How To Book An Epic Trip With The Chase Sapphire Reserve

Forbes

6 hours ago

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If you have a Chase Sapphire Reserve® in your wallet, you probably don't need any prodding to start daydreaming. This made-for-travel credit card is practically begging to be taken on an epic vacation. I should know: I've been earning and redeeming Chase Ultimate Rewards® for 12 years, and the revamped Sapphire Reserve will make taking your trip up a notch even easier. Here's the world-class trip I would book that's currently living in my head rent-free. Earning Ultimate Rewards To Fund Your Adventure
First things first—if you want to book an unforgettable trip with points, you'll need to earn a sizable balance before you can book anything. The Chase Sapphire Reserve makes this easy, with an exciting welcome offer of 100,000 bonus points, plus a $500 Chase Travel℠ promo credit after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
You'll also earn points for all your daily spending, with remarkable multipliers on travel expenses in particular. Earn 8 points per dollar on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠, 4 points per dollar on flights and hotels booked direct, 3 points per dollar dining worldwide and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
Pro Tip
Use the Sapphire Reserve for everything travel-related, but you can earn points even faster by pairing it with other Ultimate Rewards credit cards that highlight other spending categories. For example, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® earns a minimum of 1.5 points per dollar spent on all purchases (among other rewards) with no annual fee, making it a great complement to the Sapphire Reserve. Piecing Together An Epic Trip To Europe
Let's imagine a 10-day vacation to Europe, starting in Prague, stopping in Saxon Switzerland National Park and ending in Berlin. This represents a trip I would actually take and how I'd use the Sapphire Reserve to elevate my experience.
Flying in business class can transform air travel from a necessary evil to part of the fun. Thankfully, the Sapphire Reserve has more than 10 airline partners, so you can transfer points at a 1:1 ratio to lock in an award flight instead of paying cash.
I searched for options to Prague in October—my favorite time of year to travel to Europe because the crowds have died down but the weather's still good. I quickly found an assortment of one-stop options on Star Alliance airlines to this city I've been meaning to visit for years. But a nonstop flight on Delta caught my eye for its time savings: It was bookable with 76,000 Air France/KLM Flying Blue miles, an Ultimate Rewards transfer partner.
Coming home, I specifically looked for flights from another city to add some variety to my trip. This time, I chose a connecting itinerary since it was more cost-effective. To balance both convenience and price, I opted for a transatlantic flight operated by Swiss International Air Lines. It cost 70,000 Air Canada Aeroplan miles and about $190 in taxes and fees per person, but with an Ultimate Rewards transfer bonus , I needed only 59,000 points.
Business class flights typically include airport lounge access with your ticket. However, on trips when you don't have lounge access provided, you'll be happy to know the Sapphire Reserve includes lounge access to the Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club network, over 1,300 Priority Pass locations and select Maple Leaf Lounges and Air Canada Cafes when flying Star Alliance.
Pro Tip
Another great way to make your airport experience smoother is to apply for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck before traveling. The Sapphire Reserve even includes a credit toward application fees once every four years (to coincide with membership renewal timelines).
World of Hyatt is known for being one of Chase Ultimate Rewards' most popular transfer partners, and it lives up to its reputation on this trip, too. The Lindner Hotel Prague Castle, a category 2 JdV by Hyatt hotel, costs as few as 6,500 points per night in October. That's a stellar price for a hotel with a prime location in the historic center. At that rate, you can afford to transfer points from Chase to stay several nights.
While many travelers stick to cities when visiting Europe, I love to add in national parks. So for my second stop of the trip, I planned a few nights on the Czech Republic and German border, in an area known as Bohemian Switzerland on the Czech side and Saxon Switzerland in Germany.
I very rarely see chain hotels (and therefore award nights) in small, rural towns. No problem: When you book travel directly, you can be reimbursed up to $300 per year from the Chase Sapphire Reserve's annual travel credit. Just pay with your credit card and the statement credit is applied automatically.
For the final stop of the trip, I planned a few nights in Berlin, a city I've been dying to get back to. I'm normally easy to please when booking hotels, but if there's ever a time to splurge on a nicer property, it's at the end of the trip when some extra rest and relaxation may be called for.
The Edit by Chase Travel, a curated collection of upscale hotels, is an awesome way to book these finer stays. Booking these hotels qualifies you for VIP treatment, including: Complimentary daily breakfast for two
$100 property credit (usually valid toward dining, spa or other property amenities)
Early check-in, when available
Late checkout, when available
Room upgrades, when available
Free Wi-Fi
And, with the Sapphire Reserve, card members can earn up to $500 per year in statement credits for bookings made with The Edit. That's on top of the perks provided directly by the hotel and is an easy way to subsidize a good chunk of your hotel bill.
Pro Tip
Another way to get extra value from your Sapphire Reserve is to redeem Ultimate Rewards points for reservations made in Chase Travel. Although most redemptions are only valued at 1 cent per point, some options labeled 'Points Boost' can stretch your points up to double that.
Everyone likes a comfortable flight and hotel, but for me, travel is all about what you see and do while you're there. I usually have a good grip on what activities and restaurants I want to include, but you can also get custom planning help through the Reserve Travel Advisors benefit on your card. This service can help you piece things together and design an itinerary that fits your interests.
The Sapphire Reserve makes it effortless to pay for everything along the way, too. There are no foreign transaction fees, and Visa cards are widely accepted worldwide, so you can feel confident that you'll have a reliable, affordable way to pay regardless of which country you're visiting. And tours booked ahead of time through Chase Travel earn a bountiful 8 points per dollar spent, helping you rebuild your rewards balance for the next trip.
Pro Tip
Check for opportunities to earn other statement credits while traveling, too. The Sapphire Reserve offers up to $300 in credits for qualifying StubHub purchases, like tickets to concerts and sporting events. You can also earn up to $300 per year toward dining purchases with Sapphire Reserve Tables.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve also layers on robust built-in travel protections that can reimburse you if troubles arise during your trip: Trip cancellation/interruption insurance : Up to $10,000 per person, $20,000 per trip and $40,000 per year for prepaid, nonrefundable expenses.
: Up to $10,000 per person, $20,000 per trip and $40,000 per year for prepaid, nonrefundable expenses. Trip delay reimbursement : Covers reasonable expenses up to $500 per person on delays of six hours or more (or if an overnight stay is required).
: Covers reasonable expenses up to $500 per person on delays of six hours or more (or if an overnight stay is required). Baggage delay reimbursement : Up to $100 per day for a maximum of five days toward essential items when bags are delayed six hours or more.
: Up to $100 per day for a maximum of five days toward essential items when bags are delayed six hours or more. Lost or damaged luggage reimbursement : Checked and carry-on baggage are each covered up to $3,000 for loss or damage incurred by a common carrier.
: Checked and carry-on baggage are each covered up to $3,000 for loss or damage incurred by a common carrier. Medical evacuation insurance : Up to $100,000 for medical services and transportation if medically necessary emergency evacuation is required.
: Up to $100,000 for medical services and transportation if medically necessary emergency evacuation is required. Travel accident insurance : Up to $1 million in the event of death or dismemberment while a passenger is on a common carrier.
: Up to $1 million in the event of death or dismemberment while a passenger is on a common carrier. Emergency medical and dental benefit : Secondary coverage up to $2,500 for emergency medical or dental treatment, subject to a $50 deductible.
: Secondary coverage up to $2,500 for emergency medical or dental treatment, subject to a $50 deductible. Auto rental coverage: Primary insurance provides reimbursement of up to $75,000 for damages caused by theft or collision.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve can unlock travel experiences you otherwise might not be willing to splurge on through its generous rewards program and long list of credits and perks. Once you're familiar with your Sapphire Reserve benefits , you can strategically leverage them to design the trip you want—all without breaking the bank.