20 Benefits of Having a Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
Carrying cash is no longer necessary when you have a credit card that enables you to make big purchases that you might otherwise have not afforded. Reward points have become the major incentive behind making use of credit cards, but as with any other product, no credit card is similar to the other. The Chase Sapphire Reserve card comes with a $450 annual fee but the benefits it affords you are worth it. Let’s take a look at some of the Chase Sapphire Reserve benefits you can take advantage of, as highlighted by UpgradedPoints.
1. Helpful in emergencies
Traveling to new places is exciting, but the excitement soon dies when you realize that you left your wallet in the car you had boarded and therefore do not have your cash and credit card. With a Chase Sapphire Reserve card, such situations should not bother you because besides offering all the benefits that come with a Visa Signature card, this credit card is a Visa Infinite card providing you with travel insurance too.
2. 1:1 points transfer to Chase Partners
Booking hotels and flights is what entails travel arrangements, and when you choose to redeem your points with one of the Chase partners, you can enjoy a transfer ratio of 1:1. The best thing is that it does not take long for the transfers to be effected; it is almost instant or at most takes two days. However, you need at least 1,000 points for each transfer, and when the process is complete, the points will go directly into your account with the Chase travel partner.
3. Car rental
Just because you cannot drive your lovely car to wherever you are going does not mean you have to put up with bus schedules or rent a car in a sorry-looking state. With your Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you get to choose a high-end vehicle for those formal occasions you plan on attending, once you join the Emerald Club Executive status. If you enroll in Avis, then you get 30% off qualifying rentals when you use a special code while Silvercar enables you to save up to 20% on the qualifying rentals, if you pay for it using your card. Besides, even if you are looking for only a single-day car rental, you will still enjoy the discounts.
4. Insurance for trip interruption or cancellation
Sometimes no matter how well you had planned for your trip, it has to be canceled and in such an instance, this card covers for the extra cost you had undergone planning for your trip. If you had used your Chase Sapphire Reserve card to purchase additional travel insurance and pre-pay for a tour, then you will be reimbursed. Also, if a covered loss occurs on your way to departure or after taking off and the trip has to be interrupted, you get coverage for the interruption. If you are a frequent traveler, you should note that it only covers $40,000 for a 12-month period and is limited to $10,000 per trip.
5. Reimbursement on trip delay
If you had used your Chase Sapphire Reserve card to purchase a ticket, but unfortunately, your flight is delayed for at least 6 hours, and it results in you staying for the night, then you will be reimbursed $500. The amount goes to cover the expenses such as toiletries, meals, and hotel charges, you have to incur as you wait for your flight to take off. However, the trip you had paid for has to be less than 365 days long and away from your city of residence.
6. Travel accident insurance
Chase Sapphire Reserve card offers two types of travel accident insurance, namely 24-hour and common carrier travel accident insurance. For the common carrier insurance, the maximum coverage is $1,000,000 for death while any other injuries sustained when riding, alighting or boarding your preferred method of travel, will be paid out depending on the extent of the injury. The 24-hour travel accident insurance covers only $100,000 for death while payment for injuries depends on their extent too. It also covers you from the start of the trip to the end.
7. Medical and dental emergencies
Falling ill while on holiday is among the worst things that can happen to dampen your spirits, but Chase Sapphire Reserve card ensures you are well taken care of; as long as you used the card to purchase your ticket. It only covers the cardholder, dependents under 18 or 25 if full-time students, and the cardholder’s spouse. The maximum you can get is $2,500, but if the doctor prohibits you from traveling until you feel better, then the card also caters up to $75 per day for lodging expenses.
8. Does away with foreign transaction fees
Getting ready for a trip involves lots of preparations, and you might need a few extra items that you can only obtain from international businesses. If that happens, using your Chase Sapphire Reserve will ensure that you do not pay foreign transaction fees. Besides, if you prefer to wait and shop while already in a foreign country, the benefit still stands.
9. Global entry reimbursement
Anyone who has the pleasure of traveling abroad knows the pain of waiting in queues awaiting clearance back to the United States. If patience is not your virtue, applying for the Global Entry card will speed up the process and prevent you from standing in line after several hours of being on an airplane. The $100 you use to apply for the Global Entry card is reimbursed to you as a statement of credit. You will, however, have to renew the Global Entry card after every five years to enjoy the expedited entry.
10. Annual travel credit benefit
Any travel purchases that you put on your credit card gets a statement of credit amounting to $300 per year. The good news is you are not limited to using the $300 in a single purchase and can spread it to cover purchases at hotels, airlines, car rental agencies, parking lots, toll bridges among others. Also, if you make multiple smaller purchases in the eligible categories, you will be reimbursed if you are yet to reach the $300 limit. You do not have to register for you to get the credit.
11. Earn points on travel and dining
For every dollar you spend dining or traveling across the globe, you can earn three ultimate rewards. The catch is the seller must be in the travel or dining category to be eligible, and the purchase you make must be paid out in your Chase Sapphire Reserve card. This perk makes your travel experience worthwhile thinking that for every trip you make or meal you have, you are getting something in return. Besides transferring the ultimate reward points to hotels and airlines, you can use them to book flights directly.
12. Redeeming points gets you 50% more value
While some cards will allow you to have 1 or at most 1.25 cents for every point you redeem, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card grants you the highest redemption rate. With this credit card, you get 1.5 cents for each point, and sometimes the rate can go even higher. Therefore instead of redeeming your points for an award, why not book a flight through the Ultimate Rewards Travel Center using your Ultimate Reward points.
13. Access to priority pass lounges
Airports can have so many people it drains your energy, especially when some passengers insist on having small talk with you. Lounges become your go-to destination in such cases, but then again, you must have access; otherwise, you will have to endure the noise and confusion and get on your flight with migraine. However, as Johnny Jet explains, for you to get the Priority Pass, you have to sign up for it separately and take advantage of Priority Pass lounges in any airport around the world.
14. Luxury Resort and Hotel collection
If you use your Chase Sapphire Reserve card to book a hotel in the Luxury Resort and Hotel Collection program, you get access to over 900 world-class hotels and resorts that provide you with extra amenities. Upon the many perks you enjoy is the free Wi-Fi, breakfast for two every day, room upgrade, early check in, and check out as well special amenities that are unique to every facility. If you are fortunate enough to land yourself a hotel with special amenities, be sure to take advantage of the lunch or dinner for two, spa treatment, and airport transfers if you need them.
15. Auto rental collision damage waiver
Upon renting a car using your Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you and any other drivers included in the agreement will be covered for a car rental lasting 31 days or less, for up to $75,000. The condition is here is that you must pay for the entire car rental with your card and refuse any damage, loss, and collision damage waiver coverage extended by the rental company. The card covers for any loss, damage, towing, or theft if the rental car and any loss to the company accruing as a result.
16. Baggage delay insurance
Imagine arriving at your destination only to realize that you do not have your luggage because the airline has delayed it. If this happens to you, and you have to wait for more than six hours to get your baggage, then you are entitled to get $100 every day to cater for what you may need as you await your bags; therefore you do not have to worry about essentials like toiletries, a cell phone charger, and change of clothes. However, as with other benefits, you must have purchased the travel ticket using the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, or Ultimate Reward Points for you, your immediate family or spouse to be eligible for the cover. You should note that the benefit is limited to five days.
17. Emergency evacuation and transportation
Having a medical condition should not stop you from making the most out of life, and usually, that means traveling and making memories. However, if you fall ill so bad that it demands an emergency evacuation your Chase Sapphire Reserve card has your back offering you up to a maximum of $100,000. Take heed that the amount is in excess of your personal and travel insurance. The card covers a cardholder, the cardholder’s legally dependent children below 18 years old or at most 25 years old if enrolled as full-time students, and cardholder’s spouse or domestic partner.
18. Roadside assistance
At times you do not have to be traveling miles away from home for you to need help. Your car’s tire might burst on your way from work, or the battery may go dead on your way to surprise your parents. Whatever the roadside assistance you need, having Chase Sapphire Reserve card will ensure that you will get help regardless of where you are since it is available 24 hours every day of the year. It, however, limits the cover to $50 per incident, for a maximum of four times a year.
19. Return protection
Usually, most retailers will accept returned products as long as 90 days have not passed since you bought them. Unfortunately not all stores are friendly enough to accept the items even if the 90 days have not yet lapsed and that is when owning a Chase Sapphire Reserve card becomes beneficial. Not all items are covered, and it limits the coverage to $500 per item and $1,000 in a year. For you to be reimbursed the amount, you must have used the card to purchase the product.
20. Purchase protection
How many times have you bought an item only to have it stolen even before you have had the chance to use it? If you are a frequent victim of such occurrences, using a Chase Sapphire Reserve card will ensure that even if your items are stolen or experience unexpected damage, you will get at most $10,000 per claim. Not all items are eligible for this cover, and it is available for up to $50,000 per account. Moreover, purchase protection also is secondary to whichever other insurance you might have.
