Major Refresh: Chase Sapphire Reserve Changes + New Business Card
Chase is shaking up its premium credit card lineup with major changes to the popular Sapphire Reserve card. The bank has confirmed significant updates coming to the personal card and announced plans for a new business version. The biggest headline? The annual fee is jumping from $550 to $795 – a hefty $245 increase that’s got cardholders wondering if the enhanced benefits are worth it.
These changes are set to roll out for new applicants on June 23, 2025, but current cardholders have until October 25, 2025 to decide whether to stick with the refreshed card or make other plans before their next annual fee renewal date.
The Big Changes: Annual Fee, Chase Travel, and More
As mentioned, the most talked-about change is the steep annual fee increase to $795, up from the current $550. Authorized users will increase from $75 to $195. But Chase isn’t just raising prices – they’re completely revamping the rewards structure and benefits. There is also a new card design and a heavier 19.6-gram weight.
The new points earning structure looks like this:
- 8x points on Chase Travel bookings
- 4x points on Flights and Hotels (booked directly)
- 3x points on Dining
- 1x points on Everything else
This is a significant change for Travel purchases. The current card earns 3x on ALL travel, which includes trains, transit, car rentals, cruises, tolls, and parking. The updates exclude those travel categories while increasing the earning rate to 4x when booking directly with airlines and hotels. The new 8x rate on Chase Travel bookings is particularly generous, though it only applies to bookings made through Chase’s portal.
For comparison, if you spend $10,000 annually on flights, hotels, and dining combined, you’d earn 30,000 points with the current card versus potentially 40,000-80,000 points with the new structure, depending on how you book.
New Premium Card Benefits and Credits
To help justify that $795 annual fee, Chase is adding several new perks to the Sapphire Reserve package.
Chase is introducing what many call a “coupon book” style benefits package with additional credits and perks throughout the year. This approach mirrors what other premium cards like the Platinum Card from American Express have been doing.
The existing benefits, like the $300 annual travel credit, Priority Pass lounge access, and Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credits, will remain unchanged.
updated Credits for Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card:
New $300 Annual dining credit ($25/mo) New $250 Apple TV+/Apple Music credit |
New $500 Edit Hotel credit New $300 Stubhub credit ($150/semi-annual) ($10/mo) |
$300 Annual Travel credit Lounge Access |
There’s also a new $250 The Shops at Chase credit, $500 Southwest Airlines credit, Southwest A-List status, IHG Diamond status, but there’s a catch – you need to spend $75,000 in a calendar year to unlock them. These benefit targets high-spending cardholders.
New Chase Sapphire Reserve Business Card
Perhaps the bigger news is Chase’s plan to launch a new high-end business card in the Sapphire family. This will be Chase’s first business card to carry the premium Sapphire branding. The annual fee will be $795, and the earning rates will be similar to the personal card, with 3x on Dining being replaced by 3x on Social/Search ads.
The business points earning structure looks like this:
- 8x points on Chase Travel bookings
- 4x points on Flights and Hotels (booked directly)
- 3x points on Social/Search ads
- 1x points on Everything else
The business version will offer similar premium perks, but tailored for business travelers. It will come with its own substantial annual fee and business-specific benefits like expense management tools and employee card options.
Credits for the Chase Sapphire Reserve Business Credit Card:
$400 ZipRecruiter credit $100 GiftCards.com credit ($50/semi-annual) |
$500 Edit Hotel credit $300 DoorDash credit ($25/mo) |
$300 Annual Travel credit Lounge Access |
The business card launch represents Chase’s push to compete more aggressively in the premium business credit card space, where cards like the Capital One Venture X Business and American Express Business Platinum currently dominate.
What This Means for Current Sapphire Reserve Cards
If you currently hold the Sapphire Reserve, the annual fee change and new card benefits will start on October 26, 2025. Any renewals before that date will still pay the $550 fee. Chase is required to give cardholders 30 days’ notice before implementing annual fee increases.
Current cardholders will need to do the math on whether the enhanced benefits justify the $245 annual fee increase. For heavy travelers who can maximize the new earning categories and use the additional perks, the card might still deliver solid value.
However, casual users might find better value in downgrading to the Chase Sapphire Preferred (which has a $95 annual fee) or switching to a different premium travel card altogether.
The Bottom Line
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card changes represent the biggest shakeup to the card since its launch in 2016. The $795 annual fee puts it in direct competition with ultra-premium cards, but the enhanced earning rates and new benefits package could justify the cost for the right cardholder. Whether these changes are worth it depends on your spending patterns and travel habits.
Related articles:
- Chase Sapphire Reserve Changes Coming Summer 2025 – One Mile at a Time
- Rumored Chase Sapphire Reserve changes – Frequent Miler
- Chase confirms refreshed Sapphire Reserve, new business card coming soon – The Points Guy
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