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Should You Downgrade Your Chase Sapphire Reserve®? Here's How to Decide

Published July 18, 2025
Joel O'Leary
Author: Joel O'Leary
Joel O'Leary
Joel O'Leary
Full-Time Personal Finance Writer

Joel is a full-time Personal Finance Writer at Motley Fool Money, where he brings a clear, approachable voice to topics ranging from credit cards to side hustles. He’s been writing about money since 2018, covering topics like credit cards, savings hacks, and the FIRE movement. Before joining the team, he managed editorial content for the How To Money podcast. When he’s not behind the laptop, Joel is likely at the beach surfing, or out and about with his family.

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Chase just refreshed the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees), adding premium benefits like Peloton and Apple+ credits, a DoorDash membership with monthly credits, and luxury travel perks through the Chase Travel platform.

But all the upgrades come at a cost. The annual fee is jumping to $795, up from $550.

If you're wondering whether to downgrade (or ditch the card entirely), you're not alone. I personally think the old benefits and rewards program made more sense. But honestly, this restructured package might pan out well for some folks.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Reserve®

On Chase's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Chase Sapphire Reserve®
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Reserve®

On Chase's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

limited-time offer

Earn 100,000 points + a $500 Chase Travel℠ credit when you spend $5,000 in 3 months — this is Sapphire Reserve’s best-ever bonus!

Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular APR

20.24% - 28.74% Variable

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠ and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases

8x points on Chase Travel℠, 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct, 3x points on dining, 1x points on all other purchases

Annual Fee

$795

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Earn 100,000 bonus points + $500 Chase Travel℠ promo credit after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

100,000 bonus points + $500 Chase Travel℠ promo credit

  • All the perks we've come to expect from a top travel card, including a $300 annual travel credit, airport lounge access, and big bonuses on travel and dining. Points are transferable to airline and hotel partners or worth up to 2x if you book through Chase Travel℠. The annual fee is hefty, but if you can use all its features, this card could be well worth the cost.

    Read Full Review
    • Travel credits
    • Airport lounge access
    • Travel and dining rewards
    • Welcome offer
    • Flexible travel points
    • Annual fee
    • Limited-time benefits
    • Earn 100,000 bonus points + $500 Chase Travel℠ promo credit after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
    • Get more than $2,700 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
    • Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠ and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases
    • $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
    • Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests. Plus, up to $120 towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck® every 4 years
    • Get up to $150 in statement credits every six months for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.
    • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
    • Get complimentary Apple TV+, the exclusive streaming home of Apple Originals. Plus Apple Music - all the music you love, across all your devices. Subscriptions run through 6/22/27 - a value of $250 annually
    • Member FDIC

What's new (and what's the real value)?

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® now boasts a whopping $2,700+ in annual value from all the old and new benefits combined. This eclipses most travel rewards cards. But not everybody will get much use out of these perks.

Let's take a closer look at some of the most valuable new perks being rolled out as part of the refresh:

  • $500 credit for stays at The Edit℠ properties. This is actually two $250 credits per year -- one from January to June, another July to December -- for prepaid bookings through The Edit by Chase Travel (two-night minimum).
  • $300 in credit at restaurants in the Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables program. This also is split into two separate credits -- up to $150 in each half of the year.
  • $300 in StubHub credits. Yep, you guessed it: that's $150 between January and June, and another $150 between July and December
  • $300 in DoorDash promos. DashPass members get up to $25 each month to spend on DoorDash. This is split into a $5 monthly promo to spend on restaurant orders, and two $10 promos each month to save on groceries, retail orders, and more. Available through Dec. 31, 2027.
  • $120 in Lyft credits. Get up to $10 in monthly in-app credits to use on rides through Sept. 30, 2027.

As for the existing travel benefits, you'll be happy to hear that both the $300 annual travel credit and airport lounge access via complimentary Priority Pass will be staying.

If all these perks line up with how you already live and spend, this is an incredible package.

But if you're not already using these services, it might be time to look at alternatives. Start exploring the other top luxury credit cards here.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred is a solid downgrade option

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) is often the go-to downgrade for Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders. It has a $95 annual fee, also earns Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, and still has a great rewards rate and travel protections.

Award Icon 2025 Award Winner

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

On Chase's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

On Chase's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular APR

19.99% - 28.24% Variable

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases

5x on Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, 2x on all other travel

Annual Fee

$95

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

75,000 bonus points

  • This card easily justifies the (very reasonable) annual fee with benefits that deliver real value. Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months, which we estimate is worth at least $750 in Chase Travel℠ value. Plus, enjoy bonus travel and dining rewards, a $50 annual hotel credit, and 10% anniversary points boost. With added travel protections like rental car insurance and trip reimbursement, we think this card is a game-changer for any traveler.

    Read Full Review
    • Big sign-up bonus
    • Travel rewards
    • Dining rewards
    • Flexible travel points
    • Consumer and travel protections
    • Annual fee
    • Limited-time perks
    • Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
    • Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
    • Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
    • 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
    • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
    • Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
    • Member FDIC

Unless you travel frequently or use luxury benefits often, downgrading could save you $700 per year with only a slight reduction in earning power.

Personally, I've held the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card for years. One thing I love is the $50 annual hotel credit, which applies to any hotel booking you make in the Chase Travel portal. That effectively halves the annual fee.

One thing to note: Chase now allows members to hold both the Preferred and Reserve card. While it's not advantageous long term to hold both cards, you can have an overlap if you want to apply for the Preferred and begin using it before canceling the Reserve.

Want to keep earning Chase points without the high fee? Apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card here.

Want to look beyond Chase? Consider the Capital One Venture X Card

I'm as loyal to Chase as they come. But honestly, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is looking really good right now.

The card benefits are refreshingly simple. And the annual fee is very attractive compared to the value of its perks.

The annual fee for the Capital One Venture X Card is $395.

But this is quickly justified by both the $300 annual travel credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, plus 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary.

Even better, there's a huge welcome offer for new cardmembers. Earn 75,000 Miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

You'll still enjoy access to more than 1,300 lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass lounges (enrollment required).

If you're looking for premium travel perks at a lower net cost, this one deserves a spot on your shortlist.

The bottom line: Keep it or downgrade based on your actual spending

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is still a top-tier travel rewards card. But it's only worth it if you're using enough of the right perks and credits.

If the new benefits don't match your habits (or you've already got similar perks elsewhere), you might be overpaying.

Downgrading to the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card could keep you in the Chase ecosystem while saving hundreds. And if you want a totally different flavor of premium travel rewards, the Capital One Venture X Card (see rates and fees) might be a better fit.

FAQs

  • It depends on how much you use the perks. The card now offers over $2,700 in combined value if you fully utilize the benefits. But if you don’t use these services, you might find better value elsewhere.

  • Yes, Chase now allows members to hold both cards at the same time.