Chase boosts Sapphire Reserve hotel perks with new and improved credits

3 Mins read

The battle of the premium credit cards just got steeper with Chase’s latest move.

Starting Jan. 1, 2026, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) and Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ (see rates and fees) cardholders will automatically receive up to $250 for prepaid bookings with The Edit twice per year, for a total of $500 a year.

Currently, The Edit credit is split into two $250 statement credits: one issued between Jan. 1 and June 30 and another available between July 1 and Dec. 31.

To sweeten the deal, on Jan. 1, 2026, cardholders will also receive a new $250 credit for select Chase Travel℠ hotels to use in the 2026 calendar year.

“When you look at the way we structured the program, when you look at the entire package of Sapphire Reserve, it is in response to what our clients are asking for as opposed to matching whatever else the market is doing,” Chase Sapphire General Manager Sam Palmer said in an interview with TPG.

Here’s what you need to know about these changes and how to maximize them.

New $250 credit for select Chase Travel hotels

Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, cardholders of the Sapphire Reserve and the Sapphire Reserve for Business will receive a $250 credit to use for select Chase Travel hotels.

The credit is valid on prepaid hotel bookings (for stays lasting at least two nights) with the following brands:

IHG Hotels & Resorts
Minor Hotels
Montage Hotels & Resorts
Omni Hotels & Resorts
Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts
Pendry Hotels & Resorts
Virgin Hotels

The view from the lodge at Montage Big Sky — Montage Big Sky. CHRISTIAN HORAN PHOTOGRAPHY/MONTAGE BIG SKY/FACEBOOK

Cardholders can also earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points on any spend beyond the $250 credit amount. The most welcoming development is that cardholders will earn hotel loyalty program points and elite night credits with all the eligible brands for the entirety of the purchase.

This credit will be available through Dec. 31, 2026. But earning loyalty program points with the aforementioned hotel partners is an indefinite benefit.

$500 The Edit credit is now flexible

The Sapphire Reserve refresh and the Sapphire Reserve for Business debut this June made waves in the industry, especially with their new up to $500 credit for The Edit hotel bookings. Fast forward three months, and Chase is improving the credit to make it easier for cardholders to use.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, cardholders will automatically get a credit of up to $250 for each prepaid (two-night or longer) booking with The Edit (up to $500 annually). The credit will no longer be biannual and divvied up every six months; instead, it’s applied to any prepaid two-night booking.

pool at San Domenico Palace, Taormina, A Four Seasons Hotel — San Domenico Palace, Taormina, A Four Seasons Hotel in Italy. PETER VITALE/FOUR SEASONS

For example, you can book an eligible property for a stay from March 1-3, 2026, and another eligible booking for March 24-26, 2026. As long as the prepaid bookings are more than $250, you’ll receive the full $500 credit.

“We plan to continuously invest in the product,” Palmer said. “Not one big refresh and then done. You will see this ongoing refresh of adding, removing, tweaking, based on how clients respond. … We want to make sure these credits are as easy to use as possible.”

How to maximize these credits

These changes are a huge improvement to both Sapphire Reserve cards. To maximize these credits, consider stacking the $250 The Edit credit with the new $250 hotel credit and the existing $300 annual travel credit.

For example, you can select a property eligible for the $250 hotel credit that is also part of The Edit, such as the Pendry Park City in Utah.

The Pendry via Chase Travel — CHASE TRAVEL

Two nights at the property cost $1,640. If you stack the three types of credits mentioned above, you could effectively reduce the total cost to $840.

It’s also worth noting that if you use the $500 annual The Edit credit, the $250 credit for select Chase Travel hotels and the $300 travel credit, you’ve already squeezed $1,050 of value out of the card, well above the $795 annual fee.

Considering the ability to stack credits, these changes to both Sapphire Reserve cards are enticing.

Bottom line

Frequent travelers will love the latest enhancements made to both the Sapphire Reserve and the Sapphire Reserve for Business.

If you don’t already have the card in your wallet, the Sapphire Reserve is offering a welcome bonus of 125,000 points after spending $6,000 within the first three months from account opening, and the Chase Sapphire for Business is offering new cardholders 200,000 bonus points after spending $30,000 on purchases in the first six months from account opening.

Updating credit card benefits shortly after their launch is not something we see often, but it’s definitely a move that’s sure to win the praise of existing cardholders and attract new ones. These changes have made the Sapphire Reserve an even more appealing choice in comparison to its main competitor, The Platinum Card® from American Express, which is set to get its own refresh.

To learn more, read our full review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business.

Apply here: Chase Sapphire Reserve
Apply here: Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.