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

[mountainboy]

They officially declined me because I refused to send them all 200 pages of my tax return. I’d have had to spend a hundred bucks on a printer cartridge, paper and shipping, lol, and there's no chance they’d have looked at them all. It’s pretty crazy, I’d think a bank would be happy to get their foot in the door with someone with my track record. But not B of A, apparently. They were so arrogant and rude when I talked to them, I’m really not sad.

Anyway, I will leave my funds in Merrill for another couple of months until I get the sign on bonus and then I’ll pull everything out and kiss B of A goodbye forever. So now I need to figure out if I want to bite the bullet and stick with Chase Sapphire Reserve or switch to someone else with a simpler/better value card.

I need to look more at Citi Strata Elite, and there is a card from UBS that still has the Priority Pass restaurant benefit but I’m not sure if it requires you to have a larger relationship with UBS or not. Another option is to go back to Amex Platinum, but they’re about to jack up their annual fee too and probably add more “coupon book” benefits which is kind of what I’m trying to avoid.

I am sorry but that sounds terrible :-(

 

[mountainboy]

See, if I have to work that hard to make the card make sense, it is not worth it. My time has value too.

Ugh. This sounds like the $200 Resort Benefit with the Hilton Aspire. You go to the website and it is not clear which properties apply and which don't. I signed up via OpenTable, hard to tell what's in the program vs. general OpenTable if you hit the wrong button.

Is the best way to find restaurants via Opentable? or do you need to always enter via a portal on Chase.com?

Agree 100%!

 

[mountainboy]

*The Chase lounge reservation worked well & had a nice 'stay' at their lounge .
Maximizing my return until my anticipated Oct 2026 closure date... (or may PC to Ritz Carlton card at that time for Chase lounge access, unless that gets massively nerfed as anticipated)...

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Apparently you don't need to book via OpenTable

How to Use the Credit​

• No need to book via OpenTable, but it helps for priority seating.
• Just pay with your Sapphire Reserve card at the restaurant.
• Each cardholder gets $150 credit per half-year, so split the bill and both credits will apply.
• Credits typically post within a few days, but allow up to 6–8 weeks.

 

[DanCali]

There are a bunch of hotels in Las Vegas that are in the program for less than $600/night. There are even some that are less than $200/night.

I haven't had that experience but I usually need weekend stays, and the extra benefits that you get with the Fine Hotels and Resorts (not the Hotel Collection). With FHRs I can also use the credit for a 1-night stay while the Hotel Collection requires a 2-night stay.

They also started pulling off the "non-refundable" nonsense (relatively new) which is totally unacceptable to me for a hotel stay so if you want to keep the flexible cancellation like in the "good old days" the rates are much higher.

Here's an example for a mid-October 2-night stay (cheapest FHR by far) where just the flexible cancel option costs you $200/night + taxes. Getting a $200 credit on a $1400 stay doesn't help much.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

$1380 to stay in Vegas? Wow I will stick with my timeshares which are infinitely less. I could buy a lot of breakfasts and expensive dinners with the savings.

BTW...the Visa Infinite Dining appears to have decent options for Vegas.

 

[DanCali]

$1380 to stay in Vegas? Wow I will stick with my timeshares which are infinitely less. I could buy a lot of breakfasts and expensive dinners with the savings.

BTW...the Visa Infinite Dining appears to have decent options for Vegas.

It's what I do now... the Grand Chateau turned from my option of last resort to my go-to option.

But Vegas was pretty much the only place where I used that $200 Platinum Amex credit (I've had it since the late 1990s)and it'd gone unused for several years now with these prices.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Here is some more from AI on Edit:

Here’s a detailed breakdown of how The Edit by Chase Travel works with the Chase Sapphire Reserve $500 hotel credit, including cancellation policies and whether you can split the bill between spouses:

Is The Edit Prepaid?

Yes—you must book using the “Pay Now” option through Chase Travel to trigger the credit.

• Only prepaid bookings qualify.
• The stay must be at least two nights.
• You can use points or cash, but the credit applies only to the cash portion.

---

Can You Cancel for a Full Refund?

Yes, but it depends on the hotel’s cancellation policy.

• Most Edit hotels offer free cancellation if done within the hotel’s stated window (often 24–72 hours before check-in).
• You’ll see the cancellation terms clearly listed during booking.
• If you cancel within the allowed window, you’ll get a full refund, and the credit will be reversed.

Tip: Always double-check the cancellation policy before booking, especially for international or boutique properties.

---

Can You Split the Bill Between Spouses?​

No, not in the same way as with dining credits.

• The hotel credit is tied to the card used to book the stay.
• You cannot split a single booking across two Sapphire Reserve cards to trigger two $250 credits.
• However, if you and your spouse each book separate 2-night prepaid stays, you can each earn your own $250 credit.

---

Strategy to Maximize Value​

• Book a 2-night prepaid stay at ~$500 to fully use the credit.
• Use the “Pay Now” option and check for free cancellation.
• If traveling together, consider back-to-back bookings under each cardholder’s name.

Would you like help finding a specific hotel in Cabo or Napa that fits this strategy? I can even help you compare perks and cancellation windows.

 

[Eric B]

FYI...I was able to use OpenTable Visa Tables to reserve Acre in San Jose del Cabo for a trip in Feb 2026 using Sapphire Reserve. It will be nice to get potentially $300 discount on the meal. This may pay to keep the card if we can consistently use Visa tables with $300 restaurant and $300 travel credit making the card net $195.

cc @Eric B @GT75 @HuskerATL

I saw Acre was on the list. It's right next to Flora Farms, where we stay three times a year. My wife had eaten at Acre a couple of years ago when she was staying there - she wasn't terribly impressed but for $150 off.... Others have told us it was great.

I just reserved the tasting experience at Lumbre in SJC for our next trip down there. Costs 1,900 pesos per person, so the $150 dining credit will cover most of it. Booked another reservation at Carbon Cabron since we have two Sapphire Reserves.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Any other restaurants on the list in Cabo or elsewhere you recommend? We are not foodies. (but we enjoy a good meal every once in a while).

 

[Eric B]

Any other restaurants on the list in Cabo or elsewhere you recommend? We are not foodies. (but we enjoy a good meal every once in a while).

There are quite a few in NYC. I've been to a few on the first page of the listing - Nami Nori in West Village is good if you like Japanese. Haven't tried Quality Italian, but it's quite convenient to W 57 and the Quin - someone else said it's very good. We did go to Twin Tails - great lychee martini but there were issues with the food (only place we've ever been given the pancakes for a duck similar to Peking style with paper between them in dim lighting and not received a warning about that - the paper ones were quite tough to chew on and the manager was shocked, shocked that anyone would try to eat them. Our waiter had done the same thing and was sympathetic. We left after the manager displayed a complete lack of empathy). I don't think you have any issues finding a place there to use the credit.

Edited to add that we've also been to and enjoyed Flex Mussels on the Upper East Side and the Terrace and Outdoor Gardens at Time Square. The latter has a decent pre-theater menu IIRC.

 

[andy25g]

Thanks @Janann It appears this is part of the Visa Infinite Program.

All, I was able to find the listings - not easy to navigate because there are international locations but they don't always pop up. You need to go to the bottom of the Infinite page.

Another way to search is to use ChatGPT/Copilot. This may be helpful when traveling when you don't want to be searching bank websites. It not only gave me the list of applicable restaurants in my area but it also clarified the rules. \

@tschwa2 Apparently you do not need to make a reservation on OpenTable. The visa tables on OpenTable are difficult to reserve times but do not apply to the credit AFAIK.

Update: Copilot can be wrong. It just listed a restaurant not on the list. Best to use this list and scroll to the bottom to pick your location:

https://www.opentable.com/c/visadining/

We are 2 player so I wanted to inquire about whether the reservation needed to also be in my name to split the bill (and get 2 x $150 credit)

CoPilot Response:

Yes, you absolutely can split the bill between two Chase Sapphire Reserve cards to maximize the dining credit—as long as each cardholder pays separately.

🍽 How It Works

• Each Chase Sapphire Reserve card offers $150 in dining credit per half-year.
• If you and a companion each have your own Sapphire Reserve card, you can:
  • Ask the restaurant to split the bill into two separate charges (e.g., $150 on each card).
  • Each card will then automatically apply its own dining credit to the respective charge.

Tips for Success

• Let the server know upfront that you’d like to split the bill.
• Ensure each card is charged at least $150 to fully use the credit.
• Keep an eye on your Chase account to confirm the credit posts—usually within a few days.

Apparently you don't need to book via OpenTable

How to Use the Credit​

• No need to book via OpenTable, but it helps for priority seating.
• Just pay with your Sapphire Reserve card at the restaurant.
• Each cardholder gets $150 credit per half-year, so split the bill and both credits will apply.
• Credits typically post within a few days, but allow up to 6–8 weeks.

I can see that there is a lot of confusion regarding the Chase Sapphire Reserve dining credit. From what I’ve read you don’t have to make a reservation on Opentable, as long as the restaurant is part of the Chase Sapphire Reserve Exclusive tables program and you charge the Reserve card you will be credited.

The problem is figuring out which restaurants are part of the Chase Sapphire reserve program and not the Visa program. It’s very misleading, I live in San Antonio area and there is only 1 restaurant that is part of the sapphire program (Clementine) but when I go to open table it gives me a few options but looking at screenshots you can see only Clementine has the Sapphire logo under reservation times……the others say Visa. From my understanding the visa restaurants aren’t included in $150 2x year credit.

I also included a screenshot of the Cabo restaurants, I’m pretty sure they aren’t part of the Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables program. From what I’ve read only US restaurants are Participating at this moment.

This is confusing

 

[andy25g]

Chase Sapphire Reserve New $300 Dining Credit: Where It Works — and Where It Doesn’t

Here's everything you need to know about the Sapphire Reserve dining credit, including how to use it and where it works.

awardwallet.com

Here’s a write up on dining program and you down at bottom you can see a list of participating restaurants

 

[Eric B]

Chase Sapphire Reserve New $300 Dining Credit: Where It Works — and Where It Doesn’t

Here's everything you need to know about the Sapphire Reserve dining credit, including how to use it and where it works.

awardwallet.com

Here’s a write up on dining program and you down at bottom you can see a list of participating restaurants

Seems odd that the list the author of the linked article provides is different than the one from Chase/Open Table. I guess I’ll call and verify the eligibility when it’s closer to my reservations. Chase/Open Table includes restaurants in Mexico & Canada. I trust them a bit more than a random writer touting credit cards but it doesn’t hurt to verify.

 

[vacation dreaming]

I can see that there is a lot of confusion regarding the Chase Sapphire Reserve dining credit. From what I’ve read you don’t have to make a reservation on Opentable, as long as the restaurant is part of the Chase Sapphire Reserve Exclusive tables program and you charge the Reserve card you will be credited.

The problem is figuring out which restaurants are part of the Chase Sapphire reserve program and not the Visa program. It’s very misleading, I live in San Antonio area and there is only 1 restaurant that is part of the sapphire program (Clementine) but when I go to open table it gives me a few options but looking at screenshots you can see only Clementine has the Sapphire logo under reservation times……the others say Visa. From my understanding the visa restaurants aren’t included in $150 2x year credit.

I also included a screenshot of the Cabo restaurants, I’m pretty sure they aren’t part of the Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables program. From what I’ve read only US restaurants are Participating at this moment.

This is confusing

I came to the same conclusion. Many more “Visa” restaurants which I guess have reserved tables but do not qualify for the Reserve dining credit. I looked at the award wallet summary to get an idea but since the program will likely change and hopefully expand I think opentable will be the only way to determine which ones qualify for the credit with the word Reserve listed. I also noticed some of the restaurants had prepaid tasting menus and events which charge the card at booking - do these qualify for the credit? It specifically said no takeout and some other exclusions.

 

[mountainboy]

At Cap1 Lounge in Denver, on a layover..
Could have used my PP restaurant but I love this lounge.
There WAS a significant wait unfortunately (they don't let you 'reserve' ahead of time. Had joined waitlist while taxing to the gate but it took ground crew a while to get us parked & deplane and my number was booted off the list & had to get on waitlist again).
Love their Arugula salad + all the other preparations. Far better than most at Centurion Lounge at DEN/DIA (& most Sapphire Lounges).
Will miss loss of guest privileges starting next year (or can pay 125 pp, if I use them frequently enough).
They do allow really nice takeout options to carry with you unlike almost all other lounges.
(Okay, back to work now)...

 

[rickandcindy23]

At Cap1 Lounge in Denver, on a layover..
Could have used my PP restaurant but I love this lounge.
There WAS a significant wait unfortunately (they don't let you 'reserve' ahead of time. Had joined waitlist while taxing to the gate but it took ground crew a while to get us parked & deplane and my number was booted off the list & had to get on waitlist again).
Love their Arugula salad + all the other preparations. Far better than most at Centurion Lounge at DEN/DIA (& most Sapphire Lounges).
Will miss loss of guest privileges starting next year (or can pay 125 pp, if I use them frequently enough).
They do allow really nice takeout options to carry with you unlike almost all other lounges.
(Okay, back to work now)...

What loss of privileges are you talking about?

We love the lounge as well. The sandwiches are great, and the warm cookies are good too. Almost too good.

We do have the Capital One Venture X, and we get our annual fee back very easily with renting cars through the Capital One website. The prices are better, too. So far. Things do change.

I just read Points Guy. I guess I need my own card.

 

[DanCali]

What loss of privileges are you talking about?

We love the lounge as well. The sandwiches are great, and the warm cookies are good too. Almost too good.

We do have the Capital One Venture X, and we get our annual fee back very easily with renting cars through the Capital One website. The prices are better, too. So far. Things do change.

Venture X gets a big loss in privileges in February

No more lounge access for authorized users. Not more lounge guests unless you spend $75K. No more guests in Priority Pass lounges.

You can pay $125 per authorized user for them to also have lounge access (or keep the free companion card with no lounge access, and pay $45 extra per person per visit).

They're saying they are doing it to remain competitive and keep the low annual fee. I fully expect that, after the aforementioned loss in privileges the fee will inevitably increase within 1-2 years... we've seen that playbook before.

 

[daviator]

Totally agree.

It looks like they gathered some very smart people and gave them two tasks... (i) come up with benefits that seem very attractive on paper, and (ii) make them so hard/useless to redeem that only a small number of cardholders will take advantage. For example - how many people subscribe to both Apple Music and Apple TV+, but not Apple One (which is not covered at all by CSR)? Note that Apple One costs less than those two services combined and includes extra storage and Apple Arcade too.

View attachment 114636

I assume many of us here also have the Platinum Amex and know the "coupon" experience. In my case, every 6 months I trek to Saks to buy a $50 body wash that I would never even look at otherwise (the free 2-day Shoprunner shipping option for online was magically removed from Saks 2-3 years ago)... It's been 3-4 years since I used the $200 annual hotel benefit because most participating hotels in Vegas are now $600+/night as opposed to ~$200 pre-pandemic. The $15/month Uber cash is (sometimes) used on Uber Eats takeout once a month, but normally we don't to takeout at all so it's actually an incremental cost. I do use the digital entertainment credit of up to $20/month on various streaming services like Peacock that I never watch (of course Netfix is not included, and Sirius was removed as an option probably because it was too popular), and I don't even bother with the Walmart+ credit because of a couple of terrible experiences with their deliveries (online orders got routed to the nearest store and they never shipped the stuff).

I think one of those "coupon" cards is plenty, and as much as I dislike the Platinum Amex these days, Chase outdid them on a grand scale. I may keep it for an extra year because the 1.5x redemption on travel is too valuable to give up, but I'm in extreme usage mode of those points and will cancel the card soon after.

After my bad experience with Bank of America, I looked at all the offerings and decided to replace my CSR with the new Citi Strata Elite. $595 annual fee (likely to stay at that level for at least a few years since it’s a new card), relatively simple program with good benefits, better lounge access (for me) than CSR which includes four vouchers every year for AA Admirals Club, great transfer partners, etc. Not much of a coupon book approach which I appreciate. 6x points earning at restaurants and food delivery on Friday and Saturday nights, which is a great benefit since that’s when most of us are likely to eat out (3x other times.). 12x on hotels booked through their portal but I assume you wouldn’t get Bonvoy benefits when you do that?

Anyway with the CSR going to $800 and the Amex Plstinum likely to rise to $900 or $1000, both with lots of benefits that are actually close to worthless to me, I think the new Citi card is a good choice.

 

[DanCali]

After my bad experience with Bank of America, I looked at all the offerings and decided to replace my CSR with the new Citi Strata Elite. $595 annual fee (likely to stay at that level for at least a few years since it’s a new card), relatively simple program with good benefits, better lounge access (for me) than CSR which includes four vouchers every year for AA Admirals Club, great transfer partners, etc. Not much of a coupon book approach which I appreciate. 6x points earning at restaurants and food delivery on Friday and Saturday nights, which is a great benefit since that’s when most of us are likely to eat out (3x other times.). 12x on hotels booked through their portal but I assume you wouldn’t get Bonvoy benefits when you do that?

Anyway with the CSR going to $800 and the Amex Plstinum likely to rise to $900 or $1000, both with lots of benefits that are actually close to worthless to me, I think the new Citi card is a good choice.

I have no idea what generation they are polling to think that the coupon book cards are a good idea...

 

[daviator]

I have no idea what generation they are polling to think that the coupon book cards are a good idea...

I think it’s exactly what you suggested. Benefits which look good on paper but actually cost them very little because most people won’t be able to take advantage of most of them. High perceived value and low actual value.

 

[Eric B]

I think it’s exactly what you suggested. Benefits which look good on paper but actually cost them very little because most people Boe to take advantage of most of them. High perceived value and low actual value.

... kinda like dots on a timeshare system map...?

 

[mountainboy]

(Full text) New York Times article on 'bougie coupon books' aka premium credit cards...
'they all want to lock you in their ecosystems'
'Despite raising the fees, Delta signed up 1 Million more credit card customers last yr & loyalty fees up 12% in a year for them'; similar for United...

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/17/business/airlines-credit-cards-loyalty.html?unlocked_article_code=1.fE8.rp-5.mYT0eDtUH_Iq&smid=url-share

 

[daviator]

(Full text) New York Times article on 'bougie coupon books' aka premium credit cards...
'they all want to lock you in their ecosystems'
'Despite raising the fees, Delta signed up 1 Million more credit card customers last yr & loyalty fees up 12% in a year for them'; similar for United...

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/17/business/airlines-credit-cards-loyalty.html?unlocked_article_code=1.fE8.rp-5.mYT0eDtUH_Iq&smid=url-share

Maybe I’m an outlier, but Chase's changes have had the opposite impact on me, they’ve sent me to a competitor.

 

[mountainboy]

Maybe I’m an outlier, but Chase's changes have had the opposite impact on me, they’ve sent me to a competitor.

Agree; for many of us on this thread, exploring other options.
NYT article's point was the attempt by all card issuers to give more benefits at higher level of spend. Amex started this by requiring 75k spend before guests would be allowed in Centurion lounge. Cap 1 is going to do so, starting next year. Chase also gives more benefits at that level of spend for CSR now; all of them trying to encourage folks to stick to one ecosystem/card rather than just giving access for holding the card (as many have done).
I agree 100%, the bougie coupon book feature has repelled many of us and made us look into alternatives.
TY!