How do I use the Chase Sapphire Reserve $300 travel credit?

The $300 travel credit is applied as a statement credit for any travel purchases made with the card immediately following card approval or after each card renewal anniversary. Any purchase that codes as travel is reimbursed up to $300 each card anniversary year.

Will I earn Ultimate Rewards points on my travel purchases that count for the Chase $300 travel credit?

No. You do not earn Ultimate Rewards points on travel purchases that qualify for the $300 travel credit. After $300 in travel purchases have been reimbursed with statement credits, you earn 8x points on all Chase Travel purchases, and 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly.

What counts as travel for the Chase Sapphire Reserve card $300 travel credit?

Any purchase that codes as travel receives the statement credit, up to $300 each card anniversary year. Examples of purchases that can count include airfare, Chase Travel, car rentals, cruises, transit, hotels, and tour companies.

When does the Chase Sapphire Reserve card $300 travel credit reset?

The $300 travel credit resets after the card anniversary statement closing. You can check the month and year your credit resets in the tracker in your online card account. For those cardholders who have older cards, the qualifying year may be a calendar year. Accessing the tracker confirms the actual reset date.

Chase Sapphire Reserve Card — How To Use the $300 Travel Credit

Updated: June 23, 2025, 11:15am CDT

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Table of Contents

Card Overview
Key Benefits of the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
How Does the $300 Travel Credit Work?
What Counts as Travel for the Credit?
How To Determine if You’ve Used the Credit
Is the $300 Annual Travel Credit Worth It?
Final Thoughts

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If you travel, a premium travel rewards card can be an essential tool for earning rewards, having flexible redemption options, and accessing premium travel benefits.

Unfortunately, premium travel rewards cards come with high annual fees. With the Chase Sapphire Reserve^®, you can quickly help offset that fee with an easy-to-use benefit.

The $300 yearly travel credit automatically reimburses your qualifying travel purchases with a statement credit.

We’ll get into the details of how the credit works, which purchases count, and how to track your progress, but first, here’s a quick overview of the Chase Sapphire Reserve card.

Card Overview

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

U.P. Rating

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

Welcome OfferEarn 100,000 bonus points + $500 Chase Travel promo credit after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Get more than $2,700 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
100,000 points + $500 Chase Travel credit

UP's Offer Valuation*:
$2,000

Annual Fee

$795

APR

20.24% - 28.74% Variable

Credit Recommended

Excellent

Why We Like This Card

If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® is one of the best options.

The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like worldwide airport lounge access, with excellent point earning and redemption options. Plus, it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to cover you at home or on the road.

Don’t forget the more than $2,000 in annual credits, which can offset the annual fee!

Pros & Cons

Pros

8x points on all Chase Travel purchases
5x points on Lyft rides
4x points on flights and hotels booked directly

Cons

$795 annual fee

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Earn 100,000 bonus points + $500 Chase Travel℠ promo credit after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Get more than $2,700 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠ and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases
$300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge^® by The Club with two guests. Plus, up to $120 towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck^® every 4 years
Get up to $150 in statement credits every six months for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
Get complimentary Apple TV+, the exclusive streaming home of Apple Originals. Plus Apple Music - all the music you love, across all your devices. Subscriptions run through 6/22/27 - a value of $250 annually
Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

APR: 20.24% - 28.74% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

Key Benefits of the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card

The $300 travel credit is just one of the key benefits of the Chase Sapphire Reserve card. It also has a strong earning structure and flexible redemption options. Several protections and benefits can also provide peace of mind when traveling and save you money.

Here are some additional benefits that make the card one of the best premium travel rewards cards:

A generous welcome bonus offer that can be worth thousands of dollars in travel
8x points on all purchases via Chase Travel (after the $300 in purchases that qualify for the travel credit)
5x points on Lyft rides, plus a $10 monthly in-app credit through September 30, 2027
4x points on flights and hotels booked directly
3x points on dining worldwide
Points redeemable for up to 2 cents each on select flights and hotels via Points Boost through Chase Travel or transferable to airline and hotel partners for potentially greater value
Priority Pass Select membership with access to over 1,300 lounges worldwide
Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS, fee reimbursement, up to $120
Premium travel insurance, including primary car rental insurance; trip cancellation, interruption, and delay; emergency evacuation; and $2,500 incidental medical and dental

Plaza Premium Marmara Lounge SAW Priority Pass signage — Image Credit: Keri Stooksbury

How Does the $300 Travel Credit Work?

Using the $300 travel credit couldn’t be easier. Make a travel purchase with your card and receive an automatic statement credit for the exact amount, up to $300.

There is no need to preregister or enroll your card before making a purchase.

Statement credits are typically applied immediately as purchases are processed in your card account.

A partial credit is applied if a qualifying travel purchase exceeds the remaining unused credit. For example, if your travel purchase is $40 and you have $25 remaining credit, you receive the $25 credit.

Chase Travel Credit Screenshot — Travel credits are applied as a statement credit. Image Credit: Chase

It’s important to note that travel purchases qualifying for the travel credit do not earn Ultimate Rewards points. After the $300 credit is used, you earn the regular rates of 8x points on Chase Travel purchases, 5x points and a $10 monthly in-app credit on Lyft rides through September 30, 2027, and 4x on flights and hotels booked directly.

Bottom Line:

The $300 travel credit is applied immediately to qualifying travel purchases. No preregistering or card enrollment is necessary. You do not earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points on purchases that qualify for the credit, and once the credit is exhausted, you continue to receive the applicable bonus earnings.

Timing Is Important

When you’re initially approved for the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, your $300 travel credit is immediately available. Any travel purchases made qualify for the statement credit.

Once used, the $300 travel credit will be available again after your card renewal anniversary. Any travel purchases made once your card renewal date has passed and the statement has closed count toward the credit.

For example, in the previous screenshot, the card renewal date was January 10. Every travel purchase after that date counted toward the credit.

Cardholders who have older cards (over 7 years) may have a calendar year period to utilize their travel credit.

Bottom Line:

New Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders may use the $300 travel credit immediately. The credit resets annually after the card anniversary statement closes.

What Counts as Travel for the Credit?

AC Hotel Palma Mallorca Train — Most transit tickets, even abroad, count toward the $300 travel credit. Image Credit: Christine Krzyszton

Any purchase that codes as travel counts for the $300 travel statement credit. Here are examples of purchases that could qualify.

Airline incidental fees
Bus or train tickets
Campground fees
Car rental agencies
Cruises
Flights purchased from an airline or Chase Travel
Hotels
Timeshares
Tours
Travel agencies

This list is not all-inclusive, as any purchase that posts to your account as a travel purchase is eligible.

Bottom Line:

Chase has one of the broadest definitions of what counts as a travel purchase. Any purchase that posts to your account that codes as a travel purchase receives the credit.

How To Determine if You’ve Used the Credit

Tracking your progress to ensure you’ve used the entire $300 credit is easy. Log in to your online Chase Sapphire Reserve card account. After accessing your account, select the Redeem option or select Benefits from the More drop-down box. Either will take you to Chase Travel.

Chase 300 Travel Credit Find Tracker — The $300 travel credit tracker is in your Ultimate Rewards account. Image Credit: Chase

Scroll down to the bottom of the page to see your tracker. It shows how much credit you’ve used and when the annual credit will be available again.

Chase Travel Credit Tracker — The annual travel credit tracker helps ensure you maximize the benefit. Image Credit: Chase

Is the $300 Annual Travel Credit Worth It?

Utilizing the $300 annual travel credit easily helps offset the Chase Sapphire Reserve card’s annual fee of $795.

The card has many valuable benefits, but the annual travel credit is simple to use and provides immediate value. Unlike other premium travel rewards cards where only airline incidental fees qualify for travel statement credits, any travel purchase triggers the Chase Sapphire Reserve card travel credit.

Final Thoughts

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card provides a stellar earning structure for travelers, outsized redemptions, and premium travel protections and benefits.

The $300 travel credit is one of the unique benefits that results in immediate economic value to the cardholder.

Selecting the Chase Sapphire Reserve card just for the travel credit may not make sense, but if you’ll use even 1 or 2 of the other benefits, you can come out ahead. Priority Pass Select membership, flexible transferable points, increased value for point redemptions via Chase Travel, and premium travel benefits make the card a strong travel rewards card choice.

Here’s our take on the best travel rewards cards for a broader view of the available travel credit cards.