Chase Sapphire Reserve® is undergoing major changes starting on Oct. 26, 2025, and you’ll need to know all the details to maintain its status as one of the most powerful cards in your wallet.
While the card now carries a higher annual fee, there are lots of new ways to help offset and even exceed that cost.
We’ve taken a look at the fine print and provided key tips and insights to help you assess the new features of Chase Sapphire Reserve®, and decide if it’s still the right card for your wallet.
- It’s more work to figure out how you’ll cover the annual fee
- The $300 travel credit is still the best way to find value
- New credits offer lots of potential, but you’ll need to know how they work to benefit fully
- You’ll gain more from booking travel with Chase, but you’ll give up flexibility
- The 50% travel redemption is gone, but you can still get extra value for your points
- Spending $75,000 per year unlocks a new level of benefits, but it takes commitment
1. It’s more work to figure out how you’ll cover the annual fee.
For years, Chase Sapphire Reserve® has been a stand-out credit card thanks to its excellent combination of valuable benefits and clear value for your money. Chase’s revamp of this top-tier travel card has changed that profile in a major way.
Simply put, it’s now more difficult to understand how to get full value for the $795 annual fee, up from the previous $550. While Chase has added several new valuable card features, they require more consideration to use effectively.
At the same time, not everyone will have to put in that extra work just yet. If your 2025 cardholder anniversary occurred before October 26, you won’t be charged the new annual fee until your anniversary comes up again in 2026. If you’re part of this group, you’ll have a bit more time to consider how you plan to use the updated Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
2. The $300 travel credit is still the best way to find value.
Thankfully, the card’s signature perk hasn’t changed. Chase Sapphire Reserve® still offers the annual $300 travel credit that applies to a wide variety of travel purchases, so you’ll continue to receive this clear value without having to think too hard about how you’re using your card.
Chase Sapphire Reserve® also continues to offer varied airport lounge access via a complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership (and the growing list of Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club locations). And you’ll still get an application fee credit of up to $120 every four years for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS.
3. New credits offer lots of potential, but you’ll need to know how they work to benefit fully.
Chase values the card’s “lifestyle” benefits at more than $1,500. And there’s no denying the Chase Sapphire Reserve® now offers considerably more potential from spending credits — unfortunately, most of these perks are tied to purchases with specific brands and businesses, and they might not all carry equal appeal for you.
Cardholders who don’t plan to use these credits might be leaving value on the table though. This guide can help you take advantage.
Exclusive Tables dining credit: Up to $300 annual value
Chase Sapphire Reserve® now boasts a combined $300 in statement credits for dining at restaurants included in the Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables program. You’ll get up to $150 in statement credits to cover eligible purchases from January through June, and another chance at up to $150 to cover July through December, with no carryover between the two periods.
Chase has partnered with OpenTable for this benefit, but, confusingly, you don’t need to book a reservation through OpenTable to take advantage. The credit applies on eligible purchases at participating restaurants, regardless of how you got your table.
If you live in one of the cities with eligible restaurants, the dining credit is attractive. But for cardholders living outside one of the program cities, you can still take advantage by searching out one of these restaurants when traveling. (Available restaurants are listed on OpenTable’s website.)
Apple TV+ and Apple Music subscriptions: $250 annual value
Cardholders receive complimentary subscriptions to both Apple TV+ and Apple Music (through June 22, 2027), when activated via Chase’s website or mobile app. These subscriptions are valued at a combined $250 annually.
If you already pay for these two subscriptions, that’s a meaningful cost now covered by your card. If you don’t currently subscribe, it won’t cost you anything to add them, and it might even allow you to save by canceling another streaming service.
DoorDash credits and benefits: Up to $420 annual value
DoorDash users will still benefit considerably from the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. When you use your card as default payment for a DashPass membership, you’ll get …
- A complimentary DashPass membership for a minimum of 12 months (when activated prior to the end of 2027). That membership is valued at $120 for 12 months.
- $5 per month in credits on DoorDash restaurant orders, for as long as you have your DashPass membership through your card. Credits don’t carry over from month to month, but that’s still a $60 annual value if you always use the credit.
- $10 in credits on two DoorDash non-restaurant orders per month, for as long as you have your DashPass membership through your card. This credit can be applied to orders from convenience stores and grocery stores and adds up to $240 in value annually if you always use the credit.
Keep in mind that these credits are likely to be most valuable if you already use DoorDash regularly.
Lyft credits: Up to $120 annual value
You’ll get up to $10 a month toward in-app credits for Lyft rides when you use your card as your payment method (available through September 2027). That’s an annual value of $120 for everyone who uses this benefit every month. And you’ll also get five points per $1 on qualifying Lyft rides (through September 2027) for extra value.
StubHub credits: Up to $300 annual value
Cardholders now receive a combined $300 in statement credits annually for purchases made with StubHub and viagogo through 2027. You’ll get up to $150 in credits to cover January through June and up to $150 for July through December. This credit requires a one-time activation via your Chase account, too.
The value of these credits depends heavily on your personal habits. If you regularly buy event tickets via StubHub, you’re likely to know how much value you’ll get from the credit every six months. If you don’t use it, you’ll need to assess several factors — your willingness to buy tickets this way every six months, the likelihood there will be an available event you want to attend, the cost of tickets relative to the amount of the credit, etc.
Peloton membership credits: $120 annual value
You card now offers a monthly $10 credit for purchases of Peloton memberships (with one-time activation via your Chase account). However, that $10 won’t cover the full cost of a monthly membership in most cases.
The usefulness of this credit is easy to judge — if you already use Peloton for workouts or plan to in the future, it will be good value. If you weren’t interested in Peloton, you’ll need to decide if you want to use Peloton or purchase any of their equipment to do so. If you do, you can also take advantage of the new rewards rate: on a minimum purchase of $150, you’ll get 10 points per $1 (on up to $5,000 in total purchases, then 1 point after) when purchasing Peloton equipment and accessories through 2027.
4. You’ll gain more from booking travel with Chase, but you’ll give up flexibility.
The card’s refreshed rewards rates make it clear why it pays to book with Chase Travel.
- 8 points per $1 on on all Chase Travel purchases (after earning your $300 travel credit)
- 4 points per $1 on flights and hotels booked direct (after earning your $300 travel credit)
- 3 points per $1 on dining (including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out)
- 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
The standout here is that you’re getting twice as many points for booking flights and hotels with Chase Travel compared to directly with airlines and hotels.
When you book hotel stays with Chase, it might be smart to start with properties included in Chase’s The Edit collection. Chase Travel offers up to $250 in statement credits twice per year (one from January through June and again from July through December) on prepaid bookings made with The Edit hotels and resorts (for a minimum of two nights).
The Edit bookings also come with a $100 property credit that includes dining, spa treatments and other on-site activities. Not every bookable hotel is included in The Edit, but these credits could help you decide between options when you see them pop up in your search.
You’ll get additional value when you book with IHG hotels, too. Your card membership comes with complimentary IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status through 2027 (with enrollment in the IHG One program and account-linking via Chase). This status comes with numerous benefits, including complimentary room upgrades (when available) and a welcome amenity at check-in.
While these perks can be valuable, you’ll need to decide if it’s worth sacrificing flexibility to get them. If you always book with Chase, seek out The Edit locations, and stay loyal to IHG, you’re limiting your options and allowing your card perks to decide your behavior. That’s not necessarily a bad idea, but it’s a choice you’ll want to make with eyes open.
5. The 50% travel redemption bonus is gone, but you can still get extra value for your points.
Chase Sapphire Reserve® stood out from many other premium travel cards by offering a 50% boost to points redeemed through the Chase Travel portal. Unfortunately, that standard bonus rate is now gone, and any points you earn starting October 26 will now be worth 1 cent each when redeemed for travel with Chase. (Points earned before October 26 will still be redeemable at 1.5 cents each until Oct. 26, 2027.)
To compensate for this removed feature, Chase has introduced Points Boost, which allows Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardholders to redeem for select flights and hotel stays at a value of up to 2 cents each. At launch, those higher-value bookings are available from a selection of Chase travel partners, and the value fluctuates depending on what kind of booking you make. In other words, Points Boost is a potentially valuable but unpredictable feature.
If you’re looking for more control over the value of your points, it might be worth considering transferring your points to one of Chase’s travel partners. While the value you get with these partners won’t be consistent, you’ll gain lots of flexibility and the ability to seek out especially good value for your points. It takes a little more effort, but it can pay off in the long run.
6. Spending $75,000 in a year unlocks a new level of benefits, but it takes commitment.
Cardholders who spend at least $75,000 a year on the Chase Sapphire Reserve® stand to unlock a new level of perks for the remainder of that calendar year and the following calendar year:
- $500 credit for Southwest Airlines bookings on Chase Travel
- Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards A-List status
- IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite status (one level above the Platinum Elite status available to all cardholders)
- $250 in statement credits for purchases at The Shops at Chase (an e-commerce platform)
Realistically, you might need to shift all your credit card activity to your Chase Sapphire Reserve® to hit the $75,000 requirement and see the benefits. And in that case, you’d be giving up benefits from other cards in your wallet that might not be available from this card. You’ll need to decide if that’s worth the tradeoff.