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Chase Sapphire Reserve $300 Annual Travel Credit (2016 - 2021)

Old Sep 2, 2016, 8:22 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: serpens
Sapphire Reserve Annual Travel Credit

How are the dates calculated?
For cards issued prior to May 21, 2017 it was Reimbursed per Calendar year, not membership year. Purchases must be posted (not pending) by your December statement (dated any time Dec 1 through Dec 31) to be credited against current year's $300 credit. Any travel spend that posts after the December statement will credit against the next year's $300 credit.

For cards issued after May 21, 2017, it will be reimbursed by membership year.

But my 2nd annual fee is after May 21, 2017, why didn't my travel credit reset?
Because if you got your card before that date, your travel credit will continue to reset after your December statement.

Does the travel credit count as minimum spend?
Spend is spend, the credit is the credit. The $300 reimbursement is a separate item from spending requirements( the $300 reimbursement on travel, $100 Goes all count towards the $4,000 only the $450 yearly fee doesn't). You must spend $4000 for your signup bonus UR points. If part of that spend is categorized as travel, a credit will post to your account accordingly. They are separate items.

Even if you return a purchase after you've met your $4000 initial spend it will not count against your spend.

Can I get two travel credit fees if I apply in the middle of the year?
Not for applications after May 21, 2017.

What counts as Travel?
Gas Station and Grocery Store purchases will also count through 12/31/21. (See post 1521.)

The following items have been reimbursed.

Airline purchases, fees & gift cards:
  • AA e-gift certificate
  • Delta eGift Cards, in-flight food/drink purchases
  • UA in-flight bev
  • Moved from EC to EC+ on AA and credit posted 8/2017.
    Southwest gift cards do work! Just purchased a $40 emailed gift card and received the travel credit 3/2018
Hotels:
  • Airbnb & their GC
  • Bellagio Las Vegas -- including restaurant charges signed to room (posted as BELLAGIO - FRONT DESK)
  • hotels.com (NOT hotels.com e-gift cert!)
  • Hotel restaurants not charged to room (verified at Renaissance LV)
  • Marriott GC and hotel charges
  • Priceline "opaque" hotel purchases
  • Kruger National Park lodging reservation (booked on sanparks.org official site)
  • Hilton Home2 Suites
Transit, including parking, trains, ferries, toll roads, etc:
  • taxi fares: Uber, Lyft, Gett, Way2Ride, London taxi, RideAustin
  • Transit fees: BART, MTA, FastTrac, MetroCard, DC Metro (WMATA) SmarTrip farecard and commemorative cards, NJ Transit, Oyster card, Ventra (Chicago), Las Vegas Monorail,Short term parking at LAS, London, STIB/MIVB (Brussels), UTA (Salt Lake City), TriMet (Portland, OR)
  • Parking meters: Chicago; Portland, OR; San Francisco; Atlantic City; Seattle; Minneapolis; Raleigh; San Diego
  • Public parking garages: San Francisco; Montgomery Co. MD; Saint Paul; UC San Diego
  • Toll passes: E-Z Pass (MA, MD, NH, NJ, NY, PA), Sunpass prepaid tolls, Washington State GoodToGo tolls, RiverLink tolls, TxTag, IPass (Illinois), Houston EZ-Tag
  • Train tickets: trainline (UK train tickets), Eurostar.com, Bahn.com (when using Paypal), Amtrak (cafe car purchases as well as tickets purchased from kiosks or the website), italirail.com, Train and bus travel in Scotland at ticket counter, SNCB/NMBS (Belgium--app or counter; chip-and-sign cards don't work in ticket machines), Euroshuttle (car train under the English Channel)
  • Ferries: Cape May, NJ to Lewes, DE
  • Shuttles: Jackson Hole WY Airport official shuttle to town
  • Unlimted JR Pass for Japan purchased from japan-rail-pass.com
  • Bikeshare membership/usage fees in Washington, DC
  • Parking apps: ParkWhiz, SpotHero, ParkMobile
  • Presidential Limousine service in Las Vegas
Misc:
  • Costco Travel
  • Disney theme park tickets physically purchased at Disney gate See post #1203
  • Disney Vacation account funding
  • Royal Caribbean drink package
  • Cruise bookings
  • Cruise Excursions Booked Prior to Cruise (and fully refundable)
  • MIR Travel Agency
  • ChargePoint for Electric Vehicle Charging
  • MileagePlusX Uber GC
  • undercovertourist.com
  • Rental cars (verified Avis on page 7 of this thread)
  • Lahaina Cruise Co. (Hawaii Ocean Project whale watch cruise)
  • Interval International Exchange Fee + Upgrade Fee
  • Aircraft title transfer registration fees with ICAO's International Registry of Mobile Assets (Cape Town Convention and Aircraft Protocol)
  • Cooking class/experience booked through Viator

What doesn't count as travel?
Here's a thread dedicated to the topic: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/chas...rrect-mcc.html

The following items have NOT posted as travel/been reimbursed:
  • e-gift card from Airline, except Delta Please list specifics.
  • AA in-flight food
  • AAA membership
  • Alaska Airlines: e-gift cards; in-flight food; Board Room membership (post 1152)
  • Blink Charging (EV charging network): shows up as Bills & Utilities
  • CLEAR -- annual membership fee and pro-rated $50 fee for adding a family member
  • Points.com (Southwest)
  • Not all parking meters - Michigan State University (MSU Police Dept. 1x), Phoenix
  • Parking citation payment (SF MTA)
  • Hotel parking fees (e.g. Fairmont SF)
  • Walt Disney tickets directly from Disney.com
  • Vacation Rental by Owner/HomeAway
  • Airport landing, parking and ground handling fees for private jets
  • EZ-Tag (Houston, TX) now DOES count per post 1109
  • Georgia Peach Pass
  • Hotels.com e-gift card
  • Hyatt e-gift card
  • Hyatt physical G.C. from Hyatt.com (coded as Online, Mail, or Telephone transaction or Card, Gift Novelty and Souvenir Stores) No manual adjustment.
  • IHG Ambassador recognition program
  • Southwest Airlines in-flight purchases
  • Southwest Airlines Wi-Fi purchase ("Bills & utilities" in Chase online banking)
  • Prince Resorts Hawaii Gift Card (Prince Hotel Waikiki, Mauna Kea Hotel, Hapuna Beach Hotel)
  • Meal at Fairmont Hotel not charged to room
  • Choice hotel Points + Cash reservation
  • Delta in-flight Wi-Fi purchased through app
  • MPX Amazon.Com
  • Not all public transit: Lisbon metro
  • Travel Insurance (Allianz)
Unclear/mixed results:
  • UA wifi purchased in-flight (no, yes)
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Chase Sapphire Reserve $300 Annual Travel Credit (2016 - 2021)

Old Feb 25, 2020, 8:54 am
  #1366  
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Miami
Programs: AA, AMEX Plart, CSR
Posts: 31
I'm trying to buy Disney tickets and have it coded as travel.

So far i see Undercover Tourist works but I was wondering if using expedia or orbitz would work as well.

Does anybody know if any charge from orbitz or expedia will code as travel?
clo3o5 is offline  
Old Feb 25, 2020, 9:06 am
  #1367  
mia
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The travel credit is a refund of your own money. It makes absolutely no difference if a specific transaction triggers the refund. If a casino package or Disney tickets are not reimbursed , some other travel transaction will be. It might "feel" better to have the refund triggered by a specific transaction, but financially the outcome will be the same.
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mia is offline  
Old Feb 25, 2020, 9:15 am
  #1368  
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Miami
Programs: AA, AMEX Plart, CSR
Posts: 31
right but that doesn't answer my question. Whether I can get the credit or not may determine whether I even go to disney or not.
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Old Feb 25, 2020, 6:00 pm
  #1369  
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,805
Originally Posted by clo3o5
right but that doesn't answer my question. Whether I can get the credit or not may determine whether I even go to disney or not.
Unless your trip to Disney is your only travel expense for the year, Mia was merely trying to explain that you will be getting $300 from Chase regardless of your travel plans.

The Chase travel credit does not make your Disney trip any less expensive.....because you will get $300 from Chase whether you go or not.
Steve in Olympia is offline  
Old Feb 26, 2020, 7:27 pm
  #1370  
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,731
Originally Posted by Steve in Olympia
Unless your trip to Disney is your only travel expense for the year, Mia was merely trying to explain that you will be getting $300 from Chase regardless of your travel plans.

The Chase travel credit does not make your Disney trip any less expensive.....because you will get $300 from Chase whether you go or not.
Unless some people still mistakenly think this is "free" money, not realizing this is just a return of their own money (paying the annual fee)... That is why we have discussed at the very beginning when the card is first introduced, why the banks like to use all sorts of "credits" to offset the annual fee versus a card with the net annual fee but without those "credits"... Marketing ploy is powerful, not to mention the potential breakage. (think about the Doordash junk credit)
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Old Feb 27, 2020, 9:31 am
  #1371  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,782
Originally Posted by clo3o5
I'm trying to buy Disney tickets and have it coded as travel.

So far i see Undercover Tourist works but I was wondering if using expedia or orbitz would work as well.

Does anybody know if any charge from orbitz or expedia will code as travel?
I know Undercover Tourist works. Never tried buying theme park ticket from orbitz or expedia but I think they should count. At some hotels, you could buy theme park tickets and charge to the room and those counted as travel. But I guess if you are staying at a hotel, it can't be that difficult to spend the $300 credit just for the room alone.
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Old Mar 7, 2020, 11:28 am
  #1372  
 
Join Date: Mar 2020
Posts: 3
Marriott Gift Card purchased from their website DID not get posted as travel credit

I don’t understand why it worked for others and didn’t work for me. I bought a physical gc too that will be shipped, not an e-gift card.

Update. A week later received credit! So Marriott gc coded as travel! Yay!

Last edited by Destiny21; Mar 10, 2020 at 6:41 am Reason: Combine consecutive replies
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Old Mar 7, 2020, 11:41 am
  #1373  
 
Join Date: Mar 2020
Posts: 3
Originally Posted by clo3o5
I'm trying to buy Disney tickets and have it coded as travel.

So far i see Undercover Tourist works but I was wondering if using expedia or orbitz would work as well.

Does anybody know if any charge from orbitz or expedia will code as travel?
Can confirm that flight booked at Expedia coded as travel.
Destiny21 is offline  
Old Mar 7, 2020, 12:21 pm
  #1374  
mia
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend; Moderator: American Express, Capital One, Citi, Chase, Credit Card Programs, Diners Club, Signatures
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
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Originally Posted by Destiny21
Can confirm that flight booked at Expedia coded as travel.
Welcome to Flyertalk. Who charged the credit card: Expedia -or- an airline?
mia is offline  
Old Mar 10, 2020, 6:42 am
  #1375  
 
Join Date: Mar 2020
Posts: 3
Originally Posted by mia
Welcome to Flyertalk. Who charged the credit card: Expedia -or- an airline?
Expedia charged it.
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Destiny21 is offline  
Old Mar 10, 2020, 11:44 am
  #1376  
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Gold
Posts: 32
Another transit card

+ Suica card reloads through Apple Pay. May want to pin that in the wiki.
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Old Mar 25, 2020, 3:53 pm
  #1377  
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Here is something most may not notice, yet -

We have paid the taxes on an award booking with the CSR, that is part of the $300 travel credit (the first and the only portion used in 2020 then the virus hits). Of course that spend did not earn UR pts as Chase policy changed.

Now the award is canceled, and the taxes are returned to the original form of payment - the CSR card. This time, Chase system dings the UR earning by the 3x earnings...

I am not sure whether I should spend time to SM them about this unfair treatment.
Happy is offline  
Old Mar 26, 2020, 7:16 am
  #1378  
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,857
Originally Posted by Happy
Here is something most may not notice, yet -

We have paid the taxes on an award booking with the CSR, that is part of the $300 travel credit (the first and the only portion used in 2020 then the virus hits). Of course that spend did not earn UR pts as Chase policy changed.

Now the award is canceled, and the taxes are returned to the original form of payment - the CSR card. This time, Chase system dings the UR earning by the 3x earnings...

I am not sure whether I should spend time to SM them about this unfair treatment.
That's the way it's supposed to work. It would only be unfair if Chase ALSO clawed back the $300 travel credit while dinging you -3x points. Technically, you've pocketed the $300 credit without actually spending $300 on travel.
pallhedge is offline  
Old Mar 26, 2020, 12:46 pm
  #1379  
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Originally Posted by pallhedge
That's the way it's supposed to work. It would only be unfair if Chase ALSO clawed back the $300 travel credit while dinging you -3x points. Technically, you've pocketed the $300 credit without actually spending $300 on travel.
No. I disagree this is being fair. This is a half-baked approach only because Chase either has not thought thru the process or just being cheap not to willing to invest in the system to make it work like AMEX does.

It is not the "technically" that should be looked at - that is just a way people justify the action because it seems to be more advantageous. But that is not the correct way to do it, principally.

They can claw back the credit issued and let the clock starts all over - AMEX does this All the Time.

Chase should either do it right on FULL scale, and not do it at all, i.e. reverses the charges that offset the credit, reset the clock and reset the clock - leaving the points part blank just like when the system used it to issue Travel Credit, or continues to give points and take back points as the charges are reversed.
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Old Mar 26, 2020, 6:40 pm
  #1380  
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Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: GE, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,486
Originally Posted by Happy
This time, Chase system dings the UR earning by the 3x earnings...
Interesting, looks like they might have fixed that loophole. (I remember when refunds only clawed back 1x and left you the bonus points.) I'll have to see if my upcoming refunds due to COVID-19 cancellations end up clawing back all 3x, though I don't think any of those used the travel credit originally.

Originally Posted by Happy
Chase should either do it right on FULL scale, and not do it at all, i.e. reverses the charges that offset the credit, reset the clock and reset the clock - leaving the points part blank just like when the system used it to issue Travel Credit, or continues to give points and take back points as the charges are reversed.
I'm not sure how their systems work but if it's long enough ago they might not be able to associate a refund with the original purchase that triggered the credit. Clawing back all 3x might be the best they can do, as unfair as that is.
tmiw is offline  

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