The new Chase Sapphire Reserve Annual fee may bust your budget or the new perks may have your travel … More
Chase has just announced a big jump in the annual fee for its flagship credit card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve. This financial planner loves to travel and loves for my clients to get the most value from their travel budgets. Keep reading as we share whether this credit card is worth the new fee and how you can potentially stretch your travel dollars with the new card benefits.
My first reaction was to call and cancel my Sapphire Reserve when I heard that Chase was asking me to shell out the highest annual fee in the premium credit card market. The whopping $795 annual fee comes with some new features, benefits and statement credits, which may make the new higher annual fee an even better deal than the previous $550.
Depending on what other credit cards are in your wallet and how you spend your money, you may be wondering if it Is worth it to keep the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Keep reading as we share the big highlights coming to the Chase Sapphire Reserve in the summer of 2025.
Valuable Benefits You Still Get With The Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
You will still get the $300 annual travel credit. This is one of the most valuable and easy-to-use Chase Sapphire Reserve Card benefits. Unlike other credit cards (American Express Platinum), this can be used for pretty much any travel expense with no hoops to jump through.
You will also still have access to credits for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or a Nexus Credit. Likewise, you will still have access to airport lounges via Priority Pass.
Timing Of The New Chase Sapphire Reserve Annual Fee
If you already have the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you will not be charged the new higher annual fee if your renewal is before October 26, 2025. New applicants approved on or after June 23 will be subject to the higher annual fee.
Either way, you will have access to the new points boost starting June 23; more on this benefit is below. If you renew your card, the remaining new benefits will become available on October 26.
There is also a new $75,000 spending requirement to unlock all of the premium perks included with the card. If I had to guess, Chase is looking to capture a greater share of its wealthiest clients’ spending. Additionally, offering benefits that only apply above certain thresholds will enable Chase to reward its most valuable clients.
How Much Is The Chase Sapphire Reserve Annual Fee?
The Chase Sapphire Reserve’s annual fee was just $550. The annual fee will increase to $795, making this one of the most expensive premium credit cards available at this time.
My initial thought was that now may be time to cancel my Chase Sapphire Reserve. However, for other business owners like me or those who love to travel, I think the new credit card perks will more than offset the new higher annual fee. I am pleased with the changes to the card; however, I recognize that many people will need to reevaluate how much value they get from this card when deciding whether to keep it or downgrade to a lower annual fee card.
Chase is also skyrocketing the annual fee for an additional authorized user from $75 to $195 per year.
Changes To How You Earn Points
Some spending will earn more points, and others will earn less. If you liked booking hotels or rental cars via Chase Travel, you will now earn just eight points per dollar versus the previous 10 points. However, if you book travel via Chase Travel, you will see your points increase from five points per dollar to eight points per dollar.
I think the big win for travelers who spend directly with airlines and hotels is the new crediting for these purchases. Previously, you could earn three points per dollar on this spend; now, you will receive four points per dollar.
With this in mind, you could cover the new annual fee solely with this increase in points potential if you spend between $12,250 and $24,500 directly with airlines or hotels each year. Assuming you get between 1-2% redemption value per point.
Keep in mind that Chase appears to be eliminating the general travel bonus category. This will be terrible for those of you who like to book cruises, Airbnb stays or other public transportation. These categories will now earn only one point for every dollar spent. You will likely find better earning potential on other cards for these types of spending.
More New Chase Sapphire Reserve Statement Credits
Luckily, the new and updated Chase Sapphire Reserve has a bevy of new statement credits that may more than offset its higher annual fee for many users.
Here are a few of the highlights:
-$500 annual statement credit for the Edit, the new curated hotel collection. This amount will be split into two $250 biannual benefits. This means you will likely have to book two stays to utilize this benefit.
-$300 annual credit for StubHub or Viagogo ticket purchases. This will be split into two biannual benefits, each worth $150.
-$300 annual dining credit to be used on reservations via Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables. This, too, will be split into two $150 biannual benefits.
-$250 annual credit for Apple TV+ and Apple Music. There will be some fine print to get this. Check with Chase to ensure you follow the proper procedures to get properly reimbursed for these services.
If you use Peloton or Lyft, you’ll receive a $10 monthly credit for a specific period.
If you can maximize a few of these new benefits, you will see a net positive return versus the new Chase Sapphire Reserve annual fee. However, the more difficult a benefit is to use, the less interested I am in it and the less valuable I find it to be.
IHG Platinum Elite Status Is Complimentary
Good news. Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders will receive complimentary IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status. This is a middle-of-the-road status and does come with some ok benefits. IHG is not on my short list of hotels to visit, but many people do enjoy staying there.
Some of the benefits you may receive with this status include 60% bonus points on IHG stays, discounts on reward nights, Hertz Five Star status, a welcome amenity, and early check-in when available.
The New IHG Status via the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card could help you get upgraded to a suite at the … More
Chase Sapphire Reserve New Spend-Incentivized Perks
To get some additional perks, you will likely have to put more or all of your spending on the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card. Some perks only become available after spending $75,000 on the card in a calendar year. These new benefits include:
- IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite status
- Southwest Airlines A-List status
- $500 Southwest Airlines credit when booked through Chase Travel
- $250 credit to The Shops at Chase online shopping
Personally, I’m not going to move extra spending to this card to get a $250 shopping or Southwest credit. But many people still love to fly Southwest, even now that they charge for bags. The $500 credit there could be a nice gift for someone. If you stay at IHG hotels, the Diamond Elite status could be a big benefit.
New Points Boost Offers When Redeeming Points Directly With Chase
This year, the Chase Sapphire Reserve will roll out a new points accelerator called Points Boost. Depending on how it works, this could be a win for cardholders or a significant devaluation of Chase points. Time will tell, and the cardholder will see how easy it is to redeem points under the new system and what value they can obtain. I’ve found that booking directly with the Chase travel portal does not always offer the best pricing for hotels.
The new Points Boost offer will enable cardholders to redeem points for up to two cents per point when booking travel directly through the Chase travel portal. This could be extremely valuable for those with flexible schedules and open to a wide variety of airlines or hotel chains. It could be crappy for cardholders if this is more dynamic pricing giving you more value for booking hotels you’d never want to say in or minimal flight options.
Currently, cardholders can receive 1.5 cents per point on anything they book with points through the Chase travel portal. Keep in mind that not all flights are available through the portal, and prices may vary from those found on other websites or when booking directly with a hotel or airline.
Grace Period For Implementation Of Points Boost
You don’t need to rush out and spend all your Chase points to avoid them potentially being devalued. If your Chase card was opened before June 23, you will have a grace period to use either the new Points Boost or the old 1.5 cent per point valuation until October 26, 2027. You should receive the best offer between these two methods when booking travel.
This grace period is just for existing points you’ve already earned up to October 26, 2025. Points earned after this point will only be allowed to be redeemed via the Points Boost numbers.
Is Chase Sapphire Reserve Worth It?
Generally speaking, I think the Chase Sapphire Reserve is worth the new higher annual fee. For you, the value may vary. Take a look at your spending and the benefits offered under the card to ensure you are getting a good value in benefits versus the annual fee you are being charged.
I tend to use my Chase Sapphire Reserve card heavily for travel and dining. This card rewards both of these spending categories well. I have also had good luck using its transfer partners. Depending on how much and where you spend, another credit card may be more or less beneficial for you.
How Good Is The Chase Sapphire Reserve?
These upcoming changes to the Chase Sapphire Reserve should keep this credit card in competition with the American Express Platinum card as one of the best cards out there. Amex has also announced changes will be coming later this year for its Platinum card.
Ultimately, the Chase Sapphire Reserve remains a compelling choice for frequent travelers and diners, especially with the Points Boost option and its competitive rewards structure. As the landscape of premium credit cards evolves, careful evaluation of your spending habits, travel preferences and the benefits offered will be pivotal in determining whether this card continues to meet your financial and lifestyle needs. With thoughtful planning, cardholders can still unlock significant value as they navigate the upcoming changes.
This fun financial planners want you to be able to get the most value for your credit card annual fees and travel benefits. It does look the new benefits via the Chase Sapphire Reserve can help some people travel more and/or travel better.