AwardWallet receives compensation from advertising partners for links on the blog. Terms Apply to the offers listed on this page. Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits. The opinions expressed here are our own and have not been reviewed, provided, or approved by any bank advertiser. Here's our complete list of Advertisers.
The classic Chase Sapphire Reserve®: a top-tier travel credit card that was launched almost ten years ago now. At that time, the demand for this card was huge, and the benefits offered spoke for themselves.
A decade is a long time to go without making any improvements, and the Sapphire Reserve pretty much stuck to the same original benefits offered from the beginning. As the credit card world shifted and adapted, the Sapphire Reserve became increasingly obsolete for those seeking the most premium travel card.
The competition was just too fierce. And I personally said multiple times, “I will never apply for the Chase Sapphire Reserve®“. But now that's changed.
Let's dive into everything about the Chase Sapphire Reserve® — the old and the new — to explain why I'm now finally getting the Sapphire Reserve, and whether or not you should consider adding it to your own wallet.
Page Contents
What Benefits the Sapphire Reserve Used to Offer
Since its launch in 2016, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® has offered a few key benefits — including 3x points on travel and dining, a $300 annual travel credit, an application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®, Priority Pass Select membership, and no foreign transaction fees.
At first, Chase only charged a $450 annual fee, making this premium travel card an obvious choice for travelers. However, that math shifted a bit when Chase increased the annual fee to $550.
Still, at a glance, the Sapphire Reserve seemed like a pretty top-tier travel card. So, you might be wondering why I never considered getting this card for myself then.
Why The Sapphire Reserve Didn't Excite Me
Despite the appearance that the Sapphire Reserve was a lucrative travel card, I was never convinced. And I had a few very important reasons:
1. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card was always the better option
When you compared the two Chase Sapphire-branded cards — at least before the major changes to the Sapphire Reserve went into place — there was really no question. The Sapphire Preferred seemed to be clearly the better option. Here's why:
- Much more affordable annual fee.
- Bonus points on streaming services.
- Still got access to the full list of Chase transfer partners.
- Still earned bonus points in major categories like travel and dining.
- Comparable sign-up bonuses, with offers going as high as 100,000 bonus points.
- Still receive DashPass and other partner benefits.
Especially if you don't spend thousands on travel, and maybe only take one or two major trips every year, the Sapphire Preferred just makes more sense. The only time it felt like the Sapphire Reserve was the better choice is if you didn't have lounge access through another premium travel card.
Read more about the Chase Sapphire Preferred here.
2. I could never justify the annual fee
Even after using the annual $300 travel credit, that still left a net cost of $250 per year. Normally, I'd justify that amount with other benefits, like lounge access or other lucrative perks. However, I couldn't ever find the value I'd get back from the Sapphire Reserve that would be more than, or even equal to, $250 worth.
3. Priority Pass and Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credits are old news
This might only apply to those with more than a few travel credit cards in their wallet, but for me personally, Priority Pass and Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credits are not very exciting. Nowadays, every travel card seems to come with these benefits, so I don't tend to consider them very lucrative, especially since I already have multiple Priority Pass memberships with different cards.
All New Changes to The Chase Sapphire Reserve
In June 2025, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® as we knew it got a huge upgrade, with changes to three major categories:
- Earning rates
- Credits and benefits
- Annual fee
New earning rates
Here are the new earning rates on the Sapphire Reserve:
- 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
New card benefits
Similar to the American Express Platinum Card®, the Sapphire Reserve has taken on a “coupon book” list of benefits and credits with specific amounts and time frames:
- Up to $500 in credit for The Edit (Chase’s high-end hotel portal). This comes in the form of two $250 credits a year, one good in January-June and one in July-December.
- Up to $300 in dining credits at restaurants in the Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables program. This, too, comes as two separate credits — $150 in each half of the year.
- Up to $300 in statement credit for StubHub, in the form of two $150 credits a year.
- Up to $250 toward Apple TV+ and Apple Music subscriptions.
- Up to $120 in credit toward a Peloton membership, available at $10 a month, plus you earn 10 points per dollar on eligible Peloton purchases.
- Up to $300 in DoorDash credits ($25 monthly) including a free DashPass subscription
- Get two $10 credits each month to use on non-restaurant orders
- Get one $5 credit toward restaurant delivery orders
Plus, here are all of the other benefits offered:
- $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
- Complimentary IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite Status through Dec. 31, 2027.
- Trip cancellation/interruption insurance, auto rental coverage, lost luggage insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
New annual fee
However, all these fancy new changes don't come for free. The annual fee has now been bumped up to a whopping $795 per year!
Why The New Sapphire Reserve Is Worth More To Me Now
Higher annual fee, but more value
Despite the massive increase in the annual fee (from $550 to $795), the Sapphire Reserve is actually more appealing to me now. Why is that?
If you can actually utilize all of the credits and benefits that come with this newly revamped card, you end up getting back way more than just $795 worth. In fact, it could be thousands of dollars worth.
First, you should be easily able to get $300 statement credit towards travel purchases annually. This already effectively brings my $795 annual fee down to only $495.
Next, one of the easiest credits to use is the two $150 statement credits towards dining at restaurants in the Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables program. Each major city has a handful of restaurants to choose from, and it's a great excuse to go out on a date night or even to try out a new restaurant. After using both $150 credits, the annual fee is brought down again to $195.
The next easiest credits/benefits to use (in my opinion) are the DoorDash benefits. Having DashPass removes all delivery fees plus reduces the taxes/fees charged on each order, making it actually worth paying for delivery. There's nothing worse than feeling lazy and wanting to order in some food, only to see the total come to more than double what you'd pay in person!
But I personally think the best part is the $25 credits you receive each month. And you might be surprised how easy it is to use these. For example, I was recently looking to purchase a disposable camera for an upcoming trip. Amazon would've charged $32 after tax for delivery the next day. That's the same price I found in-store at a nearby pharmacy. However, I could order the same exact camera and brand through DoorDash from CVS, apply the $10 non-restaurant order credit, and pay $27.40 total (after tax and tip). Not only was it cheaper than Amazon, but I got it delivered within the next hour!
If you apply the annual value of DashPass ($96) plus the $25 credits each month towards the Sapphire Reserve annual fee, you're already $200 ahead and have fully recouped your loss on that $795.
Now that I've already covered what I paid in annual fees (and more), anything extra is just a bonus. I'm able to find a great deal on a hotel with The Edit where I can apply the $250 credit — great! If I already pay for Apple TV+ or Apple Music and can recoup some money on subscription fees — even better!
Lounge access
Most people would argue that the American Express Platinum Card® annual fee is worth it solely for the lounge access. And if you travel often, this can be true. I personally get tons of value from this card just from the lounge access alone. However, Chase is stepping up their lounge game. If it can match Amex's Centurion Lounge footprint, it could be a game changer.
This is because Chase Sapphire Lounges are, to put it simply, amazing. The design and decor are always beautifully done, the food and drinks are top-tier, and the service is amazing. If you're like me and have been to nearly every Centurion Lounge in the U.S., you know that the people who work there are not always the friendliest (I'm looking at you, MIA Centurion).
While there are still a lot more Centurion Lounges available (15 in the U.S. and 15 international), the Chase Sapphire Lounges are not far behind. Just in 2024, Chase opened five new lounges and doesn't seem to plan on stopping anytime soon. Here's a list of all the current Chase Sapphire Lounge locations as of October 2025:
- New York LaGuardia (LGA)
- Boston Logan (BOS)
- New York Kennedy (JFK)
- Washington Dulles (IAD)
- Philadelphia (PHL)
- San Diego (SAN)
- Phoenix (PHX)
- Hong Kong (HKG)
- With future locations coming to Los Angeles (LAX), Dallas (DFW), and Las Vegas (LAS)
If you give me a choice, I'm choosing a Sapphire Lounge over a Centurion lounge 100% of the time.
What Not To Get Excited About (Pros & Cons)
Every credit card has its pros and cons, and even with a brand new revamp the Chase Sapphire Reserve® still has some downsides.
Earning rates
The biggest downgrade was the removal of bonus points earnings on the “travel” category. If you tend to spend a lot here, this was a bit of a bummer. However, I personally tend to spend more on flights in general, so the bump up to 4x points on airfare was a positive for me.
$300 StubHub and viagogo Credits
When I saw this listed on the new benefits page for the Sapphire Reserve, I was a bit surprised. It seems like a pretty niche credit to provide, that doesn't really fit in with the other perks. However, it can be lucrative for the right person. Here's an example of how I utilized this credit with my new Sapphire Reserve:
I was recently listening to some music by The Beatles, as one does. And I see on my phone a pop-up for “events near me”. Come to find out that Paul McCartney himself is going on tour, and will be performing in my city in just 6 weeks. I immediately thought, “I could use my StubHub credit!”.
After a quick Google search, I was able to find a ticket for $230.50 after all taxes and fees, used my Sapphire Reserve at checkout, and received the $150 credit within 24 hours. All in, I paid $80.50 for a ticket to see Paul McCartney (some may consider a once-in-a-lifetime experience) and was pretty stoked.
Is this something that comes up often? Not necessarily, at least not often enough to use two $150 statement credits twice a year. But again, I'm already coming out ahead on the annual fee, so any extra savings is a win in my books — especially if it's for a new experience that I might not have otherwise considered.
Additional benefits after spending $75,000
This is something that does absolutely nothing for me. I already know that I will never spend that much on a single credit card in a year, so it seems pretty pointless to me. Even glancing at some of the benefits offered, I don't even believe that it would be worth it to try and meet that spending requirement if you're close. Here's what you'd get after spending $75,000:
- $500 in credit for Southwest Airlines when booked through Chase’s travel portal.
- Southwest’s entry-level A-List elite status.
- IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite status.
- $250 credit for The Shops at Chase, the issuer’s newly launched luxury e-commerce platform.
The Edit $250 Credit
This one is a hit or miss for me. If you're able to find a great deal, then it can be lucrative. But it may not be worth your time.
Chase splits the hotel credit into two chunks: $250 from January through June, and another $250 from July through December. You can’t roll them over, there’s a two-night minimum stay, and any bookings where the credit applies won’t earn you points.
Those rules make the credit trickier to use compared to the hotel credit on the American Express Platinum Card®. With AmEx’s Fine Hotels & Resorts program, there’s no two-night requirement, and the property selection is broader.
In reality, you’re likely looking at $600 or more for a two-night stay (if you're lucky). Most hotels are priced around $600-800 per night! After subtracting the $250 credit, you’re still paying at least $350 — and you won’t earn points on that spend, which in my opinion makes the credit almost unusable. Plus, Chase’s travel portal rates can run higher than booking directly, so it’s worth comparing before locking anything in.
Personally, I like the occasional luxury stay, but I don’t put a huge amount of value on this credit. With the limited property list and higher prices, it takes extra effort to make it work. That said, since I’m already ahead on the annual fee, if I can find a decent deal, then I'll go for it. Otherwise, I'm not bothered if I go the whole year and never use it.
Is The New Chase Sapphire Reserve Right For You?
Many travel cards nowadays have these “coupon book” type credit lists to utilize. More often than not, are really only beneficial for those who travel often. For those who do travel a lot, you'll get tons of value with the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. But even for those who only take a few trips a year, there is still a lot of value to gain as a dining card – especially with the 3x points towards dining purchases, plus the credits towards Sapphire Exclusive restaurants and DoorDash.
Take a look at all of the credits/benefits offered, analyze your current spending habits, and assess whether or not you could actually get more than $795 worth of value. And of course, whether you're able to spend $6,000 within the first three months to receive the amazing 125,000 point welcome bonus!
Bottom Line
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® was once outdated, offering little value to the current credit card world. But the 2025 refresh finally makes it worth considering again — at least for me. Yes, the annual fee is higher, but the dining, DoorDash, travel, and entertainment credits more than offset the cost if you can use them. Add in improved lounge access, strong Chase transfer partners, and bonus categories that cover everyday spending, and this card can easily become a top-tier choice for frequent travelers.
It’s not perfect, but for the right person, the value now outweighs the fee — and that’s why I’m finally getting it.
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.