Chase Sapphire Reserve is changing... Alternative cards with high points for MVC maintenance fee payments?

[daviator]

No intent of 'gaming the system'.
I made the Edit reservation to use the Edit coupon/credit but later canceled once HGVC's insane black Friday sale came up (& I could get a far nicer room for a fraction of the price & hence canceled Edit with no intent of keeping the credit).
Historically, Chase (& AmEx) gave credit when booking made & if things came up & folks had to cancel, they did not claw back the credit; now, they have changed it, and hence sharing the datapoint...
TY!

Just to be clear – because I wasn’t, very – I wasn’t intending to accuse you of trying to game the system. My statement was intended to refer to “you” generally, meaning anyone, as in “you can’t fight city hall.” But if they allowed cancellation of reservations without clawing back the associated credits, very quickly, thousands of people would be doing so. It would be quite tempting.

If they let people get away with this in the past, I’m sure they found it was heavily abused and they have now closed that loophole.

I’m going to guess that this perk is subsidized, at least in part, by the hotels involved, so they may also have an interest in ensuring that the credit is reversed if an associated reservation is cancelled.

 

[mountainboy]

nw; totally understand !
Without a good use case for Edit for me, takes out some of the largest new coupons/credits with CSR (along with DoorDash useless credits for my use case), making it an easy downgrade to CSP next October for me & hopefully Boundless to Ritz Carlton to keep Chase lounge benefit unless dramatic changes to RC card...
TY!

 

[mountainboy]

Looks like Chase has an Apple TV insider experience for Free in NYC this weekend for CSR holders..

Access Apple TV sets in NYC for free with Sapphire Reserve - The Points Guy

Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders can register for a behind-the-scenes Apple TV experience in NYC at no cost.

thepointsguy.com

Chase Online

experiences.chase.com

 

[mountainboy]

*As shared in difft thread, Ritz Carlton card nerfed to only 2 free guests (from unlimited), starting 1/15/26..

Ritz Carlton Card Lounge Access Change

Just got a notice from Chase that starting January 15th Ritz cardholders will be limited to 2 guests per visit for both Sapphire Lounges and Priority Pass Lounges. No more unlimited guest privileges. Additional guests beyond 2 will be charged $27 each. This brings the Ritz Lounge Access in...

tugbbs.com

 

[heathpack]

So where are we with credits?

$250 (hotel) + $150 (dining) + $150 (planned dining) + $500 (Southwest) + $250 (Chase shopping) + maybe $150 (Stub Hub) = $1300-$1450, plus the $300 travel credit we’ve always gotten- so $1700ish in credits.

We are also likely to get another hotel, dining and two StubHub credits ~$700 before paying another CSR annual fee in Feb 2027. If we played our cards right, we could get one more hotel, dining, StubHub and annual travel credit in Jan 2027 $850

Plus the decent valuableness of Apple Music and TV, and the slight value of AList, Diamond IGH, Doordash and Lyft.

Bottom line: it is possible for us to get $3250 value from paying one CSR annual fee in Feb 2026. So we’re going to stick it out one more year, even though I find these changes pretty annoying!

I cancelled our The Edit stay in Atlanta around New Years and will need to book something else before the end of the year.

Today I managed to snag two tickets to Blue Man Group in Atlanta in January, for $166 to trigger the $150 Stub Hub credit. I booked a Chase Sapphire dining reservation for after the show. When we last ate at this particular restaurant, it was $20 out of pocket after the dining rebate. So this should be a nice dinner & a show day trip to Atlanta for around $35.

I received my Apple Watch that I ordered through the Chase shopping portal. It was less than $10 out of pocket after the shopping rebate.

I also booked a Kimpton for a conference in Seattle in June. With diamond elite IHG status, I should get free breakfast for 2 on that trip. The conference includes lunch each day + dinner one night so the free breakfast will stretch my per diem.

To my surprise, we can fly Southwest to Aruba. I may rebook out outbound flights to Aruba on Southwest, paying for one flight with the credit and one with Ultimate rewards points. This will recoup around 35,000 UR points I think.

And… when we were at Disney World trying to ride the monorail from the Contemporary to the Polynesian, the monorail wait was crazy long. I called a Lyft and the trip total including tip was under the $10 monthly Lyft credit!

So for 2025: $150 dining credit + $250 shopping credit + $150 Stub Hub + $300 annual travel credit $500 Southwest credit + $120 for Mr H’s Global Entry + $10 Lyft = $1480. Plus $250 if I can find a The Edit stay to book by Dec 31 which I expect to be doable = $1730.

 

[rickandcindy23]

@heathpack You are really working those benefits. I am going to try to use some, but I don't know if I will be successfull. I have looked and haven't really found much that works for me.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Apple TV is pretty blah. I wanted to look for some Christmas movies but some are $1.99+. I don't see why I would pay for a subscription and then pay per movie, and these are old movies that were on the networks. This is just a wasted benefit. Maybe Apple music is better.

 

[heathpack]

Apple TV is pretty blah. I wanted to look for some Christmas movies but some are $1.99+. I don't see why I would pay for a subscription and then pay per movie, and these are old movies that were on the networks. This is just a wasted benefit. Maybe Apple music is better.

Apple Music is great actually.

We just started watching Slow Horses on Apple TV. Spy caper drama. It’s good!

 

[heathpack]

Well, I found two nights at the Kimpton Shane in Atlanta for the weekend of the Blue Man Group show. Total for 2 nights as a The Edit booking is $522, which after rebate works out to $134/night, less than the direct booking rate.

The $100 credit should cover parking. Weirdly it both says breakfast is included and that hot cooked to order breakfast is $10-$30. Maybe if you don’t pay, it’s continental but from the restaurant menu on the hotel website, that does not appear to be an option and seems to go against the grain of The Edit concept of a luxury stay. I will have to call the hotel to clarify.

I get IHG points for the stay. If IHG status is recognized for The Edit bookings, we would still get breakfast, although if we get full breakfast by virtue of being a The Edit booking, we might be able to select another welcome amenity like a $20 bar credit.

We don’t really “need” a trip at this time- the following weekend we leave for a week at Disney World. However, it’s a nice weekend of a 2 night hotel stay, a nice Chase Sapphire dinner, and a show- for $300ish out of pocket plus whatever we spend on dinner Friday night.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Thanks for sharing Heathpac. Can you share more about the Apple Watch deal and how the Chase credit applies?

 

[Dean]

Thanks for sharing Heathpac. Can you share more about the Apple Watch deal and how the Chase credit applies?

Usually a couple of times a year Chase has given a value of 1.5¢ PP for apple orders rather than the 1¢ normal. Last year I ordered 5 new iPhones under this option plus a MacBook Pro. A couple of years ago I had bought the higher level Apple Watch which I am wearing today.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Thanks @heathpack I am not an Apple person so unfamiliar - (thinking of a gift for a relative). This is not tied to CSR directly but is in the general Chase mall and you are paying or earning UR points??

 

[1Kflyerguy]

Thanks @heathpack I am not an Apple person so unfamiliar - (thinking of a gift for a relative). This is not tied to CSR directly but is in the general Chase mall and you are paying or earning UR points??

If you spend $75K on the CSR, you unlock a number of additional perks, including a $250 credit for the Shops at Chase. I assume that is what Heathpack did.

The additional perks are nice, but I think it will depend on your personal situation and spending patterns if they are worth focusing your spending on the CSR, vs other credit cards.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Thanks for clarifying @1Kflyerguy. IHMO $75k spend for $250 is steep unless I had an obvious business spend. I prefer to spend $30k on 2 Surpasses to get 2 uncapped Hilton nights at Waldorf or Conrad or SLH for rooms that cost over $1000/night

Finding something that takes credit cards for large purchases becoming difficult. Had to pay balance of new auto, solar and repairs by check or ACH.

 

[vacationtime1]

Thanks for clarifying @1Kflyerguy. IHMO $75k spend for $250 is steep unless I had an obvious business spend. I prefer to spend $30k on 2 Surpasses to get 2 uncapped Hilton nights at Waldorf or Conrad or SLH for rooms that cost over $1000/night

Finding something that takes credit cards for large purchases becoming difficult. Had to pay balance of new auto, solar and repairs by check or ACH.

It depends on how and where you spend. Spending $75K at restaurants using the CSR would yield 225K points, which could be transferred to a Hyatt account where it is worth five nights at a Park Hyatt.

It's a game, and there are many ways to "win".

 

[heathpack]

Thanks for clarifying @1Kflyerguy. IHMO $75k spend for $250 is steep unless I had an obvious business spend. I prefer to spend $30k on 2 Surpasses to get 2 uncapped Hilton nights at Waldorf or Conrad or SLH for rooms that cost over $1000/night

Finding something that takes credit cards for large purchases becoming difficult. Had to pay balance of new auto, solar and repairs by check or ACH.

We bought a DVC timeshare this year and the closing agent allowed us to put up to $7500 onto the CSR.

@1Kflyerguy is correct- I bought the watch with a $250 credit through the Chase shopping portal. This credit was earned with $75,000 of spending in 2025.

The other benefits of the $75k spend are: a $500 Southwest credit, A-list status (which seems to be minimally beneficial), and Diamond elite status with IHG. The biggest benefit of Diamond elite status is free breakfast for 2, but you also earn more IHG rewards points with paid stays. For my 5 day Seattle trip, I'd value breakfast at around $150. So besides the UR points earned by spending $75K, $900 of additional benefits kicked in. Maybe more if we do another Kimpton stay in Atlanta this year.

 

[1Kflyerguy]

It depends on how and where you spend. Spending $75K at restaurants using the CSR would yield 225K points, which could be transferred to a Hyatt account where it is worth five nights at a Park Hyatt.

It's a game, and there are many ways to "win".

Very true; it depends on where you spend and what other credit card programs you're trying to maximize as well.

I think that at $ 75,000 in spend, you also receive a $500 credit for Southwest, so it's not just $250. If you fly Southwest much, then that's useful, or it might not be to you.

 

[heathpack]

Well, I found two nights at the Kimpton Shane in Atlanta for the weekend of the Blue Man Group show. Total for 2 nights as a The Edit booking is $522, which after rebate works out to $134/night, less than the direct booking rate.

The $100 credit should cover parking. Weirdly it both says breakfast is included and that hot cooked to order breakfast is $10-$30. Maybe if you don’t pay, it’s continental but from the restaurant menu on the hotel website, that does not appear to be an option and seems to go against the grain of The Edit concept of a luxury stay. I will have to call the hotel to clarify.

I get IHG points for the stay. If IHG status is recognized for The Edit bookings, we would still get breakfast, although if we get full breakfast by virtue of being a The Edit booking, we might be able to select another welcome amenity like a $20 bar credit.

We don’t really “need” a trip at this time- the following weekend we leave for a week at Disney World. However, it’s a nice weekend of a 2 night hotel stay, a nice Chase Sapphire dinner, and a show- for $300ish out of pocket plus whatever we spend on dinner Friday night.

I called the Kimpton. The $10-$30 cost for breakfast is because tax and tip are not included in the $60/day The Edit breakfast credit.

We can use the $100 credit for hotel parking, which is $50/night. However there is nearby garage parking for $15/24 hr so we could pay out of pocket for parking and use the $100 credit at the hotel restaurant.

Our IHG diamond elite status will be recognized for the stay. Normally one would elect free daily breakfast for 2 as the welcome amenity but instead we can opt for a single $20 bar credit.

So:
Two-night The Edit stay, less $250 rebate = $268
Tax and tip on <big> breakfast x 2 days = $25
Parking = $30
Dinner at Little Sparrow, less $150 rebate = $20
Tax and tip on dinner at Kimpton using $100 credit = $35
Tax and tip on drinks at Kimpton bar using IHG Diamond Elite welcome credit = $10
Blue Man Group orchestra seats for 2, less $150 rebate = $20
TOTAL $410ish for 2 nights, 2breakfast, 2 dinners, drinks, and a show!

 

[vacation dreaming]

I called the Kimpton. The $10-$30 cost for breakfast is because tax and tip are not included in the $60/day The Edit breakfast credit.

We can use the $100 credit for hotel parking, which is $50/night. However there is nearby garage parking for $15/24 hr so we could pay out of pocket for parking and use the $100 credit at the hotel restaurant.

Our IHG diamond elite status will be recognized for the stay. Normally one would elect free daily breakfast for 2 as the welcome amenity but instead we can opt for a single $20 bar credit.

So:
Two-night The Edit stay, less $250 rebate = $268
Tax and tip on <big> breakfast x 2 days = $25
Parking = $30
Dinner at Little Sparrow, less $150 rebate = $20
Tax and tip on dinner at Kimpton using $100 credit = $35
Tax and tip on drinks at Kimpton bar using IHG Diamond Elite welcome credit = $10
Blue Man Group orchestra seats for 2, less $150 rebate = $20
TOTAL $410ish for 2 nights, 2breakfast, 2 dinners, drinks, and a show!

Have you stayed at this Kimpton before? I will be looking to use Edit credits in Atlanta next year so let me know if you recommend it.

 

[Dean]

We bought a DVC timeshare this year and the closing agent allowed us to put up to $7500 onto the CSR.

@1Kflyerguy is correct- I bought the watch with a $250 credit through the Chase shopping portal. This credit was earned with $75,000 of spending in 2025.

The other benefits of the $75k spend are: a $500 Southwest credit, A-list status (which seems to be minimally beneficial), and Diamond elite status with IHG. The biggest benefit of Diamond elite status is free breakfast for 2, but you also earn more IHG rewards points with paid stays. For my 5 day Seattle trip, I'd value breakfast at around $150. So besides the UR points earned by spending $75K, $900 of additional benefits kicked in. Maybe more if we do another Kimpton stay in Atlanta this year.

Were you able to combine the 50% bonus AND the $250 credit together?

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Is there an easy hack to search for Edit nights? I just searched on Chase and no filters for Edit by city and by price. The search by city brings up all hotels not just Edit.

 

[Norcal5]

I cancelled our The Edit stay in Atlanta around New Years and will need to book something else before the end of the year.

Today I managed to snag two tickets to Blue Man Group in Atlanta in January, for $166 to trigger the $150 Stub Hub credit. I booked a Chase Sapphire dining reservation for after the show. When we last ate at this particular restaurant, it was $20 out of pocket after the dining rebate. So this should be a nice dinner & a show day trip to Atlanta for around $35.

I received my Apple Watch that I ordered through the Chase shopping portal. It was less than $10 out of pocket after the shopping rebate.

I also booked a Kimpton for a conference in Seattle in June. With diamond elite IHG status, I should get free breakfast for 2 on that trip. The conference includes lunch each day + dinner one night so the free breakfast will stretch my per diem.

To my surprise, we can fly Southwest to Aruba. I may rebook out outbound flights to Aruba on Southwest, paying for one flight with the credit and one with Ultimate rewards points. This will recoup around 35,000 UR points I think.

And… when we were at Disney World trying to ride the monorail from the Contemporary to the Polynesian, the monorail wait was crazy long. I called a Lyft and the trip total including tip was under the $10 monthly Lyft credit!

So for 2025: $150 dining credit + $250 shopping credit + $150 Stub Hub + $300 annual travel credit $500 Southwest credit + $120 for Mr H’s Global Entry + $10 Lyft = $1480. Plus $250 if I can find a The Edit stay to book by Dec 31 which I expect to be doable = $1730.

Thanks to your alert I got #2, 3 and 5 from your list. Thank you!

 

[Norcal5]

I cancelled our The Edit stay in Atlanta around New Years and will need to book something else before the end of the year.

Today I managed to snag two tickets to Blue Man Group in Atlanta in January, for $166 to trigger the $150 Stub Hub credit. I booked a Chase Sapphire dining reservation for after the show. When we last ate at this particular restaurant, it was $20 out of pocket after the dining rebate. So this should be a nice dinner & a show day trip to Atlanta for around $35.

I received my Apple Watch that I ordered through the Chase shopping portal. It was less than $10 out of pocket after the shopping rebate.

I also booked a Kimpton for a conference in Seattle in June. With diamond elite IHG status, I should get free breakfast for 2 on that trip. The conference includes lunch each day + dinner one night so the free breakfast will stretch my per diem.

To my surprise, we can fly Southwest to Aruba. I may rebook out outbound flights to Aruba on Southwest, paying for one flight with the credit and one with Ultimate rewards points. This will recoup around 35,000 UR points I think.

And… when we were at Disney World trying to ride the monorail from the Contemporary to the Polynesian, the monorail wait was crazy long. I called a Lyft and the trip total including tip was under the $10 monthly Lyft credit!

So for 2025: $150 dining credit + $250 shopping credit + $150 Stub Hub + $300 annual travel credit $500 Southwest credit + $120 for Mr H’s Global Entry + $10 Lyft = $1480. Plus $250 if I can find a The Edit stay to book by Dec 31 which I expect to be doable = $1730.

Thanks to your alert I got #2, 3 and 5 from your list. Thank you!

 

[heathpack]

Is there an easy hack to search for Edit nights? I just searched on Chase and no filters for Edit by city and by price. The search by city brings up all hotels not just Edit.

I just search a city with dates I assume might be lower. Like a weekend in a business location or when it’s somewhat off season. The Edit properties are shown first.

 

[mountainboy]

*Looks like Chase is feeling the heat for the lousy CSR refresh & is offering $400 retention bonuses to many for keeping CSR...

Some cardholders receiving generous retention offers to keep Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card

The refresh of the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card left many of us disappointed. In fact, the highly couponified refresh made our list for Bonvoyed of the Year awards, and early reactions from readers indicate that many readers share the same disappointments. Now, Doctor of Credit reports that some...

frequentmiler.com