
Upgrading your Chase Sapphire Preferred to the Reserve is a game-changer for your travel rewards. The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers a 60,000-point bonus after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months, but the Reserve takes it to the next level with a 50,000-point bonus after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months.
The Reserve also offers a $300 travel credit, which can be redeemed for travel purchases made through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. This can be a huge perk for frequent travelers, as it essentially offsets the annual fee of the Reserve.
To upgrade to the Reserve, you'll need to meet the spending requirement and have good credit. The upgrade process is relatively straightforward, but it's essential to ensure you're eligible before applying.
Check this out: First Republic Bank Credit Rating
Benefits of Upgrading
Upgrading to the Chase Sapphire Reserve card can bring a significant boost to your travel perks. The card offers a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership, which grants access to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide, saving you around $469 annually.
With the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you'll also enjoy an annual travel credit of up to $300, a valuable benefit that's easy to use. The card's travel insurance protections are also better, providing more comprehensive coverage.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card offers a $300 Annual Travel Credit, which can be a huge help when planning your trips. You can use this credit to offset the cost of travel-related expenses.
If you're a frequent traveler, the Chase Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection is a game-changer. This benefit allows you to get more perks at hotels, enhancing your overall travel experience.
Here's a comparison of the two cards' travel purchase rewards:
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card's 3x rewards on travel purchases, including hotel stays booked directly through the hotel, tour packages, and more, can add up quickly.
The Priority Pass Select membership offered by the Chase Sapphire Reserve card is a significant benefit, especially for frequent travelers. This membership allows you to access airport lounges, providing a more comfortable and relaxing travel experience.
A fresh viewpoint: Credit Union Membership Access Act
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card's 50% bonus on Chase Travel portal bookings and Pay Yourself Back can help you get more value from your redemptions. This can be a huge advantage when planning your trips.
Overall, upgrading to the Chase Sapphire Reserve card can bring a wealth of benefits, especially for frequent travelers. With its improved travel perks, better insurance protections, and increased rewards, this card is a great choice for those who want to enhance their travel experience.
Comparing Upgrade Options
You might consider upgrading to the Chase Sapphire Reserve if you're a frequent traveler, as it offers premium travel benefits like Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership and a $300 annual travel credit.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve has a much higher annual fee, but it also offers a $300 annual travel credit that can offset more than half of the fee.
However, there are some downsides to upgrading, including losing the 10% anniversary bonus on the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
Check this out: Is There an Annual Fee for Chase Sapphire Card
You'll also earn fewer points on certain purchases, such as online grocery stores and streaming services, when you upgrade to the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays purchased through the Chase travel portal, which can be a valuable perk to consider.
How to Upgrade
To upgrade your Chase Sapphire Preferred to the Reserve, you'll need to have your account for at least 13 months prior to requesting an upgrade.
Contact Chase customer service by phone or through secured online messaging to submit your request. You'll likely get a response in a few hours.
Approvals aren't guaranteed, but having a high credit score and a history of responsible credit management can increase your chances.
You won't qualify for the Sapphire Reserve's sign-up bonus when upgrading from the Preferred card, but you will gain access to better benefits, including a higher point value.
You might enjoy: Upgrade Credit Cards
Make sure you understand the potential repercussions of closing your Sapphire Preferred account, as this could cause a spike in your credit utilization ratio and lower your credit score.
Don't close your Sapphire Preferred account if you have other cards with high balances, as this could make it harder to qualify for the Sapphire Reserve card in the future.
Impact on Credit Score
Upgrading to the Chase Sapphire Reserve can impact your credit score. Being declined won't drop your score, but a hard inquiry can temporarily lower your FICO score by up to 5 points.
You can check your credit score for free to see if you qualify for the upgrade. Consumers approved for the Sapphire Reserve have an average FICO score of 785.
A hard inquiry can cause a similar decrease in your score, even if you're approved. It's a good idea to review your credit report before applying to see if you'll be approved.
Maintaining a good credit utilization ratio and keeping your account in good standing can eventually improve your credit score. If Chase grants you a higher line of revolving credit, your credit score should improve over time.
Consider reading: Is It Hard to Get Approved for Debt Consolidation
Points and Rewards Management
You can keep your Chase Ultimate Rewards points when upgrading from the Sapphire Preferred to the Sapphire Reserve. You'll just need to call Chase and ask for a card upgrade with a bonus points transfer.
The number to call is 1-800-493-3319 or the number printed on the back of your credit card. You can also transfer your points, but calling is a more straightforward option.
If you've built up a balance of 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points, upgrading to the Sapphire Reserve will give you a 20% boost in value, making your points worth $1,500 when redeemed through Chase's travel portal.
A larger point balance will make this upgrade even more valuable, with a 300,000 point balance seeing a whopping $750 increase in value.
Redeeming points through the Chase Travel portal using the Sapphire Reserve card can also save you points, with a 50% redemption bonus compared to the Sapphire Preferred's 25% bonus.
You might like: Ultimate Rewards Chase Sapphire Reserve
Eligibility and Requirements
To upgrade your Chase Sapphire Preferred to the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you'll need to meet certain eligibility requirements. You must have had your Chase Sapphire Preferred account open for at least a year.
You can upgrade by applying for the Chase Sapphire Reserve, and you'll need to be in good standing with your account. You can also look for an invitation in the mail, which may indicate you're pre-approved or pre-qualified. But keep in mind that you still need to apply and be approved.
To increase your chances of approval, make sure you comply with the Chase 5/24 rule, which means you shouldn't have opened more than five credit cards or other lines of credit within 24 months.
Here's an interesting read: Can I Upgrade Capital One Quicksilver to Venture X
Who Should Update?
If you've had your Chase Sapphire Preferred card for at least a year, it might be worth considering an upgrade to the Chase Sapphire Reserve card.
You can upgrade your card if you've had your Preferred account for at least thirteen months and your account is in good standing. This means you've been paying your bills on time and haven't had any issues with your account.

To upgrade, you can look for an invitation for the Chase Sapphire Reserve card in the mail, which may indicate you're pre-approved or pre-qualified. Alternatively, you can reach out directly to the bank by calling the number on the back of your Chase Sapphire Preferred card.
Make sure you comply with the Chase 5/24 rule when you apply, which means you shouldn't have opened more than five credit cards or other lines of credit within the past 24 months.
How Much Income Do You Need?
Chase Bank's target audience for the Sapphire Reserve card is millennials earning 6-figure salaries.
However, there's no hard and fast income requirement, and most approved cardholders report an annual income ranging from $50,000 to $180,000.
In some cases, consumers with lower household incomes may be approved, but it's not a guarantee.
Chase also looks at your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio, mortgage, and other monthly expenses, in addition to your credit score.
A minimum credit score of 670 may suffice, but we recommend aiming for at least 720. Most customers have a 750 or higher credit score.
A unique perspective: How to Get Approved for Discover Credit Card
Upgrade Process and Timing
You can upgrade from the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card to the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card at any time, but it's essential to consider the timing. Make sure to upgrade far enough in advance that you have time to enroll in Priority Pass and TSA PreCheck or Global Entry.
To avoid losing your 10% anniversary bonus, wait until after your anniversary bonus has been posted before upgrading your account. This bonus is only available on the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card holders earn 3x points on online grocery stores and streaming services, which drops to 1x points when charged to a Chase Sapphire Reserve Card.
Suggestion: How to Sue the Credit Bureaus and Win Every Time
Potential Downsides
Upgrading to the Chase Sapphire Reserve can come with some downsides. You'll lose the 10% anniversary bonus if you upgrade before it's been posted.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers 3x points on online grocery stores and streaming services, but these purchases only earn 1x points when charged to a Chase Sapphire Reserve. This might be a significant difference for frequent online shoppers.
You'll also miss out on the Chase Sapphire Preferred's $50 statement credits for hotel stays purchased through the Chase travel portal. This perk can offset more than half of the card's annual fee.
Can I Have Freedom?
You can enjoy airport lounge access for yourself and up to 2 guests with a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership, which is worth at least $469 every year.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card offers a $300 annual travel credit, one of the easiest benefits to use, and can also reimburse you for the Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee every 4 years.
With the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you'll get more perks at hotels through the Chase Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection, and better travel insurance protections.
If you travel frequently, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card's value proposition is enormous, making it a great option for those who want better travel benefits.
Here are some benefits of the Chase Sapphire Reserve card compared to the Chase Sapphire Preferred card:
- Up to 10x points on eligible dining and travel purchases
- 1.5 point value for Ultimate Rewards travel redemptions
- Up to double the coverage of Sapphire Preferred for travel insurance
- Extended purchase protection up to $10,000 per claim
- $300 annual travel credit
- Free Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
- Airport lounge access for Priority Pass Select and Chase Sapphire lounges
- Free 2-year Lyft Pink membership
You can also enjoy free yearly subscriptions to Instacart and DoorDash, and free partner hotel and resort upgrades with the Chase Sapphire Reserve card.
Reserve Upgrade

Upgrading to the Chase Sapphire Reserve can bring a wealth of travel benefits, including Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership and a $300 annual travel credit.
The Reserve offers a lot more travel perks than the Preferred, making it a great choice for frequent travelers.
To be eligible for the Reserve upgrade, you'll need to have a good credit score, as consumers approved for the Sapphire Reserve have an average FICO score of 785.
You'll also want to ensure you're approved for a higher line of revolving credit, as the Reserve limits generally range from $5,000 to $20,000, with some card members reporting limits as high as $50,000.
Applying for the upgrade will result in a hard inquiry on your credit report, which can temporarily drop your FICO score by up to 5 points.
However, if you're approved, the upgrade can ultimately improve your credit score as you maintain the account in good standing.
A different take: Pros and Cons of Alliant Credit Union
Here's a comparison of the benefits you'll gain by upgrading to the Reserve:
Make sure to upgrade far enough in advance that you have time to enroll in Priority Pass and TSA PreCheck or Global Entry to get the most out of your new benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get Chase Sapphire Reserve bonus if I have preferred?
No, if you're already a primary account holder on a Sapphire card, you're not eligible for the 60,000-point bonus. This includes the Chase Sapphire Preferred and its sister card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Sources
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/travel/upgrade-chase-sapphire-preferred-to-reserve
- https://wallethub.com/answers/cc/upgrade-chase-sapphire-preferred-to-reserve-2140660957/
- https://upgradedpoints.com/credit-cards/reviews/chase-sapphire-preferred-card/upgrade-to-chase-sapphire-reserve/
- https://www.mybanktracker.com/credit-cards/travel/upgrade-chase-sapphire-preferred-reserve-280145
- https://www.moneycrashers.com/upgrade-chase-sapphire-preferred-to-reserve/
Featured Images: pexels.com