Chase Sapphire Reserve®
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Rewards
Earn 5X total points on flights and 10X total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3X points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases plus, 10X points on Lyft rides through March 2025
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Welcome bonus
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
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Annual fee
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Intro APR
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Regular APR
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Balance transfer fee
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Foreign transaction fee
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Credit needed
Pros
- $300 annual travel credit for travel purchases
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit up to $120 every four years
- Priority Pass™ Select lounge access at 1,000+ VIP lounges in over 500 cities worldwide
- Points are worth 50% more when redeemed for travel via Chase Travel℠
- Special benefits at The Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection
- Complimentary year of Lyft Pink membership
Cons
- High annual fee, but it can be offset by taking advantage of all the card’s perks
- No introductory APR
- Estimated rewards earned after 1 year: $1,469
- Estimated rewards earned after 5 years: $3,346
Rewards totals incorporate the points earned from the welcome bonus
Chase Sapphire Reserve credit score requirement
Chase Sapphire Reserve card details
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® has a $550 annual fee, but its benefits can make it worth the price. Every year cardholders receive up to $300 in statement credits for travel purchases, and that’s in addition to these ongoing perks:
- Priority Pass membership (access to 1,300+ airport lounges)
- Up to $120 in application fee credits every four years for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS
- Complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027
- Two free years of Lyft Pink All Access worth $199 a year (when you activate by Dec. 31, 2024)
Cardholders can also take advantage of many useful travel and purchase coverages. You’ll get trip delay insurance, rental car coverage, purchase protection, return protection, extended warranty protection and more.
The Sapphire Reserve also earns Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, which are exceptionally versatile and valuable travel rewards. You can redeem Chase points for cash back, gift cards, travel and transfer them to all 14 of Chase’s partner travel programs.
Find the best credit card for you by reviewing offers in our credit card marketplace or get personalized offers via CardMatch™.
Credit score needed for the Chase Sapphire Reserve card
While there isn’t an officially published minimum credit score requirement, you’ll typically need an excellent credit score to qualify for Chase Sapphire Reserve®. To give yourself the best chance of being approved, aim for a FICO Score of 800 or higher, although it’s possible to qualify with a lower score.
Chase considers much more than your credit score when reviewing your application, including how many credit cards you have opened with other banks recently. You may be denied a Chase credit card if you’ve opened five or more credit cards in the past 24 months. This is known as the Chase 5/24 rule.
There are also added limitations based on if you have, or have had, any version of the Sapphire card (including the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card). You aren’t eligible for a Sapphire Reserve card if you either:
- Currently have any version of the Sapphire card
- Received a welcome bonus from any version of the Sapphire credit card in the last 48 months
The 48-month waiting period applies to when you last earned a bonus, not when you were last approved for a Sapphire card. You typically have up to three months to earn a bonus, so you may need to wait up to 51 months from your last Sapphire card approval date.
How to improve your credit score
Experian Boost™
On Experian’s secure site
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Cost
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Average credit score increase
13 points, though results vary
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Credit report affected
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Credit scoring model used
Results will vary. See website for details.
Alternative cards that are easier to get
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
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Rewards
Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, and $50 annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
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Welcome bonus
Get up to $1,050 in Chase TravelSM value. Earn 60,000 bonus points after $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. That’s worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel. Plus, get up to $300 in statement credits on Chase Travel purchases within your first year.
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Annual fee
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Intro APR
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Regular APR
20.99% – 27.99% variable on purchases and balance transfers
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Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
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Foreign transaction fee
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Credit needed
If you cannot qualify for the Chase Sapphire Reserve, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card may be a good option. It generally only requires a good credit score or better (700+), has a lower annual fee and earns the same transferable Chase Ultimate Rewards® points as the Sapphire Reserve. The Sapphire Preferred also features solid travel insurance perks, although it lacks airport lounge access. If that’s an important benefit for you, then consider a different card.
Learn more: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card
Information about the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.
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Rewards
5X points on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Altitude Rewards Center, 4X points on travel, 4X at gas stations and EV charging stations on your first $1,000 each quarter (excludes discount stores/supercenters and wholesale clubs), 2X on dining, streaming services and at grocery stores (discount stores/supercenters and wholesale clubs excluded), 1X point on all other eligible purchases
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Welcome bonus
Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 90 days of account opening. That’s a $200 value redeemable towards travel and more.
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Annual fee
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Intro APR
0% intro on balance transfers for 12 billing cycles
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Regular APR
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Balance transfer fee
Either 3% of the amount of each transfer or $5 minimum, whichever is greater
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Foreign transaction fee
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Credit needed
Compare savings accounts
FAQs
What should I do if I’m rejected for the Chase Sapphire Reserve card?
If you’re rejected for the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you’ll receive a letter explaining why. At this point, you can work on addressing the issues that led to the denial or call the Chase reconsideration line to further explain your situation or provide additional information in hopes of being approved.
Is the Sapphire Reserve better than the Sapphire Preferred?
The Sapphire Reserve has a better suite of benefits than the Sapphire Preferred but also has a higher annual fee. If you’re looking for a luxury card, the Sapphire Reserve is a good fit, but the Sapphire Preferred is a better entry-level or mid-tier card.
What salary do you need to qualify for a Chase Sapphire Reserve card?
Chase doesn’t publish official income requirements for the Sapphire Reserve card. That said, having a higher income may improve your approval odds and will factor into your credit limit.
What is the four-year rule for the Chase Sapphire Reserve?
The four-year rule for the Chase Sapphire Reserve® restricts you from opening any version of the Chase Sapphire card and earning its bonus to once every 48 months. The clock on this timeline starts when you earn the bonus, not when you open the card.
Bottom line
To have the best chances of getting approved for the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, we recommend having a strong credit score (800+), although you may be able to qualify with a lower score. However, even with an excellent credit score, you’ll need to meet other requirements to qualify such as falling under Chase’s 5/24 limit.
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*Results may vary. Some may not see improved scores or approval odds. Not all lenders use Experian credit files, and not all lenders use scores impacted by Experian Boost.
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.
