New Chase Sapphire Perk: Access to Curated Tours and Experiences
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
There's surely no shortage of avenues to find a great tour, and as banks and credit card issuers look to further cement loyalty, we're seeing yet another emerge: Chase. By teaming up with Atlas Obscura, it has launched a new tour, activity and experiences portal. Reservations are currently being accepted for more than 20 adventures, from Colombia to the Galapagos to Mexico City and beyond. Those with an excellent memory may remember Mastercard launching a similar tactic (Priceless Events) many years ago, and we have an ongoing guide that covers credit cards that include VIP event access.
Atlas Obscura is doing the digital event hosting, with the experiences themselves "curated by Chase Sapphire." If you're a Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholder, you can gain access right away. For the rest of the world, you'll have to wait until Nov. 1, 2018, to book.
The trips seem to be fairly interwoven with Atlas Obscura's other trips – the ones not curated by Chase – and do not appear to offer notable discounts or exclusives to differentiate them. On the surface, at least, this mostly appears to be a branding play. Chase likely reckons that the audience who would apply for a CSP or CSR would appreciate the Atlas Obscura vibe, along with more off-the-beaten-path, multi-day trips.
The collaboration comes hot on the heels of an Ultimate Rewards travel booking portal revamp, which saw Chase switch to Expedia as the provider. As a reminder, that portal enables Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and Ink Business Preferred Credit Card cardholders to exchange Ultimate Rewards points for travel (flights, hotel, car rentals, etc.) at 1.25 cents per point, while Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders enjoy a heightened 1.5 cents per point exchange rate. Only time will tell if Chase decides to integrate tour and activity bookings into that engine.
For more on maximizing the Chase Sapphire range of credit cards, dig into our guides below.
- The Ultimate Guide to Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Maximize Your Wallet With the Perfect Quartet of Chase Cards
- The Chase Ink Card Showdown: Cash vs. Preferred vs. Unlimited
- 10 Tips for Using the Chase Ultimate Rewards Travel Center
- Redeeming Chase Ultimate Rewards for Maximum Value
- The Best Business-Class Seats to Book Using Chase Ultimate Rewards Points
- Top 5 Ultimate Rewards Redemptions Achievable With One Sign-Up Bonus
- TPG Readers Reveal the Best Ways to Redeem Ultimate Rewards Points
H/T: Skift
TPG featured card
at Capital One's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 5X miles | Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel |
| 2X miles | Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day |
Pros
- Stellar welcome offer of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Plus, a $250 Capital One Travel credit to use in your first cardholder year upon account opening.
- You'll earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, which means you won't have to worry about memorizing bonus categories
- Rewards are versatile and can be redeemed for a statement credit or transferred to Capital One’s transfer partners
Cons
- Highest bonus-earning categories only on travel booked via Capital One Travel
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Top rated mobile app