6 ways to squeeze maximum value out of the Sapphire Reserve

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The Chase Sapphire Reserve card underwent some huge changes last year. The annual fee rose from $595 to a staggering $795, and it lost the longstanding ability to earn 3 points per dollar on all travel purchases.

At the same time, Chase added a ton of new benefits to the Sapphire Reserve, including more than $1,000 in travel- and lifestyle-focused statement credits that help cut the sting of the annual fee hike.

But you can only get value from these new benefits if you use them. Here’s everything you should do to get the most value from your Chase Sapphire Reserve card’s included benefits.

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Statement credits are front and center with the refreshed Chase Sapphire Reserve card. In the past, the card only had two statement credits — the annual $300 travel credit and TSA PreCheck, NEXUS or Global Entry fee waivers, which remain unchanged — but that number has now grown to six:

• $300 travel credit: Your first $300 in travel purchases are refunded; this credit is renewed every calendar year.
• Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee credit: Up to $120 in credit every 4 years when you apply for or renew your Trusted Traveler Program of choice.
• $500 in The Edit hotel credits: Two $250 credits valid for 2+ night stays on prepaid hotel stays at properties in The Edit. You must use the two credits on separate stays and they reset every calendar year.
• Additional $250 hotel credit: Only offered for 2026, valid at select hotel brands including IHG, Pendry, Virgin Hotels, and others booked through Chase Travel. This credit expires December 31, 2026.
• $300 in StubHub credit: This can be used for event tickets purchased through StubHub. You can use $150 in credit from January through June and another $150 July through December.
• $300 dining credit: You can use these credits at restaurants that are a part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables on OpenTable. Like the StubHub credit, you can use $150 in credits in the first half of the year and $150 in credits in the second half.

Make sure to keep track of these credits and use them before they expire. Using each of them can more than cover your Chase Sapphire Reserve card’s $795 annual fee, and if you travel regularly, it shouldn’t be hard to use them to cover expenses you already have.

You can track your statement credits on the Card Benefits page in the Ultimate Rewards portal.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card includes monthly credits and benefits with DoorDash and Lyft. All you need to do to activate them is add your Chase Sapphire Reserve card to your DoorDash and Lyft accounts.

On the DoorDash side, you’ll receive a free DashPass subscription and get $5 off one food order and $10 off two non-restaurant orders each month through December 31, 2027. Non-restaurant orders include groceries and retail purchases.

Meanwhile, linking your Chase Sapphire Reserve card to your Lyft account gives you a monthly $10 ride credit through September 30, 2027. Plus, you’ll earn 5 points per dollar on all of your Lyft rides. This can add up quickly on airport rides, especially if you travel for work.

Chase and Apple partnered to give Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders complimentary subscriptions to Apple TV+ and Apple Music. This can save you hundreds of dollars per year if you’re already paying for these services.

To activate these benefits, head to the Ultimate Rewards portal, navigate to the Card Benefits section, and link your accounts by clicking on the Apple TV+ and Apple Music benefits box. Subscriptions run through June 22, 2027.

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Another new benefit added to the Chase Sapphire Reserve card is complimentary IHG One Rewards Platinum status. This gives you benefits like space-available room upgrades, 60% bonus points on paid stays, and a welcome amenity.

Like the Apple benefits mentioned earlier, you can activate your IHG elite status from the Card Benefits page on the Ultimate Rewards portal. All you need to do is enter your last name and your IHG One Rewards number, and your status should be activated shortly thereafter and remain valid through December 31, 2027.

Gone are the days of earning 3 points per dollar on all travel purchases with your Chase Sapphire Reserve card. Nowadays, you’ll earn 4 points per dollar on flights and hotels booked directly, and 1 point per dollar on all other travel purchases like Uber rides, public transit, and bookings made through Expedia and other online travel agencies.

The only exception to this rule is Chase Travel bookings, which now earn 8 points per dollar. This can be anything on the Chase Travel portal, including flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises, and more.

Keep these 4x and 8x earning rates in mind when booking paid travel. These are highly rewarding multipliers that can help you get closer to your next trip. Additionally, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card offers extensive travel protections like trip delay coverage, rental car damage waivers, and trip cancellation and interruption insurance if things go wrong.

Until last year’s changes, Chase Sapphire Reserve cardmembers could redeem Ultimate Rewards points at 1.5 cents per point through Chase Travel. While that’s largely gone away — legacy cardholders can still redeem points earned before October’s changes at that rate — Chase gave us a new feature called Points Boost.

This feature effectively introduced dynamic pricing to Chase Travel. While there’s a floor of 1 cent per point, some flight and hotel bookings can get up to 2 cents per point in value. The value you get from these bookings depends on what you book and when you book it.

Before booking your next flight or hotel with Ultimate Rewards points, it’s worth checking Chase Travel to see if Points Boost is available. Eligible travel options will be clearly marked in the search results.

While not all of the Chase Sapphire Reserve card’s changes were positive, the addition of new credits, Points Boost redemptions, and other partner benefits can give you real value and offset its higher annual fee.

Make sure to use all the benefits available to you by tracking your statement credits, using the card to strategically earn and redeem points, and enrolling in partner benefits. Otherwise, you could leave significant value on the table.

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