Chase Sapphire Reserve

The Chase Sapphire Reserve got a complete makeover in June 2025, and the result is... a lot of card. At $795 per year, Chase is no longer playing in the "affordable premium" space — this is a direct shot at the Amex Platinum, loaded with credits, benefits, and earning rates that are genuinely best-in-class. Whether the price tag is worth it depends entirely on whether you'll actually use what's inside the box.

The numbers are hard to ignore: 8x on Chase Travel and 4x on direct airline and hotel bookings are among the highest earn rates on any credit card. Chase now claims over $3,000 in annual value, with credits spanning hotels, dining, entertainment, rideshare, delivery, and streaming. That's a lot of credits — the question is whether they align with how you actually spend.

Like the Sapphire Preferred, the Reserve earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points transferable to 14+ airline and hotel partners. But Reserve cardholders get Points Boost worth up to 2 cents per point on select flights and hotels through Chase Travel (the Preferred tops out at 1.5 cents), and the Reserve still transfers to World of Hyatt at 1:1 after the Preferred dropped to 4:3 in 2026. Combine that with Priority Pass and the expanding Chase Sapphire Lounge network, and you've got a card built for travelers who want to go all in.

• Chase Sapphire Lounge Access: Complimentary access to Chase Sapphire Lounges by The Club for cardholder plus two guests. The lounge network is expanding and the early reviews are positive — Chase is clearly investing here.
• Priority Pass Select: Unlimited access to 1,300+ Priority Pass lounges worldwide. Your backup plan for airports without a Sapphire Lounge.
• $300 Annual Travel Credit: Automatic statement credits for a broad range of travel purchases including flights, hotels, car rentals, parking, tolls, and transit.
• $500 Annual Hotel Credit (The Edit): Statement credits for stays with The Edit by Chase Travel (up to $250 per transaction). That's a lot of free hotel nights if you book through the portal.
• $300 Annual Dining Credit: Statement credits through the Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables dining program ($150 per half-year). Fancy dinners, partially subsidized by Chase.
• $300 Annual StubHub Credit: Statement credit for concert and event ticket purchases on StubHub. Concert lovers, this one's for you.
• $300 Annual DoorDash Credit: Monthly DoorDash promos plus complimentary DashPass membership (valued at $120/year). Your late-night delivery habit, enabled.
• $120 Annual Lyft Credit: Up to $10 per month in Lyft in-app credits. Use it for rides or lose it — doesn't roll over.
• Complimentary Apple TV and Apple Music: Free subscriptions through June 22, 2027, a combined value of $288 per year.
• $120 Annual Peloton Credit: Up to $10/month in statement credits toward eligible Peloton memberships through December 31, 2027.
• IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite Status: Complimentary Platinum Elite status through December 31, 2027 — room upgrades, bonus points, and late checkout at IHG properties.
• 8x Points on Chase Travel: Industry-leading earn rate on all travel booked through the Chase portal. That's not a typo — 8x.
• 4x Points on Direct Flights and Hotels: Strong earn rate when booking directly with airlines and hotels. Most premium cards max out at 3-5x here.
• Points Boost (up to 2x): Points worth up to 2 cents each on select flights and hotels booked through Chase Travel (1 cent on everything else). A 100K balance = up to $2,000 in boosted travel.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.

• Annual Fee: $795 (applies to new applicants from June 23, 2025; existing cardholders transitioned on renewal after October 26, 2025). Not cheap. Not pretending to be.
• Authorized User Fee: $195 per authorized user card
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None
• APR: Variable, based on creditworthiness (currently 19.49% - 27.99%)
• Late Payment Fee: Up to $40

Effective annual fee: After credits ($300 travel + $500 hotel + $300 dining + $300 StubHub + $300 DoorDash + $120 Lyft + $120 Peloton + $288 Apple subscriptions), the card delivers over $2,000 in potential annual credits against the $795 fee. If you use even half of those, you're in the green. The real question isn't whether the math works — it's whether you'll use the credits.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve currently offers 100,000 bonus Ultimate Rewards points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's a massive welcome offer.

With Points Boost at up to 2 cents per point on select Chase Travel flights and hotels, this bonus is worth up to $2,000 (or $1,000 at the standard 1 cent). Through transfer partners, particularly World of Hyatt, the value can climb past $2,000. We're talking enough points for multiple free hotel stays or a premium cabin flight — from the welcome bonus alone.

Eligibility note (2026 update): Starting in late January 2026, Chase updated its Sapphire bonus rules. You can now earn one welcome bonus per Sapphire product. Chase's terms say the bonus may not be available if you previously held that specific card or already received its bonus, and you can't be approved for a Reserve while you have one open. Holding a Sapphire Preferred no longer blocks you from earning the Reserve bonus. Chase's unofficial 5/24 rule still applies.

• 8x points: All travel booked through Chase Travel (flights, hotels, car rentals, activities, tours)
• 5x points: Lyft rides (through September 30, 2027)
• 10x points: Eligible Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $150 (through December 31, 2027)
• 4x points: Flights and hotel stays booked directly with airlines or hotels
• 3x points: Dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery
• 1x point: All other purchases

Important heads-up from the 2025 refresh: The old general 3x travel category is gone, replaced by a more targeted structure. Direct airline and hotel bookings now earn 4x (upgrade), but non-hotel, non-flight travel spending — think Airbnb, subway, cruises, tolls — dropped to 1x (downgrade). If you used to earn 3x on rideshares and transit, that's a hit. The card now rewards booking flights and hotels, not all travel. Know the difference before you swipe.

Reserve cardholders get the full Ultimate Rewards toolkit, with enhanced rates that justify the premium:

• Transfer Partners (Best Value): Transfer 1:1 to 14+ airline and hotel partners. The lineup is identical to the Sapphire Preferred: World of Hyatt, United, Southwest, British Airways, Air France/KLM Flying Blue, Virgin Atlantic, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, IHG, Marriott, and others. Hyatt transfers remain the gold standard — Hyatt's award charts can deliver outsize value on the right stays — and unlike the Preferred (cut to 4:3 in 2026), the Reserve still transfers to Hyatt at 1:1. This is where Reserve points shine brightest.
• Chase Travel Portal (Points Boost): Redeem at up to 2 cents per point on select flights and hotels with Points Boost (the Preferred tops out at 1.5 cents); everything else books at 1 cent. A 100,000-point balance is worth up to $2,000 on boosted bookings. When transfer partners don't have the award space, this is a great Plan B. Cardholders who applied before June 23, 2025 can still redeem points earned before October 26, 2025 at 1.5 cents through October 26, 2027.
• Pay Yourself Back: Redeem as statement credits against rotating categories, recently at 1.2 to 1.25 cents per point (1.5 cents only for select charities).
• Statement Credits: 1 cent per point against any purchase. Leaving value on the table, but it exists.
• Gift Cards & Shopping: Generally 1 cent per point or less. You know better.

Best value: Transfer to World of Hyatt for hotel stays or airline partners for premium cabin flights. Points Boost (up to 2 cents) is also excellent for straightforward bookings where transfer partners don't offer a significant advantage. Having both options is the Reserve's superpower.

• $300 Travel Credit: Annual statement credit for a broad range of travel purchases including flights, hotels, car rentals, parking, tolls, and transit. Easy to use.
• $500 Hotel Credit (The Edit): Annual statement credits for hotel stays with The Edit by Chase Travel, capped at $250 per transaction. The Edit is Chase's curated hotel collection — think boutique and upscale properties.
• $250 Select Hotel Credit (2026): Statement credit through 12/31/2026 for prepaid Chase Travel hotel bookings at select hotel chains including IHG, Montage, Pendry, Omni, Virgin Hotels, Minor Hotels, and Pan Pacific.
• $300 Dining Credit: Annual credits ($150 per half: Jan-Jun and Jul-Dec) for dining at restaurants participating in the Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables program. Great if participating restaurants are near you — check the list.
• $300 StubHub Credit: Annual credit for concert and event tickets purchased through StubHub. If you go to even two or three shows a year, this pays for itself.
• $300 DoorDash Credit: Annual credits in monthly DoorDash promos, plus complimentary DashPass membership worth $120/year. Between the credit and DashPass, your delivery game is fully funded.
• $120 Lyft Credit: Up to $10/month in Lyft in-app credits, plus 5x points on eligible Lyft rides. Monthly use-it-or-lose-it.
• Apple TV + Apple Music: Complimentary subscriptions through June 22, 2027 (combined ~$288/year value). If you were already paying for these, instant win.
• Chase Sapphire Lounge Access: Complimentary entry for cardholder + 2 guests at Chase Sapphire Lounges by The Club. The network is growing — DFW opened in July 2026, with LAX and more on the way.
• Priority Pass Select: Unlimited access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide.
• Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance: Up to $10,000 per person, $20,000 per trip.
• Primary Car Rental Coverage: Primary collision/theft coverage when renting vehicles. Skip the rental counter insurance.
• Trip Delay Reimbursement: Up to $500 per covered traveler for delays over 6 hours or requiring an overnight stay.
• Global Entry/TSA PreCheck Credit: Up to $120 every 4 years (Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS).
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• $120 Peloton Credit: Up to $10/month in statement credits toward eligible Peloton memberships through 12/31/2027.
• IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite: Complimentary Platinum Elite status through 12/31/2027 for room upgrades, late checkout, and bonus points at IHG hotels.

The Reserve now leads on raw earning rates, but the Platinum still packs more in total credits — and at $795, the Reserve is only $100 cheaper. The Amex Platinum still has the better lounges — Centurion Lounges are in a different league, and Delta Sky Club access is a killer perk. Hotel status (Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold) also stays with the Platinum, though the Reserve counters with IHG Platinum Elite. But the Capital One Venture X continues to be the value king at $395 — a growing lounge network, solid 2x on everything, and an effective negative annual cost. The Reserve is for people who want the best of everything and are willing to pay for it. The Venture X is for people who want 80% of the experience at half the price.

The Sapphire Reserve is for high-spending travelers who will actively use the credits — not just admire them. If you naturally stay at hotels, eat at restaurants, go to concerts on StubHub, order DoorDash, and take Lyft rides, the $795 fee pays for itself and then some. The 8x on Chase Travel is best-in-class, and Points Boost can make your points worth up to 2 cents each on select flights and hotels. But if the words "Exclusive Tables" and "The Edit" make you think "I'd never use that," save yourself the fee and grab the Sapphire Preferred or Venture X instead. This card rewards active use, not passive holding.