The Chase Sapphire Reserve Business is Chase’s new top-tier travel rewards card for entrepreneurs. It carries a high $795 annual fee (primary card) but packs in heavy perks. Notably, the card currently offers a huge welcome bonus: 200,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $30,000 in the first six months.
At our valuation of 1.7¢ per point, that bonus alone is worth roughly $3,400 in travel value. If your business has large monthly expenses, unlocking that bonus can quickly pay for the annual fee and then some.
Other key fee details:
The annual fee is $795 (employee/authorized user cards cost $0) and there are no foreign transaction fees. In other words, you can add employees at no extra cost, and you won’t pay extra when traveling internationally.
- Massive welcome bonus: Earn 200,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after $30,000 spend in 6 months (worth ~$3,400 in travel at 1.7¢/pt).
- $795 annual fee: Primary card, with no fee for employee cards.
- No foreign transaction fee: Use it abroad without extra charges.
The sticker shock of a $795 fee is real, but as we’ll see, this card comes loaded with credits and high earn rates that can easily offset or exceed that cost if you maximize its benefits.
Who Qualifies & Credit Profile
The Chase Sapphire Reserve Business is aimed at established small to mid-size businesses that spend heavily on travel and advertising. As a Chase business card, you’ll need to show business income or expenses and apply as the owner (even a sole proprietor or freelancer can qualify).
Chase business cards generally require good to excellent credit; scores of around 720 or higher will improve your chances of approval. Since this is a brand-new product, there isn’t a restriction preventing existing Sapphire cardholders from applying – in fact, many current Reserve or Ink card customers are getting approved.
Approval isn’t guaranteed, but if you have solid personal and business finances, you’ll likely qualify. (As always, Chase approval is “subject to underwriting.”)
How You Earn Points: Bonus Categories
This card’s earning rates are among the best for business spending. It offers tiered bonus points in categories that many businesses naturally spend on:
- 8× points on Chase Travel purchases: This means 8 points per dollar when you book flights, hotels, rental cars, etc., through the Chase Travel portal. This is one of the highest earn rates for travel bookings on any card. (At 1.7¢/pt, that’s a 13.6% back in travel value.)
- 5× points on Lyft rides (through Sept. 30, 2027): Thanks to an ongoing partnership with Lyft, you earn 5 points per dollar on Lyft rides. (That’s about an 8.5% return at our valuation.)
- 4× points on flights and hotels booked directly with airlines or hotels: If you prefer booking travel outside the portal (for loyalty or flexibility), you still get a strong 4 points per dollar.
- 3× points on social media and search engine ads: Business credit cards often reward advertising spend. Here, you get 3 points per dollar on ads with social sites and search engines.
- 1× points on all other purchases: All other spending earns 1 point per dollar, as usual with most premium cards.
On top of the everyday earning, Points Boost is a new redemption accelerator: when you redeem points for travel in the Chase portal, select flights and hotels can earn up to 2 points per dollar (i.e. be worth 2¢ each) on top-booked travel.
Finally, when you spend at least $120,000 in a calendar year, you unlock extra elite perks. These include free upgrades like IHG Diamond status, Southwest A-List status + $500 Southwest credit, and $500 in credit for The Shops at Chase (sites like Tumi, Bang & Olufsen, etc.).
How to Redeem Ultimate Rewards Points
All the points earned are Chase Ultimate Rewards points – one of the most flexible currencies. You can redeem them in two main ways:
- Transfer to travel partners: Chase has 14 airline/hotel partners at a 1:1 transfer ratio. Savvy travelers can often stretch points to be worth 2¢–4¢ each or more by using award flights or luxury hotels. For example, flights in premium cabins to Europe or Asia via Air Canada or Virgin Atlantic can yield huge value from your points (often 50%+ off cash fares), and high-end Hyatt hotels can start as low as 3,500 points per night off-peak.
- Redeem through Chase Travel portal: Points can be used directly on Chase’s travel site. Base rate is 1 cent per point, but with Points Boost (mentioned above), select flights and luxury hotels can effectively be redeemed at 2 cents per point. So 50,000 points could be worth up to $1,000 on the right booking. Also, Chase introduced a new “Points Boost” feature where points are worth more on certain popular flights and hotels in the portal. (Note: cardholders who earned points before October 26, 2025 will have a 1.5¢ per point rate for travel bookings for two years, but moving forward the standard is Points Boost.)
Ultimate Rewards points are highly flexible. Transfer them to airline and hotel partners for premium redemptions, or use them in the Chase portal at 1¢–2¢ each, depending on Points Boost.
Premium Lounge Access and Travel Benefits
A standout feature is airport lounge access for the card’s primary holder. You get a Priority Pass Select membership and access to the Chase Sapphire Lounge network (also called “The Club”). This means free entry to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide (Priority Pass) plus the upscale Chase-operated lounges at U.S. airports like Boston Logan and New York LaGuardia. (Several international locations are planned too.)
Better yet, the cardholder can bring up to two guests for free. Having airport lounges available is a huge perk for frequent flyers – consider quiet lounges, free food/drink, charging stations, etc., instead of crowded terminals.
Beyond lounges, the card comes with top-notch travel insurance and protections built in. As a premium Chase card, it includes primary car rental insurance, trip cancellation/interruption coverage, lost luggage reimbursement, and more.
Premium Credits and Exclusive Benefits
On its own the $795 fee is hefty, but the card comes with a bundle of annual statement credits that can offset or surpass that cost if you use them:
- $300 Annual Travel Credit – Automatically applies to any travel purchase (flights, hotels, taxis, etc.) charged to the card. This alone effectively lowers the net fee to $495.
- $500 The Edit Hotel Credit – Earn up to $500 back annually ($250 every Jan–Jun, $250 Jul–Dec) on prepaid 2-night hotel bookings through The Edit by Chase Travel (a collection of curated luxury properties).
- $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck Credit – Once every 4 years, get the $100–$120 application fee back for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS.
- $400 ZipRecruiter Credit – Get up to $200 in statement credits twice per year for ZipRecruiter (useful if you’re hiring).
- $200 Google Workspace Credit – Up to $200 per year toward Google Workspace purchases for business tools/AI services.
- $100 Giftcards.com Credit – Up to $100 per year (split into two $50 periods) on purchases at Giftcards.com for employee gifts or rewards.
- $300 DoorDash Credits + DashPass – Receive $25 in DoorDash credits each month ($300 total/year) split as $5 for restaurants and $20 for groceries/retail, plus a free DashPass subscription through 2027 (saves up to $120/year).
- $120 Lyft Credits – $10 per month in Lyft ride credit (total $120/year) plus 5× points on Lyft rides. This is on top of the 5× points category, effectively reducing costs further if you use Lyft.
In total, these credits and partner perks add up. If you max out the travel and business service credits, you can easily offset the $795 fee.
Is It Worth $795?
The Chase Sapphire Reserve Business is one of the most powerful business travel cards available in 2025. Yes, the $795 fee is steep, but the card’s generous earnings, credits, and perks can easily outweigh that cost for the right business:
- The enormous 200,000-point bonus (worth ~$3,400) is essentially four times the annual fee.
- You get 8× points on portal travel, 5× on Lyft, 4× on direct flights/hotels, 3× on ads, plus all the free lounge access.
- Flexible redemptions let you stretch points (via transfers or portal) for 1–2¢+ value each.
- Included credits (travel, hotel stays, rideshare, dining delivery, software, etc.) can cancel out the fee if utilized.
- The primary card’s lounge access (Priority Pass & Chase lounges) is itself a premium perk that most $795 cards offer.
It’s definitely not for everyone. If your business rarely travels or spends on these categories, a lower-fee card might be a better fit. But for frequent travelers and high spenders (especially if you use ride-share, dining delivery, and incur travel costs), this card can pay for itself.
At TheMilesAcademy, we see it as a top-tier premium business travel card for 2025. If your company’s expenses match the bonus categories and you can take advantage of the credits, the Sapphire Reserve Business’s firepower can make the $795 fee well worth it in value.
