Which purchases count as travel with Chase Sapphir...

Because of its plethora of premium journey perks, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) is well-known within the journey bank card house. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) is the Sapphire Reserve’s mid-tier sibling. The 2 playing cards include annual charges of $795 and $95, respectively.

Regardless of which Sapphire card you will have, Chase clearly defines what counts as journey. Nevertheless, Chase recently refreshed the Sapphire Reserve, altering the way it rewards spending on journey. (The Sapphire Most popular has not undergone any modifications.)

So, we have up to date this information to make clear which purchases rely (and do not rely) towards incomes bonus factors on each playing cards.

Should you utilized in your Sapphire Reserve earlier than June 23, you may earn on the following charges till Oct. 25:

• 10 factors per greenback spent on lodges and automotive leases booked by way of Chase Journey℠
• 5 factors per greenback on Lyft rides (by way of Sept. 30, 2027) and flights booked by way of Chase Journey
• 3 factors per greenback on all different journey purchases

From Oct. 26, your incomes construction will change to the one beneath.

New cardholders

Those that utilized for his or her card from June 23 — in addition to present cardholders from Oct. 26 — take pleasure in the next incomes charges:

• 8 factors per greenback on purchases made by way of Chase Journey
• 5 factors per greenback on Lyft rides (by way of Sept. 30, 2027)
• 4 factors per greenback on flights and lodges booked immediately
• 1 level per greenback on all different journey purchases

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns:

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• 5 factors per greenback on all journey booked by way of Chase Journey
• 5 factors per greenback spent on Lyft rides (by way of Sept. 30, 2027)
• 2 factors per greenback on all different journey purchases

Whereas playing cards such because the American Express® Gold Card and The Platinum Card® from American Express provide bonus factors for airfare purchases made immediately with the airline (with a spending cap of $500,000 on the Amex Platinum per calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback), the Sapphire Most popular and Sapphire Reserve playing cards allow you to earn a bonus on nearly each trip-related cost.

The journey class encompasses all kinds of purchases, from cruises to tolls and taxis to parking charges. Airbnb and Uber purchases additionally rely as journey.

The next purchases don’t apply towards the Sapphire Most popular’s normal journey bonus class, however most should not come as a shock:

“Some retailers that present transportation and travel-related providers aren’t included on this class; for instance, actual property brokers, academic retailers arranging journey, in-flight items and providers, on-board cruise line items and providers, sightseeing actions, excursions, vacationer sights, RV and boat leases, retailers inside lodges and airports, public campgrounds and retailers that hire autos for the aim of hauling. Purchases from present card retailers or retailers that promote factors or miles won’t qualify within the journey class.”

Based mostly on TPG staffers’ experiences within the latest previous, there are a couple of notable travel-related prices that haven’t posted as journey for the needs of bonus factors with Chase. These embody an RV rental and a few trip leases by way of VRBO and related providers.

Whether or not a trip residence rental robotically codes as journey is determined by whether or not a person or a conglomerate operates it. Within the latter case, that cost could also be coded as “skilled providers” as an alternative of journey.

Should you’re ever uncertain whether or not a given buy counts as journey, it could possibly be price making a small cost and checking whether or not it earns any bonus factors in your on-line Chase account.

Should you imagine a journey buy ought to have earned bonus factors however did not, you are not out of choices. Begin by checking how the transaction was categorized in your Chase on-line account; this will typically make clear whether or not the service provider was coded appropriately as a journey supplier. If it wasn’t, otherwise you’re nonetheless uncertain, you’ll be able to contact Chase by way of a safe message or by cellphone to request a guide overview of the cost.

Whereas Chase could not at all times modify your factors retroactively, reaching out can present perception into how sure distributors code and show you how to make extra knowledgeable selections for future purchases. It is a easy step that would yield further rewards — or on the very least, peace of thoughts.

The Sapphire Preferred gives sturdy worth on normal journey, whereas the Sapphire Reserve supplies much more rewards in elevated classes.

In response to TPG’s July 2025 valuations, that interprets to a 4.1% return on normal journey purchases with the Sapphire Most popular. With flight or lodge purchases made immediately with the Sapphire Reserve, you possibly can get a return of 8.2%. Then, you’ll be able to put your factors to make use of with Chase’s airline and hotel partners.

On high of that, these Chase playing cards have a number of the most beneficiant travel insurance and purchase protections available on the market. This makes both card a worthwhile addition to your pockets.

Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Reserve
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card