Are Chase’s The Edit Hotels Worth It? Here’s What the Data Says

Most premium travel credit cards offer additional benefits at select hotels when you book through the card issuer’s travel portal.

These extras can add to hotel costs, so in general, you can expect to pay more. But exactly how much more?

To better understand what you’re paying for these amenities, NerdVault compared the prices of 94 luxury properties in 42 locations around the world when booking through modifications versus each property’s direct member rate. (A member’s rate is a more favorable rate than you can get when booking through a hotel’s loyalty program.)

We found that, on average, bookings with Chase are 7.8 percent more expensive, costing travelers an average of $83 more for an equivalent two-night stay. This means you’ll need to get at least $83 worth (on average) of additional charges to justify booking through the amendment.

But that’s not the whole story. The data is highly variable, and 28% of the time (at 26 out of 94 properties) it was actually the same price or cheaper to book via modification. In these instances, you’ll get all the extras at no extra cost, and you can actually save money.

NerdWallet looked at prices at 94 properties when booking a room directly with a hotel and booking the same room through an amendment. In each case, the booking was for two nights with the same cancellation conditions. We looked at both independent properties and hotels affiliated with major loyalty programs. What we found:

In most of the hotels in the study, it was more expensive to book through modification than directly. This was the case at 68 out of 94 properties. But through the amendment, bookings were cheaper in 17 properties. In nine properties, the price was the same.

“By amendment, our pricing is the rate provided to us by the hotel,” a Chase spokeswoman said by email when contacted for comment, adding that Chase does not mark up the rate.

On average, you’ll need to get at least $83 worth of modification benefits. But the wide range of data means the calculus is not so straightforward. Among the 68 hotels where it was more expensive to book by modification, the average price difference was $125. In the 17 places where it was cheaper to book through an amendment, the average difference was $36.

Marriott and Hyatt properties charged the highest on average compared to Booking Direct. Of the 25 Marriott properties we reviewed, we advise you’ll pay, on average, $140 more to book via modification. And across the 17 Hyatt hotels in the study, you’ll pay an average of $137 more.

But even within these groups there is a huge spread. For example, among Hyatts, it was $357 more to book the Hyatt Paris Vendome via modification, but only $31 more for the Park Hyatt Dubai. This means you’ll need to do less mental math to come out ahead in Dubai vs. Paris.

The best values ​​within the edit were at hotels that weren’t affiliated with a major loyalty program. Nine of the 33 hotels in this category — which included properties affiliated with smaller loyalty programs, or none at all — were priced exactly the same as if you’d booked directly. In such properties, you are effectively getting all the benefits of editing for free by booking through editing.

It’s always a good idea to compare rates before booking. Because amendment rates vary so widely compared to direct rates, you should do a quick price comparison before you book through an amendment to find out how much the extra benefits are worth to you.

Whether you should pay more for hotels in a modification depends on how you value the benefits, which will depend on your travel habits and where you’re going.

For example, a room upgrade can be $50 at some properties and $200 at others. A complimentary breakfast in an expensive city may be worth more than a breakfast in a cheaper one. Or maybe you’ll spend $100 in property credits on fancy cocktails and appetizers you wouldn’t have otherwise bought.

To illustrate how the cost of editing facilities can add up in practice, here’s an example from a recent trip I took in New York City.

In October 2025, I booked a two-night stay at Thompson Central Park, part of the Hyatt property world and renovation. The room cost $1,366 through the amendment, or $213 more than it would have cost to book through Hyatt ($1,153).

But the extra $213 was worth it because of the value I got on the benefits, including:

In total, it’s worth more than $600 in benefits I received during the stay, which is more than the premium for booking through the amendment. In this situation, I’m paying more for benefits that I know I’ll use.

The answer is: it depends. You should always compare the price of booking directly with the hotel through a third party. Based on our data, you’ll typically pay a higher price for these benefits when you book via modification. This may make sense for your situation, but it will depend on how much you value the extra fees.

generally, You should book direct If you don’t want to pay for fees during your stay, or want to avoid a middleman. Chase’s travel portal is similar to booking through other third parties, which may involve a degree of complexity if you need to change or cancel your reservation.

You should book by amendment If you’ve valued the perks and benefits. If you’re planning a romantic getaway and don’t plan to leave the hotel much, a room upgrade with a $100 property credit may provide better value than if you’re not planning to spend much time at the hotel.

Just understand that you’re usually paying more for your room with the renovation. If you find the benefits outweigh the cost difference of booking direct, go for it. But if you’d rather pay the minimum price, you should usually book direct.