Chalk this one up as a win for (some) Chase cardholders: You can now price-match many hotel stays booked through Chase Travel℠ … with a few gotchas.
This news first surfaced on Reddit and Thrifty Traveler has since confirmed it with a Chase spokesperson. It's currently in beta testing for a select group of *Sapphire Reserve for Business* cardholders, after which it's supposed to roll out to *chase sapphire reserve* and invite-only J.P. Morgan Reserve cardholders next.
Noticeably absent from that list is the *chase sapphire preferred* and the *chase ink preferred*. Hopefully, those two get added sometime soon.
Here are some key details about how this new price-match guarantee works:
- Only prepaid (but still refundable) reservations made using points, cash, a promo code, or a combination of these payment methods are eligible
- The competing room rate must be an exact match to the original reservation (including name, address, dates, room type, refund policy, number of guests, etc.)
- The nightly rate difference must be greater than $5
- You must submit your claim within 24 hours of booking through Chase Travel
To submit a claim, you'll need to include a screenshot of the lower rate (including all the parameters), a link to where the lower rate was found, and the price of the lower rate. If all goes well, Chase says they'll refund the difference to the original form of payment (card or points) in one to two billing cycles. Initial reports suggest this can actually go through in a matter of hours.
On the surface, this is genuinely good news. But the devil is in the details … and there are a whole lot of those in the terms and conditions.
One of the biggest exclusions in the terms and conditions is “member-only” and “loyalty” rates. It's very common to see hotel chains like Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, and Marriott offering members a small discount on their best nightly rates. Joining these programs is free, and in addition to getting a better rate, you'll also earn hotel points and access any (potential) elite benefits, like a room upgrade and free breakfast during your stay.
Unfortunately, those member-only or loyalty rates are not eligible for Chase Travel's price-match guarantee … even though they're essentially available to everyone. The same goes for other discounts, like AAA and AARP rates, as well as the lower prices you may be eligible for through an employer.
But if you find a competing rate that works, this new feature can definitely work in your favor, as it removes one of travelers' biggest hurdles to booking hotels through Chase Travel.
Like most online travel agencies (OTAs), the price you pay for a hotel through Chase can vary wildly. Sometimes it will be cheaper, sometimes more. This new price match means you don't need to worry – or, more accurately, you can worry less – about whether or not you're getting the best possible deal when you go to book.
It also makes the new up to $500 per year credit (up to $250 twice per year) that Sapphire Reserve and Sapphire Reserve for Business cardholders get when booking two-night stays at “The Edit” properties – Chase's curated collection of more than 1,000 luxury and boutique hotels – much more valuable. On top of the twice-per-year credit, Sapphire Reserve cardholders get added perks like:
- A $100 property credit to be used on dining, at the spa, or activities at the property
- Daily breakfast for two
- Room upgrades, when available
- Early check-in and late check-out, if available
You'll also earn 8x points per dollar spent on these bookings with your Chase Sapphire Reserve card and, in most cases, still earn hotel points and elite night credits as well. That double dip makes this one of the most rewarding ways to book these hotels, even without factoring in all the other benefits.
The downside of The Edit is that it almost always means you are going to pay more for those added perks. With this new price-match guarantee, that should be less of a concern.
Bottom Line
Chase is testing a new price-match guarantee for prepaid (but still refundable) hotel bookings made through Chase Travel, starting with select Sapphire Reserve for Business cardholders, before expanding to regular Sapphire and invite-only J.P. Morgan Reserve cardholders.
It’s a valuable new feature that reduces the risk of overpaying through Chase Travel. Unfortunately, the fine print means it won’t work in every scenario.
