JPMorgan Chase raises fee on popular Sapphire Reserve credit card
- JPMorgan Chase is raising the annual fee for its popular Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card by $100.
- Starting on Jan. 12, new applicants for the card will be charged a $550 annual fee, up from $450. After April 1, existing cardholders will be charged the higher annual fee when it comes time for their annual renewal.
- Chase said the price increase comes as it expands its program of travel rewards and ways to earn points.
JPMorgan Chase said on Wednesday it was raising the annual fee for its popular Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card by $100, according to a press release from the bank.
Starting on Jan. 12, all new applicants for the card will be charged a $550 annual fee, up from $450. After April 1, all existing cardholders will be charged the higher annual fee when it comes time for their annual renewal.
The largest U.S. bank said in the statement that the price increase comes as it expands its program of travel rewards and ways to earn points.
The bank has also struggled to manage the expense of the Sapphire Reserve card, which annually gives customers hundreds of dollars in travel credit and rewards points for a range of transportation expenses, like airline flights, roadway tolls, and subway fares.
More than 40 million U.S. households have a credit card from JPMorgan, which comprises about 19 percent of the market, executives have said.
The bank is gambling that customers will deem the Chase Sapphire Reserves cards, which launched in 2016, valuable enough for its rich rewards and travel perks that they do not mind the $100 price increase.
This week, the bank announced new partnerships with the ride-hailing app Lyft Inc and the food delivery services DoorDash Inc.
Starting Jan. 13, Sapphire Reserve cardholders will get 10 points per dollar spent on Lyft rides and a free year subscription to Lyft's membership program, Lyft Pink, which gives users discounted rides and other perks.