Why We Got the New Chase Sapphire Reserve
Originally, the “Credit Card Playbook” section of this website was meant to walk you through every card we’ve opened, in the order we opened them - so you could see exactly how we built our strategy. But every once in a while, something shiny drops, and we need to “call an audible.”
That’s what happened with the refreshed Chase Sapphire Reserve. We just picked it up, and since the new benefits are pretty eye-catching, we wanted to give you a breakdown - especially if you’re wondering whether this card is worth the steep annual fee.
Why We Jumped on the New Sapphire Reserve
First off, we’re already deep in the Chase ecosystem. So when the new welcome offer came out - 100,000 points + $500 in travel credits - we took notice. At our personal valuation of 2+ cents per point, those 100,000 points alone are worth $2,000+. Add the $500 travel credit, and you’re looking at $2,500+ in total value for the first year.
Yes, the $795 annual fee is a beast. But the card also comes with “lifestyle credits,” and if you’re able to use those credits, it can be well worth it.
That said, let’s be clear: only count credits for things that you would’ve actually spent money on anyway. Consider the annual fee as prepaying for those credits.
Let’s break it down.
Credits We’ll Actually Use
|
Credit |
Our Value |
Why |
|
$300 Travel Credit |
$300 |
We travel a good bit, so we think we’ll get the full value from this credit with our normal spending. |
|
$500 credit for stays with The Edit (split $250 from Jan.-June, and July-Dec.) |
$250 |
The Edit is Chase’s luxury hotels and resorts collection. We’ll likely use this once a year, so we’re valuing it at half. |
|
$469 Priority Pass Select Membership |
$0 |
We would’ve never paid for this. |
|
$300 Dining credit |
$300 |
We already go out to eat and will get full value from this credit. |
|
$250 in Apple TV+ and Apple Music subscriptions |
$250 |
We already subscribe to both of these, so we’ll get the full value from this credit. |
|
$120 DashPass membership |
$0 |
We don’t order much food delivery, so we wouldn’t normally pay for this. |
|
$300 DoorDash promos ($5/month at restaurants, two $10 promos on groceries, retail and more) |
$0 |
We don’t normally spend on this, so we won’t count this credit. Any value from it is just a bonus for us. |
|
$300 StubHub credits (split $150 from Jan.-June and July-Dec.) |
$0 |
We don’t go to a lot of concerts or sporting events, so if we do use this credit, it’ll be extra, but not factored into our normal spending. |
|
$120 in Lyft credits ($10/month) |
$40 |
We use Lyft when we travel, but we don’t travel every month. We typically travel about 4x/year, so we are conservatively saying we’ll get $40 from this credit. If we use it more, that’s just extra value. |
|
$120 in Peloton credits ($10/month) |
$0 |
We don’t have or use Peloton, so we won’t count this credit. |
That’s $1,140 in credits that we’re confident we’ll actually redeem based on our lifestyle.
The rest? Not worth counting. We’re not going to pretend like we’ll suddenly start using DashPass, go to more concerts, or get into Peloton just because Chase tells us to.
So while the card offers $2,770 in credits, we’re only banking on that $1,140. That still more than offsets the $795 annual fee, and we’re happy with the net value.
But Wait - There’s More!
Even beyond the credits, the refreshed Chase Sapphire Reserve packs a lot of punch:
8x points on purchases through Chase Travel (including The Edit)
5x points on Lyft (through 9/30/27)
4x points on flights and hotels booked direct (new!)
3x points on dining
1x point on everything else
Points Boost Program (new!)
Points are now worth anywhere between 1-2 CPP when used in the Chase Travel Portal. (Exact amount varies for each redemption.)
IHG Platinum Elite (new!) (We already have this with the IHG credit card, which you can read about here. This is something we’ll have to consider when reviewing if the IHG card is worth it.)
Reserve Travel Designers to help you build custom itineraries (new!) (valued up to $300/trip)
Global Entry / TSA PreCheck / NEXUS credit (up to $120 every 4 years)
Access to Chase transfer partners
Bonus for big spenders: Spend $75,000 per calendar year and unlock (new!):
IHG Diamond Elite status
Southwest A-List status
$500 Southwest Chase Travel credit
$250 Shops at Chase credit
We don’t plan to hit the $75K threshold, but for high spenders, that’s a juicy bonus.
Final Thoughts: Is It Worth It?
This card isn’t for everyone. The benefits are amazing if they match your lifestyle. For us, the combination of a huge welcome bonus, credits we’ll actually get value from, and strong earning rates made this a no-brainer.
But as with any premium card, we’ll keep an eye on how much we’re using the perks. If it ever stops pulling its weight, it’ll get benched.
Want to Know if This Card is Right for You?
Everyone’s credit card strategy should be personal. That’s why we offer the Credit Card Playbook consultations - custom 1-on-1 sessions where we help you:
Map out your goals;
Find the best cards to match your lifestyle; and
Maximize your points without spending more.
Curious if the Sapphire Reserve belongs in your lineup? Let’s build your playbook together.