this Chase Sapphire Priority® Card (See rates and fees) and Chase SapphireReserve® (See Rates and Fees) are two of our favorite travel reward credit cards of all time.
Both cards are perfect for those looking to earn valuable chase ultimate reward points, but that’s the overlapping ending. Sapphire’s preference is a popular intermediate travel card, but lacks many of the quality privileges that its big siblings Sapphire Reserve offers.
The annual fee for the Sapphire Reserve is $795, which is $700 more than the $95 annual fee that is preferred by Sapphire. With the recent sapphire reserve refresh, you can now hold both cards right away, but just because you don’t mean you should.
Here are six compelling reasons to consider upgrading sapphires to sapphire reserves more.
Airport lounge access
Lounge entry is a great way to escape the hustle and bustle of the terminal. The lounge offers free food and drinks, comfortable seating, a work area and an occasional shower.
and Sapphire prefers No lounges are available, you can use Sapphire Conservation Area:
- Chase Sapphire Lounge: The cardholder himself and two free guests enter the Chase Sapphire lounge. These lounges are excellent, with American Express quality competitors of Centurion Lounge. There are currently eight lounges open, and there are three confirmed plans on the way.
- Priority access to lounges: Cardholders can access over 1,700 priority pass lounges worldwide and bring two free guests ($27 per person after the top two).
- Choose Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge: When flying on Star Alliance Airlines, cardholders can access over 20 Air Canada maple leaf lounges and bring one free guest.
Additionally, authorized users of Chase Sapphire Reserve Account (a fee of $195 per year) can enter the Sapphire lounge and receive full priority membership.
Related: Your Chase Travel Insurance Guide
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Improved trip delay insurance
From first-hand experience, this insurance is really important, especially if your trip is delayed.
this Sapphire prefers Each ticket can provide a maximum of at least 12 hours of delay or an extension that requires overnight stays. this Sapphire Conservation Area Offering the same $500 coverage, but it started in just six hours.
After a six-hour delay, you can repay important items like food, transportation, hotel accommodation and toiletries, which you may need due to the delay.
Related: Should you get travel insurance if you have credit card protection?
Improve points better redemption
One way to redeem views is to book a trip through Chase Travel. You can use Chase Travel to redeeming points at fixed values, or you can use new points to enhance redemption options.
As the points increase, you can pass Sapphire prefers But at most 2 cents per point Sapphire Conservation Area When redeeming a selection of chase trip bookings. Although the differences may appear small, the differences quickly add up when redeeming large amounts of points through a chase trip.
Note that TPG credit card writer Danyal Ahmed found that to get these elevated redemption rates, you must book premium cabins on select airlines such as Air Canada and United Airlines or book hotels.
Related: What is the difference between editing properties and point promotion of Chase?
Higher income rate
this Sapphire Conservation Area Earn:
- 10 points per dollar spent at $150 or above (as of December 31, 2027), up to 50,000 points
- Each dollar spent 8 points on purchases made through Chase Travel, including editing
- Spend 5 points per dollar on Lyft rides (as of September 30, 2027)
- 4 o’clock per dollar for flights and hotels booked directly
- Global meals for 3 o’clock every dollar
- Every dollar spent on all other purchases
at the same time, Sapphire prefers Earn:
- Spend 5 points per dollar on a trip through Chase Travel Booking
- Spend 5 points per dollar at $150 or above (until December 31, 2027) up to 25,000 points
- Spend 5 points per dollar on Lyft (as of September 30, 2027)
- Dining 3 o’clock per dollar
- Spend 3 points per dollar on select streaming services
- Spend 3 points on online groceries (excluding Target, Walmart and Wholesale Clubs)
- Spend 2 points on all other trips
- Every dollar spent on all other purchases
Although Sapphire likes to spend 2 points on all trips, and Chase roughly defines all trips, Sapphire Reserve is better for those who book more flights and hotels directly. According to TPG’s August 2025 valuation, it earns 4 points per dollar in these categories with a return of 8.2%, making it one of the best cards to buy.
Finally, if you book a trip through Chase Travel frequently, the sapphire reserve earns 8 points per dollar, while the sapphire prefers 5 points per dollar. If you book a trip this way often, you can make Sapphire booking a more meaningful option.
Related: Chase the Ultimate Reward Sweet Position: From International Business Class to Domestic Travel
Free elite identity
If you have always wanted to get a hotel elite status, you are in luck because the Sapphire Reserve offers an automatic IHG Platinum Elite Identity (until December 31, 2027).
This status provides benefits such as 60% bonus points (if any) in accommodation, free upgrades, early check-in and 2pm checkout (if any).
Related: IHG One Reward: How to Earn and Redeem Points, Elite Identity, and More
A large number of declared credits
this Chatong Sapphire Reserve Offers an impressive range of declared credits that, when fully utilized, are worth over $2,000 per year. For the average cardholder, most of these points are easy to take advantage of Apple, Catering, Stubborn and Travel points.
Meanwhile, Sapphire Preferred offers an annual hotel statement credit of $50 per year for hotel bookings made through Chase Travel (the final reward for the first $50 purchased by the hotel will not win reward points). If you are able to use this credit, reduce the valid annual fee for Sapphire Preferred to just $45.
If you can even use half the points offered on the sapphire reserve, that will be more than just paying the annual fee, making the upgrade easy and reasonable.
Related: Why I Never Cancel My Chase Sapphire Reserve
How to upgrade to Chase Sapphire Reserve
There are two types of “upgrade” to Sapphire Conservation Areathe first one is my suggestion.
First downgrade your sapphire first
Chase has new rules on the welcome reward eligibility on its sapphire card, and not everyone is eligible for the bonus.
You may be eligible for Sapphire Conservation Area Welcome Reward If you have never received a sapphire reserve before, you are not an active sapphire cardholder (the preferred choice for sapphires including sapphires).
Here’s how to do this: First, make sapphire more preferred Chase FreedomFlex® (See rates and fees) or Chasing for Freedom® (See rates and fees). Then, wait at least one week to apply for sapphire reserves.
To learn more, check out our guide on sapphire reserve Welcome Bonus Qualifications.
Related: Am I eligible for a bonus in Chase Sapphire Reserve?
Product changes
Upgrade to Sapphire Conservation Area It is necessary to replace the product. This means converting your Sapphire prefers Go to the Sapphire Reserve. If approved, you will retain the same account and card number – but you will not receive a welcome bonus for sapphire reserves.
To downgrade or upgrade the card, call the number on the back of the card or log in to the Chase app and send a security message. Suppose you want to change the card and follow the instructions on your representative.
It is important to note that since Sapphire Reserve is a visa unlimited card, you need at least a $10,000 credit limit. If your sapphire prefers not as high a credit limit, you need to ask for an increase in credit limit first. A chase representative confirmed this to me as I looked at the preference for upgrading sapphire.
Related: Your Biggest Chase Sapphire Reserve Question Answers: From Bonus Qualification to Earning Rate
Hold two sapphire cards
Since you are allowed to hold two sapphire cards, you can apply for Chase Sapphire reserves while keeping your sapphire preferred. If approved, you will pay a total of $890 an annual fee, but this pairing can have good value and strong points potential.
To further enhance your rewards, please consider adding Chasing for infinite freedom Complete Chase Trifecta. With this setup, you will spend at least 1.5 points on all purchases, maximizing the benefits of the expenditure category.
Remember that when applying for a sapphire reserve you will be subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule and you will not receive a welcome bonus for the sapphire reserve.
Related: When should you ignore Chase’s 5/24 rule?
Bottom line
For frequent travelers, the sapphire reserve is worthy of comparison with the sapphire preference. Privileges such as lounge access, declare points and high points points improve redemption rates through chase travel are key reasons for the upgrade.
Sapphire preference is still an excellent travel reward card for casual travelers who do not require lounge access or quality privileges. But if you fly even a few times a year and don’t have a travel reward card with similar privileges yet, the Sapphire Sanctuary is a better choice.
For more details, read our full review of Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve Cards.
Apply here: Chase Sapphire’s first choice
Apply here: Chatong Sapphire Reserve
