Welcome to part 2 of my 2-part blog series on the Luxury Travel Rewards Credit Cards I have in my wallet. In part 2, I’m sharing why the Chase Freedom® Credit Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve® Credit Card have taken up permanent residence in my wallet. If you are interested in my synopsis of the other credit card in my wallet, you can access Part 1 below.

Part 1 – American Express Platinum Card

CHASE FREEDOM® CREDIT CARD

The Chase Freedom® card is the second credit card I ever owned and the card that I have had the longest.  The card by itself is not a Luxury Travel Rewards Credit Card. It only becomes a Travel Rewards Card when paired with another Chase branded Travel Rewards Card, which allows you to transfer points you earned with Freedom to it. This card is my catchall card. In other words, I use it for everything that is not travel or restaurant related. The main benefits that I use are:

• Rotating quarterly 5% cash back opportunities: I particularly love the quarters when grocery stores and home improvement stores get 5% earnings because outside of living expenses and travel these are my largest expenses.

• Rotating 5% to 30% cash back or points earning opportunities: Chase releases promotions with retailers from time to time that are specific to its Freedom branded card. If there is a promotion for a retailer I frequent, I just enroll in the promotion for extra savings or points. 

These don’t seem like much in the way of benefits but the real value of this card comes from pairing it with another Chase card that you can transfer points to and redeem travel rewards with like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card.

CHASE SAPPHIRE RESERVE® CREDIT CARD

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card is the newest credit card in my wallet.  This credit card comes with a hefty annual fee of $450 but if you are a frequently luxury traveler like I am then the $450 quickly begins to look like a nominal fee. Here are the benefits I use most often:

• $300 Annual Reimbursement of Travel Expenses: For me, this benefit really makes the card more like a card with a $150 annual fee because I easily use this feature up pretty quickly each year.

• Complimentary Lounge Access: Priority Pass Member lounges are accessible to you. These lounges entitle you to complimentary snacks, drinks and WiFi while waiting to board your flight.

• Primary Car Rental Insurance: Primary car rental insurance means that if something happens to the rental car, the credit card company is paying for the damages (up to limit of the insurance policy of course). Unlike most credit card provided car rental insurance, the benefit on this card means that you don’t have to chase down other insurance proceeds before getting access to Chase Sapphire Reserve insurance benefits. 

• Ability to Earn 3x Points on all Travel and Restaurants Related Expenses: On this card, the Travel categories are generous. Taxis, parking lot charges, public transport, airfare, planes, buses and trains all count, which make usage of this card a no brainer for me. I also use it to earn 3x the points for all food purchases (other than groceries).

• Transfers of points to travel partners or direct redemption of Travel Services on Chase Travel Rewards Portal: I use the points I earn pay for travel expenses either by redeeming directly through Chase’s Travel booking site or by transferring to Chase travel service provider partners and cut down the costs of Luxury Travel with airlines, hotels and car rental companies. As an added perk, redemptions on travel come with a 50% bonus if book through Chase’s Travel Rewards Portal. 

• Rotating 5% to 30% cash back or points earning opportunities: Chase releases promotions with retailers from time to time that are specific to its Sapphire Reserve branded card. If there is a promotion for a retailer I frequent, I just enroll in the promotion for extra savings or points.

That’s it. That’s why these 3 Luxury Travel Rewards Credit Cards are in my Wallet. What are your favorite Luxury Travel Rewards Credit Card benefits? Let us know in the comments.