If you carry the (see rates and fees) in your wallet, chances are you appreciate its premium travel perks and valuable rewards.
But even a card with a $795 annual fee can’t cover every spending category or travel need. That’s where a second credit card can come in handy.
I carry the Sapphire Reserve myself, but it’s not the only card I reach for. Whether you’re looking to maximize everyday spending, enhance your airline experience, or pick up hotel-specific perks, the right pairing can help you get more out of your wallet.
Here are seven cards worth considering alongside the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
The best cards to pair with the Chase Sapphire Reserve
Here’s a quick look at seven options, including how much you’ll pay in combined annual fees.
Best for everyday spending: Capital One Venture Rewards
The Capital One Venture Rewards is a solid option for Sapphire Reserve cardholders looking to earn more on everyday purchases.
Why the pairing works: One area where the Sapphire Reserve falls short is everyday spending that doesn’t qualify for a bonus category. Those purchases generally earn just 1 Ultimate Rewards point per dollar spent, while the Venture Rewards earns at least 2 Capital One miles per dollar spent on all purchases, regardless of category.
For example, you could use your Sapphire Reserve for purchases that earn bonus points, then reach for your Venture Rewards when shopping for clothing, furniture or other purchases that wouldn’t earn elevated rewards with the Reserve.
For a $95 annual fee, the Venture Rewards also gives you access to Capital One’s 15-plus transfer partners, opening up additional redemption opportunities beyond Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Key drawbacks: While the Venture Rewards has a relatively modest annual fee, it still brings your combined annual fees to $890.
You’ll also be managing two separate rewards currencies, since Chase Ultimate Rewards points and Capital One miles can’t be combined directly. While this opens up more redemption opportunities across different rewards programs, just make sure you’re comfortable managing two rewards currencies before committing to both cards.
To learn more, read our full review of the Venture Rewards.
Learn more: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Best for United flyers: United Explorer or United Quest
If you regularly fly United, pairing your Sapphire Reserve with the or can help you enjoy additional airline-specific perks.
Why the pairing works: The Sapphire Reserve offers valuable travel benefits and flexible Ultimate Rewards points that you can transfer to United MileagePlus at a 1:1 ratio. However, it doesn’t offer some of the perks that come with carrying a United credit card, like free checked bags and priority boarding.
Both United cards can help fill that gap, but they cater to slightly different types of travelers.
With a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 annually, the United Explorer offers:
- Free first checked bag for the primary cardholder and one companion on the same reservation (when you pay with your card)
- Priority boarding on United-operated flights (Group 2)
- Two United Club one-time passes each cardmember anniversary
- Opportunities to earn Premier qualifying points (PQP) toward United elite status through card spending
Meanwhile, the $350-per-year United Quest offers additional benefits for more frequent United flyers, including:
- A free first and second checked bag for the primary cardholder and one companion on the same reservation (when you pay with your card)
- Priority boarding on United-operated flights (Group 2)
- Up to $200 in United TravelBank cash each cardmember year
- A 10,000-mile award flight discount after each cardmember anniversary
- Additional opportunities to earn PQP toward United Premier status
The Explorer may be enough if you only fly United a few times a year, while the Quest makes more sense for travelers who can take advantage of its additional benefits.
I personally carry both the Sapphire Reserve and United Quest, and I appreciate being able to earn flexible Ultimate Rewards points while still enjoying United-specific benefits when I fly.
Key drawbacks: Both cards add another annual fee to your wallet (the Explorer after the first year), so you’ll want to make sure you fly United often enough to take advantage of their benefits. There’s also some overlap in travel protections and rewards earning, particularly on United purchases.
And while you can transfer Ultimate Rewards points to United MileagePlus, you can’t transfer United miles back to Chase, so it’s worth considering which rewards currency you’d rather earn on each purchase.
To learn more, read our full review of the United Explorer and our full review of the United Quest.
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Best no-annual-fee options: Chase Freedom Unlimited or Chase Freedom Flex
The and are two great options for Sapphire Reserve cardholders looking to earn more Ultimate Rewards points without paying another annual fee.
Why the pairing works: Both Freedom cards offer opportunities to earn more rewards on purchases that might otherwise earn just 1 point per dollar with the Sapphire Reserve.
The Freedom Unlimited earns 1.5% cash back on purchases outside its bonus categories, making it a solid choice for everyday spending. Meanwhile, the Freedom Flex earns 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in rotating bonus categories each quarter you activate (then 1%).
Although both Freedom cards are marketed as cash-back cards, they technically earn Ultimate Rewards points, with each point worth 1 cent when redeemed for cash back.
For example, $1,000 in nonbonus spending would earn 1,500 points with the Freedom Unlimited, compared with 1,000 points on the Reserve.
The biggest advantage of either pairing is that you can combine the rewards earned with your Freedom card and Sapphire Reserve, allowing you to redeem them as transferable Ultimate Rewards points.
You could even take things a step further by carrying all three cards, creating a version of the Chase Trifecta. This strategy allows you to maximize rewards across different spending categories without adding another annual fee.
Key drawbacks: The Freedom Unlimited’s 1.5% earning rate isn’t the highest available for everyday spending, while the Freedom Flex requires you to track and activate quarterly bonus categories to maximize its rewards.
Both cards also have some overlapping bonus categories with the Reserve, so you’ll want to pay attention to which card earns the most on each purchase.
Ultimately, I’d lean toward the Freedom Unlimited if you prefer a simple, consistent earning strategy, or the Freedom Flex if you’re willing to put in a little extra effort to maximize rotating categories.
To learn more, read our full review of the Chase Freedom Unlimited and full review of the Chase Freedom Flex.
Apply here:
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Best for business owners: Ink Business Preferred
The is worth considering if you want to earn bonus rewards on business expenses.
Why the pairing works: The Ink Business Preferred earns 3 points per dollar spent on the first $150,000 in combined purchases each account anniversary year across several business-related categories (then 1 point per dollar spent):
- Advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines
- Internet, cable and phone services
- Shipping purchases
- Travel
While the travel category overlaps with the Sapphire Reserve, the other categories can be useful for business owners who regularly spend on advertising, shipping or telecommunications.
For example, $10,000 in eligible advertising purchases would earn 30,000 points with the Ink Business Preferred, compared with 10,000 points at the Reserve’s standard earning rate.
You can also combine eligible Ultimate Rewards points earned with both cards, helping you build up your balance faster for future travel redemptions.
Key drawbacks: The Ink Business Preferred adds another $95 in annual fees, and you’ll need to qualify for a business credit card to apply.
Because of the overlap in travel earning, this pairing makes the most sense if you have enough spending in the Ink Business Preferred’s business-specific bonus categories to justify the additional cost.
To learn more, read our full review of the Ink Business Preferred.
Apply here:
Best for Hyatt loyalists: World of Hyatt Credit Card
If you frequently stay at Hyatt properties, the can help you unlock hotel-specific benefits that your Sapphire Reserve doesn’t offer.
Why the pairing works: The Sapphire Reserve gives you access to World of Hyatt through 1:1 Chase Ultimate Rewards transfers, while the World of Hyatt Credit Card provides additional perks for Hyatt stays.
For a $95 annual fee, the Hyatt card offers:
- Complimentary World of Hyatt Discoverist status
- An annual Category 1-4 free night award after each cardholder anniversary
- Five qualifying night credits toward elite status each calendar year
- An additional Category 1-4 free night award after spending $15,000 on purchases in a calendar year
- The card also earns 4 World of Hyatt points per dollar spent at Hyatt properties, on top of the points you earn as a World of Hyatt member
This pairing allows you to enjoy Hyatt-specific benefits while continuing to earn flexible Ultimate Rewards points with your Sapphire Reserve.
Key drawbacks: The Hyatt card earns World of Hyatt points rather than flexible Ultimate Rewards points, so you’ll want to compare the value of each currency before deciding which card to use for Hyatt purchases.
And if you don’t regularly stay at Hyatt properties, you may have a harder time getting enough value from the card’s benefits to justify its $95 annual fee.
To learn more, read our full review of the World of Hyatt Card.
Apply here:
Which Sapphire Reserve pairing is right for you?
There’s no single best card to pair with the . The right choice depends on where you spend the most and what you want from your next credit card.
Here’s how I’d narrow it down:
- If you want to earn more on everyday purchases: The Venture Rewards can help you earn at least 2 miles per dollar on purchases that don’t qualify for bonus rewards with your Reserve.
- If you regularly fly United: The and offer airline-specific perks, like free checked bags and priority boarding, that complement the Reserve’s flexible rewards.
- If you don’t want another annual fee: The offers a simple way to earn more on everyday purchases, while the rewards cardholders willing to track rotating categories.
- If you have business expenses: The can help you earn more Ultimate Rewards points on eligible business purchases.
- If you regularly stay at Hyatt: The can provide additional hotel benefits and opportunities to earn free nights.
Personally, I’d start by looking at where my Sapphire Reserve falls short, whether that’s earning rewards on everyday purchases or offering airline-specific benefits that could make my travels easier.
After all, the goal isn’t necessarily to have more credit cards. It’s to make sure the cards you do carry work well together.
What to know before you apply
Before adding another card to your wallet, consider how it fits into your overall credit card strategy.
If you’re applying for a Chase card, keep the issuer’s unofficial 5/24 rule in mind, as well as any welcome bonus eligibility restrictions. You’ll also want to weigh the combined annual fees against the additional rewards and benefits you’re getting.
Finally, think about whether you’d prefer to pool more Ultimate Rewards points with another Chase card or diversify into a separate rewards currency, such as Capital One miles.
Bottom line
The offers plenty of value on its own, but pairing it with the right card can help you earn more rewards and enjoy benefits you might otherwise miss.
Before adding another card to your wallet, consider where your Reserve falls short, your spending habits and whether the additional rewards and perks justify any extra annual fee.
Related: Better together: The ultimate guide to the best credit card combinations
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: thepointsguy.com
