Can I use the Chase Sapphire Reserve travel credit for a gift card?

The Chase Sapphire Reserve travel credit automatically reimburses cardholders for up to $300 in travel-related expenses each year. The credit applies to flights, hotels, trains, cruises, taxis, parking, Uber and Lyft. It can also help pay for vacation packages and airline fees.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve travel credit does not apply to in-flight goods and services (e.g. Wi-Fi, food), tourist attractions, or merchants within airports. But the $300 annual credit help offset some of the card’s $550 annual fee.… read full answer

Here’s how the Chase Sapphire Reserve travel credit works:

Chase Sapphire Reserve travel credits are applied to the account the same day qualifying purchases post. This happens until you hit $300 total for the year. For example, if you make a $100 travel purchase, Chase will apply a $100 credit as soon as the purchase processes. And you will have $200 remaining for other purchases during the year. On your monthly statement, your transactions will include both the original purchase and an extra item that says, "Travel Credit." The credit subtracts the purchase amount from your balance. Chase determines whether a purchase is eligible for the travel credit based on a 4-digit code that businesses use to categorize transactions. Anything coded as "travel" qualifies.

Remember that the Chase Sapphire Reserve travel credit resets every 12 months on the first statement date after your account anniversary. If you’re unsure when your credit will reset, you can call customer service at (800) 432-3117 or the number on the back of your card. Simply enter your account number and ask a representative.

Unused credit does not roll over from year to year, so make sure to keep track of how much of the Chase Sapphire Reserve travel credit you’ve used. That way, you’ll be able to make sure you take advantage of the whole amount.

To have decent Chase Sapphire Reserve approval odds, applicants need a credit score of 750 or higher, which is considered excellent credit. Chase doesn’t publicly disclose their exact approval criteria. But they will definitely look at income level and current debt load as well as credit history.

You can see if you pre-qualify for a Chase credit card using the tool on … read full answerChase’s website. The tool doesn’t let you check your pre-qualification status for a specific credit card, but Chase Sapphire Reserve may show up in the results. The only way to specifically check for pre-qualification for the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card is by asking at a Chase branch. That’s worth doing if you’re worried about your Chase Sapphire Reserve approval odds. Being pre-approved for a credit card means the chances of success upon applying for real are about 90%.

Getting a feel for your approval odds before applying for a credit card is important because each application causes a temporary dip in your credit score. So, you’ll only want to apply if you have a reasonable shot at success. To that end, there are a few more points to keep in mind as you estimate your Chase Sapphire Reserve approval odds.

Chase Sapphire Reserve Approval Odds Info:

• Chase Sapphire Reserve requires excellent credit for a strong chance of approval, which means a score over 750. Many people consider a score of 720 or above to be excellent, but WalletHub has found that 750 is really where the odds begin to tip in your favor.
• The average person’s Chase Sapphire Reserve approval odds aren’t so hot. The average credit score is just 679, according to the latest WalletHub data.
• Chase considers monthly housing payments, home ownership status, annual income and the source of that income, in addition to pulling credit reports.
• The odds of approval will be slim for people who have opened 5 or more new cards in the last 24 months. While it’s not an ironclad rule, it’s definitely worth keeping in mind.

To have the best Chase Sapphire Reserve approval odds, your credit score must be in top shape. If you need to improve your score, WalletHub’s free credit analysis can tell you what steps to take. And you can track your progress with WalletHub’s free daily credit score updates.