If you’re a Chase Sapphire Reserve (CSR) cardholder, you’ve probably heard the buzz. Chase has rolled out its own luxury hotel program, The Edit by Chase Travel, and it’s clearly designed to compete with the legendary Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts (FHR).
On paper, the value proposition is clear. A booking through The Edit provides a set of valuable perks—even on a one-night stay:
- Daily breakfast for two
- A property credit of at least $100
- A room upgrade and late check-out, pending availability
However, there is a fundamental design flaw that severely undermines the program’s utility: its search engine is atrocious. The informational friction is so high that most users have no practical way of knowing which hotels are included or where they are located. A product that cannot be found is a product that cannot be used.
So, to solve this information gap, following my work on A Search Engine for Amex FHR & THC,I created a simple, functional map of all 1,364 properties in The Edit program.
Use Ctrl + mouse wheel to zoom. Click the top-right corner for a full-screen view. The data is sourced directly from Chase. Please do not reprint this map link without permission.
Now that we can actually see the network, a couple of thoughts:
The primary incentive for CSR cardholders would be the biannual $250 travel credit. Chase has introduced a peculiar constraint here: the credit can only be applied to Edit stays of two nights or more. This is a clear disadvantage compared to FHR.
However, there exists a countervailing mechanism that is, frankly, brilliant: payment flexibility. A $300 two-night stay, for instance, can be paid with $250 in cash (triggering the credit) and the remaining $50 with Chase points at the value of 2 cents per point. This allows savvy users to capture the full value of the credit with minimal out-of-pocket spending—a significant edge over FHR.
On the coverage, The Edit may feel smaller, but the data shows it’s not far behind FHR (1,364 properties to FHR’s ~1,545). Its primary failings are the two-night credit rule and the lack of a guaranteed 4 PM late check-out, a key FHR benefit.
The Edit is a new entrant, and one hopes market pressures will compel Chase to invest in basic usability. For now, use the map, find out what’s near your next destination!
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Scott
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