facebook

Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business Review – Is it Worth the Fee?

Let’s take a deep dive into the card so that you can decide if it meets the lofty expectations set by the price point.
Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business Header Image


The Daily Navigator strives to help you make the best personal finance decisions. While we produce content according with strict editorial integrity this post may contain references to partner products. Here’s a full explanation for how our team makes money.

At a glance

The Sapphire Reserve for Business℠

150,000 bonus points

Offer Details:

Earn 150,000 bonus points after you spend $20,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.

Why we like it

The Sapphire Reserve℠ for Business takes everything people love about the personal version and supercharges it for business owners. With its revamped perks, business travelers can unlock more than $2,500 in annual value when maximizing benefits like flexible travel credits, airport lounge access, and robust transfer partners.

  • 8x points on all purchases booked through Chase Travel℠

  • 5x points on Lyft rides through 9/30/27

  • 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct with the airline or hotel

  • 3x points on social media and search engine advertising

Pros

  • Points can be worth up to 2 cents each when redeemed through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® Portal, keeping redemptions simple and lucrative.

  • Strong lineup of airline and hotel transfer partners, opening up premium travel redemptions.

  • Business-friendly perks on common business expenses

  • Complimentary Priority Pass Select membership with access to over 1,300 lounges and restaurants worldwide.

  • Up to $300 Travel Credit annually helps offset the fee immediately.

Cons

  • Subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule

  • Chase’s once-per-lifetime rule for Sapphire cards applies: if you’ve ever earned a welcome bonus on a Sapphire Reserve, Preferred, or Business, you can’t earn one again on the same product.

  • The high annual fee is rough unless you can use all the benefits

Terms Apply

Overview

When Chase announced it was rebranding the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and adding a business card, the points and miles world held its collective breath. As one of the most popular premium cards on the market, change was worrying, and when the cost was announced, trepidation grew.

Thankfully, Chase was mostly successful with the launch, and its new business card, in particular, has become one of the strongest options for businesses looking to get the most from their outgoings.

The Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ comes with a huge introductory offer, is loaded with perks, and dials in on useful business add-ons. But it’s also burdened with an enormous annual fee that could scare away some customers. Let’s take a deep dive into the card so that you can decide if it meets the lofty expectations set by the price point.

Who is this card best for:

This card is built for business owners with high, but specific spending requirements. Those whose outgoings fall under the card’s generous earning categories can earn uncapped points and are in a strong position to make the most of the card.

With that said, its valuable perks and statement credits are fairly easy to use within many businesses, and can more than cover the annual fee, opening it up to a far larger demographic. If its benefits and earnings don’t offer much opportunity for you, though, maybe look at another option.

The Bottom Line:

This card has the potential to be a powerhouse in the right hands. With a slew of solid perks, a gargantuan introductory offer, and some excellent business-specific earning rates, it could be the perfect card for a business with steady outgoings, but smaller setups in specific industries might struggle to recoup the value from the card without some aggressive intention.

Intro Bonus

One of the biggest immediate draws of the Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ is its huge 150,000-point introductory offer. To get it, you’ll need to spend $20,000 within three months of opening the card. Not a paltry sum, but very achievable for the right business owner.

Chase Ultimate Rewards Points are extremely valuable, and with a valuation of around 2 cents per point, that bonus alone could be worth over $3,000 if transferred to a high-value airline or hotel partner. Even using it on Chase’s travel portal will still get you at least $1,500 in value. 

It’s vital to make sure your business can hit that $20,000 spending threshold responsibly without forcing any extra expenses. But with an average of just $6,666 a month, that should be doable for many small businesses.

Fees

A card loaded with this many benefits isn’t going to come cheap, and with an annual fee of $795, it’s one of the priciest on the market. If you can utilize most of the perks mentioned, you’ll come out ahead before you even factor in the number of points you could rack up. There are also no foreign transaction fees.

Pros & Cons

At face value, the card looks epic. And again, in the right hands, it definitely can be. But as always, no product is perfect. Let’s look at the pros and cons of the Sapphire Reserve for Business℠.

Pros

Cons

Benefits & Perks

The card’s new sky-high annual fee means Chase needed to compensate customers with a slew of perks and other benefits to ensure it’s worth it. While some criticize the “coupon-book” style, Chase largely succeeded in building a portfolio of useful statement credits, perks, and add-ons to add real value to a business owner’s life.

Lounge access

Lounge access is a must for any premium card these days, and the Sapphire Reserve is no exception to that rule. It comes with a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership, which grants the holder access to over 1,300 lounges around the world, as well as two complementary guests per visit. That membership is worth around $469 if you paid outright.

On top of that, cardholders can also access Chase’s growing range of branded efforts, the Chase Sapphire Lounges. There are only eight open right now, with two more on the way, but they’re found in major US hubs, so if you fly a lot, there’s a good chance you’ll get the opportunity. You’ll also have access to Air Canada’s Maple Leaf Lounges if you’re flying with any Star Alliance member airline on the same day.

Annual travel credit

The card comes with a number of statement credits, but the simplest to use is the $300 annual travel credit. Unlike other issuers that require you to use their booking portal, Chase will credit you for the first $300 of purchases you make in the travel category. You won’t earn points on that $300, but it’s taking a huge chunk out of that hefty annual fee.

Other travel credits and benefits

The card’s other travel credits are slightly more specific but still super useful for the right person. You’ll get the following credits each year:

  • $250 credit to use on Chase hotels. This is a new one, and may disappear at the end of the year. There are plenty of T&Cs, so check that your stay qualifies.

  • $500 credit for stays with The Edit, Chase’s handpicked list of hotels and resorts. You need to stay at least two nights to qualify, and you can earn a maximum of $250 per transaction.

  • More than $550 in value during stays at The Edit properties. This can come in the form of breakfasts, room upgrades, or property credits. It varies depending on the hotel.

  • $120 statement credits for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS fees, to help speed up your airport days

  • IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite Status

Biz-centric statement credits

The card also adds value in the form of business-focused statement credits. While not useful for everyone, many business owners will save a few hundred bucks a year by utilizing what the card has to offer.

  • $200 annual Google Workspace credit

  • $400 annual ZipRecruiter credit, split into bi-annual $200 segments

  • $100 curated gift card credit

  • $420 in DoorDash value, split between $300 in monthly promos and a $120 DoorDash membership

  • $120 annual Lyft credit

Other benefits

There are a number of other benefits included with the Sapphire Reserve for Business, such as:

  • Visa Infinite concierge, a service that can help you book tables, plan trips, get event tickets, and other things

  • Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables, which offer exclusive access to popular and hard-to-book restaurants on OpenTable.

  • No extra cost for employee cards

  • Comprehensive insurance including lost or delayed Baggage, auto rental, emergency dental, emergency evacuation, travel accident, and trip delay or interruption coverage.

  • There is also significant purchase protection, including cell phone protection, extended warranties, and return protection.

Pay-to-Play perks

All the benefits mentioned so far come as part of the card’s setup. But for those with higher spending needs, there is another tier of perks to unlock. By spending $120,000 in a calendar year, you’ll unlock:

  • $500 statement credit for The Shops at Chase

  • Diamond Elite Status with IHG One Rewards

  • A-List Status with Southwest Airlines

  • $500 Southwest Airlines Chase Travel statement credit

Earning Rates

The perks are great, but this is a rewards card, and the earning rates are what truly make or break a strong product. This card does an excellent job in this respect, offering some excellent earning rates across some high-value categories. Those with high travel costs and a big online presence will reap the most rewards here.

  • 8x points per dollar on travel booked through Chase Travel

  • 4x on flights and hotels booked directly

  • 3x on social media and search engine advertising

  • 5x points per dollar on Lyft rides through 9/30/27

  • 1x on everything else

8x points per dollar on travel is amazing, even if you need to do it through Chase. The best plan of action is to check the prices on Chase Travel, then check the direct cost. If the price difference is significant (which it can be), opt for booking directly. If it’s the same or very close, use Chase Travel and milk those points.

Those with high spending in social media and search engine marketing will haul in the points.

Redeeming Points

Whatever you spend, the exciting part is using those points to grab free or heavily discounted travel. Chase Ultimate Rewards Points are some of the most valuable out there, trumping many others with their excellent list of airline and hotel transfer partners. Chase doesn’t have as many as Amex or Capital One, but it emphasizes quality over quantity, gifting its points a valuation of around 2 cents each, which is tremendous.

There are multiple ways to use your points, but some are better than others when it comes to value. Here is every way you can use those points.

Transferring to a partner

By a significant margin, transferring points to one of Chase’s airline and hotel partners is the best way to use your points. By moving them and redeeming a flight or stay, it’s possible to gain immensely more value on your points. With some business class redemptions, it’s not uncommon to stretch the value to five, six, or even ten cents per point — although the average is still about two.

Here is a list of all of Chase’s transfer partners.

Airline Transfer Partners:

  • Aer Lingus AerClub

  • Air Canada Aeroplan

  • Air France-KLM Flying Blue

  • British Airways Executive Club

  • Emirates Skywards

  • Iberia Plus

  • JetBlue TrueBlue

  • Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

  • Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards

  • United MileagePlus

  • Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Hotel Transfer Partners:

  • IHG One Rewards

  • Marriott Bonvoy

  • World of Hyatt

You can get an idea of the best ways to use your points here.

Booking through the Chase Travel Portal

The Chase Travel Portal is an online travel agency that lets you use points to book travel with either cash, Chase points, or a mix of both. In general, you’ll get around 1 cent per point here, but Chase’s new system means that some flights and stays have special rates that allow you to squeeze more from your points.

It’s not as powerful as it once was, but it’s still worth checking as part of your search routine. Don’t book there unless you’ve exhausted all your other transfer options and can’t better the rates. 

While it’s likely you won’t get as much from it, the portal is far easier to use than transferring points, which may be preferable for some who don’t want to learn the complexities of loyalty programs. It works similarly to Expedia, SkyScanner, or Booking.

Cash back and gift cards

You can cash out Chase points at a rate of 1 cent each, so that intro bonus would be worth $1,500. Of course, this is super flexible as you can use it on whatever you want, but if you travel a lot, you’d be saving more in the long run still by transferring.

You can also redeem them for gift cards at popular retailers — again, usually at that one cent per point rate, sometimes lower. Occasionally, you’ll see sales where it could be worth buying gift cards and getting more for your points, but it’ll still pale in comparison to your other options.

Is This Card Right For You?

The Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ has serious potential to be an unbeatable card. High-spending business owners with online expenses and heavy travel will get the most from it, but it comes laden with enough handy perks and benefits, plus a huge bonus, that many others can take advantage of it, too.

The Sapphire Reserve for Business℠

150,000 bonus points

Offer Details:

Earn 150,000 bonus points after you spend $20,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.

Why we like it

The Sapphire Reserve℠ for Business takes everything people love about the personal version and supercharges it for business owners. With its revamped perks, business travelers can unlock more than $2,500 in annual value when maximizing benefits like flexible travel credits, airport lounge access, and robust transfer partners.

  • 8x points on all purchases booked through Chase Travel℠

  • 5x points on Lyft rides through 9/30/27

  • 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct with the airline or hotel

  • 3x points on social media and search engine advertising

Pros

  • Points can be worth up to 2 cents each when redeemed through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® Portal, keeping redemptions simple and lucrative.

  • Strong lineup of airline and hotel transfer partners, opening up premium travel redemptions.

  • Business-friendly perks on common business expenses

  • Complimentary Priority Pass Select membership with access to over 1,300 lounges and restaurants worldwide.

  • Up to $300 Travel Credit annually helps offset the fee immediately.

Cons

  • Subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule

  • Chase’s once-per-lifetime rule for Sapphire cards applies: if you’ve ever earned a welcome bonus on a Sapphire Reserve, Preferred, or Business, you can’t earn one again on the same product.

  • The high annual fee is rough unless you can use all the benefits

Terms Apply

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone. This post contains references to products from one or more of our partners and we may receive compensation when you click on links to those products.

Master your money and travel smarter this year

Join the Smart Points newsletter and learn to save up to $10,000 a year on travel.

Related Stories

Smart Points Logo

Master your money and travel smarter this year

Join the Smart Points newsletter and learn to save up to $10,000 a year on travel. Recent edition →

Join the Smart Points newsletter and learn to save up to $10,000 a year on travel. Recent edition →

Advertiser Disclosure

This site is part of an affiliate sales network and may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened. This relationship may impact how and where links appear on this site.  This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page.

For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.

LIMITED-TIME OFFER

150,000 BONUS POINTS

after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Partner offer. Terms apply.

DFC Partner Perks App Link Image
Special Discounts for Our Members

Save Big with Perks

Get $5,000+ in immediate travel savings with Perks. Unlock next level travel benefits, for life. Get discounts from the world’s best travel brands you won’t find anywhere else. No credit required.

DFC Concierge App Link Image
Special Discount for Our Members

93% off lifetime access

Save $1,200 and 10 hours of your time on every vacation. With Lifetime access to DFC Concierge, get fully customized trip itineraries to make every vacation unforgettable.

Dollar Flight Club App Link Image
Special Discount for Our Members

50% Off PREMIUM

You can save up to $500 on your next adventure without lifting a finger get email alerts when we find flights up to 90% off leaving your home airport. Just let us know your departure airport and we’ll do the rest.

The Daily Navigator Commitment

The Daily Navigator is an integral part of the larger DFC Media family. Through each of our brands, we’re dedicated to helping our readers travel, spend, and live smarter.

With products dedicated to affordable travel, educational content, and personal finance, we deliver the day’s essential content with none of the filler — all in a way that’s fast, easy, and fun to read. Every day million of audience members trust us to deliver educational content so that they can make informed decisions faster. We hope you’ll join them.

We’re happy to have you here!