Chase Sapphire Reserve Authorized User Benefits & Cost: Worth It?

Ben, if you haven’t already you should do an article on airlines that have some sort of student/youth discount. Off the top my head SAS and Qatar have a discount but I think of particular note is Turkish airlines who offer a pretty generous policy including refundable tickets.

For some, there's a convenience of having one travel card for a couple & there's a cost to that convenience. That being said, when traveling with the primary cardholder, a potential authorized user will likely have lounge access as a guest at no cost. So, how often does a potential authorized user travel without the primary cardholder & doesn't otherwise have lounge access & how much would paid lounge access cost?

I would think many people have their partner as an authorized user on this card. So the price for the CSR really increased from $625 (550+75) to $990 (795+195). That's a $365 increase. And there is no way the $990 is random - same as pricing something $9.99 when it is really $10.00.

The reality is that the first $1,000 credit card is here - but the marketing is trying to slice and dice it in a way where it doesn't "feel like" $1,000. (Fine, it's $690 because the $300 travel credit is often as good as cash and 990-300 is 690, but I think we all see the point).

And when evaluating whether to keep the CSR or downgrade to CSP, it's the $365 increase many are evaluating, not the $245 for one user. Big difference, especially when compared to Venture X. Even with their new $125 authorized user fee for lounge access, can come out way ahead. If you value the $300 capital one portal credit, it's $95+125=$220 for two people. That's a lot less than $690 (giving credit for the CSR $300 credit).

Is the chase point structure and lounges worth more than the $470 difference? That's the question many people will be asking themselves. And most people like things simpler than more complicated. Once the capital one LGA landing opens later this year, both will have lounges in the exact same NY locations. Will definitely be some head to head NY marketing.

If you're considering AU card for spouse who travels separate from you and alone (say for work), I'd rather he/she get the Venture X. If getting AU card for somebody else who normally brings guests/family, the $200 fee may make sense. Unless you do at least 1 international trip a year, PP membership is probably worth just $100-$150.

Have you done, or are you planning, a similar review of authorized users for VentureX card?

More than doubling the fee is ridiculous. The value of maybe getting into a club using PP when they aren’t packed or closed to PP members is not there, at least for me personally.

The changes to Sapphire Reserve & increase in fees to primary and authorized users make little sense for most people. Only if you have & would frequently use a Sapphire lounge does keeping Sapphire Reserve make any sense. The 4% hotel and airfare is bested by hotel and airline cards. 3% restaurants is offered by a ton of no AF cards.

The drop of 3% travel is a major blow to most users. The increase in annual fees while only providing coupons of questionable value (especially with 10% off Lyft is gone as of March) sucks. And the recent reductions of Priority Pass benefits (no PP restaurants & continued cheapening of PP lounge offerings) is the final nail in the coffin for most people. I know all the travel blogs are heavily incentivized by Chase to spin this crap into gold, but it's very disappointing.

My guess is that this increase in fees is Chase's way to reduce the number of people in their lounges. No sense in paying an expensive AF to still have frequent waits to get into Sapphire lounges.

"My guess is that this increase in fees is Chase's way to reduce the number of people in their lounges."

I worked with Amex's marketing teams years ago and based on their data and competitive metrics we were presented, I don't think customer experience incidentals like lounge crowding plays into something as macro as annual fee strategy. My guess is they are testing the waters of price elasticity. The pandemic showed corporations that people will grin and bear hikes in cost to an unprecedented level. Groceries are an oft-cited example. Yes, high-vis staples like eggs had to come down but deodorant is still $9 a stick at your supermarket.

Additionally, the timing is cruelly intelligent. On the verge of an almost universally expected recession, it's a good juncture to shore up capital and feed on card holders' reluctance to cut out the finer things until it's absolutely necessary.

Count me out! The hefty SR increases not withstanding the very limited and screwy dining credit, the forty plus minutes to wait to get into the Lounge, and other insults such as the change fees that Chase Travel charges, will send me to the SP and I will drop my longstanding SR cards for me and my spouse. Still keeping my AMEX Platinum.

Can authorized user bring two guests to sapphire lounge? Thanks.

Yes.

With your physical or Digital Membership Card and an eligible departing boarding pass, you and any authorized users can access all Sapphire Lounges and 1,300+ Priority Pass airport lounges with two guests per visit for free. For any additional guests, your card will be charged $27 per guest, per visit.

my interest in the AU card is I have top tier status with Marriott and Hyatt - so if I booked the edit credit stays through the AU card - would the primary card holder receive the credits and then the rooms are booked in my name with my loyalty number. Currently they book the edit credit rooms and its in their name and its a hassle getting the rooms linked to me even when we are staying together