Last Chance: How to Make Sure You’ve Used Your Sapphire Reserve Travel Credit Before Year-End

Last Chance: How to Make Sure You’ve Used Your Sapphire Reserve Travel Credit Before Year-End

The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers the best travel protections of the premium travel rewards credit cards and counts many different types of purchases as travel. It’s my go-to card for travel purchases since I earn 3 Chase Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent after the $300 travel credit is exhausted — a 6% return based on TPG’s latest valuations — while being covered by the card’s excellent trip delay protection and baggage delay protection.

It’s likely that you’ve already used the TPG Award-winning annual $300 travel credit that’s provided to Chase Sapphire Reserve card holders. But, as I learned recently when my husband JT realized that he still needed to use the airline fee credit on The Platinum Card® from American Express, it’s best to check that you’ve used your annual travel credits and not simply assume that you have.

If you applied for the Sapphire Reserve before May 21, 2017, your window to use your 2018 travel credit will close when your December statement closes — which may have already happened. But, if you applied for the card after May 21, 2017 your annual travel credit is tied to the cardmember year — so you may still have plenty of time. If you aren’t sure when you applied, go ahead and follow the steps below to check where you stand.

It’s relatively easy to check where you stand in regards to your travel credit. Simply log in to the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal and go to the dashboard for your Sapphire Reserve. On this dashboard, there will be a graphic on the right that shows your progress toward using your 2018 or 2019 travel credit.

From the graphic, you’ll notice that I’ve already completely used my 2019 travel credit. But, if you haven’t completely used your 2018 travel credit, you applied for the card before May 21, 2017 and your December statement hasn’t closed yet, now is the time to make some travel purchases with your Sapphire Reserve card. The card’s travel categories are extremely broad. So, even buses, parking and ferries in your hometown will count as travel. The Sapphire Reserve offers many other benefits as well, so make sure you’re taking full advantage.