Can you upgrade a Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card?

The only surefire way to get the $550 Chase Sapphire Reserve annual fee waived is if you’re an active servicemember and you check that box on the application. As long as Chase can confirm your active duty status, they won’t charge you any fees. Otherwise, your odds of getting a Chase Sapphire Reserve annual fee waiver are next to none. ... read full answerChase Sapphire Preferred Card also has a $95 annual fee. But it’s not like Chase will penalize you for asking for a fee waiver, so why not give it a shot?

There are a few details you should be aware of before calling and asking for a fee waiver, though. And in the likely event that you don’t get one, you’ll need to know what perks are available to determine whether Sapphire Reserve is worth it.

Here’s what you should know about Chase Sapphire Reserve annual fee waivers:

• If you’re in the armed forces full-time, you’re eligible to have all Sapphire Reserve fees waived, except for the returned check fee. You can get this benefit by indicating your service on the application (there’s a box to check off) or by calling Chase customer service at 1-800-432-3117. Chase will have to verify your status.
• If you want to try for a fee waiver or reduction, you can call the number on the back of your card or the general Chase customer service line: 1-800-432-3117.
• According to people who’ve had luck with fee waivers on other credit cards, having a high income and spending a lot can help. Since the issuer is already making a lot of money from the fees it charges merchants when you make purchases, the thinking goes, they might be more willing to give you a break.
• The Chase Sapphire Reserve initial bonus is worth $900 in travel through Chase, which covers more than a year and a half of annual fees. And if you’re a frequent traveler, you should always get more than $450 in value per year, between the $300 annual travel credit, free airport lounge access, 3 points per $1 spent on travel and more benefits.

While it’s unlikely that you’ll get the Chase Sapphire Reserve annual fee waived, you might as well try. The worst that can happen is Chase will say “no.” But if you do have to pay $550 every year, just make sure you take advantage of the card’s huge list of benefits in order to get your money’s worth. That or get one of the many credit cards with no annual fee.

The only way you can get airport lounge access with Chase Sapphire Preferred is by paying the $99 membership fee. This card does not provide complimentary access to airport lounges/clubs. Only Chase Sapphire Reserve® gives free airport lounge access – for the cardholder, authorized user, and up to two guests.

Here’s how Chase Sapphire airport lounge access works:... read full answer

Airport lounge access provides comfortable seating, complimentary snacks and beverages and free Wi-Fi at lounges located in more than 1,300 airports worldwide.

To find a lounge, go to the Priority Pass website and type your destination into the “Find a lounge” bar. You’ll be able to see where a lounge is within an airport, as well as its hours, amenities, guest policies and other rules. You can also check the Priority Pass lounge directory.

How to get free lounge access:

To get lounge access for free, you should apply for a credit card that offers this benefit. For example, if you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, Priority Pass Select membership requires a one-time activation at no additional cost. Log in to your Chase.com account and click “Things you can do.” Then click “Account details,” and finally “Airport Lounge Access.” But before you rush out and apply for this card just for entry into airport lounges, there are a few things you should know.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card enables you to enroll in the Priority Pass Select airport lounge program for free. This credit card also waives Priority Pass’s $32 guest fee, which allows for unlimited access for up to two guests per visit. For any additional guests, your card will be charged $27 per guest, per visit. If you were to purchase a standard Priority Pass membership separately, it would cost at least $99 a year, plus $32 per visit (not including guests). Higher membership levels give free visits but cost significantly more – for $429 per year, all visits are free.

Now here’s the kicker: Chase Sapphire Reserve has a $550 annual fee. However, some of that is offset by a $300 annual travel credit. It’s important to take those types of things into account if you want to get the best deal.

Chase Sapphire Airport Lounge Math:

Chase Sapphire Preferred: $99 airport lounge membership + $95 annual fee = $194 per year for airport lounge access + $32 per person per visit.

Chase Sapphire Reserve: $0 airport lounge membership + $550 annual fee - $300 travel credit = $150 per year for airport lounge access.

As you can see, Chase Sapphire Preferred is more expensive than Chase Sapphire Reserve when it comes to lounge access, especially if there are guest visits. You’ll need to take this into account before you decide if this benefit is worth the added expense.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred credit limit is $5,000, at a minimum. But some cardholders can get a credit limit higher than that. Plenty of Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholders report limits of at least $10,000, and some say they have a limit of $20,000 or more. Chase doesn’t publicly disclose the Chase Sapphire Preferred maximum credit limit.

What you should know about the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit limit:

• The credit limit you get on your Chase Sapphire Preferred will depend mainly on your credit score, income, and other existing debts, along with your credit utilization.
• The closer to perfect your credit is and the more money you make relative to what you owe, the higher credit limit you can expect.
• You can also ask for a Chase Sapphire Preferred credit limit increase by calling the number on the back of your card. However, there is no guarantee you’ll be approved. You should also note that credit limit increase requests will trigger hard pulls, which can temporarily hurt your credit score.
• To increase your chances of approval, it’s best to make sure you’ve paid the bill on time for at least six straight months.

Not many cards have minimum credit limits higher than Chase Sapphire Preferred’s, but Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of them. Chase Sapphire Reserve’s limit is $10,000 or more.