Chase Sapphire Reserve $300 Travel Credit Resets After December Statement
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
One of the Chase Sapphire Reserve's many amazing perks is its annual $300 travel statement credit, which applies automatically to all travel purchases. Any transaction that codes as travel — from hotels to airfare to car rentals and much more — will qualify for the credit. Here's a description of what counts as travel, from Chase's website:
Merchants in the travel category include airlines, hotels, motels, timeshares, campgrounds, car rental agencies, cruise lines, travel agencies, discount travel sites, and operators of passenger trains, buses, taxis, limousines, ferries, toll bridges and highways, and parking lots and garages. Please note that some merchants that provide transportation and travel-related services are not included in this category; for example, real estate agents, websites or owners that rent vacation properties, in-flight goods and services, on-board cruise line goods and services, sightseeing activities, tourist attractions, merchants within airports, and merchants that rent vehicles for the purpose of hauling. In addition, the purchasing of points or miles does not qualify in this category.
So any transaction that falls into one of the above categories should trigger the credit, which posts instantly on your account. Better yet, if you've already used your $300 credit for 2016, you don't have to wait until January 1, 2017 to tap into next year's credit — as you can see below, my credit reset earlier this week, since it's tied to your December statement date rather than the end of the calendar month.
At the same time, if you have yet to take advantage of this year's credit, you may have less time than you thought. If your December statement hasn't already closed, you can still spend toward this year's $300 credit up until your statement closing date, but it's important to note that your transaction must post on your December statement — transactions that are listed as pending by that date do not count.
As a reminder, here's a look at how the Reserve card's $300 credit stacks up against other cards' versions of the perk:
| Annual Fee | Travel Credit Amount | How It's Processed | Eligible Uses for Credit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Chase Sapphire Reserve | $450 | $300 | Automatically applied | All travel (see list above) |
The Platinum Card from American Express | $550 | $200 | To use the credit, you need to select a qualifying airline. | Baggage fees, in-flight food and drink |
American Express Premier Rewards Gold Card | $195 (waived the first year) | $100 | To use the credit, you need to select a qualifying airline. | Baggage fees, in-flight food and drink |
$450 | $250 | Automatically applied | Airfare, baggage fees, lounge access, some in-flight purchases | |
Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card | $450 | $300 | You need to call in after using the card for an eligible purchase. | Baggage fees, seat upgrades, in-flight entertainment, in-flight meals preferred lounge memberships or passes |
Note that each issuer handles this credit differently. Amex, for example, issues its airline fee credits based on the calendar year — so January 1 through December 31 — rather than your billing cycle. Also, while Chase credits post instantly, Amex says to allow up to 4 weeks for your credit to appear on your account.
Have you already received your 2017 travel credit from Chase?
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.