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[Expired] 4 Incredible First Class Flights You Can Book With Chase Sapphire Reserve’s 150K Welcome Bonus

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Juan Ruiz
Edited by: Michael Y. Park
& Jestan Mendame
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The Chase Sapphire Reserve® has long been one of the most popular premium travel rewards cards, and its all-time best 150,000-point welcome offer makes it even more exciting for travelers chasing luxury experiences.

With that many Chase Ultimate Rewards points, the possibilities are endless if you know how to maximize Chase’s airline transfer partners. And while there are countless ways to redeem those points, few are more aspirational than booking international first-class flights that normally cost thousands of dollars.

Whether it’s a private suite, an ultracomfortable seat, or simply one of the most memorable flights you’ll ever take, here are 4 incredible first-class award flights you can book with the Chase Sapphire Reserve card’s massive welcome bonus offer right now.

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Chase Sapphire Reserve Card Overview

For travelers who actually plan to use the card’s benefits, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card can deliver a surprising amount of value beyond just the welcome offer.

The card comes packed with premium travel perks, including airport lounge access, a flexible $300 annual travel credit, strong travel protections, and access to Chase Ultimate Rewards points — one of the most valuable and flexible points currencies around.

Of course, all of that comes with a premium price tag. The Chase Sapphire Reserve card carries a $795 annual fee, though frequent travelers can offset a large chunk of that cost by maximizing the card’s built-in credits and travel benefits.

Hot Tip:

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card features its best publicly available 150,000-point welcome offer, surpassing previous elevated welcome offers from past years. Check out all of the welcome offers on the Chase Sapphire Reserve card available since 2017.

What Are 150,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points Worth?

We value Chase Ultimate Rewards at 2 cents each. Conservatively, the 150,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points could easily be worth about $3,000 in travel when you transfer them strategically to airline and hotel partners.

Lufthansa first class A340 cabin
You can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to airline partners to book first-class seats. Image Credit: Juan Ruiz

The real magic happens when you start to redeem Ultimate Rewards points for premium cabin flights — especially international first class. That’s where you can start getting truly crazy value from your points, turning a single welcome bonus offer into flights that would normally cost $10,000 or in cash.

This is exactly why transferable points are so valuable in the first place. Instead of being stuck with 1 airline, Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer 1:1 to several different loyalty programs, including Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways Club, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Singapore KrisFlyer, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, and United MileagePlus.

In other words, you’ve got a lot of them. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that booking international first class with points has become tougher over the years. Many airlines are shrinking their first-class cabins or eliminating them altogether in favor of larger business-class ones.

So instead of highlighting flashy dream redemptions that are basically impossible to book, we’ll focus on first-class awards you can actually find with planning and flexibility.

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1. Lufthansa First Class to Germany (From 90K Points)

Lufthansa First Class remains one of the most aspirational ways to use Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

Passengers get access to Lufthansa’s famous First Class Terminal in Frankfurt, complete with private security, premium dining, and chauffeur service directly to the aircraft. While Lufthansa’s new Allegris First Class remains mostly unavailable with partner points, the airline’s existing first class on the Boeing 747, Airbus A380, and Airbus A340 are still an incredible experience.

Lufthansa first class A340 seat
New or old, Lufthansa First Class is still an incredible experience — especially for just 90,000 points. Image Credit: Juan Ruiz

The easiest way to book Lufthansa First Class with points is through Air Canada Aeroplan, which is a Chase transfer partner. Flights from cities like New York (JFK), Chicago (ORD), Los Angeles (LAX), and Washington, D.C. (IAD), to Frankfurt or Munich can sometimes cost around 90,000 to 100,000 Aeroplan points one-way.

I actually flew Lufthansa First Class last year from Frankfurt (FRA) to New York (JFK) after booking a last-minute Aeroplan award for 90,000 Aeroplan points just a few days before departure.

LH first class award 90k points Aeroplan
I couldn’t believe I booked Lufthansa First Class for just 90,000 points and a little over $200 on a flight that normally costs more than $10,000. Image Credit: Air Canada

There’s an important catch: Lufthansa usually releases partner first-class award space close to departure, often within 14 days. That makes flexibility essential, but it can absolutely pay off.

2. ANA First Class to Japan (From 57.5K Points)

ANA First Class remains one of the most sought-after award flights in the world, thanks to its polished service, excellent food, and spacious seats.

The airline’s newest The Suite first class gets most of the attention, but honestly, even ANA’s older first class is still an outstanding experience with huge seats, top-notch Japanese hospitality, and one of the best inflight dining experiences across the Pacific.

ANA First Class Cabin
Whether you fly ANA’s newest The Suite or the airline’s older first class, this is the kind of flight that will easily become a highlight of your trip to Japan. Image Credit: Stella Shon

You can book ANA First Class with Chase Ultimate Rewards points through Air Canada Aeroplan, with flights to Tokyo often starting around 90,000 points one-way. Popular routes include New York (JFK), Chicago (ORD), and San Francisco (SFO) to Tokyo Haneda (HND).

ANA first class award aeroplan points
Even though this ANA First Class flight costs 90,000 points through Aeroplan, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club is still one of the best Chase sweet spots for booking the exact same seat. Image Credit: Air Canada

But you can actually do even better.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club still offers one of the best sweet spots in award travel, with ANA First Class awards starting at just 57,500 points one-way from Honolulu (HNL) to Japan or vice-versa. Once you find award availability, you’ll need to call Virgin Atlantic Flying Club to book.

ANA often releases 1 first class award seat, and flexibility is key, as ANA first-class partner award space can be limited.

Hot Tip:

If you find ANA First Class award space through Aeroplan or another Star Alliance partner, don’t transfer your Chase points immediately. Instead, call Virgin Atlantic Flying Club first, since Virgin can often book the exact same ANA First Class seat for far fewer points: 72,500 points one-way from the West Coast to Japan, 85,000 points from the East Coast, and 57,500 points between Honolulu and Tokyo.

3. Singapore Airlines First Class to Frankfurt (From 106K Points)

Yes, you can actually fly Singapore Airlines First Class between New York (JFK) and Frankfurt (FRA) on the exact same route many travelers fly Lufthansa. But this experience feels completely different.

Singapore Airlines operates the route with its Boeing 777-300ER, featuring an exclusive, first-class cabin with just 4 seats, creating an incredibly private and personalized feel.

singapore 777 first class seat 1A
It’s hard to find a more exclusive way to fly to Europe than in a 4-seat Singapore Airlines First Class cabin. Image Credit: Ehsan Haque

The service is consistently regarded as the best in the world, and first-class passengers also get access to Singapore Airlines’ famous Book the Cook program, which lets travelers preorder premium restaurant-quality meals before departure, including dishes that aren’t available on the standard menu.

The best way to book Singapore Airlines First Class with Chase Ultimate Rewards points is to transfer them directly to Singapore KrisFlyer, since the airline releases significantly more premium cabin award space to its own members than to partner airlines.

Award pricing varies based on demand, but your goal should be to find saver-level award space, where Singapore Airlines First Class between New York and Frankfurt can cost as little as 106,500 KrisFlyer miles one-way.

Singapore First Class award
Look for saver-level award space through KrisFlyer to book Singapore Airlines First Class on this route for just 106,500 miles one-way. Image Credit: Singapore Airlines

That means the Chase Sapphire Reserve card’s current 150,000-point welcome offer could realistically cover a flight in this exclusive 4-seat cabin. If you’re lucky, you might even end up having the entire first-class cabin to yourself.

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4. Japan Airlines First Class to Tokyo (From 123K Points)

Japan Airlines First Class on the Boeing 777 remains one of the most memorable ways to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for a true luxury flight to Japan. Even though the seat itself is older than some Japan Airlines first-class products, the experience is still exceptional.

Japan Airlines 777 First Class
To this day, Japan Airlines First Class remains one of the most amazing flights I’ve ever taken. Image Credit: Juan Ruiz

The cabin has just 8 seats in a spacious 1-2-1 layout, and passengers can expect incredible catering, especially on flights departing Tokyo, along with some of the best service in the sky and an impressive selection of sparkling wine and Japanese whisky.

One of the best ways to book these flights is through the British Airways Club, which partners with Chase Ultimate Rewards at a 1:1 ratio. Award rates to Tokyo can cost around 123,750 Avios one-way in first class.

Japan Airlines first-class awards are often snapped up right when the booking calendar opens, typically around 355 days before departure through British Airways Club. At the same time, JAL occasionally releases last-minute first-class award space to partner airlines just days before departure. As long as you time it right, these coveted awards are attainable.

Hot Tip:

While booking Japan Airlines First Class awards requires a strategy, travelers hoping to experience the airline’s newest A350-1000 First Class Suites should focus their searches on flights from Los Angeles (LAX), Dallas Fort Worth (DFW), and New York (JFK). At the time of writing, these are the only U.S. routes with JAL’s newest first-class cabin, which includes enclosed suites and updated interiors.

Final Thoughts

With the Chase Sapphire Reserve card currently offering a high 150,000-point welcome bonus offer, travelers have a real opportunity to turn a single welcome offer into a luxury flight that could otherwise cost well over $10,000 in cash.

However, true international first-class awards are becoming harder to find as more airlines shrink or completely eliminate their first-class cabins in favor of more business-class seats. That’s a big part of what makes these redemptions feel even more valuable today.

The good news is that with flexibility and the right strategy, incredible experiences like first class on Lufthansa, ANA, Singapore Airlines, and Japan Airlines are still realistically bookable with Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

Juan Ruiz's image

About Juan Ruiz

Juan is a leading expert in credit cards, loyalty programs, and airlines and hotels, with over a decade of experience helping readers and clients maximize points, miles, and travel value. His insights have appeared in prestigious outlets including USA Today, Travel & Leisure, CNN Underscored, Forbes, and The Points Guy, where he’s known for making complex travel strategies accessible and actionable. As the founder of JetBetter, Juan turns the complex world of points and miles into effortless, high-value travel, guiding clients through award redemptions, uncovering maximum value, and delivering stress-free, expertly planned trips that both travelers and industry insiders rely on.

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