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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Nick Ewen is TPG's editor-in-chief and helps readers leverage credit cards (he has more than 25 of them) and loyalty programs to travel more for less. He's been at TPG for over 11 years.
May 6, 2026 • 10 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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Quick summary
A premium travel rewards card offers flexible statement credits for travel, hotels and dining, making it easy to offset costs across various categories.
Cardholders benefit from robust travel protections, including trip delay, trip cancellation/interruption and primary car rental coverage, which can save significant out-of-pocket expenses.
The ability to combine rewards from multiple cash-back cards within the same ecosystem enhances redemption value, especially when transferring points to travel partners or using special redemption features.
Exclusive lounge access for the cardholder and family members adds further value, distinguishing it from other premium options.
What to consider
Travel credits and dining credits are automatically applied to eligible purchases, with some requiring bookings at select hotel collections or restaurants.
Travel protections activate only when eligible purchases are charged to the card, and claims require supporting documentation.
Combining rewards from other cards in the same ecosystem is possible for household members, increasing flexibility for redemptions.
What you'll miss from the article
Detailed examples of how to maximize statement credits, travel protections and point transfers for optimal value.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
I've been collecting points and miles via credit cards for over two decades, and it takes a lot to impress me. Sure, I spread the love around with my 25+ open, active credit cards — but for one to earn a spot near the top of my wallet, I need a really solid value proposition.
Even after last year's overhaul with an increased annual fee, which sadly hit my account on Nov. 1, 2025, this card has been a key part of my rewards strategy for years — a fact reinforced by a recent trip to Atlanta to catch a Bruno Mars concert with my family.
NICK EWEN/THE POINTS GUY
Here are 4 of the biggest reasons I love my Sapphire Reserve.
Each year, you'll enjoy up to $300 in statement credits for any travel purchases charged to the card. While other premium cards impose restrictions on their credits, like limiting them to certain fees or requiring purchases through a specific site, the Sapphire Reserve requires no hoops. Charge travel purchases; get statement credits. It's so simple.
Here's how I utilized this perk over the last five years:
2021: A Hertz rental car and part of a Disney cruise
2022: Multiple (smaller purchases) for parking, tolls, trains — plus a city tour and an intra-Europe upgrade on Iberia
2023: Multiple ride-hailing services and subways in New York City, plus parking purchases in Europe
2024: Parking, a Lyft ride, two sightseeing tours in Vienna and part of a hotel stay
2025: A flight booked through the Chase Travel℠ portal
These all posted automatically within a day or two of the purchase, making this one of the easiest credit card perks out there. And the best part is that you don't have to use it all at once.
First, cardmembers enjoy up to $500 in annual statement credits (split into two, up-to-$250 credits) for prepaid stays of two nights or more at properties in The Edit, Chase's luxury hotel collection. These high-end hotels belong to some of the best brands in the world, including Four Seasons, St. Regis, Shangri-La and Rosewood.
But more importantly, stays include a number of valuable add-ons, including:
Daily breakfast for two
An on-property benefit worth up to $100
Complimentary Wi-Fi
A space-available room upgrade (when available)
Early check-in and late checkout (when available)
My first 2026 credit came in handy for the concert, as we opted to stay at the Ritz-Carlton Atlanta. The two-night stay in a deluxe room cost $872.72 but dropped to $622.72 after the $250 credit was applied. Plus, since many properties in The Edit now count as loyalty-eligible stays, I earned over 20,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for the stay.
The hotel is in downtown Atlanta and is easily accessible from the airport via public transportation. And while there were no upgrades available, we still had a really comfortable stay.
We received a pair of lovely welcome amenities — chocolates and a bottle of sparkling wine — along with notes from two different managers.
NICK EWEN/THE POINTS GUY
Breakfast was served in AG Steakhouse, where we received an $80 credit ($40 per person) each morning. This easily covered a couple of entrees plus drinks, though with my daughter's kids breakfast, we went just a few bucks over each morning.
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We also opted to burn the on-property credit for dinner our first night, also at AG Steakhouse. We were celebrating a big work accomplishment for my wife, so we splurged for the seafood tower, which did not disappoint. The cocktails were spectacular, as was the southern tartare. And upon checkout, I had a $100 credit toward the meal on my folio.
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During our time in Atlanta, we also used part of the card's annual dining credit.
Each year, cardmembers receive up to $300 in statement credits (up to $150 from January to June and up to $150 from July to December) at a curated set of OpenTable restaurants through Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables. There are several eligible spots in Atlanta, but we went with The Optimist, a self-proclaimed "seaside fish camp experience" in the city. No prepayment, payment or reservation through OpenTable is required.
Our afternoon reservation coincided with happy hour, where we polished off three orders of a baker's dozen oysters plus fresh haddock chowder and a spicy kale salad. And when our waitress mentioned roasted oysters, we couldn't resist adding them to our order.
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There was even a three-hole mini golf course on the grounds, but it was drizzling during our meal, so we had to skip it.
Just two days after my visit, the $150 credit was posted to my account.
Travel protections
Statement credits get a lot of coverage, but there's another set of benefits on the card that I love — and they've saved me over $1,000 in unexpected costs over the years.
These come into effect when you use the Sapphire Reserve for eligible purchases, and they offer valuable peace of mind when things go wrong, which I've experienced on three separate occasions.
In 2019, I was flying back from Chile when a power outage shut down the computer system at Santiago's Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport (SCL). Our flight to Lima's Jorge Chavez International Airport (LIM) was delayed, which meant we missed our connecting flight to Miami International Airport (MIA). We were rebooked the next day, and because this delay resulted in an unexpected overnight stay (and since I charged the taxes and fees on the award ticket to my Sapphire Reserve), I knew we were eligible for trip delay reimbursement.
So, I booked the JW Marriott, and after a pair of Uber rides plus a lovely dinner in the Miraflores area of the city, we had spent an additional $383.26. Upon returning home, I submitted a claim for reimbursement (with full documentation). Within six weeks, I had my money back.
Then, in January 2022, we were booked on a long-weekend trip to Cozumel, Mexico, but 48 hours before we left, I was hit with a nasty bout of COVID-19. Our hotel room was refundable, but our American flight was booked with British Airways Avios, which meant a $55 cancellation fee per person. Since I once again charged the taxes and fees on the award ticket to my Sapphire Reserve, I knew I could invoke the trip cancellation coverage on the card — and sure enough, I was reimbursed $165 in just a few weeks.
Finally, we spent part of last year's holiday break in Canada, which included a rental car from Avis. I declined the additional coverage at the airport and charged the entire rental to my Sapphire Reserve in order to use the card's primary car rental coverage. And sure enough, at some point on the trip, a small crack appeared in the windshield. It grew to several inches long by the time I returned the car, and the company filed a claim for damages. Once again, I knew I was covered.
I submitted documentation to Chase's benefits provider, and my claim was approved within a month, covering the $541.92 expense.
All told, that's $1,090.18 in extra expenses that I didn't need to cover, just because I used my Sapphire Reserve for the corresponding purchases.
Combining rewards for valuable redemptions
But perhaps my favorite feature of the Sapphire Reserve involves the redemption options via Chase Ultimate Rewards and how easy it is to combine rewards from my other four cards:
Chase Freedom® (no longer available to new applicants)
The information for the Chase Freedom has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
All four of these cards are technically billed as cash-back products, with more limited, fixed-value redemption options.
However, since I have the Sapphire Reserve, I can easily move the points earned on those cards into my Sapphire Reserve account. This effectively converts them into full-fledged Ultimate Rewards points.
NICK EWEN/THE POINTS GUY
I pursue the same strategy for my wife's points as well, since she has her own Freedom Unlimited and Ink Business Cash cards. As an eligible household member, I can instantly move her cash-back rewards to my Sapphire Reserve.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve has been a mainstay in my wallet for years, as there's a lot to love about the card — from the variety of valuable statement credits to the extensive travel protections and lucrative redemption options.
I didn't even touch on the issuer's fantastic Sapphire Lounges, which won the 2026 TPG Award for best credit card lounge network. I can still access those locations with my wife and daughter (for free), a notable differentiator from other premium products.
It's true that the card has a high annual fee, but I easily cover it (and then some) with the benefits above.
Apply here: Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening with the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
