Chase Sapphire Cards Broaden Travel Purchase Definition

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve® cards classify a wide array of purchases as "travel," offering bonus Chase Ultimate Rewards points on expenses beyond traditional airfare and hotels. This broad definition, determined by merchant category codes (MCCs), includes airlines, Airbnb, buses, campgrounds, car rental agencies, cruise lines, discount travel sites, ferries, hotels, motels, limousines, parking garages, passenger trains, ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft, taxis, timeshares, toll bridges, and travel agencies. This comprehensive approach contrasts with many other rewards cards that focus primarily on airfare booked directly with airlines or hotel stays. Chase's definition aims to capture nearly every aspect of a trip, from initial airport parking to cruise fares. However, certain purchases, even if travel-related, do not qualify for bonus points. Specifically, public campgrounds are generally excluded from the travel category, despite private campgrounds being eligible. The distinction is based on the MCC assigned by the payment processor, meaning that similar businesses might receive different reward treatment depending on their classification. This can lead to situations where two seemingly identical purchases do not earn the same bonus points. Cardholders are advised to verify merchant category codes if maximizing rewards is a priority, though Chase's overall travel definition remains one of the most inclusive in the credit card market.