Note: Some of the offers mentioned below may have changed or are no longer be available. You can view current offers here.
The sign up bonus that currently comes with the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card when you apply online, 100,000 Ultimate Rewards after spending $4,000 on the card within three months of opening it, will drop to 50,000 Ultimate Rewards for the same spending requirement this coming Thursday, January 12. If you want the 100k bonus, apply by Wednesday, January 11!
The brand new Chase Sapphire Reserve offers 100,000 bonus Ultimate Rewards after spending $4,000 on the card in the first three months.
$600 in Credits
Plus it offers up to $600 in statement credits in the first year of card membership.
There’s a $300 per calendar year to automatically offset your first $300 in “travel” purchases. This broad category includes airfare, flight award taxes and fees, airline fees, hotels, Airbnb, car rentals, cruises, tolls/E-Z Pass, parking, Uber/Lyft, and taxis.
Everyone reading this blog must rack up well over $300 in such charges per year, so that’s basically free money, and since the credit resets after your December statement, you can get two $300 credits before your second annual fee is due. That’s $600 in statement credits in the first 12 months you have the card.
Lounge Access
The card also offers free Priority Pass Select membership.
Priority Pass is the world’s largest independent airport lounge access program. Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders get free Priority Pass Select membership, which entitles them to free access to 900+ lounges worldwide (everything on the list except United Clubs.)
To get your free membership, you have to request it on chase.com with a few clicks.
I’ve been in a few dozen Priority Pass lounges around the world. They vary in quality, but you can always count on free drinks, snacks, and wifi, and you can usually cobble together a meal with a glass of wine or a cocktail.
Priority Pass Guest Policy
This is where things get amazing! Dansdeals confirmed by secure message and Doctor of Credit confirmed on Twitter that Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders can bring unlimited free guests into Priority Pass lounges.
All guests in your travel party can access the lounges based on availability. ^MS
— Chase Support (@ChaseSupport) August 26, 2016
The only limit is that some lounges limit the number of Priority Pass guests you can bring in, like the Copa Lounge in Panama City.
Guest limits imposed by lounges are rare. And in the Panama City case, there is another lounge at the airport without a guest limit. Check the “CONDITIONS” section on the lounge’s page in the Priority Pass app to see if there are restrictions.
Comparison to Citi Prestige and Amex Platinum
The Citi Prestige and Amex Platinum also offer free Priority Pass membership.
Getting Priority Pass Membership
With the Citi Prestige, you’re automatically enrolled in Priority Pass and your membership card arrives a few days after you get your Prestige. With the Amex Platinum, like with the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you have to make a few clicks online to enroll in Priority Pass.
Guest Access
The Amex Platinum Card’s Priority Pass membership doesn’t include free guests. You pay $27 per guest. The Citi Prestige’s Priority Pass membership lets you bring two free guests or your spouse and children under 18 into Priority Pass lounges with you for free.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve is better than either. It allows unlimited free guests.
Bottom Line
The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers an amazing Priority Pass Select membership for free. You can go into 900+ Priority Pass lounges worldwide whenever you fly, and you can bring in unlimited guests for free.
This perk is in addition to the 100,000 point sign up bonus and $600 in travel statement credits in the first 12 months.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve is clearly the best travel credit card ever.
DON’T FORGET that the current sign up bonus of 100,000 Ultimate Rewards is dropping to just 50,000 Ultimate Rewards for the same $4k minimum spending requirement this coming Thursday, January 12. If you want the 100,000 Ultimate Rewards bonus, sign up by January 11!
Just getting started in the world of points and miles? The Chase Sapphire Preferred is the best card for you to start with.
With a bonus of 80,000 points after $4,000 spend in the first 3 months and 2x points earned on dining and travel spend, this card truly cannot be beat for getting started!
Editorial Disclaimer: The editorial content is not provided or commissioned by the credit card issuers. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of the credit card issuers, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuers.
The comments section below is not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all questions are answered.
A thought on the free $300 per year for travel.
Assuming you fly SWA and didn’t have any plans to fly this year, since SWA doesn’t charge for changes to a ticket, it would be possible to book your $300 worth of travel this year even if you couldn’t use it, get your credit, and then rebook that same flight for sometime next year.
How do the lounges know whether your PP pass came via Amex or Chase?
Or buy a southwest gift card on the southwest website
I just got a sapphire preferred last month.. any information on “upgrading” or whatever? Thanks.
Is this card subject to the 5/24 limit?
Yes
Unless you apply at a bank branch and then SOMETIMES you will get approved with > 5/24. I was at 14/24 and was approved. No, I’m not a CPC either.
Correct, if you’re over 5/24 check to see if you’re pre-approved in branch. “Pre-approval” doesn’t guarantee actual approval, confusing I know, but it does significantly increase your chances of approval
Agree with Jonathan. How will the actual PP lounge distinguish between AMEX(Plat) and/or CSR benefits?
Will we need to open a second PP account when our card arrives and be sure to link it and use it at the lounge if we have a guest(so they don’t pop our AMEX for $27)?
the lounges don’t know… they just swipe your card.
if your PP card has unlimited guesting, there will be no charge to your credit card.
if your PP has limits, you will see $27 charge per guest over limit on your credit card.
I understand that part. So I assume we will have separate PP accounts and cards. Kinda renders the AMEX version useless.
Once you take into consideration the real value (easily $600) of the $300 annual travel reimbursement, before the annual fee anniversary…getting this card is a no brainer if you can qualify. Wife just approved for hers, will apply for mine in 30-45 days (staggering to ensure meeting spending). Happy to use your referral links Scott!
You have been very helpful to me in the past, so I will use your link to apply.
Thanks.
[…] Chase Sapphire Reserve is better than either. It allows unlimited free guests. It is also the best card of the three because of its 100,000 point sign up bonus and $600 in […]
how much time it took you to receive priority pass card in mail?
[…] Priority Pass Select membership, which gives you access to over 900 lounges around the world, and free unlimited guest access to those lounges for anyone you’re traveling […]
[…] Priority Pass Select membership, which gives you access to over 900 lounges around the world, and free unlimited guest access to those lounges for anyone you’re traveling […]
Which lounges can u go into. Any? Or just the lounges on priority pass site? I’m in San Diego international and they have the united club, American Airlines club and delta, can I go into any of those?? Please someone reply. It would be nice to shower lol
Just the ones on the Priority Pass Lounge site
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if you already have chase sapphire preferred can you still get the bonus points if you get the reserve card?
[…] The card offers valuable, transferable Ultimate Rewards; 3x points on travel and dining; and airport lounge access at over 900 lounges worldwide for you and unlimited guests. […]
[…] $450 = $150) in the first 12 months you have the card. And you get the 100,000 bonus points. And you get free airport lounge access with the card. You can cancel the card any time in the next 12 months to avoid another $450 annual […]