New Chase Sapphire Reserve Card [Pre-release speculation]
 

So I have heard via a very reliable source that Chase will be launching a new card within the next few months. It will be in the Sapphire lineup and will be based on travel and benefits. What I was told was it will be bonded metal (like the current Sapphire) not all metal (like the Ritz Card). They were going to make it all metal but balked at the last minute due to cost. I heard a fee of 300-400 as well but couldn't find out exactly how much. Lastly it will have 3X UR Points Per Dollar for travel. The name they are throwing around is the Sapphire Reserve and apparently the card looks pretty slick (for those that care about looks).

With the recent benefit reduction to the Citi Prestige this would be great time for Chase to launch a high end card with some similar benefits as the Prestige. I personally value UR Points over TYP Points so on a personal level depending on the benefits this would solidify me dropping the Prestige, even more so if the fee was 300 per year with some sort of airline incidentals / lounge / and global entry benefits.

The only thing I would worry about would be too many benefits being similar to their Ritz Card. However I would assume they would make more money off of a Chase card then a partner card, I could be totally wrong though. If they stick with some good travel benefits then this could compliment there hotel cards really well. Lastly the Sapphire lines has a pretty loyal following already and the blogs seem to drool over this card so it might not cannibalize their lineup to much.

The 3x points on travel would be along the lines of the Amex Gold Premier Rewards card with 3x points on airfare purchased from an airline but that card's AF is only 195$ and comes with the 100$ annual airline fee rebate so Chase will have to kick in some extras (such as covering all travel related expenses in the 3x points category) and maybe a hotel elite status which I imagine will be Marriott or Hyatt.

But Hyatt card already gives plat. Doubt it would give diamond. Marriott card gives silver and can buy up to gold, Ritz gives gold and can renew.

I would hope that a new card would include some airline status' and hotel status'. Priority Pass would be nice too. Rental car primary coverage and rental car status would be huge. Basically a step up from the Sapphire Preferred with the addition of some new benefits would be a great addition to the Sapphire lineup.

I'm guessing that it's tough to do all that, and what was mentioned in the first post, at the $300–400 range with a sustainable product.

Well Rental Coverage is already an option on the Preferred so if it can be available on a 95 card it should be avail on a 300-400 card. Chase also has one of the best partnerships with hotels which might help. It would have to offer something to justify the cost though I'm just spitballing ideas of what I would like to see / think Chase should do.

The only thing I know from talking to my buddy is that the card will offer 3X points on travel.

Two thoughts I have (somewhat interconnected, I guess), assuming this is accurate - 1) Would UA club access come with it? Would make it more of a competitor with the AmEx plat, if so. 2) Maybe a mass market version of the Palladium card?

It would be nice if Chase's budget went towards card benefits instead of paying bloggers affiliate fees.

Also, let's hope Chase thinks of launching a business version too, like AmEx Plat. I really wanted a business Freedom Unlimited for my everyday spend, but this could work too. Alas, they probably aren't reading Flyertalk.

I wouldn't think about paying $300-400 for a card that only gives me 3x UR and nothing else.

From what I was the told it sounds like it will build off of the Sapphire Preferred. This to me would make sense, Chase would then have three tiers of a Chase product line /non-cobranded card sort of how Citi has the prferred, premier, prestige product line. I asked my source/buddy to snag me some more info or literature if they could. I will report back anything I find out.

I see it being kinda hard to offer an airline specific lounge membership unless it is access with a ticket flying the airline's metal; I only see UA and BA being options (AMEX has Delta locked up and Citi / Barclays has American). Hotel status should be doable for chase they have deals with every brand except Hilton and will soon have SPG after the Marriott merger (if Marriot remains a partner with Chase). Some type of UA and BA status would be nice (again this is based on their current partnerships), and would allow for at least something in two separate airline alliances.

I think there will have to be some wow factor for the price point that I was told; points alone won't be enough for that price as some posters have mentioned.

IIRC, this is how the DL SkyClub access works with the AmEx Plat.

I don't think BA would be realistic. International airlines don't usually offer access to their lounges for credit card holders, IIRC. UA would be realistic, I think (and would probably be enough for most people).

Yea I figured UA would be the more realistic of the two options given their relationship with Chase, however with BA reducing Club World benefits due to the brexit there is always the potential they try and earn back some revenue or keep consumers loyal by creating some sort of enticement and lounge acces via a credit card might earn a decent amount of revenue. Again I know it's a long shot but one I think just maybe could be possible.

Visa Infinite perhaps? City National's card has that so it wouldn't be totally unprecedented.

Does anyone think Chase will launch the card without having the 5/24 immediately in place for it?

at that price, even with reduced benefits the Citi Prestige still offers $250 travel credit plus the 4th hotel night free and the global entry credit plus 3X miles

I think Chase Saphire will need to come up with something interesting that will have people want to keep the card after the first year. Personally if they added something like 2x miles on airline of your choice (unlimited for any spend) that would seal the deal for me. Or 1.5X on all spend for all airlines.

I sure hope so.

I find it hard to believe that Chase will offer a card that would offer combined status perks that it provides on multiple other cards, as it would cannibalize those cards.

The conditions I can see that that would be possible will be:
(1) High net annual fee (i.e., after all rebates in the range of $400) and/or
(2) High annual spend necessary. The Ritz card already require $75K spend for platinum and I would not be surprised to see annual spend requirement of $100K to maintain status(s).

Chase Freedom Unlimited.

I have a feeling they won't. It's a perfect time to show frequent CC changers we have the best and if you want it you have to earn it.
I'm pumped, imho there hasn't been many new card's in the last couple of years.
Chase has the connections to put something great together.

If the offer is going to be 100k UR. I am going to sign up regardless of what the benefits will be, even if the af is $450 and not waived (100k UR is too valuable to pass up!). Im just getting a feeling that the 100k promo wont be "easy" and will be similar to BA's 100k (50k in 3months + 25k after 10k + 25k after addtl 10k).

Why would you expect a difficult build up for the points? CSP has had 100k in the past for just a small spend, and the Ink+ currently has a 70k for $5k spend.

Skeptical about what they could do with this card to make it attractive to those who have the CSP already. An extra $200-300 for one premium hotel status probably wouldn't be worth it for most people, especially anybody who plays the status match/churn game. CSP already has the travel/rental insurance and the ability to transfer points. Seems like an extremely small niche they could fill.

Do you think a 4th night free type of arrangement + Global Entry or something would convert you?

I think the market for Global Entry reimbursements is approaching saturation. This would be a "me too" benefit, which probably no longer costs much to offer, but isn't likely to sway people who are otherwise undecided about a new card.

I think Chase is too invested in hotel partner cards to undermine it with a benefit which undercuts the prices available to Hyatt, IHG, Marriott/Ritz cardholders. (I also think Chase's relationship with three direct competitors is unsustainable, and they they will lose one, but that's another thread.)

Me specifically? No. I have GE through both the prestige and plat, and am in the game for free travel mostly. It's a part time job gaining the points to get free trips to cover my ~15 PTO days each year as is, so a 4th night free doesn't benefit me either. I can certainly see how those benefits could make somebody choose Chase over Amex or Citi, if you already had a relationship with them, though.

How long will it be available?
 

How many months does a card usually offer it's debut bonus before they lower it? I'll be at 4/24 on Pi day or the Ides of March, but I'm wondering if the 100K bonus would be gone by then.

If it's a whole year after debut, that would be awesome!

If this new Sapphire card is based on the Sapphire line, I expect it to have 2x on dining. Wish I wasn't over 5/24!

Wondering how it will compare to the Palladium as well.

Looking at the publicly listed benefits of the Palladium, and what you mentioned, here's what I think that this new card will offer:

• Everything that the CSP offers
• Travel bumped to 3x UR points
• J.P. Morgan Concierge service
• Priority Pass Select, and United Lounge access for flights booked with this card or with UR points
• Global entry fee waiver of $100 every five years

Annual fee of $395.

Then the Palladium either gets discontinued, or the benefits (and possibly the annual fee) get increased.

Administrative nightmare.

Are increased operations costs significant for similar benefits offered by Amex and Citi?

American Express does not restrict Delta lounge entry based on the card used to purchase the ticket.

Gotcha.

It would be great if we can get Hyatt Diamond from a certain amount of card spend like the Ritz Carlton.

Sending a huge thank you to the OP for posting info about this possible new Chase card. Having just moved to PHX, my husband and I have been poised to apply for Southwest cc's, and were about to pull the trigger on apps, but now we're going to wait and see what this new Chase card might be. Can always move forward with the WN apps later if the new card doesn't suit us, but 100,000 UR points will no doubt suit us just fine should the features of the new card hold high appeal. Thanks again, OP, and FT.

Doctor of Credit is reporting that this card will become available on August 21st, and that the signup bonus will be 100K UR points.

The card sounds GREAT, but how many of us can get it if it falls under 5/24?

That answer might be impacted by how long the initial bonus offers remain available. (The "last 24 months" will vary from applicant to applicant I assume.)

Me :)

Instead of spending requirement for top tier status at Chase preferred hotel chains (Hyatt, IHG, Marriott), they should do something similar to high end airline cards.

1. Get top tier Diamond status at Hyatt after 10 stays/25 nights.
2. Get top tier Platinum status at Marriott after 10 stays/25 nights.
3. Get top tier Spire status at IHG after 10 stays/25 nights.

For those who already have top tier status with these chains, it's a no cost benefit to Chase. For those who are otherwise not bothered with hotel chains, these chains will suddenly get some extra traffic from high end chase customers. Win win for everyone. These guys don't stay at hotel chains that much to begin with so it wouldn't dilute the status at the hotel anyway.

A premium chase card would be amazing! I can ditch my Amex Platinum and stop paying for a United Club membership since it will most likely include United Club access (yes, i know access and membership is different).

I'm hoping this is true!

I actually wonder about this. Since it's a premium card most of the public won't be interested because of the AF.

If they implement 5/24, it's knocking another large group of people which leaves the amount of people who can even get approved rather small. I'm thinking maybe the 5/24 won't be in place right away for the launch.