Elite status with a hotel chain can make travel much more comfortable, but you don’t necessarily need hotel elite status to unlock extra perks on your next hotel stay.
After all, select credit card holders can get elitelike perks by booking through programs such as American Express’ Fine Hotels + Resorts program, Capital One’s Premier Collection and Lifestyle Collection and Citi’s Hotel Collection and Luxury Collection.
Likewise, Chase has its own luxury hotel program called The Edit by Chase Travel (which recently rebranded from Chase’s Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection).
All these programs provide valuable perks, and booking through these programs often doesn’t cost much, if any, more than booking directly with the hotel. Let’s take a closer look at The Edit by Chase Travel.
What is The Edit by Chase Travel?
The Edit by Chase Travel offers select Chase cardholders elitelike benefits at more than 1,000 hotels, resorts, lodges and spas worldwide. The properties bookable through The Edit program are a mix of branded and independent lodgings, but they tend to be well rated, and Chase says they are among the world’s finest. To make a reservation through the program, you must have a participating card.
Which cards are eligible for The Edit by Chase Travel bookings?
You must have one of the following cards to make a booking through The Edit by Chase Travel:
The information for the J.P. Morgan Reserve Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Main benefits and perks
Booking through The Edit by Chase Travel is usually the same price as booking directly, but sometimes it can be higher or lower depending on the property. The perks you receive when you book through the program and use your eligible Chase card to purchase your stay may offset any price difference. With every The Edit booking, you receive:
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- Daily breakfast for two
- A special benefit worth up to $100 (unique to each property but often includes a lunch or dinner for two, a spa treatment, golf green fee waivers, a welcome gift or airport transfers)
- Complimentary Wi-Fi at properties that offer Wi-Fi
- A space-available room upgrade at select properties (when available)
- Early check-in and late checkout at select properties (when available)
As you might expect, the daily breakfast and special benefits vary in quality and value. Although Chase provides various examples of the special benefit, most properties offer a $50 or $100 credit for use during your stay.
You can maximize your bookings by targeting hotels that offer a special benefit that will provide value to you. For example, here are a few special benefits that I found interesting:
- A complimentary 60-minute massage for two guests per room once during their stay at The Sukhothai Bangkok
- A 90-minute city walking tour with a professional tour guide, a 20% discount when dining at the Bombay Brasserie and a “Cape Gin experience” once per stay for each guest at the Taj Cape Town
- Club lounge access, a welcome VIP amenity and a voucher for a 20% discount on any spa treatment at the InterContinental Paris — Le Grand
How to book The Edit by Chase Travel
To book through The Edit, you will go to Chase Travel to start. To start a search, enter your destination, dates and number of guests in the search box at the top of the page.
Once you find a hotel you like, click on it to see all the benefits you will receive with The Edit.
Here, you can see the listed benefits that are standard with The Edit properties. Then, you will select the room type you want.
Once you get to the payment page, you can pay with cash, points or a combo of the two. When you pay with your Sapphire Reserve, you will earn 3 points per dollar.
You must use your Chase card to book your stay. You’ll usually pay at the hotel, but the property may charge a guarantee or deposit to your credit card before your stay.
Some of The Edit properties may have cancellation policies, so be sure to double-check when booking. Also, note that the price you see may not show additional hotel charges, such as resort fees. Take the time to understand what types of fees the hotel might impose before you book.
Finally, carefully read the details of specific benefits at the property you book. Some complimentary breakfast perks are limited to certain restaurants or subject to a maximum dollar amount. Additionally, some of these may be temporarily unavailable.
Related: A comparison of luxury hotel programs from credit card issuers: Amex, Capital One, Chase and Citi
Will I earn elite status or loyalty benefits?
The Chase Sapphire Reserve and J.P. Morgan Reserve cardholders who book through The Edit will still have their hotel chain loyalty benefits honored, according to Chase. Cardholders will also earn elite nights and points. It is important to note that since the launch of this rebrand recently happened, we have not tested this out yet.
Related: Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card review: Luxury perks and valuable rewards
Is The Edit by Chase Travel worth it?
The Edit by Chase Travel resembles Amex’s Fine Hotels + Resorts program, but when you book with Fine Hotels + Resorts, your late checkout is guaranteed and the experience credit is often more valuable because it covers more options.
Other card-related hotel programs include the Visa Luxury Hotel Collection and Amex’s The Hotel Collection. However, when compared with The Edit by Chase Travel, the benefits from these programs aren’t as extensive or valuable. They do offer the opportunity to book some less expensive hotels, though.
Finally, booking directly will usually provide more rate options — including AAA, AARP and corporate rates. When booking directly, you can also click through a cash-back portal and know with more certainty that you’ll get elite nights and benefits (if that matters to you). If you already get breakfast included as a brand amenity or elite benefit, it may make sense to book directly, especially if you can do so at a lower rate.
Generally, booking through The Edit by Chase Travel can be worth it. After all, the program does provide elitelike perks. We recommend considering other booking options as well, though, to ensure you get the best value and benefits on your stay.
When to use The Edit by Chase Travel
Even if the rates aren’t the lowest, there are times when booking through a program like The Edit by Chase Travel can be a good idea.
Short stays
One of the most significant selling points of The Edit by Chase Travel is the property credit. However, most properties provide this benefit per stay, not per night. So, the shorter your stay, the better value this represents.
As such, it may be worth booking a property linked to The Edit for only one night at the beginning or end of your trip to squeeze the most value out of this perk. I was able to do this after taking the Amtrak Empire Builder from Portland, Oregon, to Chicago and got $160 of value out of a $153 one-night stay at the Loews Chicago Hotel using Amex’s Fine Hotels + Resorts program.
Related: Rail renaissance: The best new trains to take
Boutique and non-chain hotels
You can get elitelike benefits at non-chain hotels by booking through The Edit. Some luxury hotels aren’t part of a hotel loyalty program, so booking through The Edit by Chase Travel can be an excellent way to get more benefits and recognition.
Someone else is paying
If your company or a client is paying for your stay, it may not matter how you book. So, you may be able to book through The Edit by Chase Travel, even if it isn’t the least expensive option, so you can benefit from the program’s perks when traveling for business.
Related: What hotel loyalty program is best for business travelers?
Travelers without elite status
Booking through The Edit by Chase Travel provides many of the same perks as elite status. Booking through The Edit can provide more value when you’re staying at a brand for which you don’t have top-tier elite status. The included breakfast benefit alone is enough to offset any difference in rates at some properties.
Related: Is hotel elite status worth it anymore?
Bottom line
Using your hard-earned points for hotel stays can be a great way to keep money in your pocket. That said, using points may not be the best option — or an option at all — in some cases. Not to mention, for some trips, you might want elitelike perks even though you don’t have elite status. In these cases, it may make sense to book your hotel stay through a program like The Edit by Chase Travel.
