How Does Chase Sapphire Reserve’s Travel Credit Impact the Signup Bonus?
When I applied for the Chase Sapphire Reserve card in January, the signup bonus was 100,000 Ultimate Rewards Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. I’ve been asked what would happen if some of that spending was on travel, triggering the $300 travel credit. If the credit takes you back below $4,000, do you still get the points?
I had already received some travel credits as soon as I got the card and was getting close to meeting my own spending requirement. So, I decided to test this for myself.
My plan was simple: get to just over $4,000 in total spending and stop using the card. Other than the $450 annual fee, which doesn’t count, I haven’t incurred any fees or interest. I’ve also not had any cash advances or merchandise returns to muddle the experiment.
My Results
On February 28, I made the purchase that put me above $4,000 in total spending. That transaction posted on March 1. To date, I’ve received $185 towards my annual $300 travel credit.
Here are the numbers from the moment I opened my Sapphire Reserve account:
- Total Purchases: $4,014.77
- Travel Credit: $185.00
- Net Purchases: $3,829.77
Even though I’ve spent slightly over $4,000, the travel credits I received have taken me back below the minimum spending requirement. I’m in a perfect spot for the test results. Will I or won’t I get the bonus?
Chase Ultimate Rewards points post to your account with your statement and I’m not scheduled to get my next statement until March 20. I thought I wouldn’t have any results until then. However, on March 5, my Ultimate Rewards account showed the following great news:
The 100,000 signup bonus will be on my next statement! This confirms that the travel credits, and most likely any credits, have no effect on the minimum spending requirement. My guess is the Global Entry credit would lead to the same result.
The best part: now that I have the results of my experiment earlier than expected, I can go back to using my Sapphire Reserve card. I’ve missed out on enough 3x bonus points for travel and dining!