Credit Card News: Travel&Rewards

If you’re familiar with travel rewards credit cards, you probably already know that Chase Sapphire is one of the most popular ones out there. Their Ultimate Rewards program offers cardholders a one-to-one value when transferring points to airline and hotel loyalty programs, double or even triple points on travel and restaurant purchases, and round-the-clock access to dedicated Chase Sapphire customer service specialists.

But in case you need some inspiration to know what to do with all those Ultimate Rewards points you can rack up with Chase Sapphire, New York Times bestselling author and model Chrissy Teigen has teamed up with the card issuer to share her travel itinerary, including her favorite trips and dining experiences. Teigen’s adventures will then be available to Chase Sapphire cardmembers who wish to recreate her adventures for themselves. Cardholders can go to the Chase website and look under the “experiences” tab to find and purchase tickets for specially curated events, menus, and itineraries vetted by Teigen.

Themed itineraries will include “Fun with Baby in Tow,” “Romantic Getaway,” and “Living Like a Local Visiting Your Favorite US City.” “I’m excited to share my sense of adventure and inspire others to find those foods and places that fuel their passions,” Teigen said of her relationship with Chase Sapphire. “I’m having a blast playing tour guide and re-living my favorite travel experiences.”

Two different cards, two different Ultimate Rewards experiences

Customers can choose from either the Sapphire Preferred card or the Sapphire Reserve card; the Reserve card is the elite level card and come with higher points-earning potential, but it also has a higher annual fee and requires a higher level of creditworthiness.

The Reserve card’s annual fee of $450 includes the perk of earning triple points on travel and dining expenditures, while the Preferred card, which charges an annual fee of $95, gives members double points on travel and dining. Both cards give one point per dollar spent in all other categories, and offer a 50,000-point signup bonus after spending $4,000 in the first three months of having the card.

Pam Codispoti, president of Chase Branded Cards, says the two cards strive to offer great travel rewards, “offering access to experiences for people who don’t just want to taste the wine – they want to crush the grapes.”