Travel Credits Post Instantly With Chase Sapphire Reserve
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Last week, Chase introduced the much-anticipated Sapphire Reserve Card, and I was fortunate enough to receive my card a couple days later. The perks are absolutely fantastic (we detail them here), and include a $300 travel credit issued each calendar year.
Unlike with competing premium travel rewards cards, however, the Reserve card's $300 credit applies to any travel purchase, so I decided to take it for a spin with United's "award accelerator" option. I ended up purchasing 45,000 United miles for $900 (a reasonable 2 cents per mile), which I could end up using toward a redemption in United's soon-to-be-released Polaris business class (pictured above).
Much to my surprise, the credit posted instantly — as in, it hit my account the very same day the $900 purchase posted. That means you won't need to make an eligible purchase and pay it off only to get the credit a few weeks later. And while a potential delay wouldn't be a "make it or break it" detail, it's certainly better to have your credit sooner than later.
Have a question about the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card? Check out our Q&A. See these posts for more:
- Chase Sapphire Reserve Review and Application Link
- Questions and Answers About the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
- Everything You Need to Know About Chase Sapphire Reserve Perks
- Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve: Benefits, Coverage & More
How have you used your $300 annual travel credit?
TPG featured card
at Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Choose to earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Choice to earn up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and the option to earn Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.