This month, my Chase Sapphire Reserve card came up for renewal—giving me my first full-year assessment of the revamped perks introduced last fall. While I regularly used about half the standard benefits, an unexpected expense (a new roof) pushed my annual spend past the $75,000 threshold. That tier unlocked a valuable suite of Southwest Airlines perks: a $500 statement credit, a Companion Pass, and A-List status.
Even without that unexpected boost, renewing was an easy decision. The standard perks alone delivered clear value: a $300 Travel Credit, a $250 Chase Shopping Credit, $250 Dining Credits, a $150 Hotel Credit, $70 TSA PreCheck/Global Entry Fee Credit, and a Free Apple Music subscription. There were also minor perks like DoorDash and Lyft discounts, along with low-tier hotel status upgrades that added little value. Still, with well over $1,000 in direct value against a $795 annual fee, renewing was a no-brainer.
Then came the surprise: a $195 additional charge alongside my renewal fee.
When I called customer service, the agent explained that the $195 was the new fee for my wife’s authorized user (AU) card. To be clear, she doesn’t have her own separate account—she holds a secondary card attached to my exact account number. When Chase refreshed the Sapphire Reserve, they raised the authorized user fee from $75 to $195. I had no record of ever paying the old $75 fee and had always assumed secondary cards were complimentary, as they are with most credit cards.
The representative explained that $195 grants an authorized user independent benefits when traveling solo:
– Standalone Lounge Access: Her own Priority Pass Select membership and access to Chase Sapphire Lounges (with up to two guests).
– Individual Travel & Consumer Protections: Primary rental car collision coverage, trip delay insurance, and lost luggage protection when booking on her card.
– Separate DoorDash Perks: Dedicated account promotions and monthly credits (hardly a game-changer).
That is the entire list. No additional statement credits, no extra travel allowances, and no doubled rewards.
Because we almost always travel together, these standalone perks offer virtually zero value to us. When we visit an airport lounge, my $795 primary membership already covers both of us plus two guests. Paying $195 so my wife can walk through the exact same lounge door with me is completely redundant.
The customer service agent acknowledged the logic, agreed to remove the $195 charge, and confirmed two simple workarounds: I could add my card to her Apple Wallet, or request a “replacement” card and hand her the extra physical card. Either way, she’d be able to use my card for charges.
A quick look at Reddit confirmed I was far from alone in my frustration:
- “My wife does not go to lounges without me present… I’m considering dropping it for that reason—it’s just not well thought out.”
- “I still don’t understand why it’s necessary to charge that much for an authorized user. I can rationalize $75 for admin fees, but $195 makes no sense. It’s not like the rewards double.”
- “Going to $795 plus $195 per authorized user brings a single household to nearly $1,000 a year for one card.”
- “I’ll drop the AU, give my partner my physical card, use digital pay myself, and save $195.”
- “Don’t need an AU. Just say the card is damaged and they send you a duplicate.”
For a premium card issuer that spends millions convincing customers how valued and elite they are, nickel-and-diming households with a redundant $195 fee is a strange way to show appreciation.
