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By now, we hope you're familiar with the stellar list of benefits offered on Chase’s Visa Infinite heavyweight duo the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card. Both cards provide an elite set of perks and privileges, in addition to an extensive list of travel and purchase protection benefits.
What isn’t such common knowledge is that many of the perks advertised for these cards are available on all U.S. issued Visa Infinite credit cards. A relatively small list that includes:
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card – No longer accepting applications.
- Crystal® Visa Infinite® Credit Card
- UBS Visa Infinite credit card
Do All Visa Infinite Cards Offer the Same Privileges?
No, they don't. In August 2016, Chase released the revamped version of the Ritz-Carlton Card as a Visa Infinite card, featuring an increased signup offer, improved lounge access, a $100 discount on select domestic airfares, and an updated list of travel protection benefits.
When word leaked that Chase was to unveil another Visa Infinite card, there was plenty of speculation and anticipation that the benefits would line up with those on the Ritz-Carlton Card, but it wasn’t to be. While the Sapphire Reserve received a superior travel credit redeemable for any travel expense as opposed to the airline incidentals credit on the Ritz-Carlton Card, it missed out entirely on the $100 domestic airline ticket discount.
A closer look at U.S.-issued Visa Infinite cards reveals differences in the advertised benefits such as travel credits and airline discounts, and also no mention of additional perks listed on the Visa Infinite website.
Visa Infinite Privileges
Something to note about Visa Infinite privileges is that each provider applies the benefits differently. Just because the benefit is listed on the Visa Infinite website, and Visa makes it available, doesn’t mean the card issuer includes it in the card’s perks or applies the benefit how it is listed on Visa’s website.
An example of this in practice is the annual airline incidentals credit.
- The Sapphire Reserve offers a $300 travel credit, redeemable for almost any travel expense including taxis, Uber, tolls, or airline tickets, and credits are automatically applied when Chase detects a travel charge.
- The Ritz-Carlton Card offers the same $300 credit, but it only covers airline incidentals such as baggage fees and seat upgrades, and you must call to have the credit applied to that specific charge.
- The Crystal® Visa Infinite® Credit Card from City National Bank receives a $250 credit, only valid for airline incidentals, and restricted to U.S. domestic carriers.
Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection
A collection of high-end properties located all over the globe, the Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection offers a set of elite benefits for each paid stay at hotels where you have no elite status. You receive daily breakfast for two, up to $100 food and beverage credit, a special welcome amenity, upgrades at check-in when available, and early check-in/late check-out when available. You can view all the details on Visa’s website, and check if your card is valid at Visa Infinite Hotels.
Visa Infinite Concierge Services
Similar to concierge services offered on other premium cards, the Visa Infinite concierge can help you with a wide range of activities such as making reservations at local restaurants and spas, finding hard to get theatre tickets, organizing flowers, or even arranging to have your car serviced. The concierge will charge the bill to the card associated with the concierge service you’re using, but you receive the concierge’s services free of charge, and they’re available 24/7 every day of the year.
Global Entry Statement Credit
Global Entry is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) program providing expedited security clearance for pre-approved travelers upon arrival in the United States at select airports via automatic kiosks. Global Entry automatically grants TSA Pre✓. Every U.S. issued Visa Infinite we’ve encountered offers a $100 Global Entry/TSA Pre✓ credit every four years, just charge the Global Entry fee to your card and have the charge reimbursed as a statement credit.
Tip: The Global Entry application does not need to be for the cardmember; you can use the credit for any friend/family member. Simply charge the application fee to your credit card and the fee will be reimbursed.
Visa Infinite Car Rental Privileges
Charge your Avis, National, and Silvercar rentals to your Visa Infinite card, and you’ll receive enhanced benefits such as discounts and upgrades. If you charge your car rental to your Sapphire Reserve, you’re also covered by one of the best primary auto rental insurance policies available to U.S. credit cardholders.
Lounge Access via Priority Pass™ Select
All Visa Infinite cards offer a Priority Pass Select membership for as long as you hold the card, providing access to 1,000+ airline lounges worldwide. The Sapphire Reserve and Ritz-Carlton Card offer a similar Priority Pass access policy to most premium cards, allowing you to bring 2 guests or immediate family members into the lounge, provided the lounge has no hard-cap on guest numbers.
Visa Infinite Discount Airline Tickets
The Visa Infinite Discount Air Benefit saves you $100 on the total cost of between 2 and 5 qualifying round-trips, domestic coach airline tickets purchases on the same itinerary. The $100 discount is applied to the total cost of the itinerary, not per ticket. One of the few benefits that differ drastically between cards, both the Ritz-Carlton Card and the Crystal Visa Infinite receive the Discount Air benefit, while the Sapphire Reserve and the UBS Visa Infinite do not.
Airline Incidentals Statement Credit
Another benefit that differs widely, not just between the providers but the benefit is applied differently on individual cards from the same provider.
- Chase Sapphire Reserve® – $300 travel credit, automatically applies to purchases that code as travel from the merchant including taxis, ferry tickets, trains, Uber, tolls, accommodation, and much more.
- The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card – $300 airline incidentals credit, must phone credits into card services to have them applied and covers ticket change/cancellation fees, checked baggage fees, seat upgrades, etc.
- Crystal® Visa Infinite® Credit Card – $250 airline incidentals credit, applies only to U.S. domestic carriers and covers ticket change/cancellation fees, checked baggage fees, in-flight entertainment, onboard food and beverage charges, airport lounge membership fees and day passes, onboard wireless charges (excluding Gogo Wireless), and TSA Pre✓®membership application fee.
- UBS Visa Infinite credit card – $250 airline incidentals credit, need to enroll on UBS Online Services and select an eligible domestic U.S. carrier, benefit covers ticket change/cancellation fees, checked baggage fees, seat upgrades, etc.
The items included in the airline/travel credit are a solid example that inclusions and how the benefits are applied are solely up to the discretion of the credit card provider.
Fine Wine and Food
You can enjoy year-round benefits and exclusive access at more than 50 select Sonoma County wineries using your Visa Infinite credit card. Benefits include:
- Purchase 1 standard tasting using a Visa Infinite card and receive 1 complimentary tasting of equal or lesser value
- Preferred pricing on non-wine purchases over $50, where applicable
- Savings on wine purchased same day in the Tasting Room
- Savings on Reserve tasting or special wine and food pairings
Find out more and get a full list of participating wineries on the Sonoma Wine website.
Discount Golf
If golf is your game, then this benefit will come in handy. Join Troon Rewards and use your Visa Infinite card to reserve tee times at participating Troon Privé private clubs for $99 per player per round. You can guest up to three guests at the same rate on each tee time, and play each course twice per year. You’ll also receive Silver status in the Troon Rewards program, or the next level up if you already hold Silver status.
Visa Infinite Chauffeured Car Service
Get 15% off, and a $30 credit using your Visa Infinite on GroundLink’s point-to-point chauffeured car services. You can see all the details in the GroundLink T&C’s.
Final Thoughts
This list doesn’t include details on the many Visa Infinite travel protections we’ve covered extensively in previous posts. Instead, we wanted to cover the privileges the Visa Infinite family of credit cards offer, and link to some less well know benefits you may not be aware existed.
Some of these benefits are big-ticket benefits, advertised on the application page for U.S.-issued Visa Infinite cards. While others are niche benefits that you may not know at all. It’s important to remember – not all Visa Infinite benefits are applied to cards the same way, and some are missing from select cards altogether. Check the relevant benefits guide to see what is included with your Visa Infinite card.
Had any experience using the Visa Infinite privileges that you’d like to share? Get in touch via the comments below.
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
would love to have these cards in Europe. Why we can’t apply?
This is simply how the finance/credit card industry in the US works. That isn’t to say you couldn’t try to establish credit in the US, but most credit card issuers (including banks like Chase) require you to have a US Social Security Number to apply for a credit card.
That’s a lot of perks.
Every time I read more about the CSR, I know I should upgrade my CSP. For my travel and spending habits, it’s almost a no-brainer. Just the idea of having 3! 450 dollar fee cards in my wallet is difficult to wrap my brain around. Despite the fact that I logically know that they ALL will pay for themselves.
A great outline of all the benefits.
solid benefits for this annual fees, but i still prefer my Amex.
For annual fees of $450+, the benefits need to be pretty solid…
The CSP has so many benefits, these extra infinite (non) benefits don’t really add much..
Visa Infinite benefits don’t add much? The Global Entry credit, and Priority Pass lounge access (yes, it’s the good version where entry is free rather than just discounted) are very valuable.
Thanks for the detailed info!
do you still earn hotel points if booked through Visa?
Based on our experience, 100% time, yes.
Nice helpful article.
I’m still a bit puzzled how different visa infinite cards have different benefits, but I learned a lot from this article.
Thanks!
Who decides what cards qualify as Visa Infinite?
The card issuer and Visa work together to create a product.
That’s interesting. I wonder how the $100 airfare discount compares to looking for a discount fare on your own, or are your selections limited, eliminating lower price options.
Visa infinite privileges in US are way better than Canada
Agreed, along with the entire credit card portfolio. It’s way more competitive and consumer oriented in the USA.
Another challenge is that it seems that the Visa benefits are country specific. EG: A Canadian Visa Infinite card will not get you into a Mexico City Visa Infinite Benefit lounges. Amex does not have this issue.
The visa infinite benefits are great! I can’t wait til my 5/24 period is over so I can open a new one!
ok, i keep seeing this (sorry newbie here!) what does 5/24 mean?
See here: https://awardwallet.com/blog/chase-524-policy-work/
thanks! ok more great info to read… how to get any work done -ever! there is so much to learn. cheers
very nice perks. ok, I am staying the CSR for another year!
love the airline benefits. Thank you for the note.
Does MasterCard have a tier that’s somewhat comparable to Visa Infinite?
World Elite is tops as far as I can see.
So Visa Infinite is almost more like a category of cards? A type of card? Proud CSR member interested in learning about other great, similar cards, but if there’s a huge overlap, maybe I need to look elsewhere?
Honestly, the only benefit I wish were on the CSR that isn’t that is available on other Infinite cards is the $100 air travel discount. I wouldn’t look elsewhere.
I’m the idiot who signed up for TSA Precheck and NOT Global Entry, not knowing the former was included in the latter. I thought Precheck was more valuable because since my wife wouldn’t have Global Entry, we would end up on separate lines at immigration (at least with PreCheck it’s only on entry and the difference isn’t as big)
Wish Ritz had a better travel credit. Shame I can’t get a CSR anymore.
I love my Chase Sapphire Reserve and I feel the benefits to me is greater than the $450 annual fee.
The golf one was one I didn’t know about until recently. I need to polish up on my game. 🙂
They also from time to time offer specials. Nothing of note, but sometimes they have buy one get one movie deals, etc. At least in the past for Infinite (and even Signature) cards.
Guys, the blog is becoming a swamp of credit card advertisements…. Until recently the posts were much more informative
Nuno, sorry you feel that way. I hope you’ll continue to receive value from the information we receive, but with credit cards and their benefits being a significant part of the points and travel experience for the U.S. we’ll continue to cover them extensively. Honestly, we haven’t changed our approach at all in the past 18 months.
I rather like the posts detailing the benefits of cards many of us already have.
Making it harder for me to give up my Chase Sapphire Reserve.. but I can’t justify the AF.
nice outline of benefits