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Started By
Message
Drop Sapphire Reserve(s)?
Posted on 9/26/25 at 9:37 am
Posted on 9/26/25 at 9:37 am
My wife and I each have separate CSRs, which we got years ago upon its release, before we were married. We like keeping our cards separate (all funded out of a joint account) and have been cool with the individual annual fees since it’s always been easy to break even for each of us. They are our daily drivers and are used for almost everything. Neither of us is really going to actively manage point earnings across multiple cards to try to scrape maximum benefits.
With the new fee and reward structure CSR, I’m having a hard time seeing how we each utilize the benefits to make it worth it. It doesn’t appear to align well with our lifestyle and purchase trends, and I’m thinking we should drop one or both. My AF just hit 9/1; I’m not sure yet when her anniversary is, but she got hers after me so probably soon.
The rewards for the Amex Platinum or Venture X appear to fit much better and allow us to maximize benefit much better. My one concern with the Amex is our loyalty to Hyatt, which pairs well Chase and doesn’t sound like it plays as nice with Amex. We’re mercenaries when it comes to airlines.
My initial thought is to downgrade hers to the WoH chase card, downgrade mine to one of the no fee chase cards and pick up either the Amex or Venture. Let her get points for hotels and I focus on flights. Or I could just let my CSR roll under the current $550 fee and utilize the new reward system until next September before dropping it.
I’m not a points expert though, so I’m not sure what the best strategy would be in this situation.
With the new fee and reward structure CSR, I’m having a hard time seeing how we each utilize the benefits to make it worth it. It doesn’t appear to align well with our lifestyle and purchase trends, and I’m thinking we should drop one or both. My AF just hit 9/1; I’m not sure yet when her anniversary is, but she got hers after me so probably soon.
The rewards for the Amex Platinum or Venture X appear to fit much better and allow us to maximize benefit much better. My one concern with the Amex is our loyalty to Hyatt, which pairs well Chase and doesn’t sound like it plays as nice with Amex. We’re mercenaries when it comes to airlines.
My initial thought is to downgrade hers to the WoH chase card, downgrade mine to one of the no fee chase cards and pick up either the Amex or Venture. Let her get points for hotels and I focus on flights. Or I could just let my CSR roll under the current $550 fee and utilize the new reward system until next September before dropping it.
I’m not a points expert though, so I’m not sure what the best strategy would be in this situation.
6
Posted on 9/26/25 at 2:02 pm to Jor Jor The Dinosaur
I'm not a points expert, but once you get any initial sign up bonus I don't see the point in having the same card as your wife when they are different accounts. Personally I'd think you should definitely change one.
Beyond that, someone else much more knowledgeable will chime in.
A lot of it is really going to depend on your spend though.
Beyond that, someone else much more knowledgeable will chime in.
A lot of it is really going to depend on your spend though.
Posted on 9/26/25 at 2:56 pm to Jor Jor The Dinosaur
Here to add that if you're doing Amex Platinum, make sure to get the Charles Schwab version - You can convert your points into cash back at a rate of 1.1 cents per point (10% boost) and you get all of same benefits/credits as the regular Platinum card. Add in the Amex Gold as a point driver if you want.
Posted on 9/27/25 at 6:43 am to Jor Jor The Dinosaur
The new AmEx benefits definitely beat CSR. I'll probably switch when my renewal fee comes due. One concern is the number of places that don't accept AmEx, especially overseas
Posted on 9/27/25 at 8:50 am to Yeti_Chaser
quote:
The new AmEx benefits definitely beat CSR. I'll probably switch when my renewal fee comes due. One concern is the number of places that don't accept AmEx, especially overseas
The reason you don't do AmEx for overseas travel.
Posted on 9/27/25 at 8:55 am to Nole Man
quote:
don't do AmEx for overseas travel
Lots of points left on the board
Posted on 9/27/25 at 9:18 am to Yeti_Chaser
quote:
Lots of points left on the board
Not sure I follow? Domestically? Internationally?
This post was edited on 9/27/25 at 9:22 am
Posted on 9/27/25 at 9:18 am to Yeti_Chaser
quote:
Lots of points left on the board
Too many instances in Europe where they don't take AmeEx. Amex is not as widely accepted as Visa or Mastercard. Many small shops, cafés, and local businesses—especially outside major cities—may refuse it due to higher merchant fees.
We don't want multiple cards and have continued to use our Chase Sapphire (Preferred/Reserve) card.
For travel to Europe, the Chase Sapphire card is currently our referred option due to the widespread acceptance of Visa, thereby minimizing potential issues at locations such as cafés, train kiosks, or toll stations where American Express may not be accepted. Additionally, Chase provides comprehensive travel protections, including coverage for flight delays, lost luggage, and rental vehicles without necessitating additional insurance—features that are particularly relevant for European trips. While American Express offers luxury benefits, many of its credits are primarily applicable within the United States and less accessible abroad. Overall, Chase Sapphire delivers reliable acceptance, robust protection, and clear value throughout diverse destinations across Europe.
Posted on 9/27/25 at 10:43 am to Nole Man
Yea I'm just saying I'm considering switching to AmEx but not being able to use it in Europe is a significant drawback, especially if you like to stay in boutique hotels. Like most people, i do a lot of spending when traveling. Combine that with giving up 3x on dining and I'm missing out on a lot of points that I would typically get with the CSR when traveling.
Posted on 9/27/25 at 12:39 pm to Nole Man
quote:
Too many instances in Europe where they don't take AmeEx. Amex is not as widely accepted as Visa or Mastercard. Many small shops, cafés, and local businesses—especially outside major cities—may refuse it due to higher merchant fees.
What is the acceptance rate internationally of the Family Guy Flyby-night Discover Card?
Would an international business accept two live chickens or a jar of pennies before accepting a Discover Card?
The only reason why I ask is now that Capital One owns the Discover Card network, at some point one could expect them to slowly start forcing their customers into using Discover network cards instead of Mastercard and Visa.
This post was edited on 9/27/25 at 12:49 pm
Posted on 9/27/25 at 7:06 pm to Jor Jor The Dinosaur
I’m keeping both the Platinum and the Reserve. The new benefits make the Platinum a no brainer, and the Apple benefits, the easy travel credit and Sapphire lounge near me make it worthwhile. The Sapphire lounge is significantly better than our Centurion lounge.
Posted on 9/27/25 at 9:35 pm to Free888
If you drop the csr to a free card for a few days to get the csp, do you lose all your points and or the value of the points?
Posted on 9/28/25 at 10:32 am to Jor Jor The Dinosaur
I think imo that these cc still benefit the financial institution. Regardless of the reward it’s geared towards the company and not to the consumer.
I think if it actually benefitted the consumer they wouldn’t be offering it.
I think if it actually benefitted the consumer they wouldn’t be offering it.
Posted on 9/28/25 at 10:38 am to Jor Jor The Dinosaur
Every time one of my cards with a fee comes up for renew, I call in and say I need to cancel it. They then offer something. I just 15,000 points with $4000 spend on my Amex Gold doing this.
Posted on 9/28/25 at 1:43 pm to kywildcatfanone
quote:
If you drop the csr to a free card for a few days to get the csp, do you lose all your points and or the value of the points?
You don’t lose points as long as you convert to an ultimate rewards card, but the redemption is lower. That being said, with the new CSR fee, I believe you can have both the CSR and CSP at the same time.
Posted on 9/29/25 at 5:25 am to Free888
Thanks.
I'm going to keep my card one more year since I'm still on the lower AF, but if I plan to drop it before renewal next year, can I book a trip or something with the points for the future, after I drop the card, or is that not allowed? Anyone know?
Trying to think how to get rid of my points before I downgrade the card. Most of their travel partners I don't use, but I suppose I could move to one of the hotels for future use.
I'm going to keep my card one more year since I'm still on the lower AF, but if I plan to drop it before renewal next year, can I book a trip or something with the points for the future, after I drop the card, or is that not allowed? Anyone know?
Trying to think how to get rid of my points before I downgrade the card. Most of their travel partners I don't use, but I suppose I could move to one of the hotels for future use.
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