The current Chase Sapphire Reserve sign-up bonus allows new Sapphire Reserve cardholders to earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
With each point valued at around 1.5 cents for travel redemptions through the Chase Travel Portal, this bonus is worth a minimum of $900.
Valuable transfer partners, like Hyatt and United, make this bonus even more valuable.
Things to Know About the Sapphire Reserve Bonus
- Historically, this signup bonus has been as high as 100,000 points. However, it has stayed at 60,000 CUR points for all of 2023.
- The $550 annual fee is charged when the card is approved and does not count toward the minimum spending requirement to earn the bonus.
- Chase has a 5/24 rule, where your application will be declined if you have opened five or more credit cards across all banks within the past 24 months.
- The Chase 48-month rule means you can earn a different card’s bonus once within 48 months. This applies to Sapphire Reserve and Preferred.
Link to Chase Sapphire Reserve application (this is my personal referral link, so I’ll earn a bonus if you click it and are approved).
Credit Score Needed for the Chase Sapphire Reserve
To be approved for the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you’ll need a good to excellent credit score of generally 720 or higher.
While there is no official minimum income, approval is more likely if you have an above average individual or household income.
As a premium travel card, the Sapphire Reserve is better suited for those with established credit and earnings as opposed to those with mediocre credit, or those looking for their first credit card.
As a rule, Chase is looking for a proven track record of responsible credit use and stable income to ensure that the applicant can manage the $550 annual fee.
Chase Sapphire Reserve Overview
The Chase Sapphire Reserve is a premium travel rewards credit card with a high $550 annual fee but some very lucrative benefits.
One key benefit is the $300 annual travel credit, which can be applied towards any purchase categorized as “travel” by Chase. This includes airfare, hotels, car rentals, parking, rideshares and more — regardless of whether that travel is booked directly through the Chase Travel Portal.
As the $300 travel credit can be easily used each year towards routine travel purchases, it’s helpful to think of the Sapphire Reserve’s annual fee as only $250.
Some of the card’s other standout benefits include:
- Access to over 1,300 airport lounges globally through enrollment in Priority Pass.
- A $100 credit every four years to cover Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fees.
- A 50% bonus when redeeming points for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal, making points worth 1.5 cents each.
- 3X points on all travel purchases and dining after the $300 annual travel credit is used.
- Travel protections like primary auto rental collision damage waiver and trip interruption insurance.
- Complimentary DashPass membership from DoorDash for $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for one year when activated by 12/31/2024, plus $5 in monthly DoorDash credits.
- Complimentary Instacart+ membership for one year and $15 monthly statement credits through July 2024.
How to Maximize the Chase Sapphire Reserve Sign-Up Bonus
After meeting the $4,000 minimum spending requirement, you will earn at least 64,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points.
The best ways to use this valuable signup bonus for free travel include:
- Book award hotel nights with partners like World of Hyatt to maximize value. For example, 63,000 points could get you three free nights at the Andaz Costa Rica Resort at Peninsula Papagayo, costing 21,000 points per night. Get six free nights if you and a spouse both earn the bonus.
- Transfer points to airline partners like United, Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France/KLM Flying Blue and British Airways Avios to book award flights. These programs allow you to book an international business class ticket for 60,000 points or less.
- While usually not the maximum value, redeeming points through the Chase travel portal at a rate of 1.5 cents each can help cut down travel costs and provide a lot of flexibility. 64,000 points would equal $960 in travel booked this way.
Why the Chase Sapphire Reserve Makes Other Chase Cards More Valuable
To maximize Chase Ultimate Rewards points, it’s important to have one of three cards that provide access to transfer partners — either the Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Sapphire Preferred, or Ink Business Preferred.
Holding one of these premium cards allows you to move all CUR points to various airline and hotel loyalty programs, which is often where you get the most value.
For example, pairing the Sapphire Reserve with the Chase Freedom card allows you to earn 5X points in rotating categories and then transfer those points to the Reserve, where they can be transferred to travel partners.
Chase also lets you transfer points to one other member of your household. So, couples can combine all rewards earned across their cards for bigger redemptions. For example, a spouse with a Chase Freedom Card can transfer points to their partner’s Chase Sapphire Reserve account.
As a personal example, my household carries several Chase personal cards, including the Sapphire Reserve, Freedom, and Freedom Unlimited (check the current Freedom Unlimited signup bonus). Between my wife and I, we also have the Ink Business Preferred, Ink Cash and Ink Unlimited for business expenses.
Being all-in on Chase cards lets us rack up Ultimate Rewards points across business spending, personal spending and the available bonus categories. We then transfer everything to the Sapphire Reserve to maximize value.
This tactic is known as the Chase Trifecta. For a complete guide and all the rules, see: How to Supercharge Your Credit Card Rewards With the Chase Trifecta.
After You Earn The Sign-Up Bonus, Is the Card Worth It?
For those seeking access to the valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards (CUR) transfer partners, the choice often comes down to this card or the Sapphire Preferred. (Business owners can get the Chase Business Ink Preferred to access CUR points.)
The Preferred carries a lower $95 annual fee, but the Reserve offers additional perks to make the $155 difference in annual fees worthwhile for frequent travelers.
The Reserve provides airport lounge access, 3X points on travel/dining (versus 2X with the Preferred), and superior protections like primary rental coverage.
If you travel more than once or twice yearly, the extra benefits and earnings can easily offset the Reserve’s higher $550 fee. However, the Preferred could be sufficient for infrequent or single-trip travelers to avoid the larger annual cost.
The math becomes more complex if the Preferred offers a higher sign-up bonus, as the value of the bonus points may outweigh the incremental benefits of the Reserve. But currently, both cards offer 60,000 point bonuses after meeting minimum spending.
Link to Chase Sapphire Reserve application (this is my personal referral link).
