Why the Chase Sapphire Reserve is more appealing to me than ever

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® just got a big facelift with a higher annual fee than ever!

BUT you can only earn this bonus once in your lifetime. So this post will be most interesting to those that have never opened this card.

WHY I DIDN’T WANT IT UNTIL NOW

Historically, I never recommended this card because you could get similar benefits from holding the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card for a lower annual fee. And since previously you could only earn one Sapphire bonus every 48 months, the Preferred was preferred. The Venture X offered lounge access for you and 2 guests. However, as of February 2026, the X will no longer be offering free lounge access to your guests.

If you currently have the Preferred, downgrade the card after a year and then apply for the Reserve if you have never opened it. -There should be a popup when you apply, telling you whether or not you qualify.

This post talks all about a new strategy for those wondering what to do for lounge access for your family.

The Sapphire Reserve offers lounge access for you and 2 guests, so now this card is a bit more appealing. But that’s not all.

Learn how to APPLY

WHY I WANT IT

Specifically right now the bonus is now 125,000 points after you spend $6,000 in purchases in the first 3 months after account opening. That is so valuable to me because I know I can turn that into anywhere from $3,000-$6,000+ in Hyatt hotel stays. And if I can only get this card once, I want these points.

The laundry list of other perks and credits the cards has are below, but the other one that I specifically care about, is $300 travel credit.

The annual fee is now $795. Which sounds outrageous BUT, with the regular $300 travel credit that knocks it down to $495. Which is still a lot, but for 125,000 bonus points plus the credits below and lounge access, I’d keep it open the first year. After that, I’m not so sure, but at that time I could downgrade it to a Sapphire Preferred.

And If you’ve never had a Sapphire Preferred, I would downgrade to a Freedom Flex or Unlimited so you can open the Preferred next.

Here’s all the other perks included with this card:

Travel Benefits:

• $300 Annual Travel Credit: A statement credit for travel purchases, making it easier to offset the annual fee.
• Airport Lounge Access: Complimentary access to the Priority Pass Select network of airport lounges, including up to two complimentary guests.
• Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS Fee Credit: Reimbursement for the application fee for these programs.
• Trip Delay Reimbursement: Coverage for expenses incurred due to travel delays.
• Rental Car Coverage: Primary insurance coverage for collision and theft when renting a car (when declining the rental company’s insurance).
• Baggage Protection: Coverage for lost, damaged, or delayed baggage.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees: Allows for spending while traveling internationally without extra fees.
• The Edit by Chase Travel℠ Access: $500 credit to The Edit hotels. $250 biannually.

Rewards and Points:

• 8x points: On all purchases through Chase Travel, including The Edit.
• 4x points: On flights and hotels booked directly with airlines and hotels.
• 3x points: On dining worldwide.
• 1x points: On all other purchases. 

Lifestyle Perks:

• DoorDash DashPass Subscription: Complimentary DashPass membership for at least one year if activated by December 31, 2027.
• Purchase Protection: Coverage for new card purchases against damage and theft.
• Return Protection: Reimbursement for eligible items a store won’t accept back within 90 days.
• Extended Warranty Protection: Extends the manufacturer’s warranty by one year on eligible purchases. 

Learn how to APPLY

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