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.

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.

WHY I WANT IT

Specifically right now the bonus is now 100,000 points plus a $500 Chase Travel℠ after you spend $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months after account opening.

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

The annual fee is now $795. Which sounds outrageous BUT, with the regular $300 travel credit PLUS the $500 promo travel credit, you just wiped out $800-the entire annual fee. (That $500 credit has to be used in one transaction).

And that is why I would open this card while the $500 promo is going on and keep it open for one year, downgrading to a Sapphire Preferred if I didn’t still have one open. 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: Access to a curated selection of hotels and resorts with potential credits. 

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. 

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