, some packaged travel services may not qualify for the credit.

You can add up to four authorized users to your Sapphire Reserve account for $75 per person annually, and their purchases will trigger the credit. However, there is only one travel credit per account, not per card. Therefore, if the primary accountholder spends $300 in travel on their card and an authorized user spends $300 in travel, only the first $300 in combined travel purchases will be reimbursed.

When does the Chase Sapphire Reserve travel credit reset?

The Sapphire Reserve's travel credit resets annually, not monthly. To track your credit usage, you can call the number on the back of your card or check your Chase Ultimate Rewards® account page online.

Alternate cards with travel credits

The Amex Platinum offers travel credits, but enrollment or activation is required, unlike the Sapphire Reserve. Despite this, the Amex Platinum allows cardholders to earn over $1,000 back annually on purchases such as airline fees, digital entertainment, hotels, and CLEAR membership. Terms apply.

The U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Card offers a higher annual credit and a lower annual fee compared to the Sapphire Reserve. Each year, cardholders can utilize up to $325 in dining and travel credits, which covers all but $75 of the card's $400 annual fee. It is challenging not to fully utilize this credit every year with the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve card.

Bottom line

The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers numerous luxury benefits, but its $550 annual fee is quite expensive. Nevertheless, the card comes with an easy-to-use annual travel credit that enables cardholders to earn up to $300 back on eligible travel purchases each year.

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