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

Wahoo said:
I recently made a small pre-payment of my MVC maintenance fees on my Citi Strata Premier card, in order to test how the MF charge would be coded. The Citi Strata Premier offers 3x points on direct hotel bookings, using similar verbiage to the new Chase Sapphire Reserve terms offering 4x on direct hotel bookings. I was pleased to learn that I did indeed receive 3x points for the MF payment. The transaction was coded as: "Merchant: Marriott" and "Category: Lodging."
I am becoming more optimistic that MVC MF payments will earn 4x points when the new CSR setup goes into effect. In the event that's not true, I can use my Citi Premier and still get 3x points. The Citi points are not quite as valuable to me as Chase points, but they still have many airline transfer partners and I've easily booked many flights at a value exceeding $0.05 per point with them.
The Citi Premier card has a much smaller annual fee ($95), but does not have the high level of travel protections offered by the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Click to expand...
Love it!
Citi TYP via Strata Premier is 1:1 with AA, starting yesterday.
AA pts are valuable (& hard to earn, until now).
This would be excellent news for all of us!
Thx for providing the DP, we were asking for yesterday!
Agree, Citi Premier looking more attractive (as 3x on gas/EV, gas stations, restaurants & now TS MFs, with 1:1 xfr to AA), for just 95 AF!
 
mountainboy said:
Love it!
Citi TYP via Strata Premier is 1:1 with AA, starting yesterday.
AA pts are valuable (& hard to earn, until now).
This would be excellent news for all of us!
Thx for providing the DP, we were asking for yesterday!
Agree, Citi Premier looking more attractive (as 3x on gas/EV, gas stations, restaurants & now TS MFs, with 1:1 xfr to AA), for just 95 AF!
Click to expand...
I originally acquired the Citi Premier card as a way to gain access to points transfers with my main spending card (Citi Double Cash). Citi Double Cash does not automatically allow you to use rewards as Thank You Points (it's a 2% on everything cash back card), but if you add the Citi Strata Premier card to your account then they both can be used as Thank You Points cards.

Since acquiring the card, I've actually found it to be much more useful than just opening up Citi Thankyou Points access... In addition to the categories you mention, it also provides 3x on grocery stores. So between 3x on gas, groceries, and travel, it is a quite good card with a low annual fee. My general strategy is:
1. Chase Sapphire Reserve for all travel, restaurants, and MVC MF (3x, soon to be 4x for MVC MF hopefully)
2. Citi Premier for gas and groceries (3x)
3. Citi Double Cash for everything else. (2x)

The addition of AA as a transfer partner to the Citi card is a big win as well, previously that was my main use of Bonvoy points (which transfer to AA at 3:1) since there were not many other AA transfer partners.
 
Wahoo said:
I originally acquired the Citi Premier card as a way to gain access to points transfers with my main spending card (Citi Double Cash). Citi Double Cash does not automatically allow you to use rewards as Thank You Points (it's a 2% on everything cash back card), but if you add the Citi Strata Premier card to your account then they both can be used as Thank You Points cards.

Since acquiring the card, I've actually found it to be much more useful than just opening up Citi Thankyou Points access... In addition to the categories you mention, it also provides 3x on grocery stores. So between 3x on gas, groceries, and travel, it is a quite good card with a low annual fee. My general strategy is:
1. Chase Sapphire Reserve for all travel, restaurants, and MVC MF (3x, soon to be 4x for MVC MF hopefully)
2. Citi Premier for gas and groceries (3x)
3. Citi Double Cash for everything else. (2x)

The addition of AA as a transfer partner to the Citi card is a big win as well, previously that was my main use of Bonvoy points (which transfer to AA at 3:1) since there were not many other AA transfer partners.
Click to expand...

Agree!

Love the Citi Trifecta, in principle (with caveats of potential awful cust svc with Citi like @heathpack shared): Citi Strata Premier (or Elite for Citi Gold or Pvt Client) + Double cash + Citi Custom Cash...

At least another viable ecosystem, providing an alternative to Chase & Amex (with their recent couponification)

Hope Citi improves their online/phone cust svc (which seems to get a lot of negative feedback from folks: here at TUG & at Bogleheads & reddit) + Protection for cardholders (for any inadvertent fraud).

Without those basic essentials, it is a nonstarter, no matter the potential rewards...
 
*Hope BoA adds AS as a transfer partner; that would turbocharge the BoA ecosystem (but may devalue AS miles)...
They are co-launching a premium BoA AS credit card soon, so we may find out soon...
 
Does any one know if the Citi Strata Premier offers any travel insurance or rental car insurance? This is starting to look like a card we might switch to.
 
Shiba said:
Does any one know if the Citi Strata Premier offers any travel insurance or rental car insurance? This is starting to look like a card we might switch to.
Click to expand...
I thought Citi removed rental car CDW on all their cards several years ago?
 
Shiba said:
Does any one know if the Citi Strata Premier offers any travel insurance or rental car insurance? This is starting to look like a card we might switch to.
Click to expand...
Yes, it includes some travel protections including rental car insurance. The coverage is not as robust as with the more premium (and higher annual fee) travel cards such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve. For instance, the rental car coverage on the Citi Premier is secondary (for domestic rentals).
upgradedpoints.com

Full List of Travel Insurance Benefits for the Citi Strata Premier Card

The Citi Strata Premier card is one of the newest travel rewards credit cards. Here's the full list of travel coverage that comes with it.
upgradedpoints.com upgradedpoints.com
 
Wahoo said:
Yes, it includes some travel protections including rental car insurance. The coverage is not as robust as with the more premium (and higher annual fee) travel cards such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve. For instance, the rental car coverage on the Citi Premier is secondary (for domestic rentals).
upgradedpoints.com

Full List of Travel Insurance Benefits for the Citi Strata Premier Card

The Citi Strata Premier card is one of the newest travel rewards credit cards. Here's the full list of travel coverage that comes with it.
upgradedpoints.com upgradedpoints.com
Click to expand...

Looks like same for the Elite also, unfortunately..

1753793800113.png
 
daviator said:
Sorry, bad wording on my part. I meant the BofA PRE card is the only one with the restaurant benefits.
Click to expand...

Agree; it seems to be the only major card, still easily available, which has this benefit... (Have used recently & worked beautifully)!

2 cards, not available anymore for applying, still provide that benefit, for those who have them (I don't have either):
US BAR & Citi Prestige
 
*Reserved my Chase Sapphire Lounge access for the 1st time via app.
Easy Peasy, AFTER updating the Chase mobile app (I did not have ability to reserve, before updating the app).
Plenty of open slots for tmrw.
Nice to know I will have access when I get there vs long lines/wait times & unable to access.
Can reserve upto 2 weeks before trip..
TY!
 
*Worked out well...
(Was waitlist when I arrived at airport but was able to go straight in, at apptt time).
*Was able to reserve for next flight 2 weeks out also!
(Getting my mileage from CSR, before I leave CSR in Oct 2026, likely)..
 
@mountainboy good to know about reservation. Last time we used Chase in Phoenix we had to wait. Almost did not have enough time.

All, I started to look at Chase flight boosters for a fall trip. The flight was more expensive than alternative airlines. Perhaps it is just a DP but so far not good.
 
Last edited:
@CalGalTraveler , Chase Sapphire Lounge in PHX is fairly small (as compared to SAN, BOS, LGA etc, so at most times is waitlist only, unfortunately.
As most still don't know to 'reserve', it is still accessible via advance reservation. I am sure, as everyone figures it out, it will become unavailable again :-( ...
Not nice re their flight boost being a boost for them, not us :-(...
 
Interesting article re Lounges, access issues, overcrowding & raised fees for CSR etc...

(Which PP lounges allow access on arrival? Most are on Departures only or will allow access, in-transit, for connecting flight pax, right? I do realize many airlines DO allow folks to access their lounges on arrivals also, esp International or TransCon premium cabin or Elites etc)

'When Everybody Has Airport Lounge Access, Nobody Does'​

 
Wahoo said:
It's official: https://account.chase.com/sapphire/reserve/benefits

The good: The $300 travel credit remains intact. So does primary rental car insurance and other nice travel insurance benefits.

The bad: The new annual fee is $795.

The uncertain: Will MVC maintenance fees code as "direct hotel bookings" and earn 4x? If so that's spectacular. If not, and they code at 1x, I'll probably be looking for a new card.
Click to expand...
New CSR cardholder as of 7/31. Prepaid a MVC maintenance fee, it was coded as Marriott and I earned 4x and also the $300 travel credit on the transaction.
 
Fred Garvin said:
New CSR cardholder as of 7/31. Prepaid a MVC maintenance fee, it was coded as Marriott and I earned 4x and also the $300 travel credit on the transaction.
Click to expand...
Great news! Thank you for posting.
 
While searching for any sweet spots in the Edit/hotel benefit with CSR, saw these.. (all expensive ones... await input from folks who find sweet spots in this program)...

www.awardtravel.co

Full Guide to The Edit By Chase - Chase Sapphire Hotel Program [Full 2025 Hotel List & Guide] | AwardTravel

The Edit by Chase (formerly known as the Luxury Hotel and Resorts Collection, or LHRC), is a collection of Chase Sapphire hotels that offer elite benefits without holding elite status at hundreds of hotels worldwide. Here's everything you need to know.
www.awardtravel.co www.awardtravel.co

frequentmiler.com

The Edit by Chase Travelâ is suddenly interesting...

The Edit by Chase Travelâ has suddenly become interesting. The Edit is Chase’s answer to Amex’s Fine Hotels + Resorts® (FHR). Just like FHR, The Edit offers elite-like hotel perks for a curated selection of hotels and resorts when you book through their program. The reason The Edit has...
frequentmiler.com frequentmiler.com
 
Trying to read through all this, We recently got the Sapphire Reserve for Biz. I think that if I pay Maint Fees it will code as 4X points, is that true?
 
The restaurant benefit was one we used a lot at DEN and SFO.

If only the Hilton Aspire or Marriott Brilliant had the restaurants, I would gladly keep both, but Hilton is on the chopping block.
 
rickandcindy23 said:
The restaurant benefit was one we used a lot at DEN and SFO.

If only the Hilton Aspire or Marriott Brilliant had the restaurants, I would gladly keep both, but Hilton is on the chopping block.
Click to expand...
Those of us, owners at HGVC, love Aspire; many have multiple...
No PP restaurant access for either (or Amex Plan or CSR)
Citi Prestige (NOT the new Strata Elite) & USB AR still have them, if you have those cards.
BoA PRE is the only big bank issued CC, easily available currently, which does allow PP Restaurant access (just used few weeks ago at SFO)..
 
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