Chase Sapphire Reserve® review: One of the most valuable travel rewards cards
Editors’ take: The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a top-tier travel rewards card offering extensive perks like a generous travel credit and access to airport lounges around the world. Its high annual fee makes it best for those who travel frequently enough to maximize its benefits.
Great for maximizing flexible travel
Annual Fee: $550
This content is curated by Intuit Credit Karma’s Editorial team using data from members who were approved for this card or similar cards, or who self-matched this card or similar cards. Intuit Credit Karma receives compensation from third-party advertisers, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our third-party advertisers don’t review, approve or endorse this content. Information about financial products not offered on Credit Karma is collected independently. Our content is accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted.
Here’s the average credit limit of members who matched their Chase Sapphire Reserve® or similar cards.
% of members by credit limit range
The average credit limit for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is $15,452, with $5,000 being the most common.
Here’s the average credit score of members who matched their Chase Sapphire Reserve® or similar cards.
% of members by credit score range
The average credit score for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is 711, with 810 being the most common. Note this is just one of the deciding factors when it comes to getting approved.
Member stats
Updated daily
26.6%
Average credit utilization (or what percent of the card’s credit limit is being used) of members who matched with this card or similar cards.
41 years
Average age of members who matched this card or similar cards.
$105,369
Average annual income of members who matched this card or similar cards. Note: Income may be estimated for some members by Credit Karma and may differ from members’ actual incomes.
Pros and cons
Image: yesBig sign-up bonus
Image: yesFlexible travel credit
Image: yesCompetitive travel and dining rewards
Image: ConHigh annual fee
Image: ConBonus rewards rate on travel only kicks in after travel credit has been used
Chase Sapphire Reserve® review
Updated January 17, 2025
This date may not reflect recent changes in individual terms.
Written by: Tim Devaney
Is the Chase Sapphire Reserve® worth it?
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is geared toward frequent travelers who want to be pampered with points and perks that make trips more rewarding.
But the high annual fee means you’ll want to consider just how much value you’ll get from all its perks.
To get the most benefit from the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, you’ll want to take advantage of the travel and lifestyle credits, as well as the Priority Pass Select membership and application credits for programs like TSA Precheck® that will shorten your time at airport security.
Chase Sapphire Reserve® at a glance
- Annual fee: $550
- Sign-up bonus: 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases during the first 3 months after opening the account
- Estimated welcome bonus value: Up to $1,278
- Standout benefit: $300 annual travel credit
- Standout rewards rate: 5 points per $1 spent on flights purchased through Chase Travel℠ (after annual travel credit is earned)
Chase Sapphire Reserve® best perks and features
Valuable sign-up bonus
You’ll earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 on purchases during the first 3 months after opening the account.
When redeemed toward travel through the Chase Travel℠ portal, that sign-up bonus is worth $900. But if you transfer your sign-up bonus points to one of Chase’s travel partners, they could be worth even more — our editors estimate up to $1,278.
$300 travel credit
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® features a flexible travel credit of up to $300 that you can use each card anniversary year to pay for flights, hotels, and other eligible travel expenses.
The benefit is applied automatically as a statement credit, so you don’t have to apply for reimbursement. If you travel regularly, this credit alone creates substantial value toward justifying the card’s annual fee.
Competitive travel and dining rewards
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers strong reward for travel and dining. After reaching your $300 travel statement credit, you’ll earn:
- 10 points per $1 spent on eligible hotels and car rentals purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 10 points per $1 spent on Chase Dining purchases
- 5 points per $1 spent on flights purchased through Chase Travel℠
Plus:
- 3 points for every $1 spent on travel purchases not booked through Chase
- 3 points per $1 spent on dining purchases
- 1 point per $1 spent on other eligible purchases
You’ll also receive a complimentary DashPass membership valid for at least 12 months when you activate by Dec. 31, 2027. With DashPass, your delivery fee is waived on eligible orders that meet spending requirements. And you’ll get a $10 discount each calendar month on two eligible non-restaurant orders on DoorDash.
Perks to smooth your travels
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® comes with a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership after one-time enrollment. This perk gives you and up to two guests access to more than 1,300 airport lounges around the world where you can relax while you’re waiting for your flight.
You’ll also get an application fee credit worth up to $100 every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS or TSA Precheck®. Those are perks we’d expect from a luxury travel card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers a full slate of travel insurance.
This includes coverage for trip delay, trip cancellation, lost luggage and emergency evacuation if you’re injured during your vacation.
What are the drawbacks of the Chase Sapphire Reserve®?
High annual fee
The card’s $550 annual fee can be a tough pill to swallow. However, the flexible travel credit of up to $300 can help offset this cost, bringing the effective annual fee down to a more manageable number.
Bonus rewards rate on travel only kicks in after travel credit has been used
The three points per $1 spent on travel purchases only apply after you’ve used the $300 travel statement credit. This means you need to spend more to start earning the higher rewards rate.
How to redeem for Chase Ultimate Rewards points
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers some of the most valuable points on the market. Your points are worth 1.5 cents each when you factor in the 50% bonus you receive for redeeming for travel through Chase Travel℠.
You can also transfer your points 1-to-1 to several popular airline and hotel partners, where you might get more bang for your buck.
Other cards to consider
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®: This card is a good fit for budget-conscious travelers who don’t require as many airport perks.
- Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card: This card could be a better option for travelers with more business expenses than personal ones.
- Platinum Card® from American Express: This premium card could be the choice for travelers seeking even more luxury.
Credit Karma’s methodology
Credit Karma uses qualitative and quantitative measures to review travel and premium credit cards. Our goal is to help you understand a card’s most useful features — and where it may fall short compared to other options.
We take into account factors such as unique rewards and benefits, ease of redeeming rewards, fees and rates, transfer partners, lounge access and rewards rates.
Credit Karma editors have also built some proprietary metrics to measure the value of rewards credit cards.
Our point valuations estimate how much rewards programs are worth. We look at both the value you could get by redeeming your points directly through a credit card issuer, as well as the value you could get by transferring your points and miles to an airline or hotel rewards program.
Instead of just telling you how many miles you could earn, the editors’ estimated bonus value multiplies the sign-up bonus by the reward program’s point valuations to tell you how much we believe they’re worth.
Our goal is that these metrics will help you decide whether the card’s rewards and benefits are worth it for you.
FAQs about the Chase Sapphire Reserve®
The large majority Credit Karma members who report having the Chase Sapphire Reserve® or similar cards have good or excellent credit. Keep in mind that your credit score is just one of the deciding factors when it comes to getting approved.
Most Credit Karma members who report having the Chase Sapphire Reserve® or similar cards, have credit limits of $10,000 or higher. But keep in mind that lower credit limits are also common.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is ideal for frequent travelers. You’ll earn points and perks that make your trip more rewarding.
The card also earns good rewards for dining purchases. Before you apply, consider whether you want to commit to the high annual fee and if you’ll end up earning enough credits and points to offset the fee.
Member reviews
Most helpful positive review
February 13, 2024
Instant approval with good CK odds
— Credit Karma Member
CK 755 range Fico 722 instantly approved for 20k. Looking forward to the perks.
Most helpful negative review
November 18, 2023
Terrible customer service for a huge annual fee.
— Credit Karma Member
Chase Sapphire Reserve: The worst customer service imaginable for a $550 annual fee. I’ve used the Chase travel app twice now for travel and both times it was a nightmare. 1. Their customer service line for travel assistance didn’t have an international calling option and 2. Due to some glitch, I wasn’t able to select options on the menu. 3. Despise being our travel booking agent, they offered no options and no possible solutions to help us rebook our cancelled flights. 4. They said they would not honor the trip insurance or any refund of out of pocket expenses because the flight was cancelled due to staffing shortages (currently the most common reason for cancellations). For one of the most expensive travel cards on the market, I expected a lot more. But at minimum, I expected them to at least honor the tickets we paid for. Truly shameful.