Latest news with #travelRewards
Forbes
03-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
This Travel Card Is Outsmarting the Competition—Here's Why I Keep It In My Wallet
Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations. When it comes to selecting the best travel rewards credit card , it's easy to get overwhelmed by the options available. Two of the top contenders in recent years, however, have been the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card, which charge annual fees about as large as their lofty reputations. After all, you get what you pay for. With recent changes to the Chase Sapphire Reserve , including a significant overhaul to its benefits structure and a steep hike of its annual fee to $795 (as of June 23, 2025), the Venture X card has eked out a glorious win over the CSR as the superior travel card in my eyes. Here's why. As the cardholder of over a dozen credit cards and counting, knowing that the Venture X sits in my wallet front and center gives me a sense of security and satisfaction. And that's because I sleep well at night knowing that even before counting the rewards that I've racked up, the card more than pays for itself. While an annual fee of $395 (rates & fees) is difficult to swallow every year, the feeling becomes an afterthought thanks to the beneficial combination of its $300 annual travel credit for bookings through Capital One Travel and the 10,000 bonus miles each account anniversary (worth $100), which has me coming out ahead before factoring in any other perks. Here are some of the other perks of the Venture X: Welcome bonus: 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening $300 annual travel credit (must be used through the Capital One Travel portal) Access to Capital One lounges and Priority Pass™ lounges after enrollment $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit Hertz President's Circle status Rental car protection Trip delay insurance Trip cancellation and interruption insurance Lost luggage reimbursement Travel accident insurance Up to four authorized users at no additional cost No foreign transaction fees In my first year of holding the Venture X, I was able to maximize my earnings between the welcome bonus and strong earning structure on flights and hotels. In fact, I was able to earn more than $2,000 worth of Capital One miles . The card's access to lounges proved to be extremely valuable, offering a space where I could rest and grab a free meal before a flight. The additional range of insurance saved me hundreds on primary insurance for car rentals and helped reimburse me when an airline lost one of my bags on a trip. All in all, the Venture X offers up-front value with little extra effort required. For that reason, it's a staple in my wallet, and even with changes to other premium travel credit cards, it's still my go-to. In June, Chase unveiled sweeping changes to its premium travel card, the Sapphire Reserve. More than just a bump of the annual fee to $795, making it one of the most expensive credit cards available on the market, the card's revamp ushered in a slew of changes that aren't necessarily for the better. The card offers the following: Welcome bonus: 100,000 bonus points, plus a $500 Chase Travel℠ promo credit after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening Access to Chase Sapphire lounges and Priority Pass™ lounges $120 Global Entry, Nexus or TSA PreCheck application fee credit Rental car insurance Trip cancellation and interruption insurance Trip delay insurance Lost luggage reimbursement Roadside assistance $0 foreign transaction fee Previously, the Chase Travel portal provided the bank a formidable edge in point redemptions, as Ultimate Rewards® points redeemed by Sapphire Reserve cardholders were worth a flat rate of 1.5 cents apiece. Unfortunately, Chase's move away from flat-rate redemptions for Sapphire Reserve cardholders has taken that advantage away. In its stead, Chase is offering a new redemption system called Points Boost , where Sapphire Reserve cardholders can redeem points at a value of up to 2 cents apiece on select flights and hotel stays. However, getting maximum value is tricky, and on bookings not eligible for Points Boost, the redemption value drops to 1 cent per point. Find the best travel credit card for your travel needs. On top of the new changes, the Reserve includes other benefits that can make the card worthwhile, depending on the person and their day-to-day spending. Are you interested in a Peloton membership? Do you eat out a lot? Do you regularly buy concert tickets through StubHub? These are all conditions as to whether or not the card would be worth the cost for you and whether, most importantly, they're valuable to you in a travel card. Additional Sapphire Reserve perks: Up to $300 in credit at restaurants in the Sapphire Reserve Exclusives Table program in the form of two biannual $150 credits Up to $300 statement credit for StubHub, in the form of two biannual $150 credits Up to $250 toward Apple TV+ and Apple Music subscriptions Up to $120 in credit towards a Peloton membership $120 in Lyft credits ($10 a month) $300 annually in monthly DoorDash promos and a complimentary DashPass membership worth $120 annually Complimentary IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite Status through December 31, 2027 Up to $500 in credit for The Edit℠, Chase's luxury hotel portal, in the form of two biannual $250 credits Fee of $195 per year for each additional user added to the card If you spend over $75,000 on the card in a year, you can unlock the following perks: Southwest Airline benefits: Receive $500 Southwest credit and Southwest A-List status when booked through Chase IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite Status $250 in credit for Chase's shopping platform, The Shops In my eyes, these new changes take the card from what was previously a strong travel option to a shell of its former glory. Despite the expensive $795 price tag, the travel benefits offered by the more affordable Venture X beat Chase's offerings, whose additional perks create a complicated web of research and bookkeeping for you to keep track of. With the Chase Sapphire Reserve, users with high spending thresholds may earn more perks, but the Venture X card has a much lower threshold, making it accessible for all travelers—from those who take one vacation a year to seasoned digital nomads. I like that you don't need to worry about hitting high spending targets in specific categories to earn premium rewards with the Venture X. Conversely, for a luxury card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is asking too much of people who don't want to dedicate hours to memorizing card benefits. To me, the Venture X rewards a more straightforward approach, which makes it an ideal card for people who want premium perks without the need to chase bonus categories. It offers a competitive welcome bonus, lower annual fee, lucrative perks, travel protections and a solid customer service team. What more can you ask for? For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply. Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at that status level through the duration of the offer. Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g. at will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply.
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Travel + Leisure
17-06-2025
- Business
- Travel + Leisure
One of the Best Credit Cards for Travel Rewards Is Getting a Refresh—With More Perks and a Higher Annual Fee
After nearly a decade, one of the best travel rewards credit cards is getting a refresh. The Chase Sapphire Reserve will relaunch on June 23, with a bolder program that's rich with benefits—and a higher annual fee to go along with it. 'It's been almost 10 years since Sapphire first launched, and we really think we tapped into something special in the premium card space when it did,' said Chris Reagan, president of branded cards at Chase, during a media event in New York on June 9. 'But we know that the industry has changed a lot since then.' That, as well as extensive customer research from the brand, has led Chase to rethink the premium card, which will now come at an annual fee of $795, up from $550—a 44.5 percent increase for the consumer. 'We're bringing elevated benefits and greater value in the areas that our current members are most passionate about,' said Sam Palmer, general manager of Chase Sapphire. The new version of the Chase Sapphire Reserve will deliver 'over $2,700 in card member value,' Palmer said. This includes a $300 credit for travel expenses and $500 to spend on hotels that are part of Chase's hotels collection, The Edit. Other perks include a free Apple TV+ subscription, a $300 DoorDash credit, and a $300 credit for tickets purchased through StubHub. One quintessential bonus, a $120 credit for things like Global Entry and TSA Precheck, remains a core feature of the card. Meanwhile, Chase has added other experiential perks. One example, said Palmer, is 'exclusive access to prime-time reservations at some of our favorite restaurants across the country.' The chosen restaurants—grouped together in the so-called Reserve Exclusive Tables program—are selected by The Infatuation, in partnership with OpenTable. This collection of 300+ restaurants, which card holders will get a $300 credit to dine at, includes in-demand spots such as Canlis, in Seattle, and Estela, in New York. Another perk is automatic enrollment in IHG One Rewards at the platinum elite level; this would otherwise require spending 40 nights at IHG properties. In addition to statement credits and perks, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is a powerful points-earning card that allows for flexible redemptions. Put another way, Chase points can be cashed in at multiple hotels and airlines rather than with one particular brand. With the relaunch, the company has tweaked the earning structure for the card. Here's an overview of how the new card will work, according to Chase: 8x points on purchases made through Chase Travel 4x on flights and hotels booked directly 3x on dining 5x on 'eligible' Lyft rides, including Standard, Extra Comfort, XL, Black, or Black SUV rides 1x on other, everyday spending Chase has also introduced what it calls Points Boost, a 'new points redemption accelerator program' that replaces a long-standing benefit that helped define the Sapphire Reserve. Instead of earning 1.5x on all bookings, now users will see dynamic discounts on reservations. To illustrate how it works, Palmer gave an example: Let's say you were booking an Emirates flight from New York to Milan, in business class, for this summer. If such a flight were offered at 350,000 Ultimate Rewards points, a card holder might find it instead offered at approximately half off, or 177,000 points, as part of the Points Boost program. In other words, Chase has switched from giving an earnings bonus on purchases with a straightforward 1.5x earning structure, to discounting on redemptions. Plus, Chase has made it harder to tell if and when such Points Boost opportunities will arise. Lounge access will remain another key feature of the new card. It grants 'access to the Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club network of airport lounges and entry to over 1,300 lounges with Priority Pass Select, and more than 20 select Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges and Air Canada Cafés when traveling on a Star Alliance airline,' according to the company. That includes some of the world's most impressive lounges, such as the fab, two-story lounge at New York's LaGuardia Airport.. 'You can visit any of our lounges or the Priority Pass lounges and bring up to two guests each time at no cost,' Palmer pointed out. Card holders can also tap into the expertise of Chase's growing network of Reserve Travel Designers, who can assist with trip planning as well as support along the way. There's one other element to the refresh that will appeal to small-business owners and sole proprietors: The first-ever Sapphire business card will also launch on June 23. The new Sapphire Reserve for Business will have many of the same features and perks as the flagship card, with a few add-ons aimed for corporate users, such as credits for ZipRecruiter fees and Google Workspace charges, according to Jenny Shum, general manager, Chase small business card. Both of the new Chase cards will be available for purchase next week, on June 23. While executives hinted that rich sign-up bonuses would be a part of the card relaunch, specifics on just how many points new cardholders may be able to score have not yet been announced.
Forbes
12-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Frequent Flyers Swear By This Card—Here's How Chase Sapphire Preferred Makes Travel Way Easier
Good things come in small packages: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is an all-in-one solution for travelers who are happy handling all their expenses with a single credit card. With an awesome rewards program, benefits that provide extra value and an affordable annual fee, this card can make paying for your next trip a breeze. If you've been considering applying, Chase announced that Thursday, May 15, at 9 a.m. EST, is the last day to apply for the 100,000-point welcome offer on the Sapphire Preferred via the application link on our website. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - See Rates & Fees Travel budgets are seldom as high as you'd like, but you can get an easy jump-start as a new cardholder of the Sapphire Preferred. After approval, you can earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. That's likely to induce instant daydreaming over how and where to use your points. The current offer ends Thursday, May 15, at 9 a.m. EST. So avoid future FOMO and apply soon to get this massive bonus. One of the things that sets the Chase Sapphire Preferred apart from other travel rewards cards is its participation in the Chase Ultimate Rewards® program. These flexible points are valuable regardless of how you redeem them: toward travel, transferred to airline and hotel partners or even cash back. Most other programs only offer one or two of these options at a fair value. Cash redemptions are worth a full cent per point, but as a traveler, you'll likely find the other redemption options more exciting. You can easily upgrade your points value by 25%, to 1.25 cents per point, when redeeming points for trips booked with Chase Travel. Nearly all flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises and even some activities are available with this option. Point enthusiasts will instead lean into the option to transfer Ultimate Rewards to partnering airline and hotel programs. Many of these transfers can lead to even higher yields if you're strategic. Chase Ultimate Rewards Partners One of the easiest ways to offset the $95 annual fee is through the card's yearly hotel credit. Each card member year, cardholders can earn up to $50 in statement credits by booking one or more hotel reservations through Chase Travel. Any hotel available on the platform and paid for with your Sapphire Preferred will qualify toward this credit, meaning frequent travelers should have no trouble using it. The Sapphire Preferred is one of the best credit cards for travel insurance—it has a wide range of coverage available at no extra cost when you book qualifying trips paid for with your card. Among its trip protections are: While you may choose to purchase a separate, more comprehensive policy for some trips, the included insurance may be adequate for others, giving you peace of mind and a wallet-friendly alternative. One of the unspoken requirements of a travel credit card is that you can rely on it wherever you go. As a Visa credit card, the Sapphire Preferred is likely to be accepted nearly anywhere that accepts credit cards, regardless of where you're heading around the world. You don't even have to notify Chase in advance of your trips. And with no foreign transaction fees, you won't have to pay for the privilege of paying by card no matter where your travels take you. For travelers seeking a straightforward yet powerful tool to navigate the world, the Chase Sapphire Preferred emerges as a compelling travel companion. By neatly packaging valuable rewards, practical benefits and low fees, this card can enhance your journeys and fuel your travel aspirations. Information provided on Forbes Advisor is for educational purposes only. Your financial situation is unique and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. We do not offer financial advice, advisory or brokerage services, nor do we recommend or advise individuals or to buy or sell particular stocks or securities. Performance information may have changed since the time of publication. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Forbes Advisor adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date posted, though offers contained herein may no longer be available. The opinions expressed are the author's alone and have not been provided, approved, or otherwise endorsed by our partners.
Fast Company
07-05-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
The corporate retreat is getting a makeover
When Katie Hammel arrived at her company's offsite in Cabo San Lucas, she expected the usual formula: long meetings, awkward icebreakers, and a packed agenda that left little room to breathe. What she experienced instead was something different—a thoughtfully curated, empowering, and inclusive retreat. 'There was a little wrap-up at the end of each day,' says Hammel, director of content at travel rewards booking platform 'At first I thought it was going to be kind of corny, and I actually ended up really loving it. Hearing what surprised people, what they learned—it just really crystallized the day.' Hammel, who's attended nine retreats while working at four different companies, has witnessed firsthand how offsites have evolved. 'Early retreats were like, 'Let's rent a cabin and figure it out.' Now, they're much more intentional. It's something you need to invest time and money and real deep thought into planning so that you can make the most of that time.' As remote and hybrid work have become more permanent, companies are rethinking the role of retreats. What used to be a perk is now a necessity: a way to reinforce culture, rebuild trust, and create connection in the absence of daily in-office interactions. But simply gathering people in a room (or on a beach) isn't enough. Today's distributed teams require something more thoughtful, more inclusive, and more strategic.
