Chase is teasing changes to the Sapphire Reserve card with Claudia Schiffer. And they’ve also revealed that a business version of the card will launch, too.
We can see a new card design in the German supermodel’s hands, “Introducing Sapphire Reserve, Summer 2025.”
This isn’t just a new card design. Product changes are being teased as well – “rewards are about to get more rewarding.”
It’s been 9 years since Sapphire Reserve first launched. It was a revolutionary product at the time, though one whose economics were reportedly challenging for Chase. With a big acquisition bonus at launch, it was tough to make back the marketing costs – when consumers taking the card tended to be affluent and not heavy revolvers; when the card heavily bonused travel and dining spend and may not have attracted a strong enough mix of unbonused spend; and when the cost of benefits like Priority Pass (which initially offered unlimited guests and later covered airport restaurants) ate up a good bit of ongoing margin.
Nonetheless, it really launched an arms race in premium cards, was very popular with consumers, and earned a top place in cardmember wallets. Now, after nearly a decade, it appears that the card is getting a refresh. A number of rumors have been reported on what those changes will look like, but since Chase is now teasing them it shouldn’t be long until we learn what updates are real.
Meanwhile, Chase is sharing that there’s a Sapphire business card coming this summer as well. American Express has Business Platinum, Capital One has Venture X Business – both cards using the name moniker as the consumer card. It’s been curious that Chase hasn’t yet ventured into this market, although updating the card economics may have been necessary prior to launching on the small business side. We’ll know soon enough what this looks like.
I’d expect a Sapphire Business card to be largely similar to the consumer card, but with partner benefits tailored more towards small businesses. That’s what American Express does. And the small businesses they acquire as customers will be highly attractive to potential partners. However, I have not seen product specifics leaked at this point. The good news is that this is a new product, and small business cards do not generally count towards 5/24.
Ah, yes, a model, and no details… the definition of ‘hype.’ All this, so we can pay several hundred dollars extra on the annual fee, likely removal of the straightforward $300 travel credit, and an Amex-style coupon-book instead. Can’t wait! Oh, and the ‘model’ looks like Chelsea Handler…
Looks like I’ll need a bigger wallet to carry that card.
Rumor is Chase is dropping 3x on all travel, and at new higher levels for airlines and hotels. If the case I’ll really miss the 3x travel. Great for tours, cruises and travel packages,
I read some unsubstantiated rumors, but in general the way things are going it’s only gonna get worse not better. Too bad.
@1990 — I thought Chelsea Handler at first too! I had to reread the headline I don’t know who Claudia Schiffer us.
Note to Chase – Maybe ‘re-engineer’ that [ literally } BIG reveal !
(and I’m not referring to Claudia … lol )
@L737 — Yeah, so I guess… compliments to Chelsea, and sorry to Claudia!
@Jimmy Gottfredson — Yup, 3x Travel makes the CSR special; that, and the transfer partners (Hyatt and United, specifically). If Chase goes down to just 2x Travel, then it’s really not much better than the no-fee BILT Mastercard. I suppose, if you have $100K+ at Merrill, BofA’s cards with the 2x Travel becomes 3.5x with the 75% bonus, but no transfer partners, just cash-out (not bad 3.5 cents per point, but sometimes United and Hyatt can get you 2-3x that, so it’s often subjective, case-by-case, for what’s ‘best.’)
If they remove 3x on all travel, there really is no point to this card. Lots of other cards provide 3x on restaurants and why would I use this card for 1x on everyday purchases when the Unlimited offers 1.5x.
this is to sift out the people spending 20k on cruises and Airbnbs, getting $300 credit and sock drawering card for the rest of the year. By making coupon book, having some expensive credits (fancy hotels, dining) and pumping AF, they’ll remove the optimizers. The card wont make sense anymore without organic spend at these places.
Is there any indication that Chase is loosening their notoriously tight acceptance policies that they’ve instituted on business cards of late?
Gary, chase DOES have a Sapphire business card. I’ve had one for years. It’s Preferred and not Reserve but it is Sapphire and the points transfer if you have a personal reserve card.
It’s been 9 years since Sapphire Reserve launched…and 20 years since Claudia Schiffer was relevant.
You don’t know any details? Let me fill you in: Higher AF, higher spend requirement, and more coupon booking split into smaller time increments. Amex lite.
@frank, as one of those people who spends $$$ on cruises, I have the Amex Green for 3x travel. Got it when there was an elevated SUB (60K) and no restriction of having the Platinum, plus there was an initial spend bonus for several months. I have DHh as a free AU and between us we have gotten some awesome Amex Offers on our cruise line of choice so I am earning a boatload (pun intended) of MR points.
DH had the CSR but downgraded it years ago to CSP which he later cancelled and reapplied for a couple years ago. The CSR “extras” over the CSP didn’t amount to enough for us vs the fee. And I expect the new and “improved” CSR will have a fee increase. Pass.
Fellas, it’s bad… DoC reports rumors that they’re getting rid of the 3x travel… 8x Chase Travel (like, through their portal, not in-general 3x as before), 4x Flights/Hotels, 3x Dining, 1x Everywhere. No bueno. Bad hombres. Dios mio.
@1990 — Doh! Thanks for sharing. That plus the massive increase in AF? Not cool. Don’t have one myself but will not be the favorite person of the people I break the news to…
@L737 — DoC cited ‘Miles Earn and Burn’ with the following: “more details on the changes come June 17th, and the changes will go live either June 20th or 21st. Also that significant parts the old program will be grandfathered for a significant amount of time for existing card holders.”
Had never heard of that blog before. They had a funny meme from Arrested Development with Lucille Bluth saying her line: “I’d rather be dead in (Park Hyatt) than alive in (Hyatt Place)” with minor changes. Couldn’t agree more. So, whoever’s runnin’ that place, seems like a decent fellow.
@1990 — Oh I see, grandfathering would be nice. ‘Miles Earn and Burn’ very apt title. Clever meme, they beat me to the 16,000 point joke by posting it under that promotion haha
@L737 — If they go forward with reducing 3X Travel to 1X, then, ironically, Sapphire Preferred, with its 2X Travel is superior for the non-portal spending. As some of the others above suggested, there can be major travel expenses like cruises or safaris, that cost $10K+, earning 3X with CSR was a sweet spot for me. Honestly, it’s making BILT with its 2X travel, no foreign transaction fees, and no annual fee seem better and better, since it has many of the same unique transfer partners (like Hyatt, United). CapOne with its 2x is decent, too, but not as many good transfer partners (B6 without the silly Amex excise fee). We’ll see what happens officially, but these changes are making me rethink ‘my game.’ Chase is really flippin’ the board here! Oh boy!
@1990 — Very fair analysis. Re: travel, I hope they don’t eventually nerf the CSP accordingly. The “optimization” game changes quite a bit with this! Fun to play, hard to master.
@L737 — DoC posted again on the new card’s design, and the comments are hilarious. Folks are clearly not pleased with these changes. I’d say CSP is safe for now, but soon enough… they’ll come for it, too!