Since the refresh of the Chase Sapphire Reserve last year, figuring out how to actually use the card’s growing list of credits has been top of mind. With such a high annual fee, you really don’t want those credits expiring unused—but how do you use them without spending a ton of extra cash?
I kept seeing Las Vegas mentioned as an easy win, so I decided to test it myself. My credits were expiring December 31, 2025, which gave me a perfect excuse to plan a quick midweek escape. I started researching what 48 hours in Las Vegas could realistically look like—and whether the math would actually work in my favor.
Below is exactly how I used the credits, and what the weekend ultimately cost. 🎰✈️
Chase Sapphire Reserve Credits (Current Lineup)
The Chase Sapphire Reserve currently includes the following credits:
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$500 Edit Hotel Credit – $250 per two-night stay booked through the Chase Travel portal
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$300 Restaurant Credit – valid through Chase Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Dining
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$300 StubHub Credit – must be activated in your Chase account before purchase; split into two $150 credits (Jan–June and July–Dec)
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$250 Chase Hotel Credit – valid on select hotel brands (Omni, IHG, Montage, Pendry, Virgin, Minor, Pan Pacific) booked through the portal; two-night stay required
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$300 Annual Travel Credit – automatically applied to eligible travel purchases charged to the card
The credits I specifically needed to use before they expired were:
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$150 Dining Credit
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$250 Edit Hotel Credit
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$150 StubHub Credit
Booking the Hotel 🏨
I logged into the Chase Travel portal and found a solid midweek deal at Park MGM: Tuesday–Thursday in mid-January for about $145 per night, plus a $100 property credit. After booking, the $250 Edit Hotel Credit posted the next day. The hotel was well located, room was large and beds were comfy. Added bonus, there is a tram that connects the hotel to the Bellagio saving your feet from more walking.
Total out-of-pocket for the hotel: $41
Using the StubHub Credit 🎭
Next stop: StubHub. I noticed The Wizard of Oz was playing at the Sphere—seeing a show there was already on my wish list. Midweek 5:00 pm tickets were about $189 per ticket including fees and taxes.
After activating the StubHub credit, I booked the tickets. The $150 credit posted immediately.
Total out-of-pocket for the show: $229
Dining with Chase Exclusive Tables 🍽️
I checked Chase Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables and snagged a reservation at Hell’s Kitchen. Dinner came to $175 including tax and tip, and the dining credit applied seamlessly. And by the way, dinner was delicious. Highly recommend!
Total out-of-pocket for dinner: $25
Property Credit Meals & Extras 🥢☕
We used the $100 Park MGM property credit for dinner at La La Noodle and breakfast at Primrose Café. The front desk confirmed the credit only covered food—not tax or tip, but was valid at any of the restaurants inside the hotel except Crack Shack.
We also split a sandwich from Eataly before the show.
Total out-of-pocket for additional food, tax and tip: $45
Since that used up the property credit, we picked up breakfast at the airport before our flight home in the Capital One Lounge which is a benefit of the Capital One Venture X credit card. Yum!  |
| Capital One Lounge Las Vegas |
Flights & Transportation 🚗
We flew to Las Vegas on Southwest using points and my Companion Pass. I did park my car at the San Diego airport for $36.
We skipped renting a car in Las Vegas and used Lyft instead. I applied the $10 monthly Chase Sapphire Reserve Lyft credit for the airport ride, and paid for the return trip.
Total out-of-pocket for parking and rides: $51
(If I still had my $300 travel credit available, this would have been fully covered.)
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| Beautiful light and fountain show in front of the Bellagio Hotel |
Final Tally 💸
Was this a completely free Las Vegas trip? No—not technically. But for 48 hours in Vegas, a hotel stay, a Sphere show, multiple restaurant meals, and flights on points, we spent about $250 out of pocket total.
More importantly, I used credits that otherwise would have expired—and turned the Chase Sapphire Reserve “coupon book” into a genuinely fun, low-stress getaway. For me, that’s exactly how these credits should work. If you are interested in applying for the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Preferred credit cards, use this link.
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