With the Summer Olympics set to start in Paris, France on July 26, 2024, many soon-to-be visitors are scrambling to piece together last-minute travel plans.
If you’re heading to Paris this summer, the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, comes with on-site perks that can elevate your trip to the next level.
You can enjoy lounging along the Seine River, meeting former Olympic stars and get access to some of the most coveted dining spots in Paris.
If you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, you’re already eligible for these benefits. If you don’t, there’s still time to apply for the card in time for the Summer Olympics.
Exclusive Chase Sapphire Reserve® Olympics benefits
Some of the Paris Olympics perks you get with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® are offered free of charge, whereas others get your foot in the door at exclusive restaurants and spaces.
Lounge access
Traveling to the Olympics is a once-in-a-lifetime event for many, and this Chase perk alone could make your experience even more unforgettable. Reserve cardholders will have access to a dedicated Visa Lounge at the Paris Olympics. This lounge will reportedly be located along the Seine River and will offer meet and greets with Olympic legends.
The lounge will also offer dining options, snacks, drinks and more, similar to the offerings available at Chase Sapphire airport lounges. You don’t need to make reservations for the lounge, but you will need your card to enter. Visa Lounge hours for Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardholders will be July 27 to Aug. 11, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. local time. You’ll also be allowed to bring one guest.
Exclusive dining reservations
You can also use your Chase Sapphire Reserve® to lock in lunch or dinner reservations at one of the most iconic restaurants in Paris, complete with a view of the Eiffel Tower.
Located near the Parvis des Droits de l’Homme in Paris, the Chase Sapphire pop-up dining venue will feature an a la carte menu created by New York Chef Ignacio Mattos and Chef Charles Ducrocq.
Reserve cardholders can visit Chase Dining or log in here to make lunch or dinner reservations at the venue, which will be open to guests from 12 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. for lunch and 7 p.m. to midnight for dinner on select dates.
There’s also an exclusive Olympics kickoff event for cardholders, but as of this writing, it’s already sold out.
Should you get the Chase Sapphire Reserve® for your Olympics trip to Paris?
While the Olympics perks are appealing, it’s important to think beyond one-time benefits. But as one of the most popular travel credit cards on the market, it’s hard to go wrong with the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
You can earn 60,000 bonus points worth $900 in travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠ after you spend $4,000 on purchases within three months of opening your account.
Beyond that, this card earns one of the most competitive rates on travel, airfare and dining purchases. You’ll earn 10x points on hotels and car rentals booked through Chase Travel℠, 5x points on airfare booked through Chase Travel and on Lyft rides (through March 2025), 3x points on dining worldwide and travel and 1x points on all other purchases.
If you travel frequently, this top-tier travel card’s additional perks might catch your eye. You’ll get:
- A $300 annual travel credit
- Priority Pass airport lounge membership
- A credit toward Global Entry, NEXUS or TSA PreCheck membership
- 50% more value for your rewards when you book travel through Chase Travel℠
The Sapphire Reserve also boasts the broadest selection of travel insurance protections of any travel credit card, including trip cancellation and interruption coverage, emergency evacuation coverage, lost luggage reimbursement, insurance for delayed baggage and more. As we’d expect from a card at this price point, it also has no foreign transaction fees, which is standard across the best travel credit cards.
When you add up the first-year benefits alone, this card more than justifies its $550 annual fee. With up to $900 in travel from the welcome bonus, Priority Pass Select membership (worth $469) and the annual $300 travel credit, you’re at $1,669 worth of value.
But you can get even more value for your rewards when you transfer them to Chase airline and hotel partners. Chase partners with 14 different airline and hotel loyalty programs, including Southwest Rapid Rewards, United MileagePlus, Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt. All partners let you transfer rewards at a 1:1 ratio.
How to get the most from the Reserve card
If you’re considering the Sapphire Reserve to access new summer Olympics perks in Paris this year, here are a few tips to help you maximize the card’s value.
- Use the annual travel credit. The good news about the $300 annual travel credit on the Sapphire Reserve is that it’s applied automatically. So as you make eligible travel purchases with your card, the statement credit will be automatically deducted from your account balance over time. The card’s annual travel credit also applies to nearly any type of travel purchase you make, including hotels, airfare, car rentals and cruises.
- Take advantage of airport lounges. Whether you’re flying to the Paris Olympics, or you’re looking for more luxury on other trips, activate and use the Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership. This membership gets you entry into more than 1,500 airport lounges around the world, where you can enjoy free Wi-Fi, find a relaxing place to sit and take advantage of free drinks and food.
- Use your card for regular purchases to earn more rewards. Use this card for dining and travel purchases, especially ones you can make through Chase. Unless you have another card that earns better rewards in other categories, you can use it for all purchases to boost your travel rewards balance.
- Pay your credit card balance in full each month. Finally, remember that rewards are never worth it if you’re paying credit card interest. Pay your full statement balance on the card every month and you’ll never have to.
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