One of the better Chase Sapphire Reserve benefits is that you get $300 in credit towards travel purchases, we’ve talked about how this benefit works before here. As Freequent Flyer Book likes to point out, travel credits aren’t as good as cash. Reader JT wanted to know their best option for turning this benefit into cash and I thought that would make an interesting post so here we are.
In this post, we’re going to assume you have no purchases that would normally code as travel (and Chase’s definition is quite generous). So instead, what you’ll want to do is purchase a gift card for something that will code as travel and then resell that gift card. I’m not going to account for your time in doing this or any other risk factors (e.g rates dropping), but that is something you should account for.
Contents
Your Options
Below are a list of your options, along with their highest resale rates according to GiftCardWiki (no link result if GCW doesn’t display it but still sellable), please double check these rates and also look at the merchants that are paying the top rate (and the next few rates) as rates can drop. I’ll also bold entries when we have confirmation from people that these purchases triggered the credit. If they don’t trigger the credit, I’ll use strikeout instead.
Airlines
N/A airlines:
- Aer Lingus
- Aeroflot
- AirAsia
- Air Berlin
- Air Canada
- Air China
- Air France
- Air New Zealand
- Alaska
- Alitalia
- Asiana
- Alaska
- ANA
- Atlantic Southeast Airlines
- Austrian Airlines Group
- Avianca
- British Airways
- Cathay Pacific
- Cebu Pacific
- China
- China Eastern
- China Southern
- easyJet
- ExpressJet Airlines
- Etihad
- Japan Group
- Jet Airways
- ExpressJet Airlines
- JetStar
- Garuda
- Gol Linhas Aereas
- Hainan
- Kingfisher Airlines
- Korean Air
- LAN Airlines
- Lion Air
- Lufthansa
- Norwegian
- Malaysia Airlines
- Mesa Airlines
- Pinnacle Airlines
- Qantas
- Qatar
- Ryanair
- Saudi Arabian
- SAS
- Shenzhen Airlines
- Singapore Airlines
- SkyWest Airlines
- Swiss
- Spirit
- TAM Linhas Aereas
- Thai Airways International
- Thomson Airways
- Turkish Airways
- Vietnam Airlines
- Virgin Blue Airlines
- Vueling Airlines
- WestJet
Hotels
N/A:
- AccorHotels
- Aman Resorts
- AmericInn
- Ascott Limited
- Banyan Tree
- Boscolo Hotels
- Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group
- Drury Hotels
- Dusit Thani Group
- FIH Regent Group
- Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
- Hilton
- Home Inns
- Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels
- InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)
- InTown Suites
- Jin Jiang International
- Kempinski
- La Quinta Inns & Suites
- Loews Hotels
- Lotte Hotels & Resorts
- Jumeirah
- Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group
- Millennium Hotels
- Minor Hotels
- The Oberoi Group
- Okura Nikko Hotel Management
- Omni Hotels & Resorts
- Premier Inn
- Rosewood Hotel Group
- Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts
- Shilo Inns
- Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
- Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces
- Vantage Hospitality
- Wyndham Worldwide
- Whitbread plc
Car Rentals
- Avis: 60% (SaveYa)
- Budget: 56% (ABC)
- Hertz: 70.5% (ABC)
N/A:
- Dollar
- E-Z
- Fox
- Payless
- Thrifty
Cruiseliners
- Carnival: 80% (ABC)
N/A:
- P&O
- Royal Carribean
MileagePlus X
This doesn’t code as travel on the Visa payment network, so purchases through here won’t work.
Our Verdict
I would think that most people will have some charges that code as a travel purchase (especially when it includes things like tolls and parking) if you don’t have any then at minimum you should be able to get 80% of value back or $240 in cash. Also remember this benefit is per calendar year, so you should be able to easily get this credit twice and only pay one annual fee (once now and then again in January 2017 onwards).
There are of course other things that would trigger this credit that could be refunded, but I’d do that at your own peril. If I missed anything, please let me know in the comments.
Not sure if this has been mentioned, but EZ Pass codes as travel (for the 3x points and travel credit). Easiest way to burn a credit ever! Prepay if you’re closing the card soon
I need an advice. I got the card in December, bought $300 gc and got the money back. When should/can I buy another $300 and get the travel credit back?
Thanks
If selling on Raise be aware that they put a 45 day hold on travel related gcs. They said I would have to wait 45 days before my AA gcs would be listed. I have sold to them before without problems. I was only informed of the 45 day wait when I called customer service after I noticed my listings were not active after waiting a week. The 45 day wait terms were never displayed at anytime before (or after) I entered the gift card numbers nor in any email confirmation. I would have no problem had they disclosed that before I entered the numbers because I would have taken my business elsewhere. I called them out on it and they deactivated my account for no reason which pretty much means I’m banned until it gets sorted out.
I have a question about the CSR $300 annual travel credit. I got the card in sept 2016 and used the $300 travel credit before dec statement. One of the items I used it for was a pair of $60 train tickets good for 60 days. I was going to use them tomorrow as they expire in a couple days but the weather isn’t going to be nice. I can mail them back and get a refund to my credit card. If I do send them back and get a $60 refund to my card, what will happen since I was already given the $60 travel credit? Any idea?
I’ve read other people’s comments periodically in the same situation, and they don’t retract the travel credit. You are probably OK.
If I sign up today is there anyway I can take advantage of the $300 travel credit twice before my 2nd annual fee?
Yes, once in 2017 and a second time after the statement closes in December 2018 until 30 days after the annual fee hits when you have to cancel the card. So you have a couple months there.
Yes, once now and then again as soon as your 2017 dec statement closes.
Do you mean to say once now for this year in 2017 and one in Jan 2018?
As soon as your Dec 2017 statement closes, you’ll start using your 2018 credit. Hope that makes sense.
I haven’t had any luck getting Cardpool to accept my Marriot eGift card – just tells me the number is invalid every time. However, I can check the balance with the same information just fine so I know its valid. Never heard back from their support – maybe they’re not accepting them
I swear Cardpool only accepts physical gift cards as far as Marriott selling to Cardpool goes. I think the way I found this out was during a “test” sellback of a Marriott card using Cardpools old site a couple of months ago (I tested a sellback again and I think they updated their site and no longer say that).
Also, they wrote me back after a day or two so my guess is they are very busy right now, maybe.
Assuming I’m right, you may be able to buy a physical gift card from Marriott with your egift card credit, and then at that point could sell the physical gift card to Cardpool? Just an idea.
Good luck!
Follow-up: I was approved for the Reserve and the (great) Chase rep clarified that the travel purchase must post before the close of your statement *in* December, and not “through Dec 31” as I was initially told. Apparently the wording on the terms is confusing enough that Chase had to clarify this with its own people. My first statement will fortunately close in the third week of December and I have a necessary travel purchase to make, so that should just about get me in for 2016. Hope this helps.
Hey Doc,
Just to confirm do Marriott Egift Cards work as well to trigger the credit? Thnks for all the help.
Confirming that Marriott gift cards directly from Marriott.com trigger the credit.
Thanks, added.
Hello,
Hello,
Three data points regarding what Chase considers travel (worth 3x points and will reimburse for annual travel credit).
Southwest e-gift cards bought online: Travel (reimbursement received)
Hyatt e-gift card bought online: NOT Travel
Hornblower dinner cruise: NOT Travel (not dining either)
Thank you, updated post.
did you buy southwest gift card thru southwest.com or thru rapid rewards area?
Join the discussion..Just ordered $300 in SW gift cards through the SW website (don’t think it matters if through Rapid Rewards or not) and received the travel credit on my Chase care in 4 days. Checked exhaustively with SW before making purchase about how it would be coded to make sure it would be reimbursed as gift cards purchased are non-refundable..
Cool, I am getting my card today. I will try and do this! Thanks!