Key takeout
- Chase SapphireReserve® is one of the most prominent premium travel cards on the market, offering many valuable benefits and perks.
- This card earns up to 10x points on purchases. This can be relocated to a flight, hotel stay or even more valuable travel partner.
- Sapphire Reserve offers users numerous annual credits and various other perks, including free airport lounge access and various travel insurance benefits.
- The card charges relatively high annual fees, but Sapphire Reserve benefits are worth this card for high spenders who travel frequently.
Chase Sapphire Reserve® Currently, it is one of the most expensive reward credit cards on the market in terms of annual fees. You will need to pay $795 a year to carry this premium card.
In return, you will have access to a long list of valuable rewards and attractive benefits announced this month. However, using these benefits may require some work, including a significant proportion of mental mathematics. Some cardholders can get unpaid value from this card, while others may have difficulty offsetting the annual fee.
Learn about the perks of Sapphire Reserve and see how much value you can get from this travel credit card.
When is Chase Sapphire Reserve worth it?
With over $1,800 benefits value and access to high value transfer partners, Chase Sapphire Reserve could be a great option in certain scenarios.
Use Chase’s High-Balue Transfer Partners
Chase’s ultimate reward points will be rewarded when you request a purchase from the Sapphire Reserve. These points are worth 1 cent each when redeemed to pass through the Chase Travel Portal. This decreases from 1.5 cents per point the card provided prior to the recent changes. Alternatively, the booking you choose may be eligible for a point boost at a value of 2 cents each.
As a cardholder, you earn:
- 10 times the total number of Chase Dining purchases made through Chase Travel
- 8x points on all trips booked through Chase
- 4x points on flights booked directly with the airline
- 4x points in the hotel are booked directly
- 3x points on all other meals
- 1x points on all other purchases
You have the option to transfer points at a 1:1 ratio to any of the 14 hotel and airline loyalty programs. If one of these programs offers transactions in the seat or room you need, transferring points and booking the company directly could lead to further rewards.
However, not all partners are created equally. Some offer unresolved value, while others simply don’t use your points well.
According to Bankrate’s rating, there are some of the best transfer options here.
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (2.6 cents per point)
- World of Hyatt (2.3 cents per point)
- aer lingus (1.8 cents per point value)
- Air Canada Aero Plan (1.6 cents per point)
- Krisflyer from Singapore Airlines (1.6 cents per point)
If you use any of these airlines frequently or stay at Hyatt Properties, Chase Sapphire Reserve may offer great value. For example, you can change the 100,000 points on a card to 230,000 points. The potential value is $2,300.
That said, your spending must be quite high to offset your annual membership fee of $795. Transfer points to Virgin only and use the card for meals (other than Chae Travel), the only travel bonus category on this card. To offset the fee, you must earn nearly 31,000 points. This is more than $10,000 a year spent at a restaurant, or about $850 a month.
If you’re a milder Spender, you’ll need to take advantage of the card perks to justify your annual fee.
Your expenditure matches the statement credit provided
After that improvement, Chase Sapphire Reserve will offer more than $1,800 in annual statement credits such as:
- Up to $300 on travel credits
- Up to $500 Credit for Editing (Chase High-End Hotel Portal) – January to June 250, July to December 250
- Up to $300 at Sapphire Aliserve’s exclusive table program restaurant.
- $120 (up to $10 per month) with annual Lyft In-App Credit
- $300 a year with monthly Doordash credits (up to $25 a month, including $5 restaurant promotions and $10 promotions spent on groceries, electronics and more)
- StubHub Statement Credit Up to $300 ($150 for each half of the year)
- Up to $250 for Apple TV+ and Apple Music subscriptions
- Up to $120 credits on Peloton membership ($10 per month) – Earn 10x points on eligible Peloton purchases
Plus, after spending $75,000 on your card in a year, you’ll get additional benefits.
- $500 Southwest Credit and Southwest A-List Status when booking Chase
- $250 credit for purchases in the shop (issuer’s shopping platform)
If you use most of these brands regularly, it should be relatively easy to take advantage of these benefits.
Annual fees are not a big expense for you
If your goal is to get premium travel card perks and an annual fee of $795 isn’t particularly big for you, Chase Sapphire Reserve might be a good choice.
Sapphire Reserve offers priority Pass Select membership. This gives you access to over 1,600 airport lounges and experiences from around the world. Primary cardholders and certified users can each bring two guests.
The amenities offered in the lounge vary, but in many cases perks include free food and drinks, Wi-Fi, mobile device charging, meeting rooms and showers.
Additionally, Chase Sapphire Reserve offers a statement credit of up to $120 for TSA Precheck, Global Entry, or Nexus application fees. Global Entry Membership explains customs screening faster when returning to the US from overseas travel, but TSA Precheck can go through a shorter security screening line when starting your journey from a US airport. Global Entry Members are encouraged to use credits to apply for Global Entry if they travel internationally, as they will automatically obtain TSA Precheck benefits. Nexus, meanwhile, allows for quick processing when entering the US and Canada.
The card also offers solid travel insurance benefits, including baggage delay insurance and travel cancellation insurance. We also offer major car rental insurance. This means that it can be used before car insurance.
High-end perks don’t end there. Chase Sapphire Reserve will reward you with your free IHG One Platinum Elite status (requires activation) until December 31, 2027, and if you spend at least $75,000 a year, IHG One will reward your Diamond Elite status and Southwest Airlines A-List status.
When is the Chase Sapphire Reserve worthless?
While the Chase Sapphire Reserve may definitely be worth it to the right person, the $795 annual fee may not be realistic on the average cardholder’s budget. Below are some instances where other card options need to be considered:
You are not a frequent traveler
The annual fee for Chase Sapphire Reserve is not worth it if you just travel occasionally. Most bonus categories on cards are travel-related, so if travel is not one of the frequent expenses, earning points is a challenge. It may also be inadequately unavailable from other travel perks (Airport Lounge Access, Hotel Elite Status, Travel Insurance coverage, etc.) to make your card worthwhile.
To use the benefits of a card, you will need to change your spending habits
Chase Sapphire Reserve Statement Credit Merits are primarily combined with annual, biennial and monthly credits. If your spending doesn’t match them naturally, you probably need to make some effort to take advantage of these perks. Additionally, while you are trying to maximize all your statement credits, you may be incurred at costs you would otherwise have. That can lead to overexpenditures to carry the cards.
Flexible travel cards are required
Using a list of statement credits, Chase Sapphire Reserve follows the benefits of the coupon book format. If you don’t want to be tied down by the brand that your card is a partner, it’s better to use another card.
If you still want to earn the ultimate reward points, Chase SapphirePreferred® Card Buy 5x points on trips purchased with Chase Travel Portal, 2x points on trips purchased elsewhere, 3x points on dining, choose and buy online grocery purchases (except Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs). The annual fee is $95, making it a more affordable option. This does not provide such an extensive list of premium travel perks, but you can receive valuable rewards without the pressure to maximize your statement credits.
Should I get a Chase Sapphire Reserve?
If you are traveling frequently and intend to make the most of your Sapphire Reserve travel benefits, this card is easy to pay. Over $1,800 in annual statement credits, choose membership for your preferred pass and choose statement credits up to $120 for your Global Entries, Nexus, or TSA Precheck application.
That said, I want to make sure I’m ready to make the effort necessary to maximize every card this card offers.
Bankrate credit card writer Ryan Flanigan is the current cardholder. He intends to keep his card despite the annual fee increase, but he recognizes it as high maintenance.
“I’m going to hold the cards because the value is definitely better, but it’s becoming quite a chore now,” he says. “I feel like I’m surrounded by travel and food reservations with Chase, and while I’m getting better rewards for it, I don’t love my limited options.
Like all cards, Flanigan regularly evaluates whether the value proposition remains good for him. This is a sensible approach to adopt when it comes to premium credit cards.
Chase Sapphire Reserve Alternatives
Sapphire Reserve offers a wealth of valuable benefits to cardholders, but it is not the only travel card on the market. If you’re wondering if you should get a Chase Sapphire Reserve, it makes sense to compare it with other premium travel cards before making a decision.
American Express Platinum Card A solid alternative to Chase Sapphire Reserve. This card has the advantages of a similar coupon book style, including elite status via Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors, free airport lounge access, up to $1,700 on various annual credits, and more.
The $695 annual fee is lower than the Sapphire Reserve, and can be offset by many perks and credits on the card. For brands that are tied together to work better for you than their tracking partners, Amex Platinum might be the better option.
on the other hand, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card It comes with an annual fee of $395 and a large profit. These include $300 per year Capital One Travel Statement Credits and up to $120 statement credits to TSA Precheck or Global Entry. Capital One Venture X earns 10x miles on hotels and car rentals booked on Capital 1 trips, 5x miles on flights, vacation rentals booked through the travel portal, and double miles on all other purchases.
You also earn 10,000 miles (equivalent to $100 for a trip) each year on your account’s anniversary. The $395 annual fee is less than both the Sapphire Reserve and the Amex Platinum, so it’s definitely a card to consider. Additionally, a list of brand statement credits is not included. This means you have the flexibility to spend anywhere without worrying about maximizing your card perks.
Conclusion
Deciding whether you should get a Chase Sapphire Reserve comes down to spending habits and priorities. The card has a higher annual fee, but its abundant travel benefits are more than willing to make ends meet if you are willing to make an effort and willing to make up for your spending.
If you don’t travel frequently to justify paying $795 for Sapphire Reserve perks, or if the benefits do not match your lifestyle, you may prefer a travel card at a lower rate.
