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Chase Releases Travel and Dining Predictions, Plus Unique Sapphire Reserve Events for 2026

via Business Wire

Chase Travel’s 26 Trips to Take in 2026 highlights adventurous destinations such as Botswana, The Canadian Arctic and Chile’s Atacama Desert, alongside coastal escapes like the Albanian Riviera and Côte d’Azur, France.

New destinations revealed for Sapphire Reserve Trips, designed by Chase Travel, providing Sapphire Reserve cardmembers unmatched access to unique experiences.

Infatuation releases its annual Best New Restaurants list with the highest-rated restaurants in Nashville, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Miami.

Chase today announced Chase Travel's 26 Trips to Take in 2026 and Infatuation's annual Best New Restaurants, as well as new bookable Chase Sapphire Reserve cardmember experiences. These insights and premium experiences demonstrate Chase's commitment to helping cardmembers discover the best in travel and dining.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251110603778/en/

Chase Travel’s 26 Trips—curated based on proprietary booking data, consumer survey trends, insights from in-house travel experts, cultural events and new hospitality openings—highlight destinations set to define 2026, from the Albanian Riviera and Botswana to The Canadian Arctic and the Dolomites. A full list of Chase Travel’s 26 Trips to Take in 2026 can be found at chasetravel.com/26trips. These trips are complemented by Infatuation’s Best New Restaurants, which spotlights the most exciting new openings from the year across the country, celebrating chefs and concepts redefining dining. Notable restaurants include The Catbird Seat in Nashville, Somni in Los Angeles, Dojo Izakaya in Miami, Emmett in Philadelphia, and Sunn’s in New York City.

The two lists highlight the top travel and dining trends shaping 20261:

  • The Great American Road Trip, Reinvented - 94% of survey respondents say they are interested in road trip travel and Route 66, which is celebrating its centennial in 2026, landed a spot on Chase Travel’s 26 Trips list. As electric vehicle charging stations expand along the historic highway, centennial events and classic car celebrations are being reimagined with eco-friendly road-trippers in mind—merging nostalgia with sustainability for the ultimate American road trip.
  • The New York Effect - New York’s culture is everywhere—from New York–style pizza popping up across the country, including at Infatuation Best New Restaurant, Brainwave Pizza in Georgia, to the Upper East Side earning a spot on Chase Travel’s 26 Trips list, thanks to new shops, restaurants and hotels that are rewriting its reputation.
  • Chasing Wonders - 87% of survey respondents want to chase natural phenomena through their travels. Think: The Great European Solar Eclipse in Spain’s Basque Country, stargazing in Chile’s Atacama Desert or spotting whale migrations in Dominica—all spots on Chase Travel’s 26 Trips.
  • "Premiumification" Infiltrating Dining – Little luxuries and wellness continue to blur with dining, as consumers seek indulgence with intention. From premium takeout sushi and daily matcha rituals to smoothie pop-ups, the “premiumification of everything” is taking hold. 81% of survey respondents say they’re drawn to “premium casual” spots—paying more for simple food made with high-quality ingredients—while 71% are into “fashionable lattes”: coffee shops and cafés launched by streetwear and lifestyle brands. Even a coffee run or late-night snack now feels like an experience.
  • New Infrastructure Unlocking Destinations – Expanded air routes, new airports and ferry, train and cruise links are making places like Albania, Botswana, the Bahamas, New South Wales, India’s Golden Triangle and Dominica easier than ever to get to. 37% of boomers surveyed say new direct flights have made them interested in visiting certain destinations. Even The British Countryside is buzzing thanks to a new sleeper train from London through the Lake District.
  • Gig-Tripping Goes Global – Event-based travel is heating up: sporting events or tournaments (81%) and music festivals or concerts (88%) influence where respondents choose to travel. Major events drive Chase Travel’s 26 Trips—from the Dolomites for the games, Park City for Sundance Film Festival and London for Formula E with Jaguar TCS Racing.

AROUND THE WORLD WITH SAPPHIRE RESERVE TRIPS

To celebrate 2026 travel, Chase launched a new series of Sapphire Reserve Trips, designed by Chase Travel, featuring curated, once-in-a-lifetime experiences around the world available exclusively for Sapphire Reserve and Sapphire Reserve for Business cardmembers. Each trip is crafted by Reserve Travel Designers to spotlight major cultural moments and sought-after destinations, with select itineraries aligning to Chase Travel’s 26 Trips. To learn more about how to book Sapphire Reserve Trips, visit chase.com/sapphireexperiences.

2026 Sapphire Reserve Trips, designed by Chase Travel, include:

  • Hit the Slopes in St. Moritz (February) –The world will be watching the Alps this winter and on theme, this trip in St. Moritz will feature a snowboarding and skiing experience on Corvatsch Mountain, curated slopeside private dinners, a traditional Nordic ice bath in Lake St. Moritz and more.
  • Celebrate Holi: The Festival of Colors in Jaipur (March) – Celebrate India’s most vibrant festival featuring live music and performances, experiences with local artisans, private tours and more.
  • Wellness Retreat by the Sea in Turks and Caicos Islands (May) – Rejuvenate at this wellness retreat complemented by oceanfront yoga, vibrant marine life, bespoke spa treatments and nourishing island cuisine set against pristine beaches and luxury, five-star accommodations.
  • Route 66 Centennial in Santa Fe (June) – Celebrate the 100th anniversary of Route 66 with horseback adventures, hot springs, private dining experiences and more.
  • Formula E with Jaguar TCS Racing in London (August) – Experience the excitement of Formula E, the world’s premier all-electric racing series, with exclusive access and premium benefits. Through its partnership with Jaguar TCS Racing, Chase Sapphire Reserve will offer cardmembers special access to Formula E events. Cardmembers can look forward to exclusive invitations and behind-the-scenes experiences, designed to create memorable moments and see world-class racing up close.
  • Surf Abu Dhabi with World Surf League in the UAE (October) – Ride the waves where the desert meets the sea with an exclusive World Surf League weekend in Abu Dhabi. Surf Abu Dhabi offers thrilling wave experiences with the world’s largest saltwater wave pool, expert coaching and top-notch facilities. Experience pro-level surfing action paired with curated dining, personalized surf lessons, local experiences and more.
  • Celebrate Día de los Muertos in Oaxaca (October) – Celebrate Día de los Muertos in Oaxaca where the city comes alive with candlelights. This trip will include live music, private dinners and local street food tours, an exclusive Día de los Muertos celebration in a local cemetery, parties and parades.

In addition to access to these one-of-a-kind trips, Sapphire Reserve cardmembers enjoy a variety of benefits that can elevate their 2026 travel and dining experiences. This includes exclusive access to tickets for experiences with Apple TV and Apple Music, as well as reservations at top restaurants nationwide through the Sapphire Exclusive Tables collection on OpenTable with Your Table, Reserved.

Sapphire Reserve cardmembers also earn 8x points on all Chase Travel bookings – from hotels, flights and car rentals to cruises and more – and 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly. Cardmembers can maximize the points they earn with Points Boost, a points redemption program allowing cardmembers to redeem points at up to 2x on thousands of top booked hotels and flights with select airlines through Chase Travel.

Additionally, The Edit by Chase Travel offers Sapphire Reserve cardmembers a curated selection of hand-picked hotels with exclusive benefits and cardmembers can access complimentary travel planning and personalized itineraries crafted by a Reserve Travel Designer.

Sapphire Reserve cardmembers can level up their dining experiences with a $300 annual dining credit and primetime reservations at Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables, available for booking on OpenTable, as well as 3x on all dining purchases worldwide.

To learn more about Chase Sapphire Reserve, visit chase.com/reserveit.

METHODOLOGY

This quantitative survey was conducted between Aug. 6, 2025, and Aug. 19, 2025 among the following sample of n=4091 respondents who are 18-60 years old (unless otherwise noted) and identify as a traveler and diner. Results from the full survey have a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points using 95% confidence level. Some demographics may be weighted with fewer variables depending on data availability.

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