Chase Sapphire Reserve Card – Full Review [2025]

Great Card If

• You’re a frequent traveler who can easily take advantage of the various annual credits
• You want a card with premium perks and benefits like airport lounge access and hotel elite status
• You want a card that provides top-notch travel insurance and purchase protection

Don’t Get If

• You don’t travel much
• You cannot afford or justify the $795 annual fee

Chase Sapphire Reserve Card — Is It Worth It?

The Chase Sapphire Reserve^® is a powerhouse of a card.

Not only does it help you earn rewards on many purchase categories, including travel and dining, but the card also comes packed with benefits sure to excite frequent travelers.

Our favorite benefits include a $300 annual travel credit, complimentary access to Chase Sapphire lounges and Priority Pass lounges, a $500 annual The Edit credit, a $300 annual dining credit, and up to $120 in annual Lyft credits.

Once you’re ready to redeem your points, you have tons of options for doing so. You can redeem points for cash-back, travel through the Chase Travel portal using the Points Boost feature to receive up to 2x value, or for outsized value through one of Chase’s travel transfer partners, such as World of Hyatt.

That’s not all, though. The Chase Sapphire Reserve card offers top-notch consumer protections, including trip delay reimbursement, lost luggage reimbursement, auto rental coverage, purchase protection, and return protection.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card is a must-have for many Upgraded Points writers, including Upgraded Points’ Content Contributor Lori Zaino, who had this to say about her Chase Sapphire Reserve card:

“As someone who spends a significant amount on travel and dining, I’m able to get a lot of value out of the Chase Sapphire Reserve card’s bonus categories. I also love that the $300 annual travel credit makes the annual fee seem much less daunting. With Chase’s ample selection of travel partners, I can always find a high-value way to maximize my points — even more so when Chase offers transfer bonuses. Recent transfer bonuses on Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Iberia Avios have allowed me to bank many additional Avios, leading to some incredible award redemptions. These are some of the main reasons I keep the Chase Sapphire Reserve card year after year — I’m able to bank lots of points, offset the annual fee, and get high-value redemptions thanks to its flexible points and transfer options.”

Lori Zaino, Content Contributor

In our view, if you’re a frequent traveler looking for a premium all-in-one card that’s great at earning points, offers benefits like lounge access, and keeps you covered when things go wrong, then the Chase Sapphire Reserve card would be worth it to you.

Chase Sapphire Reserve Card Top Benefits

Annual Credits

To help offset the annual fee, the card comes with an extensive collection of annual credits, including:

• $300 annual travel credit
• $500 annual The Edit credit, delivered in 2 separate $250 biannual credits (2-night minimum stay required)
• $300 annual dining credit and primetime reservations at Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables, available for booking on OpenTable, delivered in 2 separate $150 biannual credits.
• $300 annual StubHub credit on concert and event tickets, delivered in 2 separate $150 biannual credits for StubHub and viagogo
• $120 in annual Lyft in-app credits, up to $10 monthly
• $300 annually in monthly DoorDash promos and a complimentary DashPass membership worth $120 annually, which includes a $5 restaurant credit and 2 $10 credits to spend on groceries, beauty, electronics, and more. Value does not carry over month-to-month.
• $250 annual value through complimentary subscriptions to Apple TV+ and Apple Music (separate activation required)
• Up to $120 in annual statement credits toward Peloton memberships

Collectively, this gives you over $2,000 in annual credits. While some will be more useful than others, many should be relatively easy to use due to the flexibility or because they are delivered in large, biannual credits.

Airport Lounge Access

Another top benefit of the Chase Sapphire Reserve card is lounge access. Cardholders have access to the exclusive Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club network and Priority Pass lounges.

You also get a Priority Pass Select membership, which gives cardholders access to 1,300 airport lounges. With your membership, you can bring 2 guests into any lounge with you.

Airport lounge access is a great perk, whether you enjoy a preflight snack, complimentary beverages, or a quiet space to work before a flight.

Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck Fee Credit Benefit

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card will help you get Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck at no out-of-pocket cost once every 4 years. Charge the application fee to your card, which will automatically be reimbursed as a statement credit.

Global Entry is a 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’re approved for the Global Entry program, you also receive TSA PreCheck. With your application fees covered by the card, there’s no reason not to apply for Global Entry if you’re eligible.

The Edit by Chase

The Edit by Chase is a network of over 1,100 of the world’s best hotels and resorts. When you book a hotel through The Edit, you can receive special benefits and privileges, including:

• Daily breakfast for 2 guests
• Free Wi-Fi
• Room upgrade (when available at select properties)
• Early check-in and late checkout (when available at select properties)
• Up to a $100 property credit

IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite Status

By holding the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you’ll receive automatic IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status, which includes perks such as:

• 60% bonus points
• Complimentary upgrades (subject to availability)
• Welcome amenity at check-in
• Early check-in (subject to availability)
• 2 p.m. late checkout (subject to availability)
• Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Five Star Status

Primary Auto Rental Coverage

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card offers primary auto rental coverage and pays for any loss, theft, or damage to your rental car, towing, and loss of use for the rental company, up to $75,000 for rentals 31 days or shorter.

For this coverage to apply, you must pay for the entire rental with your Chase Sapphire Reserve card. You must also refuse any collision and loss damage waiver coverages from the rental company. If you don’t do this, the rental company’s coverage will apply first.

Certain vehicle exclusions apply, namely for high-end sports and luxury cars. If you’re renting a specialty vehicle, be sure to double-check your coverage.

Trip Interruption/Cancellation Insurance

If your trip gets cut short due to sickness, extreme weather, or other select situations, you’ll be covered up to $10,000 per person ($20,000 per trip). These benefits cover you and your immediate family for prepaid, non-refundable travel expenses, including passenger fares, tours, and hotels.

Trip Delay Reimbursement

If your flight on a common carrier is delayed more than 6 hours or requires an overnight stay, you’re covered for up to $500 per person with a delayed ticket. This delay can be for any reason, even bad weather or air traffic control issues.

The $500 can cover expenses incurred during the delay, including meals, lodging, toiletries, medication, and other personal items.

Baggage Delay and Lost Luggage Reimbursement

If your bag is delayed by an airline, bus, cruise ship, or train for more than 6 hours, your card will cover up to $100 per day for up to 5 days in purchases of emergency supplies like toiletries, clothing, and 1 cell phone charger.

If the carrier loses or damages your baggage during your trip, you’re covered up 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.

Purchase Protection

Purchasing an item with your card protects it from theft and damage for the first 120 days you own it. For example, if you buy a new laptop and it’s stolen the next day, you’ll be reimbursed for replacing it.

A maximum of $10,000 per claim and up to $50,000 per account are available for coverage. Further, this coverage has exclusions and is secondary to your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy, so be sure to check the details of this benefit.

Purchase protection is especially valuable for cell phones, laptops, tablets, and other easily lost items, so consider putting tech purchases on your new Chase Sapphire Reserve card.

Extended Warranty Protection

When you purchase eligible items with your card, the manufacturer’s warranty is 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. Foreign purchases may also be eligible if they have a store-purchased dealer or assembler warranty.

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.

Roadside Assistance

The roadside assistance provided with your card is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It covers you while driving your own vehicle or any other vehicle with the owner’s permission.

Covered services include the following:

• Battery boost
• Flat tire service
• Fuel delivery
• Towing
• Lockout assistance

Coverage is limited to $50 per occurrence, a maximum of 4 times per year, which should be more than enough for most drivers.

Perks Unlocked With Annual Spending

Additionally, the card offers a few perks that you can access only if you spend $75,000 on purchases in a calendar year:

• IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite Status
• Southwest Airlines A-List Status and a $500 Southwest Airlines credit when booked through Chase Travel 
• $250 credit to The Shops at Chase

Best Ways To Earn and Redeem Your Chase Points

If you’re hooked on travel rewards, you’re likely wondering how to earn even more points. Our guide covering the best ways to earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points will help you hit the ground running.

Of course, earning points is just one part of the equation, as you also need to know how to redeem them effectively. Our dedicated guide breaks down many of our favorite redemption options using Chase Ultimate Rewards points and shows you how to book them!

Most of our favorite redemptions involve utilizing Chase transfer partners, and while there’s a bit of a learning curve, you’ll find that these redemptions can get you the best value for your points by far!

Alternative Cards to the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card

The Platinum Card^® from American Express

Often mentioned alongside the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, the Amex Platinum card is a competitive premium rewards credit card that.

The Amex Platinum card offers some of the best elite perks on the market, including Gold status with Marriott and Hilton hotels upon enrollment, access to American Express Centurion Lounges, 10 visits to Delta Sky Clubs (when flying Delta) and the ability to unlock unlimited visits through spend, and Uber and Saks Fifth Avenue credits with enrollment.

If you prefer a card with more elite perks and expansive lounge access, the Amex Platinum card might be a better option.

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

While the Hilton Aspire card is technically a hotel card, it offers other travel benefits, such as airport lounge access and 7x Hilton Honors points on airfare.

You’ll also receive up to a $400 Hilton resort credit, complimentary Diamond status, and an annual free night certificate to use at a Hilton hotel.

While Hilton Honors points aren’t as valuable as Chase Ultimate Rewards points, if you’re a Hilton loyalist who spends many nights each year at its hotels, this could be your best card option.

The information regarding the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

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We’ve also compared the Chase Sapphire Reserve card to several other popular cards:

• Chase Sapphire Reserve card vs. American Express^® Gold Card
• Chase Sapphire Reserve card vs. Amex Platinum card
• Chase Sapphire Reserve card vs. The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express
• Chase Sapphire Reserve card vs. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
• Chase Sapphire Reserve card vs. Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
• Chase Sapphire Reserve card vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited^®
• Chase Sapphire Reserve card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card
• Chase Sapphire Reserve card vs. Citi Strata Premier℠ Card
• Chase Sapphire Reserve card vs. Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve American Express Card
• Chase Sapphire Reserve card vs. Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card

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UP’s Card Review Methodology

Every card we review is assigned a "U.P. Rating" – our star-based system that encompasses all the key details to showcase a card’s standout features, where it falls short, and how it stacks up for travelers to maximize rewards.

These ratings range from 0 to 5 stars and are determined by carefully weighing crucial factors like:

• Bonus categories
• Benefits and perks
• Quality of associated loyalty programs
• Annual fees and other costs
• Size of the welcome bonus (and relative to the annual fee)
• And several more

You can learn more about how Upgraded Points reviews and rates credit cards.