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The Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Rates & Fees) is the crown jewel of Chase's Sapphire credit card family. If you qualify, the Sapphire Reserve can be an exceptional rewards card to add to your portfolio. Unfortunately, even if you have an excellent credit score, a perfect credit history, and a high income, you may not be approved for the Sapphire Reserve if you don't meet Chase's application restrictions.
However, there are steps you can take to maximize your chances of getting approved for what many consider to be the best credit card around.
Restrictions on Getting the Chase Sapphire Reserve
Before considering applying for the Sapphire Reserve, you'll want to be aware of the credit card application rules and restrictions that might be in place. Chase's rules have recently changed and aren't as strict or as absolute as they were. However, these common factors could lead to a denial:
- If you're over 5/24 with Chase, you're unlikely to get approved.
- You typically can't get approved for more than two Chase cards within a 30-day period.
Before applying for the Sapphire Reserve, it's a good idea to count the number of credit card accounts added to your credit report within the previous two years. Here's how you can check your Chase 5/24 status for free. If you'll be under the five-card threshold soon, you should probably wait to apply for the Sapphire Reserve until then to improve your chances.
Changes to Sapphire Card application rules
Chase has significantly updated the application rules for Sapphire cards. They can be a bit complicated, depending on your situation:
- Chase has removed the old 48-month Sapphire bonus rule.
- You can now hold both personal Sapphire cards — the Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve — at the same time.
- Holding one personal Sapphire card no longer appears to make you ineligible for the welcome bonus on the other Sapphire card.
- However, Chase’s current terms state that the Sapphire Reserve is unavailable if you currently have this card open.
- The new cardmember bonus may not be available if you previously held the Sapphire Reserve or previously received a new cardmember bonus for this card.
- In practice, this means Sapphire bonus eligibility is now more of a one-bonus-per-card framework rather than the old one-Sapphire-card / 48-month framework.
- If you’re an authorized user on someone else’s Sapphire card, you can still apply for your own Sapphire card, subject to Chase’s other approval rules.
What to Do if You're Rejected
If you aren’t instantly approved, first confirm that you’re under 5/24 and don’t currently have the Sapphire Reserve open.
It’s also worth reviewing your Sapphire Reserve history, as Chase’s current terms state that the new cardmember bonus may not be available if you previously held the Sapphire Reserve or previously received a new cardmember bonus for this card.
You'll also want to make sure you have sufficient income and excellent credit (a credit score of 700 or higher) to increase your odds of approval.
Related: How to Manage Your Credit Score to Unlock the Best Travel Rewards
If you meet all the eligibility criteria and your application is still pending, you might consider calling the credit card reconsideration line to see if you can get approved by talking to a human. If you are an authorized user on someone else's card, Chase's automated system may count that as an account in your name (and thus may reject you for 5/24 limits). But if you call the reconsideration line and explain that you are only an authorized user on the card, that may help you get approved.
Is the Chase Sapphire Reserve Worth It?
There's no denying that Chase Ultimate Rewards are one of the most valuable forms of flexible rewards currencies. One of the biggest benefits of Ultimate Rewards points is the ability to transfer to Chase's hotel and airline transfer partners.
But to be able to transfer points, you need to have one of the premium Chase credit cards, like the Sapphire Reserve, Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve Business, or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (Rates & Fees).
If you don't already have a premium Chase card, it may make sense to apply for one to unlock this benefit. However, it's a good idea to compare its features to the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card to see which premium Chase card is better for you.
$795Rates & Fees
- 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠
- 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly
- 3x points on dining worldwide
- 1x points on all other purchases
$95Rates & Fees
- 5X points on Lyft rides through September 2027
- 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide
- 3X points on gas and EV charging
- 3X points on vacation homes at top brands like Airbnb, Vrbo and more
- 3X points on eligible streaming services
- 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
- 2X points on all other travel
- 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases
$95Rates & Fees
- 3X points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year
- 1X point per $1 on all other purchases
On top of the ability to transfer points to hotel and airline partners, the Sapphire Reserve comes with a whole slew of premium travel and other benefits. This includes a $300 annual travel credit, access to Priority Pass airport lounges, outstanding insurance benefits, and more. There's a reason many people consider it the ultimate family travel card.
Related: Chase Sapphire Reserve full review
- Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Get $3,000 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
- Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠ and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases
- $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests. Plus, up to $120 towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck® every 4 years
- Get up to $150 in statement credits every six months for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
- Get complimentary subscriptions to Apple TV and Apple Music for a minimum of one year when activated by June 22, 2027, a value of $288 annually.
- Member FDIC
- 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠
- 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly
- 3x points on dining worldwide
- 1x points on all other purchases
But if you're wondering if the Chase Sapphire Reserve is worth it, compare the benefits of the Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve cards to see which card gives you the most value.
You may find that you don't need all the bells and whistles of the Sapphire Reserve. If so, paying the significantly lower $95 annual fee for the Sapphire Preferred may be your best option. But frequent travelers may get outsized value from the Sapphire Reserve that far exceeds its hefty $795 annual fee.
Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partners
For reference, here's a list of Chase transfer partners and how long it takes for your transferred points to show in the partner's account.
Bottom Line
The Sapphire Reserve offers a ton of benefits, but it also comes with a high annual fee. If you're looking to apply for the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, make sure you follow Chase’s application terms and restrictions, including being under 5/24 and not currently having the Sapphire Reserve open. Also, keep in mind that Chase’s current terms state that the new cardmember bonus may not be available if you previously held the Sapphire Reserve or previously received a new cardmember bonus for this card.
Before applying, compare the Sapphire Reserve with the Sapphire Preferred to make the most informed choice about which card suits you best.
If you aren't automatically approved, consider calling Chase's application status line to speak with a representative and see if you can be approved over the phone.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Rates & Fees), Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (Rates & Fees), and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees)
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