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In the world of credit cards, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Rates & Fees) is one of the most well-known. With its major revamp this past summer, the addition of its $300 annual StubHub credit has definitely made things a bit more interesting.
If you’re into concerts, sports, or Broadway-level drama (literally), the new Sapphire Reserve StubHub credit could make this card worth your while. While it came paired with that eye-watering annual fee increase, Chase has packed this premium travel card with enough perks to soften the blow — especially this new $300 StubHub credit.
Let’s talk about how this benefit actually works, how to use it without wasting a cent, and whether it’s enough to make this card worth the hype.
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How the Sapphire Reserve StubHub Credit Works
Here’s how it works: Chase gives you up to $300 a year in StubHub and viagogo credits. There's no minimum spend, and no special link to book through. Simply activate your benefit (more about how to do that below) and make a purchase through StubHub to get a credit back on your statement.
This annual credit is split into two halves:
- $150 from January to June
- $150 from July to December
If you’re new to StubHub, it’s basically an online ticket marketplace where fans can buy and sell tickets to almost anything: concerts, sports games, festivals, even opera (if you’re fancy like that). The platform’s FanProtect Guarantee means you’ll either get valid tickets or a refund if something goes wrong.
The credit doesn’t roll over, so it’s a “use it or lose it” situation. But if you go to even one live event every few months, using it is pretty effortless.
How to Activate the Sapphire Reserve StubHub Credit
Keep in mind that you’ll also need to activate this benefit online before making a purchase. To do so, log in to your Chase account. On the top menu, hover over “Benefits & travel” and then click on “Benefits”.
You'll be prompted to choose which Chase card you're referring to. Then, scroll down to the “Maximize your credit” section, click the “$300 StubHub Credit” tile, and follow the activation steps.
Why The Sapphire Reserve StubHub Credit Actually Adds Real Value
Let’s be real: $300 isn’t going to cover front-row seats to Taylor Swift, but it does make smaller shows, sports games, and nights out way more affordable.
For music lovers
Concerts and festivals are where this perk shines. Especially if you live in a bigger city with concerts and shows happening all the time, you could easily get a ton of value. Even better, you could use your first $150 credit for a spring show, then the second half later in the year.
For example, I personally used this credit towards two concert tickets to Paul McCartney in my hometown. I thought, “Hey, this might be his last time performing and I should jump on this opportunity.” Two full priced tickets cost $411, but with the statement credit I only paid $261 (only $130 per ticket).
However, if there isn't a bucket-list concert or event you have in mind, this credit works the best when used towards smaller shows. For example, there is a concert in Atlanta for Portugal. The Man in December. You could buy a ticket for yourself and two friends for exactly $152, meaning you could all three attend the show basically for free!
For sports fans
StubHub sells tickets for practically sport imaginable, whether it's MLB, NBA, NFL, college games, even Formula 1 and rodeo. A family of five could easily grab tickets to a multitude of different games for around $150 total. That's fully covered by one half of the annual credit alone!
For theater fans
Not into mosh pits or sports? Broadway fans can use the credit for plays and musicals. A ticket to Les Misérables in Greenville, South Carolina costs $112, or $224 for two tickets. With the StubHub credit, you only need to pay $74 out-of-pocket — just $37 per ticket.
Is the Sapphire Reserve StubHub Credit Worth it?
If you already use StubHub or love live entertainment, this credit alone can offset more than one-third of your $795 annual fee. And when you combine it with Chase’s travel and dining perks, the math starts looking pretty good.
Even if you don’t attend tons of events, it’s easy enough to find decent value twice a year — especially since StubHub also lists comedy shows, festivals, and local events that cost less than your average night out.
I personally like to use these types of credits as incentives to try new things, so maybe this will encourage you to suggest a concert or sports game to your friends over going out to the same old places?
The Chase Sapphire Reserve: What You’re Actually Paying For
If you’re unfamiliar, the Sapphire Reserve is Chase’s top-tier travel card; the kind that tries to make you feel like a VIP before you even get on the plane. Originally released almost a decade ago, it began to fall out of favor as other cards offered more premium perks.
However, the Sapphire Reserve recently got a whole revamp. And unlike other recent card updates, the Sapphire Reserve changes have been generally well-received.
Here’s a quick look at what this powerhouse card now includes:
- Huge welcome bonus when you meet the spending requirement
- 8x points on travel booked through Chase (flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, you name it)
- 5x points on eligible Lyft rides through September 30, 2027
- 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly
- 3x points on dining worldwide and eligible food delivery
- $300 annual travel credit [automatically applied to any travel purchase]
- Up to $500 in hotel credits through The Edit (split in two $250 chunks)
- Up to $300 in dining credits at Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables
- $300 in StubHub and viagogo credits (the star of today’s show)
- Airport lounge access: Priority Pass, Chase Sapphire Lounges, and even Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges
- Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS credit every four years
- Complimentary IHG Platinum Elite status
- Complimentary DashPass with DoorDash, including statement credits up to $25 each month
It’s a long list, but that’s kind of the point. Chase wants you to see that $795 annual fee and say, “Okay, maybe it’s not all that bad.”
Related: Chase Sapphire Reserve review
Bottom Line
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® $300 StubHub credit is one of those perks that sounds small but adds up fast, especially for anyone who loves live events. Between concerts, sports, and theater, it’s incredibly easy to use both $150 credits biannually, plus it helps chip away at that steep annual fee.
When you add this benefit to the Sapphire Reserve‘s already stacked lineup of travel credits, lounge access, and premium earning rates, it’s clear that Chase is finally giving cardholders value beyond just flights and hotels.
So if your idea of “travel perks” includes singing along at a concert or catching a playoff game, this might just be your new favorite credit.
- Earn 125,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Get more than $2,700 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
- Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠ and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases
- $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests. Plus, up to $120 towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck® every 4 years
- Get up to $150 in statement credits every six months for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
- Get complimentary Apple TV+, the exclusive streaming home of Apple Originals. Plus Apple Music - all the music you love, across all your devices. Subscriptions run through 6/22/27 - a value of $250 annually
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠
- 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly
- 3x points on dining worldwide
- 1x points on all other purchases
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Rates & Fees)
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