I can’t even express the disappointment Brian and I felt after hearing about the Chase Sapphire Reserve changes. It’s been our top travel card for over 7 years, but that loyalty is likely coming to an end!
With its new fee structure and diminished flexibility, it doesn’t seem to make sense for us. We’ve enjoyed incredible experiences thanks to the perks this card once offered, but it may be time to find a card that aligns better with our adventures.
Does the Chase Sapphire Reserve Still Fit How We Travel?
At an annual fee of $550, plus a $75 fee for each added user, the Chase Sapphire Reserve was at the top end of our budget for a premium credit card. It was a pretty easy decision since we could justify the cost given the benefits and rewards it provided in return.
Here were some of our favorite perks:
- $300 Annual Travel Credit (applies to all kinds of travel-related purchases)
- Up to $120 statement credit for TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, or NEXUS programs (5-year membership)
- Complimentary access to Priority Pass, Chase Sapphire, and partner airport lounges
- Up to $10,000/person or $20,000/trip cancellation/interruption insurance
- Up to $75,000 in primary rental car insurance coverage
- 3x points on all travel purchases, including transit, vacation rentals, tours, and cruises
- 1:1 transfer rate from Chase Ultimate Rewards points to World of Hyatt points
At face value, the $300 annual travel credit and $120 Trusted Traveler Program statement credit (available every 4 years) reduced the $625 total annual fee to $301. Additionally, the unlimited access to Priority Pass lounges, worth $469 each, added significant value, especially given how frequently we visited these lounges. When factoring in these benefits along with all of the other perks, the card basically paid for itself, making it an excellent investment for how we traveled.
Although the new Chase Sapphire Reserve retains most of the benefits we appreciate, it has raised the annual fee and added several unnecessary perks that don’t particularly appeal to us. To put it plainly, we now question whether the higher fees provide any real value for how we travel.
Changes to the Chase Sapphire Reserve
Brian and I leveraged our previous benefits as much as possible without overextending our budget. As you might know, we’re strategic in how and when we book travel and earn and redeem points. We were anxious hearing the rumors of the upcoming changes, especially since there were whispers of Chase removing the $300 travel credit! While the credit remains, as well as free access to its growing list of airport lounges, we’ve discovered that some of the new offerings don’t align with our travel habits or our values-based budget!
Here’s what changed:
Membership Fee
| Updated | Previous | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $795 | $550 |
| Added User | $195 | $75 |
Point Earning Rates
| Updated | Previous | |
|---|---|---|
| Chase Travel Portal Hotel Bookings | 8x | 10x |
| Chase Travel Portal Flight Bookings | 8x | 5x |
| Chase Travel Portal Rental Car Bookings | 8x | 10x |
| Direct Hotel Bookings | 4x | 3x |
| Direct Airline Bookings | 4x | 3x |
| Other Travel | 1x | 3x |
| Lyft Rides through Sept. 30, 2027 | 5x | 5x |
| Dining | 3x | 3x |
| Peloton Hardware/Accessories over $150 through Dec. 31, 2027 | 10x | ❌ |
Benefits
| Updated | Previous | |
|---|---|---|
| Chase Travel Portal Point Redemption Value | 1 to 2 cents per point | Fixed 1.5 cents per point |
| Point Transfer to Partners | ✅ | ✅ |
| Comprehensive Travel Protections | ✅ | ✅ |
| Priority Pass Lounge Access (2 Guests Max) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Sapphire Lounge Access (2 Guests Max) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Access (1 Guest Max) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Authorized User Lounge Access (Plus Guests) | ✅ | ✅ |
| IHG Platinum Elite Status through Dec. 31, 2027 | ✅ | ❌ |
| Travel Designer (Free Travel Planning Services) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables (Primetime Dining Reservations) | ✅ | ✅ |
| DoorDash DashPass Membership | ✅ | ✅ |
Credits
| Updated | Previous | |
|---|---|---|
| Flexible Travel Credit | $300 Annually | $300 Annually |
| Trusted Traveler Program Credit | Up to $120 every 4 years | Up to $120 every 4 years |
| The Edit (Luxury Hotels & Resorts) | $500 Annually, $250 per transaction | ❌ |
| Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables Dining Credit | $150 every 6 months | ❌ |
| Lyft In-App Credit | $10 every month | $10 every month |
| DoorDash Restaurant Promo | $5 every month | $5 every month |
| DoorDash Non-Restaurant Promo | $10 every month | $10 every month |
| StubHub Concert and Event Tickets | $150 every 6 months | ❌ |
| Apple TV+ and Apple Music Credit | $250 Annually | ❌ |
| Peloton Membership | $10 every month | ❌ |
Bonus Benefits with $75,000 Spend in a Calendar Year
| Updated | Previous | |
|---|---|---|
| IHG Diamond Elite Status | ✅ | ❌ |
| Southwest Airlines A-List Status | ✅ | ❌ |
| $500 Southwest Airlines Chase Travel Portal Credit | ✅ | ❌ |
| $250 Shopping Credit for The Shops at Chase | ✅ | ❌ |
Coupons Galore
When Brian and I originally picked the Chase Sapphire Reserve, it was because it offered valuable perks we’d actually use. What used to be a simple, straightforward value now feels like micromanaging coupons. Sure, Chase claims that the new card offers more than $2,700 in annual value, but of course, that only applies if you actually use all of its credits!
What good is a $150 dining credit every 6 months that can only be used at a limited list of curated, high-end restaurants that we wouldn’t ordinarily go to? And what’s with the credits for Peloton, StubHub, and Apple TV+ and Apple Music?
None of these have anything to do with travel. To add insult to injury, the Apple subscription credits don’t even apply to family plans! So if you’re on one, you’re just out of luck. This isn’t what we signed up for; we chose a travel card, not a lifestyle bundle with random extras we don’t need on the road.
As far as new travel perks go, the $500 annual credit for Chase’s curated collection of luxury hotels and resorts sounds nice enough on the surface. However, once you dig into the fine print and do a little research, you’ll discover that not only is the credit split into $250 per transaction, but it only applies to a two-night minimum. On top of that, the hotel prices in Chase’s Travel Portal are often marked up compared to booking directly, which means you could be spending more just to use the credit!
Add to that the monthly DoorDash and Lyft credits, and now we’re juggling a handful of mini-benefits that we wouldn’t necessarily use simply to make the $795 fee seem worthwhile!
Rather than creating a complete and enjoyable travel experience, the new Chase Sapphire Reserve would have us checking expiration dates and tracking promotions in order to squeeze out value. What used to be a streamlined travel tool now feels like a gamified rewards circus.
Our Travel Style
Brian and I are budget travelers. We appreciate a good deal when we stumble across one and have a tendency to mix and match spontaneous trips alongside planned ones. The Chase Sapphire Reserve previously carried great value; we notoriously stretched that flexible $300 travel credit across multiple low-cost carrier flights and would spend travel days finishing up our workdays in airport lounges. The card’s catch-all 3x travel earnings allowed us to quickly rack up points on everything from public transportation and rental cars to Airbnbs.
Lounge Experiences
We used to enjoy Priority Pass lounges as a calm escape during travel, but those days aren’t as easy to come by. Long lines, crowded spaces, waitlists, and time limits have made access more frustrating, particularly in the US. The recently established Chase Sapphire Lounges are a great alternative, but with just seven locations nationwide, they don’t necessarily fill the gap. It’s a bit disapointing because what was once a relaxing start or end to our travel days now sometimes feels like more hassle than it’s worth. Don’t get me wrong, though; when we do get into a premium lounge, we absolutely enjoy it to the fullest.
3x Travel Earnings
The bulk of our point earnings come from this catch-all travel category, which previously awarded 3x points on anything and everything travel-related, from vacation homes and rail passes to national park entrance fees, tours, and tolls.
This was a fantastic benefit for us, as 98% of travel-related expenses were charged to this card. Now, unfortunately, these kinds of purchases will earn only 1x. This is a huge downgrade!
Point Redemption
I’m not a fan of the language “up to 2 cents per point” in regard to the new redemption value. The fact is that the only options that will be valued at 2c will be the rotating top selections chosen by Chase within the Chase Travel Portal.
We don’t often fly major full-service airlines, and if we do, we usually book the most economical class! And guess what—basic economy purchases will be redeemed for 1 cent per point now, unless that specific flight with that specific airline has been selected by Chase for that rotation. If selected, then travelers could redeem 1.5 cents per point for economy.
This used to be the standard! Points within the Chase Travel Portal were worth a fixed rate of 1.5 cents per point. With the refreshed card, points can be worth anywhere from 1 to 2 cents per point. So, unless you’re part of the business/first class and luxury hotel crowd, your points won’t stretch nearly as far as they had previously.
We are super disappointed with this redemption value, as it no longer offers the consistency and reliability we counted on to maximize our benefits. In the past, we’d regularly book both domestic and international basic economy flights through the Chase Travel Portal. We always felt good knowing that we’d get a solid 1.5 cents per point every time. It wasn’t fancy, but it worked for us, and it allowed us to travel more for less. That simple, dependable value was what made this card worth it for so long!
Low-Cost Deals & Budget-Friendly Fun
Last-minute vacation rentals, third-party booking sites, and random city tours will no longer earn the rewards they once did. The best way to maximize point earnings now is to book through the Chase Travel Portal, which often comes with higher prices and fewer options. In reality, we would have trouble using the $500 credit for The Edit; we simply don’t seek expensive, luxury hotel stays.
This luxe shift just doesn’t align with how we travel. We appreciate last-minute, low-cost deals. We like to be flexible, go where the deals are, and avoid inflated prices. Sadly, the new Chase Sapphire Reserve seems to favor a more curated, luxury-focused experience over everyday travel value.
We’re Grandfathered In—For Now
As existing cardmembers, our current benefits and annual fee will stay the same until October 25, 2025. That gives us a bit of breathing room to fully decide whether the revamped Chase Sapphire Reserve still fits our travel style.
While the new perks officially roll out on October 26, 2025, the only one we can access early is the ‘Points Boost’ program, in which we can receive up to 2 cents per point on select, rotating redemptions through the Chase Travel Portal. According to Chase, any points earned before October 26th will still qualify for the highest redemption value, whether that’s the new Points Boost or the existing 1.5x value.
The new $795 annual fee officially kicks in on your anniversary date after October 26, 2025. Luckily, that means that we’ll have about a year to try out the new card before we make a final decision as to whether we should move on.
Will We Stay or Will We Go?
The truth is, we’re not sure yet. But given how much the card’s everyday travel value has diminished, we’re leaning toward letting it go.
If Brian and I decide to stick with the Chase Sapphire Reserve, we’ll be dropping the authorized user card. The convenience of using both cards will no longer be worth it for $195 per additional user. Plus, lounge access is available to the primary cardholder and up to two guests, which is perfect for us since it’s just the two of us mostly traveling together anyway.
We have a year to consider our options. In the meantime, figuring out whether we can strategically make the new perks fit with how we budget and travel will be key to offsetting the $245 increase in the annual fee.
With our old earnings and redemption guarantees gone, we’ll need to decide if the new structure, plus top-tier travel insurance and the growing Sapphire Lounge network, is reason enough to stay. For now, we’re in wait-and-see mode. Unless the value becomes more obvious over the next year, we’re likely saying goodbye.
How about you? Do you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve, and are you planning to keep it under the new structure?
