Chase is posting the Sapphire Reserve’s $795 annual fee on renewal statements this October for cardholders whose account anniversaries fall after the bank’s October 26, 2025 benefits transition, turning a headline from last summer into a line item on this month’s credit card bills.
Who pays the higher fee now
Chase announced the refreshed Reserve in June 2025 with a higher price tag and a bundle of travel credits. Cardholders who applied before June 23, 2025 received the new benefits starting October 26, 2025, but the bank said the $795 fee would hit on the next account anniversary after that date, not on the October switchover itself.
That timing means members with anniversaries in October 2026 are among the first wave seeing the charge post in real time. Issuer trackers including CardTuned, which rechecked Chase transition language in September 2026, note that anniversaries from late October through December 2025 may have already paid the higher fee; anyone renewing this month should verify the amount on the statement detail screen, not assume the old $550 figure still applies.
What changed besides the price
The refreshed product pairs the fee with a $300 annual travel credit through Chase Travel, expanded lounge access rules, and a higher authorized-user fee of $195 per additional card. Chase also markets a $500 hotel credit when booked through its portal on select prepaid stays. Whether those perks cover the $245 annual-fee increase depends on how often you already booked through Chase and how much you value Priority Pass visits for guests.
Cardholders who kept the card primarily for the old $300 travel credit and 3x dining multiplier need to run the math against their 2025 spend. The earning structure shifted toward portal bookings and away from some legacy multipliers, so a holder who rarely touches Chase Travel may feel the fee hike without capturing the offsetting credits.
How to read your notice
Chase typically lists the annual fee on the statement that includes the anniversary billing cycle. Online, the “pricing and terms” PDF tied to your account should show the current fee schedule. If you still see $550 in marketing pages, remember those pages target new applicants; existing accounts follow the transition notice mailed or emailed last year.
Downgrade paths exist. Chase still offers the Sapphire Preferred at a lower annual fee, though product changes can forfeit Reserve-only perks and may reset bonus eligibility rules. A downgrade before the fee posts can avoid the charge, but you may lose unused credits tied to the Reserve product for that membership year. Call the number on the back of the card if you are inside the 30-day window around renewal and want to discuss retention offers; those offers vary and are not guaranteed.
Authorized users and joint accounts
Households that added authorized users at $75 under the old pricing should budget for the $195 per-user fee on the same renewal cycle. Joint account holders see the fee once per account, but each authorized user line item adds up quickly for families that handed out cards to college-age children for lounge access.
Why October matters for search traffic
Travel rewards forums lit up in late 2025 with “when will I pay $795?” threads. October 2026 is the month many of those hypotheticals convert to posted charges, which is why renewal notices are landing in mailboxes now. If your anniversary is later in the year, use this month’s data points from other cardholders to decide whether to keep, downgrade, or cancel before your own fee date.
Practical checklist
Pull your last two statements and confirm the anniversary date. Add up credits you realistically used in 2025: Chase Travel, hotel, and any promotional offers. Compare that total to $795. If the gap is wider than one planned trip can close, a product change before renewal is cheaper than paying the fee and canceling mid-year. Document any retention offer in writing before you accept; verbal promises are difficult to enforce if the fee still posts.
The Reserve remains a strong card for heavy Chase Travel users who can consume the credits. For everyone else, October renewals are the moment the 2025 refresh stops being abstract news and starts behaving like any other recurring bill.