Key facts
Annual Fee:
$550Min. Credit Score for Approval:
800-850 * ExcellentGet 25% bonus Virgin Points when you transfer Ultimate Rewards points between 12:00 AM ET on May 1, 2025 and 11:59 PM ET on June 15, 2025. Bonus points will be awarded by Virgin Atlantic Flying Club in your Flying Club account after your transfer is complete.
The first thing I’ll note is that there is currently a 30% transfer bonus from Citi ThankYou to Virgin Flying Club that ends May 17th.
Chase also had a limited two week only 30% transfer bonus to Virgin the first half of February.
Across all programs, there were 9 transfer bonuses to Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club in 2024.
Bonuses are often 30% or even 40%, so I would not jump on a 25% bonus unless you are both flush with Ultimate Rewards and have a flight ready to book.
Keep in mind there are now massive surcharges on international Delta flights booked via Virgin to/from the US, killing off one of Virgin’s very best sweet spots (50k to/from Europe). So really, run a search before you transfer!
Best Uses of Virgin Flying Club points:
Two great uses are domestically on Delta within the US or US-Mexico/Canada and for economy flights to/from Europe that are as few as 12,000 miles each way on partners such as KLM or Delta. Delta One awards not to/from the US should still be a deal. Delta One to/from Europe is still 50,000 points but now with surcharges of around $1,000, so that “sweet spot” is dead.
The other, well known, “best use” is to book ANA First and Business class awards:
- First Class to/from Japan from West Coast: 145,000 points Round Trip
- First Class to/from Japan from East Coast: 170,000 points Round Trip
- Business Class to/from Japan from West Coast: 105,000 points Round Trip
- Business Class to/from Japan from East Coast: 120,000 points Round Trip
Get 25% Bonus Flying Blue Miles when you transfer Ultimate Rewards® points between 12:00 AM ET on May 1, 2025 and 11:59 PM ET on May 31, 2025. Bonus Miles will be awarded by Flying Blue in your Flying Blue account after your transfer is complete.
The first thing to know is that Air France Flying Blue transfer bonuses are frequent.
Here is a list of historical transfer bonuses from Chase to Air France Flying Blue and here is a list of historical transfer bonuses to Air France Flying Blue from all programs
The last one from Chase was 20% at the start of this year and one from Chase last April for 25%.
Across all programs, we had 5 transfer bonuses to Flying Blue ranging from 20% – 25%.
Note that the minimum rates for some Flying Blue awards have recently increased:
Flying Blue rates are variable, so run a search before transferring. When you get lucky, business class from the US to Europe can run as low as 60,000 Flying Blue miles (up from 50,000 previously). But that would be just 48,000 credit card points during this promotion!
Flying Blue is often the best way to book Virgin Atlantic Upper Class from the US to Europe and beyond, due to the lowest taxes of any way to book Virgin Atlantic, however with Virgin’s new dynamic pricing you really have to compare the pricing on both programs as it can now be cheaper with Virgin in some cases. Flying Blue can also book Delta, KLM, and other SkyTeam members when Saver award space is available.
Reward multipliers
- 10X total points on hotel stays and car rentals purchased through Ultimate Rewards
- 10X Ultimate Rewards points on Lyft rides thrugh March 2025
- 5X total points on air travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards
- 3X Ultimate Rewards points on travel and dining
- 10x total points on Chase Dining purchases through Ultimate Rewards (This is powered by Tock Dining and is only in select markets)
- 1X points on all other purchases
Earns bonus points for spend in the following bonus categories:
Estimated Rewards Value: 10%
Estimated Rewards Value: 3%
Estimated Rewards Value: 3%
Estimated Rewards Value: 3%
Estimated Rewards Value: 3%
Estimated Rewards Value: 3%
Estimated Rewards Value: 1%
Our review
If you are looking for a review of the JP Morgan Reserve card, you’re in the right spot.
However, it may be more elusive than you think….
What is the JP Morgan Reserve card?
Formerly known as the JP Morgan Palladium card, this unbelievably heavy metal credit card is now known as the JP Morgan Reserve card.
In the travel rewards credit card space, this is the equivalent of the famous American Express Black (Centurion) Card.
In nearly every way but the design and rarity, this card is the same as the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
One big difference?
The JP Morgan Reserve card includes an annual United Club membership.
So in some ways, the JP Morgan Reserve card combined the best features of the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the United Club Infinite Card.
The annual fee is the same as the Sapphire Reserve as well.
How Do You Get a JP Morgan Reserve Card?
This card is available to Chase Private Bank clients, only. That means you will need over 10 Million dollars in assets with Chase.
Now, you may know someone with one of these cards that doesn’t have $10 million with Chase. That would be because when it was the Palladium card, mere Chase Private Client customers could apply. But no longer…
JP Morgan Reserve Benefits:
- United Club annual membership
- Primary car rental CDW coverage for rental cars.
- Priority Pass Select airport lounge access is included for the cardholder and up to two guests. This means that every time you visit a Priority Pass airport lounge, the cost of entry is included. More info on Priority Pass.
- $100 credit for enrollment in Global Entry or PreCheck once every 5 years.
- $300 travel credit each year, credited automatically, as you spend on any travel.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Pay Yourself Back (when available; categories subject to change)
JP Morgan Reserve / Lyft Benefits
- Earn 10X Ultimate Rewards points on Lyft rides through March 2025
- Get a one-time complimentary Lyft Pink subscription (15% Lyft discounts, free bike/scooter rentals each month, and better cancellation rules) for 2 years if you activate by Dec 2024.
DoorDash Benefits
- Complimentary DashPass from DoorDash: You and your authorized user(s) will receive at least 12 months of complimentary DashPass for use on both the DoorDash and Caviar applications during the same membership period based on the first activation date, when the membership is activated with a J.P. Morgan Reserve card by 12/31/2024.
- Earn $5 monthly DoorDash Credits through 12/31/2024
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Can you Product Change from a Chase Sapphire Reserve to a J.P. Morgan Reserve?
No. sorry.
The Bottom Line on the JP Morgan Reserve
If you are reading this, the odds are that you can’t get a JP Morgan Reserve card. If you do have the $10 million in assets with Chase, just give your Private Banker a call!
Otherwise, you may need to look at applying for the Chase Sapphire Reserve instead… for now.
