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The Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card are offered with no annual fees to active duty military servicemembers and their spouses. In this article we'll compare the Chase Sapphire Reserve vs the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card
Learn how to apply on our partner's secure site
- $550 annual fee waived to $0 for US military + spouses with Chase MLA policy
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually.
- 3x Points on other Travel (airfare, hotels) after earning the $300 travel credit
- 3x Dining restaurants, takeouts, delivery
- Chase Ultimate Reward Points redeemed through Chase Travel℠ are worth 1.5 cents, a 50% bonus.
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
- Priority Pass lounge and restaurant access with over 1300+ airport lounges worldwide
- Up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry every 4 years
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Primary coverage with Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- No foreign transaction fees, Member FDIC
- Learn more in the Chase Sapphire Reserve review
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Learn how to apply on our partner's secure site
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠
- 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3x points on dining (includes takeout, delivery, and dine-in), select streaming services and online groceries
- 2x on all other travel purchases
- 1x on all other purchases
- $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠ . Example- 60,000 points would be worth $750 toward travel.
- No foreign transaction fees, great for overseas OCONUS assignments, TDY, and PCS
- Primary rental car insurance coverage & trip cancellation/interruption insurance, and more.
- DashPass access is complimentary which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
- Upgrade to a Chase Sapphire Reserve after 1 year (compare Reserve vs Preferred)
- $95 annual fee waived for military and spouses with Chase Military Lending Act
- Member FDIC
This is an amazing opportunity for military servicemembers, along with their spouses, to pick up some of the top Chase travel rewards cards available.
This military fee waiver policy was implemented on all personal Chase cards opened after 20 September 2017. Chase made the change to comply with the Military Lending Act (MLA), which is similar to the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA).
I recommend picking up 1 or 2 Chase Sapphire Preferred OR Reserve cards ASAP due to the new annual fee waiver. All Chase personal credit cards are fee waived for military members and their spouses. The CSR is one of those ultra-luxury travel cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, that offers tremendous recurring benefits and value with no annual fee for military personnel.
I had a Chase Sapphire Reserve card since it launched with the epic 100,000 Ultimate Reward point bonus in 2016. Unfortunately, that offer is no longer available. However, my wife did recently pick up her own Chase Sapphire Reserve card with a great welcome bonus.
Within a few days of receiving the card, she received a separate letter from Chase stating that her account was being handled in accordance with the MLA. Therefore, we now have a CSR that we pay no annual fee on! Thanks Chase!
In this post:
Sapphire Reserve or Sapphire Preferred?
The big question now is “Should you get the Chase Sapphire Reserve or the Chase Sapphire Preferred?”
| Preferred | Reserve | |
| Welcome Bonus | 60,000 | 60,000 |
| $300 Annual Travel Credit | NO | YES |
| Points for Hotels* | 5x | 10x |
| Points for Dining | 3x | 3x |
| Annual Fee Waived for Military |
When the Chase Sapphire Preferred offers a higher welcome bonus, I recommend all military personnel first get the Chase Sapphire Preferred, to earn the extra Ultimate Reward Points. Currently the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Chase Sapphire Preferred have the same welcome bonus, so definitely get the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
After 1 year, upgrade the CSP to a CSR and immediately access the $300 annual travel credit and increased 3x earn on restaurant and travel spend.
The main difference between the Preferred and the Reserve for military members is the recurring $300 annual travel credit. This is a huge boon that could be worth $6000 over 10 years if both you and your spouse get a Sapphire Reserve card. ($300 annually x 2 people x 10 years = $6000).
Chase Sapphire Preferred for Military
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Learn how to apply on our partner's secure site
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠
- 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3x points on dining (includes takeout, delivery, and dine-in), select streaming services and online groceries
- 2x on all other travel purchases
- 1x on all other purchases
- $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠ . Example- 60,000 points would be worth $750 toward travel.
- No foreign transaction fees, great for overseas OCONUS assignments, TDY, and PCS
- Primary rental car insurance coverage & trip cancellation/interruption insurance, and more.
- DashPass access is complimentary which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
- Upgrade to a Chase Sapphire Reserve after 1 year (compare Reserve vs Preferred)
- $95 annual fee waived for military and spouses with Chase Military Lending Act
- Member FDIC
This card has no foreign transaction fee, which is essential for OCONUS TDYs and PCSs. You also earn 3x points on dining and 2x points on all other travel purchases.
Chase Sapphire Reserve for Military
Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card
Learn how to apply on our partner's secure site
- $550 annual fee waived to $0 for US military + spouses with Chase MLA policy
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually.
- 3x Points on other Travel (airfare, hotels) after earning the $300 travel credit
- 3x Dining restaurants, takeouts, delivery
- Chase Ultimate Reward Points redeemed through Chase Travel℠ are worth 1.5 cents, a 50% bonus.
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
- Priority Pass lounge and restaurant access with over 1300+ airport lounges worldwide
- Up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry every 4 years
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Primary coverage with Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- No foreign transaction fees, Member FDIC
- Learn more in the Chase Sapphire Reserve review
$550 annual fee waived + $300 travel credit + $750 Ultimate Rewards points when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards + $400 Priority Pass Lounge access + $100 Global Entry Fee = minimum $1500 of value for military personnel. Add a second card for your spouse and now you're looking at $3000 of value.
This card offers over $1500 of value in the first year alone. Add your spouse and double your value to $3000. The annual travel credit is one of the best benefits on any credit card currently available.
3X points on worldwide dining and travel is awesome and because you're paying no foreign transaction fees, you get to reap the rewards with no downsides.
The $300 travel credits will post to your account the same day your purchase posts to your account, so it's almost instantaneous. See my example below:
My Priceline car rental and Uber trip to the airport were reimbursed the same day. There's no activation or application required for the travel credit, it's just automatic and easy. I have used my $300 travel credit for 3 years now. Since I travel so much for the government, I always use the benefit within the first few months of the year.
Chase has a “one Sapphire rule,” meaning that you cannot apply for another Sapphire card if you already have one open. However, you can upgrade lower tier cards like the Chase Freedom FlexSM Credit Card to hold multiple Chase Sapphire Reserve cards. You can upgrade a Sapphire Preferred to a Sapphire Reserve after 1 year of card membership.
This not Chase's rule, but is a law called the CARD act, where credit card companies can't raise the annual fee on you within one year.
Because of the excellent travel benefits and the fact the the card is free, it makes total sense for both you and your spouse to pick up a Chase Sapphire Preferred card and then upgrade to the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Chase Military Lending Act (MLA)
Chase credit card military policy updated on September 20, 2017. Any account opened AFTER Sep 20, 2017 is eligible for the Chase military fee waiver under MLA.
You can check your MLA status in the MLA database.
Click the image to see a PDF copy of the MLA letter I received from Chase.
Unfortunately, if your account was opened before 20 Sep 2017, you are out of luck. You can always open a new Chase credit card and receive the fee waiver benefit.
The MLA caps interest the banks can charge at 36% Military Annual Percentage Rate (MAPR). This MAPR includes annual fees, so Chase decided it was easier to waive the annual fees for military members rather than calculate the 36% MAPR for each military servicemember.
The only fees Chase now charges military personnel are late fees and insufficient fund fees. This is a very generous interpretation of the MLA, as “bona fide fees” on premium cards are allowed under the MLA. That said, take advantage of Chase’s military fee waiver while you can!
I received my MLA letter from Chase before my card even arrived. My wife received her Chase Sapphire Reserve fee waiver MLA letter the day the card arrived in a separate envelope. It's pretty clear from the wording of the letter that all fees are waived except “late fees and non-sufficient fund fees, if applicable.” That's great news for all military members!
I’ve been a satisfied Chase customer since 2011. I plan to increase my business with them now that they waive annual fees for military personnel.
I recommend you and your spouse pick up a Chase Sapphire Preferred today and upgrade after 1 year to the Chase Sapphire Reserve! After that, pick up an annual fee waived Amex Platinum and sign up for my course to maximize your military credit card benefits.
Can i use a CSP referral link to apply for a CSR (like you can do with AMEX)? I am not seeing that as an option with the current CSP referral link I have.
I don’t believe so. I think Chase Freedom card referral links you can apply for either a Chase Freedom Flex or Chase Freedom Unlimited but on the Chase Sapphire Preferred referral link you can only apply for a CSP.
Same for a Chase Sapphire Reserve link, you can only apply for a CSR off of that link unlike Amex which allows you to apply for any personal or business card.
My spouse is an active reservist for the military. Would he be able to get the annual fee waved for the Chase Sapphire Reserve card?
Yes, if your spouse is on Title 10 or similar orders for 30 days or more, you and your spouse should both be eligible for Military Lending Act annual fee waivers on the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card. I recommend you verify your MLA status in the MLA database before you apply. Please respond to this comment if you are successful.
Is there a reason to (and/or) do you need to wait 1 year to upgrade the CSP to CSR? Thanks.
Yes it’s due to the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure (CARD) Act of 2009. Credit card issuers can’t increase the annual fee on an account within a year of opening the account.
Spencer,
I’m used a chase card since 2004. I’ve upgraded the same card to CSR in 2017. I called today and was told chase only waives annual fee for cards obtained before active duty. Since I joined in 2000 I am not eligible for fee waivers, something you can suggest to help? V/R Allen
Yeah you might be stuck. You could close your accounts and wait until your eligible for the bonuses, but that would be 4 years. If you are married, your spouse could open a CSR and get the fee waived if you are active duty still. Then just add you as an authorized user.
Unfortunately I got the Chase Sapphire Reserve before September 2017. Should I cancel the card and re-open it to get the fee waived? What do you recommend?
I’m an Active Duty service member, I recently got approved for the chase preferred credit card. How does that help me in future. Help me understand. I just applied for this credit card, I never knew It has benefits for active duty soldiers.
Well, the annual fee is waived and it gives you access to the great Chase Ultimate Rewards credit card points. What are your goals? Cash back? Travel?
I’m about to go active duty (officer), I have my orders, and I’m planning on buying an engagement ring soon. My credit score is 650+, can I apply straight for the Chase Sapphire? I see the others in your military money manual and it shows working up to the sapphire but I don’t want to miss out on the 60k miles since I’ll be spending the $4k in one purchase. Any suggestions>
With a credit score that low you might not be eligible for the Chase Sapphire Preferred. The 60k deal should be around for a few more months. Do you have 6 months to boost your credit score or are you looking to purchase this engagement ring soon?
How often do they report credit? I was looking to buy it soon but could put it off for a few months. Also working on re-paying loans to boost credit as well.
Every month or every 30 days, usually when the statement is issued.
Whats the deal if you (AD) or your spouse (AD) is planning on separating in the next year or two (possibly going to the guard or reserve)? Does AMEX or Chase (in this case) know that you are not in the military anymore and charge you once that happens?…how long does it take them to “find out”?
Thanks!
Your spouse will probably get a letter from Chase 6-9 months after getting out of active duty service, asking if she is still active duty. If she cannot provide evidence that she is still activated, they will probably charge the fee within a few months of you receiving the letter. Should be plenty of time to close the account if you are no longer getting value from it. They run a check against the public MLA or SCRA databases, available here: https://mla.dmdc.osd.mil/mla/#/home and here: https://scra-w.dmdc.osd.mil/scra/#/home
Hey Spencer,
Would you recommend me and my wife getting separate chase accounts if neither of us have one or for me to get a CSP and then get a card for my wife on that account?
Each of you should get your own cards. Annual fees will be waived on both if one of you is active military. If you just get one card and add your wife, you miss out on the welcome bonus for her! Also that can waste a 5/24 slot for her, so it’s a lose/lose. Open up an account for both of you!
Spencer, any data points on how upgrading a CF or CFU –> CSR affects the “opened date?” Does a product conversion/change reset that date or does it retain the original date?
My wife (active duty) opened her CSR in 2016 before the Sep 2017 waiver-date. Wondering if I product change her Freedom or FU to a second CSR will that waive the fee. Then we could just downgrade the old CSR to a Freedom or FU. (Or do it in the reverse order if Chase doesn’t want us holding two CSR simultaneously).
Thanks!
Product change or account conversion should not reset the account opening date. Best practice here would be to open a new CSP or Chase Freedom/Freedom Unlimited and then upgrade to CSR after 1 year. You CAN hold more than one CSR (from upgrading lower tier cards), but can only get the bonus once every 48 months.
By my math, if I spent 10k on dining/travel a year I would get 30k points from Reserve and 20k points from Preferred, which I figure would even out the 60k vs 50k bonus, plus I get the $300 credit, so I wold make out better with Reserve. Am I missing something in this? Thank you!
Nope, makes sense to me! Just depends on if you want that 10k UR points up front or after a year. Personally, since I am locked out of Chase cards due to 5/24 rules, I would take the 10k up front because it’s hard for me to get Chase points now. But to each their own.
Does the active reserves (monthly drilling), not the active duty, qualify for this benefit ?
Do you suggest getting Chase Sapphire Reserve card for self and adding spouse as an authorized user ($450 waived, $75 waived) and then after reaching spending bonus (my primary card) later getting spouse her own primary card with me as an authorized user ($450 waived, $75 waived) to qualify for spouse (primary card) spending bonus? Does that work to maximize the bonus for both myself and my wife? I am active duty. She is not.
If you and your spouse are under 5/24 (less than 5 cards opened in the last 24 months), DO NOT add your spouse as an authorized user as this will count to her/his 5/24 status.
Rather, open CSR in your name, meet the minimum spend. Then open a CSR in her name and meet the minimum spend. If you can, open a CSR for each of you at the same time and meet the minimum spend so you can open more cards sooner to maximize your benefits.
This is only if you are planning on maximizing your military benefits by following my step by step guide: https://militarymoneymanual.com/best-credit-cards-active-duty-military/
If you are not planning on opening more than 5 cards in 24 months, then your plan is fine and you can add each other as authorized users. I would NOT do this though as it takes away a valuable 5/24 slot and reduces the number of Chase cards you can potentially open in the next 24 months.
It sounds like you are just starting your credit card travel rewards journey. Keeping your options open and not closing any doors is very valuable!
How would one pick up two Chase Reserve cards?
One for you and one for your spouse if you have one. Otherwise Chase has a “no two Sapphire” rule.