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Chase Sapphire Reserve® (See rates and fees)
I remember getting my first Chase Sapphire card in 2011. It was pretty. It felt cool. And it earned points faster than I was useful – plus you could transfer them! I couldn’t wait to plunk that bad boy down at restaurants.
Then in 2016 they introduced Sapphire Reserve and that became the ‘it’ card far beyond the frequent flyer cognoscenti. Everyone had to have one. But it was a simple card, that earned points fast on travel and dining and offered a Priority Pass card for lounge access but really wasn’t that deep.
Now that Chase has refreshed the card, I’m really excited about the Chase Sapphire Reserve again. Here are my 18 favorite things about the product (although there are other benefits here I’m intentionally leaving off):
- Initial bonus offer: Earn 125,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s huge. With Points Boost redemptions those points are worth $2,500 in air or hotel bookings. Or you can transfer them to frequent flyer and hotel loyalty programs.
- Actually great earning for your spending: 8x on all travel booked through Chase; 4x on flights and hotel stays booked directly; 3x on dining; 1x on other purchases.
Booking airfare through the Chase portal to earn 8 points per dollar becomes a really compelling play. And since Chase “The Edit” hotels and many others earn hotel points and stay credit and qualify for elite recognition, booking through there can make sense as well. There’s no question that this is my hotel spend card as well.
- Points Boost: When I first saw the promise of ‘up to 2 cents per point’ on some flights and hotel stays I was skeptical, but there are a ton of business class redemptions on Chase’s partners that qualify for 2 cent a point redemptions and plenty of hotels also. This isn’t a needle in a haystack, it’s a real option to consider instead of points transfers.
Park Hyatt Paris
Park Hyatt St. Kitts - Transfers to airline and hotel programs: This is how I’ve spent nearly all of my Chase points to date. Aeroplan for Star Alliance redemptions, Flying Blue for Air France business class to Europe, and Hyatt for hotel stays.
- Star Alliance: United MileagePlus, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Air Canada Aeroplan
Singapore Airlines Suites Class - oneworld: British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Plus
British Airways Business Class - SkyTeam: Air France KLM Flying Blue, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
KLM Business Class - Non-alliance: Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards, Aer Lingus AerClub
Southwest Airlines - Hotels: World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, IHG One Rewards
Suite Balcony, Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi
Park Hyatt St. Kitts
- Star Alliance: United MileagePlus, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Air Canada Aeroplan
- $300 annual travel credit: This is simple, automatic and easy to use – up to $300 in travel spend charged to the card gets credited back per cardmember year. So, sure, it’s a $795 card but this goes a long way to directly offset that.
- $300 dining credit: Up to $150 statement credits from January through June and $150 July through December at restaurants that are part of the Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables program. You can see eligible restaurants here but they include several of my staples in my home town.
- $300 Stubhub credit: up to $150 in statement credits from Jan. 1 through June 30 and the rest from July 1 through Dec. 31 for tickets purchased on StubHub.com and viagogo.com. Activation required.
- Subscriptions to Apple TV+ and Apple Music free subscription to Apple TV+ and Apple Music through June 22, 2027 (a value of $250 per year). Link your Apple ID and activate subscriptions to use this benefit.
- Bonus points-earning and monthly credits with Lyft I charge my Lyft spend to this card to earn 5x total points per dollar through September 30, 2027. Through that same date you also receive a $10 per month credit with Lyft to redeem through their app.
- Monthly DoorDash credit: You get free DoorDash DashPass membership for at least 12 months when you activate by December 31, 2027, along with $5 per month credit forn restaurant orders and $10 twice monthly for groceries and retail.
- Access to Chase Sapphire Lounges: Chase airport lounges in the United States are available to passengers with a same day boarding pass within 3 hours of scheduled departure as follows:
- Chase Sapphire Reserve, J.P. Morgan Reserve, and Ritz-Carlton Visa cardholders (including authorized users) plus two complimentary guests, with additional guests charged $27 each.
- Priority Pass cardholders from other sources, allowed 1 free visit per calendar year to a Chase lounge and with no free guests. Each additional visit or guest is $75. (The Hong Kong lounge is different. Access is available for Priority Pass customers without the once visit per year restriction.)
- $100 at the door without Priority Pass.
Bar at Chase Sapphire Lounge, PhiladelphiaSo far they have 8 Sapphire lounges, and 3 more have been announced publicly.
Airport Size (sq ft) Opened Key notes New York–LaGuardia (LGA) 21,800 Jan 2024 Two-story design; Reserve Suites; Face Haus spa; arcade; broad a-la-carte & buffet program Boston Logan (BOS) 11,500 May 2023 Tap-room with local beer; massage chairs; showers; kids’ playroom New York–JFK (JFK) 7,600 Jan 2024 Shared Etihad space; full cocktail & dining menu; showers Washington Dulles (IAD) 5,200 Mar 2024 Shared Etihad space; compact but full service offering Philadelphia (PHL) 20,000 Feb 2025 Beer-garden zone, shuffleboard, retro arcade, rest pods, Face Haus facials San Diego (SAN) 10,000 Dec 2024 Wellness area with private pods & meditation; full F&B Phoenix (PHX) 3,500 Nov 2024 Small and overrun, limited amenities Hong Kong (HKG) 12,000 Oct 2022 Extensive buffet + small menu 
Chase Sapphire Lounge, Washington DullesKnown lounge pipeline:
- Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW): ~ 18,000 sq ft in terminal D
- Las Vegas (LAS): ~ 4,500 sq ft in terminal C
- Los Angeles (LAX): ~9,200 sq ft in the Tom Bradley International Terminal
- Priority Pass: Cardmembers can enroll in Priority Pass Select at no cost. This is available to additional cardmembers on an account as well. This provides access to more than 1,000 lounges worldwide. Of all the Priority Pass cards I have (Chase, American Express, Capital One, Citibank) I use the one from Chase.
Like the others, it no longer offers dining credits at Priority Pass-participating airport restaurants and markets, but it does include participating spa, gaming and other activities.
The Club, New Orleans
The Club, Charleston - $500 annual hotel credit: for prepaid bookings of 2 nights or more made with The Edit. These reservations also include a $100 property credit; daily breakfast for two; upgrade (subject to availability) and more. Currently you receive a statement credit up to $250 from January through June and then again July through December. In 2026 it shifts to simply two credits per calendar year.
I especially like that The Edit bookings still earn points and stay credit with hotel loyalty programs, and that elite status benefits apply. That’s great for me with status in Hyatt, Marriott, IHG and GHA Discovery.
NH Collection Palazzo Dei Dogi, Venice - IHG Rewards Platinum Status cardmembers receive IHG One Rewards Platinum through December 31, 2027. That’s good for upgrades and late checkout (subject to availability) once you link your IHG account with Chase.
Intercontinental Tahiti - Unlock more with $75,000 spend earn Southwest Rapid Rewards A-List Status, IHG One Rewards Diamond status, a $500 Southwest travel credit for use through Chase’s portal, and a $250 Shops at Chase credit to spend. I think of the Southwest and Shops at Chase credits as an additional 1% rebate on spend, and the status is great for me (1) living in a city where Southwest flies 41% of the seats, and (2) because IHG Diamond is their top elite tier, and adds in benefits like breakfast.
- Purchase and return protection, plus extended warranty: A lot of cards have cut back coverages, but here you get the full slate – from theft/damage protection on purchases (subject to conditions) for 120 days; reimbursement for 90 days, up to $500 per item and $1,000 per year, on items a retailer won’t take back (subject to conditions); and an additional year on certain manufacturer warranties of three years or less.
- Primary rental car collision coverage: When you decline a rental car company’s collision damage waiver, this card covers you on vehicles up to a specified value and limit against collision and theft. And what’s great is that the coverage is primary so your insurance may not have to get involved at all. That’s a great reason to pay for the rental car with this card.
- Trip delay, trip cancellatin, and baggage coverage: More great reasons to pay for travel with this card because it triggers additional coverages. If you have to cut short or cancel a trip for covered reasons like illness or weather, you can get reimbursed up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip for prepaid, nonrefundable expenses.
If you face a delay of six hours or more, or an overnight stay, you can be covered for unreimbursed expenses up to $500 per ticket. Your baggage has coverage up to $3,000 per passenger against damage and loss. Meanwhile, delayed bags (over six hours) can provide reimbursement up to $100 per day for up to 5 days to make needed purchases of toiletries and clothes.
In all cases there are terms to the coverage and a period of time in which to submit claims along with required documentation.
At the end of the day, the Sapphire Reserve isn’t perfect—but with these 18 benefits, it’s once again a card I’ll reach for over and over.
Gary… tone deaf… TPG-style headline… CSR update is bad news bears… restriction of travel category… coupon credits… ugh… new Amex Platinum updates were far better.
This isn’t another IQ test is it? Heh, just playing – thanks for the summary, Gary. Nice to see all the benefits listed out everyone once in a while. Personally think the new Amex refresh is still better, but everyone’s mileage will certainly vary depending on their situation.
Sorry Gary, this isn’t it. I’ve read your content for a solid decade at this point, in part because you’ve always given solid impartial analysis of between competitors and the benefits and drawbacks of each.
However, the most recent spate of (fairly obviously) sponsored posts by Citi and Chase (especially when the Amex Platinum refresh has blown the Reserve’s refresh out of the water) really compromise that, and with that goes a big reason for me to read this blog.
I think that items 11 and 16-18 are the primary benefits now (typo in “cancellatin”), although would note there’s no longer primary rental car coverage in NY if you already have car insurance.
You can get value out of this card. It’s $795 – $300 easy to use travel credit = $495. You may get some value out of the other credits, you may not, YMMV. But if you are a frequent traveler and travel to/from airports with Chase lounges (they are very good lounges, and you actually get to bring 2 guests without $75k in spend unlike Amex) and value comprehensive travel insurance, the $495 may be justifiable. If you would otherwise buy Apple TV/Apple Music for ~$250 and buy ~$300 in stubhub tickets… you could recapture most of the remaining $495 without much effort.
Bottom line – unlike in 2016 when this was a KISS (keep it simple stupid) card that had broader appeal, this really is only worth it either a) for the SUB or b) if you are a frequent traveler that values lounge access and travel insurance protections. Same with Amex Platinum, although to many the Platinum refresh is simply much more compelling. For many who got this card when it had broader appeal, the CSR has gone from being an obvious “keeper” card to being on the bubble at best, and the loss in perceived / actual value is not great from an overall Chase brand perspective.
As a final note, JPM now has more Texas employees than NY employees. I find that pretty amazing, actually. I do think that shifts mindsets in terms of what credits people may find valuable and where they may find them valuable.
This is how far bloggers will go to keep the money flowing and keep advertisers/sponsors happy.
Right now Amex Platinum blows this card away. Chase screwed up and they will be making changes at some point.
Mentioning the SUB is pointless since for most people they already had it. So Gary is scrambling for some referral fees.
Except for Ben, and the people at Frequent Miler, most of these bloggers aren’t very honest.
@rich
check out Doctor of Credit (although they are in kahoots with this blog, VFTW, evidenced by their comment censorship patterns)
Huge redemption point value downgrade in exchange for a bunch of credits that I need to work to use. Really disappointed with the refresh and are looking at other options.
Still no Sub if you gave CSP?
@Gary. Do you actually book flights through Chase portal yourself? I hear changes to bookings can be difficult. What is your experience?
@rich – your take isn’t very good. Amex did a great job layering on credits, and covering the cost of the card. But outside of airfare would you ever consider actually, you know, spending money on the card that isn’t rebated to you with a statement credit? Whereas 4x on air + hotel direct, 3x on dining and 8x on air through their portal actually makes this attractive for.. spending.
And just because you like Amex’s refresh better doesn’t mean this one isn’t worthwhile for many.
@Robert – I’m giving my honest take here, and folks are free to disagree – and share why here in the comments!
@Peter — Getting a little in the weeds here, but on your final paragraph: As to location strategy, JPM is nearly finished building their new headquarters (270 Park Ave) in Midtown. I wonder if they’ll further consolidate their big-time corporate offices (they basically gave up their old building Downtown, 28 Liberty.) At this point, none of these banks really need satellite offices in places like Jersey City, Brooklyn, etc., when their ‘tech,’ like many other corporations, is basically all done in India these days. I think if these folks want their stock to increase even further, they’ll just layoff a lot of US-based support staff, close unnecessary real estate, and blame ‘AI’ while they do it. I’d expect the same from Citi, BofA, Wells, Amex, CapOne, Barclays, Schwab, etc. Sure, they’ll have random secondary locations like Goldman did with Marcus and Salt Lake City, but it won’t be high-paid white collar corporate gigs. If find these changes and their implications very interesting. Not necessarily good for workers or consumers, but, probably great for the ‘top,’ as usual.
How do the travel protection benefits compare between the Sapphire Reserve and the Amex Platinum? Are you required to pay for your entire trip door-to-door (flights, hotels, cruises, car rentals, etc) with the same card? Or can you charge just the cruise, for example, and limit credit card coverage to that segment only?
You can have your opinion. I don’t think anyone is running to book airfare on a portal so you can throw that out. 3x dining is available on the no fee unlimited so you can throw that out also. Butt hurt over not being recognized for 25 years of service. These are my opinions.
The problem is that while I may be interested in a more ‘advanced’ credit card strategy, P2 sure likes the keep it simple strategy. I used to be able to say “put general travel and dining on the CSR and everything else on the Freedom Unlimited”. Now? Why even bother with the CSR for points other than the 4x hotel. 5x air on Amex Plat. Freedom Unlimited is 3x dining (matches CSR), and also gets you 3x drugstores and 1.5x on everything. And as for 8x on the portal, Freedom Unlimited is 5x on the portal. And if i’m going portal, I’m either a) using AA hotels or b) using Agoda or equivalent with Rakuten which is almost always at something near 10x MR points. But, yes, 4x direct hotels is excellent, but why pay $795 just for that category when you can pay $95 for a WF Autograph Journey and get 5x points on hotels (yes, UR is better than WF transfer partners, but still…).
Just don’t see why putting much spend on the CSR makes much sense post-10/26.
@1990 – I like 28 Liberty as a building. The Alamo Drafthouse is particularly good there. A shame Chase left. Will be their new HQ and Texas and everything else outsourced. Hope their employees enjoy JD’s 5 days in office policy.
@Peter — Great burgers and views (60th floor) at Manhatta for lunch there… and, get this… it’s on Resy!
8x through Chase travel, except of course the first $300 for the travel credit.
The Edit is at best two 30% off 2 night stay coupons to a small selection of overpriced hotels. Even in the lower priced areas I occasionally travel I couldn’t find a 2 night stay less than $750. How much would you pay for such a coupon on it’s own? I’d give you around $3.50.
Most of the other new coupons will go to waste for me, or will be a chore to use. Bottom line, more coupons doesn’t make a card top of wallet. Higher return on spend does.
I’ll save $800 bucks by dumping my Sapphire Reserve.
I’m not going to chase virtual coupons.
Gary, come on, not a good card anymore.
I don’t understand why a 50% devaluation in redemptions isn’t getting more notice. Points boost is a joke. If an airline did a 50% devaluation they would be roasted!
I thought at first glance that the OpenTable credits might help offset the higher fee, but they don’t have “Sapphire” restaurants in most cities, only the biggest ones. I get why they have locations in places like NYC, Austin, LA but non in Kansas City, Indy, St. Louis, etc. etc.
They need to open up that credit to all OpenTable locations to match Resy/Amex Platinum credits.
@John — Any time Gary promotes CSR, he gets roasted by the majority of us… so, there’s that. And, because Gary can ‘take it,’ I disagree with @PENILE, because VFTW remains fairly ‘open’ and ‘welcoming’ of differing opinions, unlike DoC, which increasingly can’t seem to take a joke or anything more than strict stoicism about cards, points, etc. Eh, to each their own, I guess. Anything is better than the outright shilling over at TPG, who removed their comments all together. (Those cowards.)
@John – remember to transfer all of your UR points (from Freedom Unlimited or wherever) over to the CSR if you are keeping it so that you can still use 1.5x points through October 2027 (if you desire to use your points that way).
This is a great blog and a wonderful comments section. I’ve learned a lot here. If you don’t have the CSR yet, why not pick it up for year 1 value? Maybe it’s even a keeper and you can break even on it depending on your usage pattern. That doesn’t mean I think Chase is pursuing a wise strategy here (I think it’s going to lead to a whole lot of CSR cancellations/downgrades and spend shifted away from Chase cards) but they’re operating on a ridiculous scale – they are the largest bank in the US and largest by market cap in the world – so what metrics matter to them probably are different than the metrics that matter to many consumers.
@Peter — The best thing Chase did in the last decade was the CSR, and opening countless retail banking locations nearly everywhere, which really cut into WF and BA’s consumer banking operations, domestically. Of course, on the negative, yeah, these CSR changes (especially restricting the travel category), and 5/24, not great for anyone who ‘churns’ their cards, but both of those probably make sense for the business (not us ‘greedy’ consumers.)
What I find interesting in this space is that Citi used to be the only US-based truly-international retail bank, but, in that same time, it has really scaled back; there just aren’t many Citibanks anywhere anymore (other than NYC), and overseas, they’ve all but pulled out of much of Latin America, starting 2014, continuing 2016, and really ramping up since the pandemic, most recently separating from Banamex. Anyway, just feels like the ‘old guard’ is retiring, and a new age is upon us. No idea whether it’s good or bad, or for whom, but I suspect not great for the ‘little guy.’
It may be the Chase Sapphire Reserve refresh might be a stroke of genius. But I have just wasted the morning removing Reserve from various travel sites. I might even leave my Reserve card at home during my next trip.
Further, I find that these coupons cause me to spend more money, trying to utilize the coupon, than I would have otherwise spent. To me personally, both the Amex Platinum and the Chase Reserve refreshes are a real pain in the rear.
@1990- I always marveled at seeing a Citibank when I traveled overseas. Remember touring Senegal a few decades ago and seeing one in Dakar and feeling like a piece of home was abroad (think it may still be there).
Chase is massive and omnipresent and like every bank is interested in courting HNWIs. Not sure why Southwest credits and IHG status appeals to that group of individuals.
Never liked BofA but did like Fleet!
C1 actually has a great opportunity to make inroads in NY. I’m sure they will be looking to take further advantage once LGA lounge opens. The lounges are great gateways to banks and their products.
Trust is hard to earn and very easy to loose. You should know this better than anybody.
I don’t believe that you believe that CSR should be on top of the wallet for the overwhelming majority of your readers.
I supposed you are going by the way of TPG and MMS.
@ucipass – I don’t think that’s entirely fair. Sure there’s a referral link, big deal. But for an author who lives in Texas and actually flies Southwest, who may frequent a Holiday Inn Express from time to time (Texas has the most US IHG locations), and who has spent $75k on the card (and until October 26, spending on the CSR and taking advantage of 3x travel, 3x dining etc. continues to make sense), there are real benefits to the CSR, including some that the author wishes he was already taking advantage of. If you happen to dine at one of the tens of restaurants that the opentable benefit can be used at, even better. Fairly sure this is all eyes wide open and with the full knowledge that these benefits may not be terribly appealing to many, but nonetheless work for the author.
Easy for me to say that Chase screwed up (I sure think they did) and that heads will and should be rolling at Chase for exactly the reason that you identified (trust is hard to earn and easy to lose, and the CSR changes sure leave a sour taste in the mouth to many who have held this card since 2016), but I think your sentiment is best directed at Chase, not the author.
@Peter — Lounges are indeed another area where Citi never took advantage (I really don’t count these 4 passes to Admirals Clubs with the Strata Elite). Yes, in addition to its expanding airport lounge(s), Capital One also has a few of those ‘Cafe’ bank locations in NYC, SoFla, DC, and elsewhere, at the moment. C1, then Chase, also lead the way on ATMs providing smaller denominations ($1s, $5s, $10s, etc.) I still prefer Schwab’s card for the ATM fee reimbursement, mostly for getting local currency while overseas (good to have a little for tipping, markets, etc.) Hardly visit branches anymore, but for making change and in-branch sign-ups (like Citi recently); they don’t really do free ‘notary’ services for general account holders anymore. I digress; the industry continues to evolve…
@1990 – Yep. In general, the cards with the greater than $395 price tag are lounge access and travel insurance cards. Even Alaska at $395 gives you 8 passes a year. AA has its Executive Card which is popular among a certain subset of its travelers and clearly did not want to cannibalize it. The Strata Elite with its 4 passes a year does not come close to challenging the AA Executive Card in terms of lounge access. Citi Strata Elite does give you priority pass, but in a world where Amex, Chase and C1 give you PP plus access to their own lounges, just that offering alone with 4 AA passes falls terribly flat. If I wanted 4 lounge passes, could get a US Bank Altitude card for $0 that gives you 4 priority pass passes for free – don’t need to pay $595 for the privilege of 4 lounge passes that are only helpful when flying oneworld.
C1 though is opening new lounges and has an innovative Cafe concept that gets people in the door and introduces them to their brand and offerings. 50% off coffee at the Cafe’s with your C1 card! It’s… smart? Merger with Discover is now finalized, and while Discover is often considered an afterthought, that network basically is on par with Amex in terms of number of cards issued in the US.
So C1 is doing something a little bit different, a little bit quirky perhaps, and is building a slightly more interesting brand. Citi… uh… exists? I think the most exciting thing I can say about Citi as a brand is that I get 10% off when using my Citi card when going to Mets games at Citi Field. That’s… something?
Meanwhile, while it is terribly un-exciting from a brand perspective, the eggheads at Citi sure did hand us the best points earning trifecta in a long time with Strata Premier, Strata Regular and DoubleCash. Just incredible value. Thank you for the ThankYou Points!
October 27, 2025 forward – so long CSR, it’s Citi Time! (I’ll give them that slogan for free. And no I don’t mean it’s Citi time in the way that the 6x dining benefit on the Strata Elite is pegged to Eastern Time only. And here we thought Citi was a global bank!)
@Peter — Now you got me thinking.
On Priority Pass, I had to open up the proverbial ‘sock drawer’ and get counting. Between P2 and I, we have 10 different active PP cards. Yet, we only bring around our CSR-related ones because of the Sapphire lounges; otherwise, that Chase PP card used to the best of the mix, thanks to the restaurant credits, but then Chase removed that benefit (starting July 2024, I recall).
On Capital One, I’ve griped on here before, as a consumer, that the bank is too strict against those of us with stellar credit scores and lots of opened accounts. Not to mention, the three hard-pulls is not ‘fun,’ but still, relatively harmless. If I’m ever at 0/24, I’ll try their pre-authorization tool for the Venture X, so that maybe, someday, I’ll get to try their lounges at JFK T4 (and LGA Terminal B.)
On ‘cash back,’ generally, for domestic purchase, DoubleCash alone, for most people, is not a bad card at all, even without the other suite of cards and transfers to ThankYou, etc. Sure, Fidelity has its equivalent (the ‘Rewards’ card), too. And, those with a $100K+ in a retirement account at Merrill are still better served by any of those BofA 2.62% back with the 75% Platinum Honors bonus, etc. USB 4% Smartly initially had promise but it kinda got nerfed along the way.
On Citi, specifically, I’d add the ‘Custom Cash’ to that line-up, if you have spend in those particular categories up to $500 each month. Yeah, it’s basically their version of the ‘Freedom’ card. Oh, I miss the old Prestige card; should’a kept it. Ugh.
Mets, Jets, Nets… oof. I want to ‘believe,’ but it’s not lookin’ great. Sure, it’s ‘something’ alright…
@1990 – if I recall correctly the C1 PP doesn’t include guests beginning next year, so you’re not missing out there! As for the cheesemonger at JFK T4… I don’t know, maybe stop into one of the various Cafe’s in the city and see if the barista can help you override their reticence?
As for Citi, agree about the custom cash and nice that it just self selects whatever category you spend the most on that month. If you cruise and can break up the payments and pay $500 a month, can get 5x points there (I don’t cruise, but folks are often looking for a card for cruise payments). But definitely a bit more work to make use of it. As it is will have to make a new cheat sheet for P2 for November for Premier/Regular Strata and DoubleCash. Something like:
General (2x) – DoubleCash
Food (Restaurants / Supermarket) (3x) – Premier
Gas / EV Charging (3x) – Premier or Regular
Transit / Tolls / Parking (3x) – Regular
Fitness (3x – self select category) – Regular
Air/Hotel – Ask me first!
As for NY sports teams… oh well!
@Peter — You are wise and kind to prepare your P2 like that. I try my best as well, though, ‘ask me first’ is a decent catch-all. Likewise, the various monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annual credits deserve their own explainers, too. I will say, once again, the Platinum Lululemon credits have been an instant ‘hit,’ there at least. Lotta new leggings! (And, plenty of teams to go; maybe the Rangers, Islanders, or even the Devils, will pick things up!)
@1990 – ha, still needs work, maybe I can simplify it further-
Food (Restaurants / Supermarket) (3x) – Premier
Transportation – (Transit / Tolls / Parking / Gas / EV Charging) (3x) – Regular
General (2x) – DoubleCash
—
Drugstores (3x) – Chase Freedom Unlimited (for now)
Gym (3x) – Regular (self-select category)
Air/Hotel – Ask me first!
LLL was 15x points at Rakuten yesterday. As they say, the 4Q stretchy clothing is in the mail…
Gary, do you stand by the #1 ranking if you take away the SUB that is not a factor for us in the renewal camp?
#1 Worthless for existing cardholders
#2 Comparable benefit to other cards
#3 Limited choices to which it applies
#4 Useless options if you primarily fly on United, Delta and American. Hotel points are fairly useless as they are a poor value (maybe one night per 100k?)
#5 $300 is a LOT to spend on an airplane ride. somewhat occasional benefit that is hard to use..
#6 Dining credit is offset by requiring use at expensive restaraunts.
#7 Useless
#8 Useless
#9 Maybe…comparable to competition. Not unique
#10 Ok
#11 Lounges? What is the wait time to get into the lounge?
#12 See #11
#13 Hotel credit offset by limited (and expensive) hotel choices
#14 IHG? meh kind of contradicts #13
#15 Is this a joke?
#16 What retailer doesn’t take back defective product.
#17 Most have auto insurance that covers rental cars. No mention of “loss of use” coverage….Try banging up a rental car that’s in the shop for 3 months…you owe for the “loss of use.”
I’m not price sensitive for hotels, cars, meals or airfares….But these few “credits” are not worth it when one is forced to spend more out of the ordinary for severely limited options. I’m not going out of my way to spend more to save a little. Just found it better to downgrade the card and save the $990 per year.