Purchases that count as travel with Chase Sapphire® credit cards
Quick insights
- Chase Sapphire credit cards earn rewards or statement credits on a variety of travel-related purchases.
- Travel booked through Chase Travel℠ with a Sapphire card earns higher rewards than bookings made directly with airlines or hotels.
- Specific rewards may vary between Chase Sapphire Preferred®, Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ credit cards.
Between flights, hotels and transportation, travel costs can add up quickly. Because of this, it may be helpful to have a credit card that earns rewards on travel purchases. With the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve and Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business cards, understanding how you can earn rewards or statement credits on travel purchases may help you maximize your credit card rewards.
Below, we cover how cardmembers can earn rewards on travel booked through Chase Travel, in addition to other travel-related benefits.
What counts as travel with Chase Sapphire cards
All Sapphire cards earn rewards on purchases made through Chase Travel. Some examples of travel you can purchase through Chase Travel include:
- Flights
- Hotels
- Rental cars
- Cruises
- Activities
- Tours
The Sapphire Preferred card also earns accelerated points on qualifying travel. Both Sapphire Reserve cards earn accelerated points on flights and hotels booked direct. Below, we cover the reward structure for travel purchases for each Sapphire card.
Earning travel rewards with Chase Sapphire credit cards
Chase Sapphire cards allow cardmembers to earn points and statement credits on travel purchases. The details for each card are as follows:
Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card
The Sapphire Preferred card earns 1 point per dollar on most purchases. But the card offers the highest rewards rates on travel, including:
- 5X points on travel booked through Chase Travel
- 2X points on other qualifying travel (booked direct with airlines, hotels, etc.)
The Preferred card also provides a $50 annual Chase Travel hotel credit and the option to transfer points to several partner airlines and hotel brands.
Note that the Sapphire Preferred card has an annual fee.
Chase Sapphire Reserve and Sapphire Reserve for Business credit cards
The Sapphire Reserve card options offer a variety of perks that travelers may find appealing, including airport lounge access and an annual $300 travel statement credit. Cardmembers for both versions of the Sapphire Reserve card can earn up to $500 in statement credits annually for bookings made with The Edit℠, with a maximum of $250 per transaction (two night minimum required; purchases that qualify will not earn points).
Like the Sapphire Preferred card, the Sapphire Reserve cards earn points on most purchases with the ability to earn accelerated points on travel purchases, including:
- 8X points on travel booked through Chase Travel, including The Edit
- 4X points for flights or hotels booked direct
Points can also can be transferred to select airline and hotel partners.
Chase Sapphire Reserve and Sapphire Reserve for Business cardmembers also receive benefits through The Edit by Chase Travel, a curated collection of hotels with benefits including a property credit, complimentary breakfast, welcome amenity and room upgrades (when available).
Additionally, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card provides access to a dedicated customer service team as well as access to ticket packages and experiences through Reserve Travel Designers.
Note that both Sapphire Reserve cards have an annual fee.
Why use a Chase Sapphire card for travel?
Earning reward points and statement credits on travel is one benefit of being a Sapphire cardmember. Sapphire cards also offer travel protection benefits—like Trip Delay Reimbursement and Auto Rental Coverage—in addition to Purchase Protection, Extended Warranty Protection and more.
Protections and coverage vary by card. Learn more about the Sapphire Reserve, Sapphire Reserve for Business and Sapphire Preferred cards for specific details.
In summary
Sapphire credit cards enable cardmembers to earn rewards and statement credits on travel purchases. Additionally, these cards offer varying travel cardmember benefits. Depending on how often you travel, you may benefit from holding a credit card that earns rewards on travel purchases.
