The Chase Sapphire Reserve® has a well-deserved reputation as one of the best travel credit cards. It's loaded with benefits such as airport lounge access, a generous annual travel credit and a variety of useful built-in travel insurance coverages.
However, you'll typically need a strong credit score to get approved for a premium credit card such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve. On top of that, Chase has other application restrictions you need to watch out for. CNBC Select explains how to increase your chances of getting this premium credit card.
What we'll cover
- The Chase Sapphire Reserve card
- Credit score needed for the Chase Sapphire Reserve card
- How to improve your credit score
- Bottom line
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
On Chase’s secure site
Rewards
Earn 5X total points on flights and 10X total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3X points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases plus, 10X points on Lyft rides through March 2025
Welcome bonus
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
Annual fee
$550
Intro APR
None
Regular APR
22.49% - 29.49% variable
Balance transfer fee
5%, minimum $5
Foreign transaction fee
None
Credit needed
Excellent
Terms apply.
Read our Chase Sapphire Reserve® review.
Pros
- $300 annual travel credit for travel purchases
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit up to $100 every four years
- Priority Pass™ Select lounge access at 1,000+ VIP lounges in over 500 cities worldwide
- Points are worth 50% more when redeemed for travel via Chase Travel℠
- Special benefits at The Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection
- Complimentary year of Lyft Pink membership
Cons
- High annual fee, but it can be offset by taking advantage of all the card’s perks
- No introductory APR
- Estimated rewards earned after 1 year: $1,469
- Estimated rewards earned after 5 years: $3,346
Rewards totals incorporate the points earned from the welcome bonus
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® has a $550 annual fee, but its benefits can make it worth the price. Every year cardholders receive up to $300 in statement credits for travel purchases, and that's in addition to these ongoing perks:
- Priority Pass membership (access to 1,400+ airport lounges)
- Up to $100 in application fee credits every four years for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS
- Free year of DoorDash DashPass worth $120 (when you activate by Dec. 31, 2024)
- Two free years of Lyft Pink All Access worth $199 a year (when you activate by Dec. 31, 2024)
- $5 in monthly DoorDash credit through Dec. 31, 2024
- Free year of Instacart+ worth $99 when you activate by July 31, 2024
- Up to $15 Instacart statement credits a month through July 2024
Cardholders can also take advantage of many useful travel and purchase coverages. You'll get trip delay insurance, rental car coverage, purchase protection, extended warranty protection and more.
The Sapphire Reserve also earns Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, which are exceptionally versatile and valuable travel rewards. You can redeem Chase points for cash back, gift cards, travel and transfer them to all 14 of Chase's partner travel programs.
Credit score needed for the Chase Sapphire Reserve card
While there isn't an officially published minimum credit score requirement, to qualify for Chase Sapphire Reserve®, you'll typically need a top-notch credit score. To give yourself the best chance of being approved, aim for a FICO Score of 740 or higher.
But remember, Chase considers much more than your credit score when reviewing your application, including how many credit cards you have opened with other banks recently. You may be denied a Chase credit card if you've opened five or more credit cards in the past 24 months. This is known as the Chase 5/24 rule.
There are also added limitations based on if you have, or have had, any version of the Sapphire card (including the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card). You aren't eligible for a Sapphire Reserve card if you either:
- Currently have any version of the Sapphire card
- Received a welcome bonus from any version of the Sapphire credit card in the last 48 months
The 48-month waiting period applies to when you last earned a bonus, not when you were last approved for a Sapphire card. You typically have up to three months to earn a bonus, so you may need to wait up to 51 months from your last Sapphire card approval date.
Find the best credit card for you by reviewing offers in ourcredit card marketplaceor get personalized offers viaCardMatch™.
How to improve your credit score
The most important influences on your credit score are your payment history and your total debt. These two factors comprise 65% of your FICO Score. So there isn't a shortcut to improving your credit score for the long-term, it largely comes down to paying down your debt and paying your bills on time consistently.
There are services that may boost your credit score by giving you the option to add information to your credit report that normally isn't included. You can use eCredable Lift or *Experian Boost™ to add payment data for utilities, cell phone services, internet services and more, to specific credit reports.
Experian Boost™
On Experian's secure site
Cost
Free
Average credit score increase
13 points, though results vary
Credit report affected
Experian®
Credit scoring model used
FICO® Score
Results will vary. See website for details.
How to sign up for Experian Boost:
- Connect the bank account(s) you use to pay your bills
- Choose and verify the positive payment data you want added to your Experian credit file
- Receive an updatedFICO® Score
Learn more about eligible payments and how Experian Boost works.
FAQs
What should I do if I'm rejected for the Chase Sapphire Reserve card?
If you're rejected for the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you'll receive a letter explaining why. At this point, you can work on addressing the issues that led to the denial or you could call the Chase reconsideration line to further explain your situation or provide additional information in hopes of being approved.
Is the Sapphire Reserve better than the Sapphire Preferred?
The Sapphire Reserve has a better suite of benefits than the Sapphire Preferred, but it also has a higher annual fee. If you're looking for a luxury card, the Sapphire Reserve is a good fit, but the Sapphire Preferred is a better entry-level or mid-tier card.
What salary do you need to qualify for a Chase Sapphire Reserve card?
Chase doesn't publish official income requirements for the Sapphire Reserve card. That said, having a higher income may improve your approval odds and will factor into your credit limit.
Bottom line
To have the best chances of getting approved for the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, we recommend having a strong credit score (740+). However, even with an excellent credit score, you'll need to meet other requirements to qualify such as falling under Chase's 5/24 limit.
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Read more
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These credit cards offer lounge access and credits for expedited airport security
*Results may vary. Some may not see improved scores or approval odds. Not all lenders use Experian credit files, and not all lenders use scores impacted by Experian Boost.
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.
