Chase Sapphire Reserve 2026: Keep or Downgrade? | Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast Is the Chase Sapphire Reserve worth keeping in 2026 – or is it time to downgrade? Join host Justin Vacula and guest Beth on the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast as they break down the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s changing value proposition in a world of rising annual fees and constantly shifting perks. They walk through the major benefits one by one – including hotel credits, food delivery perks, entertainment and rideshare credits, and newer partner credits like StubHub – and talk about what they’re really worth in everyday use. Justin and Beth also explore downgrade paths, retention-offer strategy, cash-out options, and how the card fits into a broader points-and-miles setup in 2026. You’ll hear practical takes, listener questions, and real-world scenarios to help you decide whether to keep the CSR, downgrade, or shift your spend elsewhere. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:45 Meet Beth 02:09 Chase Sapphire Reserve: keep, cancel, or downgrade? 02:54 Walking through the new and updated benefits 07:40 Travel credits, status perks, and how to value them 12:15 Dining, convenience store, and everyday credits 17:53 Entertainment, rideshare, and lifestyle perks 22:06 Fitness perks and lounge access in context 24:54 Are the lounge benefits really worth it? 25:16 Retention offers, fee hikes, and negotiation strategy 25:31 Cashing out points vs keeping them for travel 25:58 Upcoming events, appearances & announcements 27:39 Using CardPointers to organize and maximize rewards 28:33 Monthly meetups, listener community & social events 29:19 Frequent Traveler University and other live events 30:20 High-spend strategies with the Chase Sapphire Reserve 32:39 Smart downgrade and upgrade paths within the Chase lineup 35:42 Listener comments, questions & real-world scenarios 45:14 Future travel plans and how CSR fits (or doesn’t) 46:41 Final takeaways & farewell — 🎙️ 📢 Listen to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast: 👉 SoundCloud → https://soundcloud.com/hurdygurdytravelpodcast 👉 Apple Podcasts / iTunes → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hurdy-gurdy-travel-podcast/id1489093490 👉 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/0PRUx83Z4XKHengsgOoLWg 👉 iHeartRadio → https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-hurdy-gurdy-travel-podcast-51807405/ 👉 …and many other podcast platforms worldwide! 🌍🎧 📡 Prefer using your favorite app? Simply copy & paste my podcast RSS feed: http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:706382626/sounds.rss — 💜 Support My Work & Unlock Special Perks: 👉 Support me through helpful referral links on my site: https://hurdygurdytravel.com/donate-referral-links/ 👉 Use my CardPointers affiliate link to save on annual and lifetime memberships → https://www.cardpointers.com/hurdygurdytravel CardPointers helps you activate card-linked offers and take advantage of other powerful credit card features. 👉 Become a Frequent Traveler University member and sign up for events. https://ftuniversity.com/?aff=24 👉 Earn 500 miles when signing up for Rove Miles using my referral link: www.rovemiles.com/?signup&referralCode=8AS1JSG9 — 👉 Visit the Support Tab on my website to contribute via SubscribeStar → https://www.subscribestar.com/hurdygurdytravel 🎁 Subscriber & Supporter Perks Include: ✨ One-on-one calls ✨ Advance notice of upcoming podcast guests (submit your questions!) ✨ A custom podcast episode recorded just for you 🎙️💬 ✨ Bonus content 🎁 — 🌐 Stay Connected With Me: 🔔 Subscribe on YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@HurdyGurdyTravelPodcast 👍 Like on Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/HurdyGurdyTravelPodcast 🐦 Follow on Twitter / X → https://x.com/HurdyGurdyTravl 📸 Follow on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/justinvacula/ — ✨ Thank You for Listening & Supporting the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast! Stay tuned for more tips, strategies, and stories to help you optimize your travel, rewards, and lifestyle. 🚀🌍💳