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The Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Rates & Fees) is one of the most benefit-heavy travel credit cards on the market — and also one of the priciest. Deciding whether it’s worth the $795 annual fee isn’t as simple as running the numbers on a single perk. The real question is whether you’ll use enough of its earning bonuses, statement credits, and travel benefits to come out ahead year after year.
In this guide, we’ll break down the key perks of the Sapphire Reserve, show you how they work in practice, and highlight which benefits can deliver the most value depending on your travel and spending habits. That way, you can decide for yourself if it belongs in your wallet — and how to maximize it if you keep it.
- Earn 125,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Get more than $2,700 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
- Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠ and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases
- $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests. Plus, up to $120 towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck® every 4 years
- Get up to $150 in statement credits every six months for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
- Get complimentary Apple TV+, the exclusive streaming home of Apple Originals. Plus Apple Music - all the music you love, across all your devices. Subscriptions run through 6/22/27 - a value of $250 annually
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠
- 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly
- 3x points on dining worldwide
- 1x points on all other purchases
Page Contents
- What Benefits Does the Sapphire Reserve Provide?
- How to Value the Sapphire Reserve‘s Perks
- Is the Sapphire Reserve Worth Its Annual Fee?
- Alternatives to the Sapphire Reserve
- Bottom Line
- FAQ
- Is the Chase Sapphire Reserve really worth it?
- How much do I have to spend for Chase Sapphire Reserve to be worth it?
- Is the Chase Sapphire Reserve hard to get?
- Who is the Chase Sapphire Reserve best for?
- Why is the Chase Sapphire Reserve so popular?
- Should I pay off my Chase Sapphire immediately?
- When can I cancel my Chase Sapphire Reserve to avoid an annual fee?
- Does Chase Sapphire increase credit?
What Benefits Does the Sapphire Reserve Provide?
The Sapphire Reserve has a laundry list of perks, many of which just changed during a card refresh. Here's a broad overview of what you can access just by carrying the card in your wallet.
- Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly, and 3x points on dining worldwide.
- Redeem points for up to 2¢ apiece in the Chase Travel℠ portal with Points Boost.
- Use Chase's Pay Yourself Back feature to redeem the points for 1.25¢–1.5¢ apiece in value for purchases in revolving categories.
Travel perks:
- Priority Pass Select membership for both primary cardholders and authorized users, including two additional guests at most lounges, plus unlimited visits to Sapphire Lounges and select Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges when flying a Star Alliance airline.
- IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status.
- Best-in-class trip delay/cancellation and luggage protection benefits.
- Primary rental car insurance coverage.
- Complimentary elite status with Avis and National Car Rental.
- Earn IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite status, Southwest A-List elite status, $500 in Southwest flight credit, and $250 in credit for The Shops at Chase after you spend $75,000 in a single calendar year.
Statement credits:
- Up to $300 per card member year in travel credits across a broadly defined travel category.
- Up to $500 in credit toward hotels booked with Chase's The Edit program, issued twice per year in $250 increments.
- Up to $300 in Chase Dining credit, issued twice per year in $150 increments.
- Up to $300 in StubHub credit, issued twice per year in $150 increments.
Partner benefits:
- Complimentary Apple TV+ and Apple Music subscriptions through June 22, 2027.
- At least 12 months of complimentary DoorDash DashPass if you activate by December 31, 2027.
- Up to $25 in monthly statement credits for DoorDash purchases through December 31, 2027.
- Up to $10 monthly in Peloton statement credits through December 31, 2027.
You can access and activate your benefits by visiting the “Featured Benefits and Offers” page in the Chase Travel portal.
Related: Chase Sapphire Reserve Full Review
Earning rates
The Sapphire Reserve has multiple elements to its earning structure:
- 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠
- 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly
- 3x points on dining worldwide
- 1x points on all other purchases
The card also earns 10X per $1 on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases of $150 or more. This is valid through December 2027 with a maximum of 50,000 bonus points. Likewise, it earns 5X per $1 spent on Lyft rides through September 2027, which can add up if you use the ridesharing service regularly.
To decide how valuable the Sapphire Reserve earning rates are, have to consider how often you'll use the card to pay for travel. Specifically, consider how often you'll book travel through Chase Travel℠ portal or airfare and hotels directly with the provider.
Spending a lot in these categories (and in the Chase Travel portal) can present a significant opportunity to earn extra points on each purchase. How you can use the card's earning rates will play into whether the Sapphire Reserve is worth it for you.
Related: How Many Points Does My Credit Card Earn?
Sapphire Reserve earnings in practice
Let's assume you spend $2,000 on hotels in a given year. You'd earn 16,000 Chase points by booking through the Chase Travel℠ portal instead of 8,000 when booked directly with the hotel.
Add in renting a car four times a year at an average of $200 per rental. Booking through the portal, you'll earn 8X points per dollar spent. You'd earn just 1X points per $1 if you booked directly with the rental agency. That's an extra 5,600 Ultimate Rewards annually using Chase's travel portal.
Between hotels and rental cars, you'd earn 19,200 points. At a baseline cashout value of 1 cent each, that's at least $192 in rewards from those purchases. However, you can often get significantly more value when you leverage Chase's transfer partners. For example, data from AwardWallet users shows they redeem their Chase points for 1.98¢ apiece, further increasing the value of your earnings.
Consider the value of the card's various statement credits
The card also comes with a variety of statement credits, including:
- $300 Annual Travel Credit: This is valid on anything that codes as travel, including taxi rides, public transportation, flights, hotels, and more.
- Up to $500 in The Edit hotel credit: You can get a $250 statement credit from January through July and another from July through December on prepaid bookings made through Chase's The Edit hotel program. A two-night minimum is required, and hotels may be expensive and likely cost more than the credit.
- $300 Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables credit: This is issued twice per year in $150 increments and can be used at restaurants that participate in Chase's dining program. That said, these are limited in quantity and may be more expensive than your average restaurant. One credit is valid from January through June, and the other July through December.
- DashPass and up to $300 per year in credit: Through December 31, 2027, you'll receive a DashPass membership, $5 per month in restaurant order credit, and two $10 promos for grocery or retail orders.
- Up to $300 in StubHub credit per year: Twice per year, you'll receive a $150 StubHub credit; one valid from January through June and another from July through December. These can be used for StubHub and Viagogo event tickets.
- Up to $120 in Lyft credit per year: Through September 30, 2027, you'll receive $10 per month in Lyft credit.
- Complimentary Apple TV+ and Apple Music subscriptions: Through June 22, 2027, you'll receive complimentary Apple TV+ and Apple Music subscriptions.
- Up to $120 in Peloton credit per year: Get up to $10 monthly in statement credits toward eligible Peloton memberships through December 31, 2027.
- Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS Credit: Get up to $120 every four years for trusted traveler program application fees — pay with the card to receive the credit.
If you plan to travel at least once yearly, you'll surely get face value from the $300 travel credit. This credit can be used for anything from taxi rides and subway fare to hotel bookings and flights — in other words, anything that codes as travel counts.
If you tend to stay at high-end hotels (and pay for them), you may be able to use The Edit credit at near face value.
However, the value of partner perks like DoorDash, StubHub, Lyft, Peloton, and Apple depends on how often you use these services.
These credits are highly subjective based on how you spend money. As a result, you should look through these credits closely and examine your spending habits. You can subtract the fee from the annual fee if you spend regularly with these merchants.
But if you wouldn't already spend the money, you may assign it a lower or no value. For example, some of us wouldn't otherwise eat at Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables restaurants. Maybe having the credit will make it worth the splurge, but it's not saving you money you'd otherwise have spent.
Airport lounge access
The Sapphire Reserve has access to several airport lounge networks, including Chase's relatively new in-house Sapphire Lounge network. Here's a breakdown of the lounges you can access with the card, alongside any applicable entry requirements:
- Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges: Access select Maple Leaf lounges in the U.S., Europe, and Canada when flying on Star Alliance carriers, including Air Canada, United, or Lufthansa. You can bring one guest, but you both need to have a same-day boarding passes for a Star Alliance flight.
- Chase Sapphire Lounges: You can access any Sapphire Lounge with up to two guests, but you must bring your Priority Pass card with you. You and your guests can access within three hours of your flight's departure time.
- Priority Pass Select: With the included Priority Pass membership card, you can access over 1,300 airport lounges in the Priority Pass network. You can bring up to two guests with you; additional guests cost $27 per person. Lounges may have restrictions on when you can enter.
The value of airport lounge access depends on your home airport, where you travel, and how often you travel. If your home airport has a Sapphire Lounge and you travel once per month or more, you may recoup the value of the card's annual fee in savings from airport food and beverage alone. Likewise, if you travel to the same city every month for work and it has a Priority Pass lounge, you will likely get good value from this benefit.
Related: Guide to Chase Sapphire Lounges
Bonuses for spending $75,000
The Sapphire Reserve gives you a handful of bonus perks when you spend $75,000 in a single calendar year. These include the following:
- IHG One Rewards Diamond status: This is IHG's highest elite tier, offering benefits like a 100% bonus on points earning, space-available room upgrades, and a dedicated phone support line.
- $250 credit for The Shops at Chase: The Shops at Chase is Chase's new online shop that offers curated products from high-end brands like Breitling and Tumi. You can use this credit toward any product in the shop.
- Southwest A-List elite status: This is the first tier of Southwest elite status that includes benefits like free same-day standby and changes, a free checked bag, and a 25% bonus on points earning.
- $500 Southwest Airlines credit: This can be used towards any Southwest flight booked through Chase Travel.
Whether or not it's worth spending $75,000 on your Sapphire Reserve depends on what you purchase and whether or not you'll use these benefits. Spending a lot on airfare, hotels, and dining could be worthwhile as you'll earn bonus Ultimate Rewards points along the way.
But if you spend money in other categories that would earn more points on another card — for example, gas or groceries — you might lose value by putting spend on the Sapphire Reserve.
You shouldn't spend more money to get these benefits. So, look through what you spend the most on and run the numbers to see if it's worthwhile. Likewise, consider whether or not you'll fly Southwest or stay with IHG enough to get value from these elite tiers.
Sign-up bonus
The sign-up bonus is one of the biggest draws of signing up for a premium credit card. New applicants for the Sapphire Reserve can earn 125,000 bonus points bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
This sign-up bonus can easily offset the annual fee. Thus, trying the Sapphire Reserve for a year is worthwhile. If you're unsure how much value the card’s benefits will provide, you can track your usage throughout the first year. When the annual fee comes due in year two, you can decide whether to keep or cancel the card based on your experience.
If the benefits don't seem worth the higher fee, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees) offers a solid, lower-cost alternative. But you'll need to carefully navigate Chase's application rules if you plan to apply for this card and cancel your premium one.
- Earn 125,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Get more than $2,700 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
- Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠ and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases
- $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests. Plus, up to $120 towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck® every 4 years
- Get up to $150 in statement credits every six months for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
- Get complimentary Apple TV+, the exclusive streaming home of Apple Originals. Plus Apple Music - all the music you love, across all your devices. Subscriptions run through 6/22/27 - a value of $250 annually
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠
- 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly
- 3x points on dining worldwide
- 1x points on all other purchases
Related: Best Rewards Credit Card Sign-up Bonus Offers for This Month
Visa Infinite perks
Visa Infinite is the highest tier of Visa credit cards, offering exclusive perks and privileges. Only a handful of travel credit cards are issued as Visa Infinite products, making them relatively rare.
Key Visa Infinite benefits include:
- Auto rental collision damage waiver and other travel protections
- Visa Infinite rental car privileges with Avis, Hertz, National, and more
- Visa Infinite concierge services
- Access to the Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection
Some of these perks are also available with Visa Signature cards; issuers control which features are included. Many Visa Signature cards offer travel insurance, reducing the need to hold a Visa Infinite card specifically. And while Visa Infinite’s benefits are valuable, they may not be essential for your needs.
How to Value the Sapphire Reserve‘s Perks
The value of any card’s benefits varies for everyone. Just because a benefit exists doesn’t mean you’re saving money or getting real value. For instance, if you never use food delivery apps, the DashPass benefit holds no value.
Here’s how to determine the value of the Sapphire Reserve benefits:
- Review your spending habits. Look at your typical monthly expenses in areas where the card’s benefits or bonus categories align with your purchases. The AwardWallet Credit Card Spend Analysis tool is really helpful for this.
- Account for credits. The card offers monthly and annual credits. Identify them and assign them their full (or partial) value based on whether you'd make that purchase if you didn't have a credit for it.
- Calculate bonus points. For benefits that result in extra points, estimate how many more points the Sapphire Reserve earns you over another card in your wallet and calculate the difference in value.
- Ignore unused perks. Don’t assign value to benefits you wouldn’t use if the card wasn’t in your wallet.
Don't have an AwardWallet account yet? Sign up for free and track unlimited rewards programs and travel plans!
Related: How To Evaluate Your Credit Card Portfolio
Is the Sapphire Reserve Worth Its Annual Fee?
The value of the sign-up bonus makes it easy to justify the cost of the Sapphire Reserve in the first year. After that, it’s worth reassessing the benefits you use most and assigning a dollar value based on your habits.
Remember that some perks — like TSA PreCheck credits or lounge access — may overlap with other cards, reducing their overall value.
But all that said, here’s how I evaluate the Sapphire Reserve:
- $300 — Annual travel credit (full value, reimbursed directly)
- $250 — The Edit credit (based on using one of the included credits)
- $400 — Lounge access perks (based on personal usage; your value may vary)
- $75 — Extra value from redeeming 20,000 points annually through the Chase Travel℠
- $30 — Trusted Traveler Program application fee credit ($120 over four years)
- $180 — Estimated savings/points from DashPass, Lyft, and other partners
- $250 — Apple TV+ and Apple Music (I pay for these already)
Total Estimated Value: $1,485
This is a relatively conservative estimate, but many travelers can get more value from the card. However, if you don’t spend much in the card's bonus categories or rarely use the lounge access benefit, the Sapphire Preferred or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card may be better options.
Alternatives to the Sapphire Reserve
If the Sapphire Reserve doesn’t quite fit your needs, here are a few alternatives to consider:
- 10X miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Travel
- 5X miles per $1 on purchases through Capital One Entertainment (through 12/31/2025)
- 5X miles per $1 on flights when booking via Capital One Travel
- 5X miles per $1 on vacation rentals booked via Capital One Travel
- 2X miles per $1 on all other eligible purchases
(Terms apply)
- Earn 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year).
- Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
- Earn 5X points on Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings.
- 5X points on Lyft rides through September 2027
- 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide
- 3X points on eligible streaming services
- 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
- 2X points on all other travel
- 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
The closest competitor to the Sapphire Reserve is the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. Like the Sapphire Reserve, it offers a $300 annual travel credit — though you must book through Capital One Travel to use it. The card also includes 10,000 bonus miles annually (worth at least $100) and a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit every four years.
In terms of earnings, the Capital One Venture X provides 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel, and 2X miles on other eligible purchases, which compares well to the Sapphire Reserve.
However, booking through Capital One Travel can be frustrating, and I typically prefer booking directly with travel providers. The Capital One Venture X falls short when it comes to dining rewards, but allows you to transfer miles to 22 Capital One partners.
The Capital One Venture X offers a similar lounge access perk with Priority Pass and access to Capital One Lounges.
But where the Capital One Venture X stands out most is its lower annual fee of $395, making it a more affordable option while still delivering comparable benefits.
- 10X miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Travel
- 5X miles per $1 on purchases through Capital One Entertainment (through 12/31/2025)
- 5X miles per $1 on flights when booking via Capital One Travel
- 5X miles per $1 on vacation rentals booked via Capital One Travel
- 2X miles per $1 on all other eligible purchases
American Express Platinum Card®
For those wanting maximum travel perks, the American Express Platinum Card® is worth considering. It has a $895 annual fee (Rates & Fees), but various credits help offset the cost.
- You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you're approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount - all with no credit score impact. If you're approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Get more for your travels with 5X Membership Rewards® points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel®, including Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings. You earn 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
- More Value! With over 1,550 airport lounges - more than any other credit card company on the market* - enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection®, over $850 of annual value, with access to Centurion Lounges, 10 complimentary Delta Sky Club® visits when flying on an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations), Priority Pass Select membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges. * As of 07/2025.
- More Value! $200 Uber Cash + $120 Uber One Credit: With the Platinum Card® you can receive $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a bonus $20 in December when you add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to use on rides and orders in the U.S when you select an Amex Card for your transaction. Plus, when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply.
- More Value! $300 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $25 in statement credits each month after you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card® at participating partners. Enrollment required.
- More Value! $600 Hotel Credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel® using the Platinum Card®. *The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- New! $400 Resy Credit + Platinum Nights by Resy: When you use the Platinum Card® to pay at U.S. Resy restaurants and to make other eligible purchases through Resy, you can get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter with the $400 Resy Credit benefit. Plus, with Platinum Nights by Resy, you can get special access to reservations on select nights at participating in demand Resy restaurants with the Platinum Card®. Simply add your eligible Card to your Resy profile to book and discover Platinum Nights reservations near you, enrollment required.
- More Value! $209 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR Plus Membership* with up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR Plus with the Platinum Card®. *Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to the Platinum Card® Account*. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
- Start your vacation sooner, and keep it going longer. When you book Fine Hotels + Resorts® through American Express Travel®, enjoy noon check-in upon arrival, when available, and guaranteed 4PM check-out.
- New! $300 lululemon Credit: Enjoy up to $75 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® for eligible purchases at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and lululemon.com. That's up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year. Enrollment required.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Receive a statement credit* for one monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) after you pay for Walmart+ each month with the Platinum Card®. *Up to $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Ups not eligible.
- $100 Saks Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com on the Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits from January through June and up to $50 in statement credits from July through December. No minimum purchase required. Enrollment required.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- $895 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- Earn 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year).
- Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
- Earn 5X points on Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings.
If maximized, these benefits (combined) can exceed the annual fee.
And while the earning structure isn’t as strong for everyday purchases, the Platinum Card® excels on airfare and prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel. However, it lacks the flexibility of the Sapphire Reserve‘s 4X earning rate on these categories.
- You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you're approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount - all with no credit score impact. If you're approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Get more for your travels with 5X Membership Rewards® points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel®, including Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings. You earn 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
- More Value! With over 1,550 airport lounges - more than any other credit card company on the market* - enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection®, over $850 of annual value, with access to Centurion Lounges, 10 complimentary Delta Sky Club® visits when flying on an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations), Priority Pass Select membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges. * As of 07/2025.
- More Value! $200 Uber Cash + $120 Uber One Credit: With the Platinum Card® you can receive $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a bonus $20 in December when you add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to use on rides and orders in the U.S when you select an Amex Card for your transaction. Plus, when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply.
- More Value! $300 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $25 in statement credits each month after you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card® at participating partners. Enrollment required.
- More Value! $600 Hotel Credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel® using the Platinum Card®. *The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- New! $400 Resy Credit + Platinum Nights by Resy: When you use the Platinum Card® to pay at U.S. Resy restaurants and to make other eligible purchases through Resy, you can get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter with the $400 Resy Credit benefit. Plus, with Platinum Nights by Resy, you can get special access to reservations on select nights at participating in demand Resy restaurants with the Platinum Card®. Simply add your eligible Card to your Resy profile to book and discover Platinum Nights reservations near you, enrollment required.
- More Value! $209 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR Plus Membership* with up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR Plus with the Platinum Card®. *Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to the Platinum Card® Account*. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
- Start your vacation sooner, and keep it going longer. When you book Fine Hotels + Resorts® through American Express Travel®, enjoy noon check-in upon arrival, when available, and guaranteed 4PM check-out.
- New! $300 lululemon Credit: Enjoy up to $75 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® for eligible purchases at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and lululemon.com. That's up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year. Enrollment required.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Receive a statement credit* for one monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) after you pay for Walmart+ each month with the Platinum Card®. *Up to $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Ups not eligible.
- $100 Saks Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com on the Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits from January through June and up to $50 in statement credits from July through December. No minimum purchase required. Enrollment required.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- $895 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- Earn 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year).
- Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
- Earn 5X points on Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
If the Sapphire Reserve’s annual fee feels too high, the Sapphire Preferred is a solid alternative at $95 per year. It earns the same valuable points but without premium perks like lounge access or a big travel credit.
The Sapphire Preferred offers a modest $50 annual hotel credit, but this pales in comparison to the Sapphire Reserve’s $300 broader travel credit. It earns 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases., though it lacks the 8X categories on Chase travel and dining purchases.
When redeeming points through Chase Travel℠, the Sapphire Preferred’s points are worth up to 1.75¢, compared to the up to 2¢ per point with the Sapphire Reserve. This can make a significant difference if you redeem frequently through Chase’s portal.
- Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
- Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
- 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- 5X points on Lyft rides through September 2027
- 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide
- 3X points on eligible streaming services
- 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
- 2X points on all other travel
- 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases
Bottom Line
Depending on who you are, how you travel, and how you spend your money, the Sapphire Reserve may be worth its $795 — or maybe it won't. No matter what, you should continuously evaluate what's in your wallet to ensure your card works for you and provides tangible value. Otherwise, you're not getting what you're paying for.
- Earn 125,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Get more than $2,700 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
- Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠ and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases
- $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests. Plus, up to $120 towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck® every 4 years
- Get up to $150 in statement credits every six months for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
- Get complimentary Apple TV+, the exclusive streaming home of Apple Originals. Plus Apple Music - all the music you love, across all your devices. Subscriptions run through 6/22/27 - a value of $250 annually
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠
- 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly
- 3x points on dining worldwide
- 1x points on all other purchases
FAQ
Is the Chase Sapphire Reserve really worth it?
This depends on your unique circumstances. If you can use the card's $300 travel credit each year, then you need to get $495 in additional annual value from the lounge membership, spending credits, and elevated earning rates.
How much do I have to spend for Chase Sapphire Reserve to be worth it?
It depends on your spending categories. If you redeem at least 62,000 points annually in the travel portal (using the elevated redemption rates), this card justifies its higher fee in comparison to the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
Is the Chase Sapphire Reserve hard to get?
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a Visa Infinite card. This is the highest category of Visa credit cards and typically requires an excellent credit score — considered to be 750 or above. That's not the only factor, though. Proof of income and other application rules also matter.
Who is the Chase Sapphire Reserve best for?
This card is ideal for those who want top-notch perks from their credit card. Think lounge access, multiple spending credits, and elevated earning rates. If you won't take advantage of these, it's hard to justify the annual fee.
Why is the Chase Sapphire Reserve so popular?
It's popular because it offers so much. A $300 annual travel credit covers more than half of the annual fee, plus you get unlimited lounge visits, strong earning rates, and earn valuable points that can be used in multiple ways.
Should I pay off my Chase Sapphire immediately?
As with all credit cards, you should pay your bill in full each month — on or before the due date. If you don't pay your full bill each month, you will accrue interest. This can negate the value of rewards you earn and can lead to debt.
When can I cancel my Chase Sapphire Reserve to avoid an annual fee?
If you decide to cancel your card, do so within 30 days of the annual fee posting to your account. Within this timeframe, Chase typically allows cardholders to close their account and have the fee removed from their final bill.
Does Chase Sapphire increase credit?
It is possible to build your credit score and to get an increased credit line. Using credit cards responsibly can build credit history and improve your credit score. If you use your card responsibly, Chase also may provide an increased credit limit — which could further help your credit score.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Rates & Fees), Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees), and American Express Platinum Card® (Rates & Fees)
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Does the $300 annual travel credit count towards spending on the chase travel portal? So for the first year at least, I could wipe out an $800 purchase on the chase travel portal ($500 sign up bonus+$300 annual travel credit) covering the cost of the annual fee?, making all the other perks (including the 100k sub points) net positive? Just making sure I understand correctly.
I filed an insurance claim that was approved however I have to refile after my airline credit expires. Since I booked the trip with my CSR and got my claim approved, do I have to be a current CSR holder when I refile my claim or can I downgrade before that point?
Not sure if my rides would make up for it.. might just need to cancel. But I do like the lounge access though lol.
We have the card and, at least when not being impacted by COVID, it is definitely worth if you charge a lot and like to travel (as the value of the points really add up and you book any award travel through their website). Even with COVID, as the article points out they are adding some new benefits to make up for the same (e.g. DoorDash and grocery/gas bonuses and reimbursements in lieu of travel). Make sure you sign up when there is a strong sign up bonus.
The signup bonus hasn’t changed since the initial launch offer and I don’t expect it to again anytime soon.
It looks that it is well worth the annual fee of $450 because there is $300 per year as a travel credit. I keep that several years.
Ordinarily I wouldn’t need to think about how to rack up $300 in travel expenses. If you make one flight a year you’re there. But this is no longer trivial, given we’re in a pandemic that isn’t going away any time soon. Is there an expense that can count as ‘travel’ that is compatible with self isolating at home for the forseeable future, maybe with the occasional drive in your own car? Are there good travel gift cards that don’t expire? I’m going to get on planes/trains/buses again, and stay in hotels again, but not before there’s a vaccine. So what would you say is the easiest way to get to $300 in this situation, to help keep this card worthwhile?
Any reports of being able to get the annual fee reduced to $450 for a new CSR? Trying to decide between applying for CSP or CSR and I think that $100 would make the difference.
This year many airlines may change policy on how to redeem mileage. Better wait a little while.
I opted for this card as a travel card – the $300 credit, Priority Pass lounge entry, Global Entry, and no foreign transfer fees more than make back the annual fee.
The rest is gravy: 3% points on travel related purchases, auto collision waiver, trip delay coverage, emergency evacuation , emergency medical & dental reimbursement, trip delay coverage, Door Dash, Lyft, etc
Not worth the extra $100 to me. Lyft is a commodity — I use Uber and Lyft inter-changably depending who is more available and cheaper. And I don’t use food delivery services. The deadlines on the new Covid benefits are too tight and too complicated.
Deadlines too tight? You mean like the bonus categories only being for three months? I guess some love simplicity but I love trying to work the system.
Not worth it for me. Most of the new perks are useless to me, especially under the restrictive lifestyle changes caused by COVID.
Thankfully I think I’ll have another year of $450…
I was ready to downgrade mine this year to the regular Saphire. I don’t use lyft or Doordash. These perks are worthless to me. Luckily they pushed back the fee hike till next year because of covid so I’ll keep til my renewal date.
Regular Sapphire? You should choose a freedom instead.
As with every answer, it depends on your spending habits.
IMHO, this card is certainly NOT worth $550 for 2020.
The extra $100 is still hard to justify in my opinion. It’s nice that they reduced the fee back for renewals but surprised they didn’t really offer anything else to new card members. Though the ability to now get the $300 on grocery makes it almost a no brainer at a $250 net fee, even before the rest of the perks (assuming travel perks are not very useful for the next year)
I’ve had the CSR for years, but the extra $100 may drive me elsewhere. The lack of PP lounges in ORD domestic terminals is a killer for me.
It’s not likely I will renew the CSR at $550.
It would be interesting, if there was a follow up analysis as to what is the best combination of cards in the same range of yearly fees (the various AmEx platinums, Aspire, etc.). My initial thought would be to have both the Chase card and the personal platinum. Or might some other combination work better from a benefits standpoint?
Thanks for the Lyft breakdown. The travel insurance is a nice perk of this card too that many others don’t have.
Travel insurance just saved me a TON of money. I had travel booked but my PCS date got changed (due to COVID – but change of orders are covered). So far I got my $15 booking fee reimbursed and when my credits expire, I’ll get around $1,850 and $650 back. A lot of cards have travel insurance but this card just easily paid for itself.
It depends .. on how much the benefits described in the value proposition are used….Its could be very interesting!!
my answer is, “NOPE!” stick with CSP and you’d be happier without worrying about where to spend the CSR benefits
Good detailed breakdown of the value of the card. Helpful in deciding if to get it.
Getting harder and harder to justify keeping this card with the increased annual fee and benefits which are incredibly difficult to take advantage of during these times. Would have liked to see more benefits, even if temporary.
I used to have the Chase card and got rid of it. Now I might have to get it again. Thanks for the information
Still on the fence. Got plenty of value with Priority Pass and the $300 credit, but new benefits are not as valuable to us. Hope they would increase return to 5% for airfare, lodging, and dining!
For the $100 increase, I really wish they would’ve done something else; either change the multipliers to 4x or add a third category of groceries at 3x. Lyft and DoorDash do nothing for me and I think they’re temporary benefits anyway.
Lounge access and air ticket credit is worth $500+ , if you add the value of lyft and doordash it add upto over $600 .
The travel credit is a hard $300 so you’re saying PP is worth $200 – which actually you don’t earn points on that $300 so you COULD say that $300 is only worth $282…
Anyway, the value of PP will depend on how many times you use it. I value each visit on average around $10 so I’d have to use it 20 times to get $200 in value from it.
$550 doesn’t seem worth it to me! I don’t often use DoorDash or Lyft and would probably only end up spending more to justify the added fees.
To be fair, that is their goal.
Really not great for those who primarily use the card abroad!
How so? I’d argue the opposite. Amex has a lot of categories restricted to the US while Chase does not. Priority Pass also tends to be better overseas. I live in Australia at the moment and the card has been great for me.
Definitely keeping this card
I would vote yes. I love the restaurant feature with the Priority Pass. I use that with the airline lounge access and I don’t have to eat the meal on the flight. That gives me an extra 1 to 1.5 hours of sleep on the overnight long haul flights.
It definitely depends on what your regular airports are. PP restaurants are few and far between. 🙁
At this point, I am hoping that maybe American Express or other credit cards can offer something good like 100k pts to gather CSR users. I am definitely looking to hop to another premium credit card
Unfortunately they don’t need to do anything. Chase lowered the value of their premium card and are quite figuratively pushing tens of thousands of people out the door.
The really puzzling thing is that they market this as *the* travel card, yet introduced benefits that are only available in select markets in the US. How are those of us who spend much of the year abroad meant to get real value out of these perks?
Seriously. I don’t put Lyft as a company to be considered as a product of an elite travel card. Centurion lounges however…
Always appreciate the insightful analysis. Had been considering product changing from CSP to CSR. However, I’ll stick with the CSP as the CSR changes and increased fee have actually decreased my interest in the card as it lessened the value to me.
It was only a few months ago that I signed up at $450, and wondered if I would every break even. At least I have a while until the $550 fee will be due.
Don’t forget about things like Chase offers – there are lots of ways to help chip away at the fee. Priority Pass being another. I’m mad about the increase but it may still be the best option.
My Chase offers are always crap. I get 5 at most and they’re for things I wouldn’t even consider with the exception of Starbucks but I’m trying to cut back on that.
We order food for delivery at least once a week so the Doordash credit and DashPass will be put to good use. However, Lyft is almost always more expensive in my city even with the Pink discount.
Is it worth $550/year? Well, it is however putting it side by side with the Platinum card doesn’t even compare. That card gives Centurion Lounge access, Priority Pass (albeit minus the restaurants), and Delta lounge access when flying Delta. And I’m not even done. You also get BOTH Hilton and Marriott status. You also get 5x purchase categories and still so many more things too (an extra 4 hours on your rental car anyone?).
So all that said, is the CSR worth $550? Probably. But it’s living in Amex’s shadow and not doing anything to catch up. Chase needs to give at least Hyatt Explorist status and allow United Club access when flying United or create its own Sapphire airport lounges. The CSR was an AMAZING card that for some unknown reason just stepped into Amex’s shadow.
It is definitely not worth it for most.
To be fair this is a high dollar premium card to start with and the target audience is already really small. Unfortunately for us the target demographic doesn’t actually change much increasing the fee by $100.
Overall, these changes will result in less people holding the CSR, which I think is one of Chase’s goals. There will be many who won’t use the DoorDash and Lyft benefits.
Bingo. There have been many articles stating that the CSR loses Chase money (but they do it to try and build banking relationships). It A) increases more revenue per cardholder and B) lowers the number of churners and people who are a money drain on Chase.
Not so excited but still probably keep card, reluctantly.
I apologize if this has been asked or already answered somewhere else, but thought this would be the best place….
I am considering signing up for the CSR for myself and my girlfriend (as an authorized user), but had a couple of questions. Are the $300 travel credit, Global Entry and TSA credit split between the two cards or will we each get our own (hypothetically speaking of course, since I have not yet applied, LOL)?
Global Entry would be available for both you and the authorized user. You only get one $300 travel credit. But either cardholder could trigger it. (So you could spend $135 on your card and the AU could spend $165 on her card and you’d get a credit for each travel purchase). But once you hit $300, you’re done for the year until the credit resets.
One other thing to note is that you both get your own Priority Pass. I have also heard that only the main user gets Global Entry. I believe Erik but I’d confirm that if that will make or break your decision.
I kept CSR primarily for primary car rental coverage in North America. $150 a year can be justified for this ($450 minus $300 that is easily used).
Door Dash and Lyft pink provide very little added value to me so the increased AF is a showstopper.
My 2020 credit card strategy will be $95 a year for CSP to keep primary car rental coverage / travel benefits and another $95 for a Hilton Amex Surpass that comes with 10 Priority passes for the occasional layover. Free weekend night and Hilton gold status are benefits that don’t overlap with CSP that I can also use more than justifying the $95 AF.
Not sure if I will keep CSR or not. I like the full coverage insurance but haven’t found the lounges to be much of a benefit. Either there isn’t a lounge or it is in another terminal, etc.
Or the lounges automatically say they’re full. The real benefit is restaurants but you have to travel through airports that have them.
I think for a lot of people the answer is not worth it, but not sure for myself.
I agree with you but as always there is no one size fits all answer so we should always be doing cost benefit analyses.
I have another year of $450. Might stick with it first.
Keeping it. i get far more value from the transferring to airline partners
The new benefits definitely skew towards city dwellers. Very difficult to justify the higher fee if you are outside DoorDash delivery areas and don’t use Lyft much. I will stick with Sapphire Preferred.
It’s also odd that these aren’t travel benefits on a travel card. Copying Amex is just going to have the CSR lose it’s identity and get branded as the copycat imitator but is clearly missing lounge access (ie Centurion lounges) and hotel status (Platinum card offers gold status at both Hilton and Marriott and CSR offers…?).
Be careful with Doordash. Compare the Doordash prices with the restaurant’s own website prices. The restaurant’s prices I chose were exactly $2.00 LESS per item than the Doordash prices.
I’d second this. Doordash is an additional party that needs to get paid, so the prices go up. The value they offer is convenience – many restaurants on one site – and a better ordering interface. But, if you’re frugal, go directly to the restaurant site to order… or go old school and call.
Unfortunately you’re right. When we get a “free” $60 credit, it’s probably actually only $45 worth of food and I wouldn’t even value that at $45 because it’s forcing me to spend money I otherwise wouldn’t have spent. I’ll value the credit at around $30 each year and then it sounds like it’ll go away.
We live in a small town, the only time we CAN order Doordash, Grubhub or anything other than Domino’s is when we travel and honestly, I LOVE HAVING IT AVAILABLE! After a long day of sight seeing or travel, it is great to be able to just go on the app and have it delivered to the hotel and even if it is overpriced, it is no where NEAR the ridiculous prices charged by room service, if your hotel even has room service as it seems so many even nice hotels have stopped it anymore. I mean seriously, we’ve been to hotels where they literally charge $29-48 for a CHEESEBURGER LOL! For two people to eat room service it can be $100 or more! They add in a mandatory gratuity, service charge, etc. in addition to the overpriced food and yeah, Doordash looks like a fantastic value!
I will say I got a little ticked off this year with the CSR Travel Credit because I had booked a condo using Homeaway. com and they didn’t apply the credit. I asked why, they said it is because they are classified as a “Real Estate Company” which is funny because on Award Wallet, they are listed as a travel provider. I had rented at the same condos before under VRBO and they applied the credit so lesson learned to check the category if possible with CSR BEFORE booking.
There’s a website out there where you can see how Visa codes every single establishment. Sorry to hear about your experience but life lessons are learned all the time. I’ve definitely learned a few.
Yeah I’ve done a comparison too. I’ll be redeeming my $60 credit and that’s it. But on the other hand, if you get free delivery, I’m ok at times with just calling the higher price “the delivery fee” if it’s not worth my time to go out.
The new $550 annual fee is absolutely not worth it.
Chase must be out of their mind to think they can command $550 for the CSR.
I’m going to cancel my CSR once I get charged with the higher annual fee.
I’m with you except look up the average spend on a CSR. $100 increase in the annual fee sucks but most people see hundreds, if not thousands in rewards. Yes an extra $100 chips away at that but is the average user willing to throw away $800 in net rewards and get a different card just because they used to earn a net of $900? Don’t make a rash, emotional decision and just reevaluate your numbers.
With the new fee and new benefits, I’ll pass on this. I don’t find them useful and have priority pass from another card.
A key question here is whether the DashPass and Lyft Pink wind up being ongoing benefits. If they’re just intro benefits for a year or two, but the increased annual fee is permanent, then in the long run the CSR is a worse deal than it was before. If they’re long-term benefits (and one will use them enough to get significant value out of them) then it could be a better deal.
Agree 100%. If they drop them, I’ll be voting with my wallet.
It sounds to me like they’re temporary benefits to help ease the pain of transitioning to a $550 AF.
I think the biggest benefits of this card are the priority pass and point transfers.
Travel insurance is a big intangible you don’t really think of too. You don’t know you need it until you do.
Great, thorough post. I wasn’t aware of some of the CSR temporary l benefits that were added due to the coronavirus (specifically, reimbursement of gas station and grocery store purchases) – TY!
The CSR travel protection benefits (especially primary rental car insurance) is the one – and probably only – reason I’ll keep this card even with such an outlandish new price tag.
I have zero use for Doordash or any food delivery service – the prices on Doordash are significantly higher than calling the same restaurant directly or placing an order directly through its website… and I use Lyft once or twice a year, if at all.
The Citi Prestige card (designed for travel) was rendered useless for travel – other than the free hotel nights – when all travel protections were eliminated, unless I’m missing something. Like what on earth was Citi thinking?
I just used the travel insurance myself. Got the $15 Orbitz booking fee back and when my AA credits expire, I can claim that too.
I do not have any use of the delivery service benefits.
Same here. It seems to be an odd perk for a travel card but also they’re copying Amex yet again.
It would be hard for me to justify the fee.
This breaks down the benefits nicely versus the higher annual fee. Unfortunately, it’s just not viable for me.
Same. Never used Lyft or Doordash before in my life and aside from using the $60 credit, I still won’t. They are probably losing me as a customer – but I think that may secretly be part of their intent: to reduce the user base and stop the bleeding.
It is time to put a stop to the iPhone-level annual fees. Seriously.
I don’t think it’s worth it! I was going to upgrade my CSP this year, but decided not to after the price increase.
Yeah probably not this year. I’d say Priority Pass offers the most value and if you won’t be traveling much, you really won’t be using the benefits.
Benefits aren’t worth the price increase.
I’m in agreement with you but there’s no one best solution for many people. For some the new benefits are amazing. For some the new benefits do absolutely nothing but the extra $100 is still worth it, and for some it just may have priced us out of a premium card. I may be the latter…
Good post. I like the breakdown you did of how the card would benefit you. It’s nice to have an example. I would have to have another benefit because like you said if you have delivery or use lyft often, etc it’s not great for me right now. I don’t travel as much right now so all the card with a higher fee will be examined closer once I do travel more and can take advantage of all the benefits.
Thanks for the analysis. I transfer my points to Hyatt or other partners where I can get more than 1.5 cents of value, so the CSP seems better for me. Also, I’m well over 5/24, which makes it a moot point for now.
Hyatt is probably the best transfer partner there is. I’m strongly considering switching to the CSP longterm.
Love my CSR at $450, but not so much at $550. Since the $300 credit is a no brainer, is the extra $250 worth it? The best benefit for me is the Priority Lounge access, especially overseas (I REALLY wish PP had better domestic lounge access at ORD, DFW, etc.).
So, how much will I be traveling overseas next year? (already paid the $450 for 2020). Well, if the coronavirus sticks around, maybe not so much. I’ll probably ditch the CSR and move on to a different, cheer card with long access.
Overall, I think Chase may have squeezed too much of the value out of the CSR.
PP needs better lounges to be of any value. The only places in the US I can use are the few restaurants.
I think just comparing CSR with CSP isn’t a complete comparison. You also want to compare CSR with AmEx Plat ecosystem and Citi Prestige ecosystem.
Well, you could treat it like a playoff system, kind of. Pick the best Chase card (or ecosystem) and compare the top system from each setup. So you could weigh just the CSP and CSR (also assuming they’re paired with the two Freedoms) and decide which of those two cards is better for you.
Then compare to Amex’s setup, then to Citi’s, etc. Just compare two things at a time and pick which is better slowly making eliminations.
Is the annual $550 for Chase Sapphire Reserve card worth it? The answer is NO.
I’m disappointed in the annual fee increase. The results may be worth it, but i prefer Uber over lyft anyway. Worth looking into though.
I’d argue the results aren’t worth it and if I recall correctly, Chase is a financial backer to both Lyft and DoorDash too.
Thanks for the interest. Still not sure it would be worth leaving AmEx Platinum. However, might be worth it to have both cards. Your take on that possibility?
It really depends on whether you can get value from the benefits that don’t overlap (i.e. Priority Pass lounges). I personally have the Amex Plat, CSR, and Prestige.
I easily cover Platinum costs with Uber, Saks 5th Credit, and the Airline Fee credit + I visit the Centurion Lounge 5-10x per year.
For CSR, now $250/year after the $300 credit, I’ll recover most of that via Lyft Pink with around $200/month in Lyft charges. I could drop the CSR if they don’t make Lyft pink permanent after the first year.
For Prestige, I easily use the 4th night free 2x per year, so I come out way ahead on that card.
It’s also worth noting that Amex eliminated Priority Pass restaurants. I use the $28 per person meal credit with my spouse a few times a year, so that adds another $56-$112 in value (but that benefit could be with either the CSR or Prestige priority pass.
Again, really comes down to overall travel habits.
If you can legitimately use the credits, the Amex plat is a powerful card. Hotel status, lounge access… Chase has none of that. (Priority Pass but they both have that.)
I don’t really use the Lyft or Door Dash benefits, so I would rather they kept the price down and not offered these.
Unfortunately I can guarantee you the price increase was happening no matter what. The “extra” benefits we got were added to help justify the increase, not the other way around. These new benefits did not cost Chase $100. Period.
OR one exception would be yes these extra benefits do cost Chase more than $100, but they’re temporary and help ease customers into the new longterm increase before falling back to normal but we now pay $550 instead of $450.
I agree. I think Chase needed to raise the fee and then looked for additional benefits rather than added benefits but the had to increase the fee. But who knows. Doordash and Lyft are both heavily backed by Chase so it very well could have been a desire to push these services and subsequently increase the fee.
I just got my CSR – to get in under the increase in AF. Most of these new benefits don’t help me – especially the Lyft Pink since it’s just 15% off vs. actual cash in your account like the AMEX Platinum gives you with Uber. I’ll try it for a year. I’m hoping the $28 pp (for 2) Priority Pass restaurant meals will pay off. And, of course, there’s the $300 travel benefit. So the jury is still out for me.
Likewise here. Lyft and Doordash do nothing for me so I got a $100 increase for no new benefits. If they would add and/or keep the grocery category, that would change things a lot.
I would love for the grocery category to stay. The green, gold, and platinum card are all legit competitors to the CSR so Chase REALLY needs to up their game.
I also was disappointed in the annual fee increase but I will keep my card. Points, Priority Pass, Travel Trip Interruption, Lyft, etc keeps me in.
I would guess many (like myself) won’t really see much value from the card changes — it will be a negative. But certainly some will see a benefit.
It doesn’t quite make sense (well it does – they’re copying Amex). Lyft and Doordash aren’t really travel items. I definitely lose out by paying $100 more for no additional benefits.
The $300 credit is used almost as a given, add in the door dash that nearly pays for the card even if you only take a weekend trip somewhere. CDW is good, so is Priority Pass if you fly much. I currently have Amex Biz Plat, Citi Prestige and CSR but am probably going to cancel the Biz plat as the higher fee isn’t really worth it with the loss of the $200 American Airlines Gift card option…that made the fee worth it but the other benefits don’t seem to be worth the increase, between husband and me it is not worth it. Funny, Amex recently sent offer for 2nd BizPlat card….thought it was weird?
It used to be a given. In the current COVID climate….not so much.
Chase has made it far easier to use during COVID and to my knowledge you still earn points when you trigger the credit unlike when you trigger it on travel purchases.
In my opinion yes. Overall, the roster of transfer partners is superior to the closest competition (AmEx), and the annual credits the CSR offers are easier to utilize, and the Lyft offer is a decent addition. For me, the CSR is still the overall winner amongst premium CCs.
Sadly a lot of these benefits are temporary. I don’t think Doordash or Lyft Pink will be staying longterm.
Still keeping it too, because the Priority Pass restaurant access easily provides my family with over $600 in benefits annually. I’m no fan of increased fees, but even if none of these other benefits had been added, it was still a keeper. If they pull an Amex and drop that though, the math immediately changes.
I’m quite jealous. We don’t travel often so we can’t use PP much. 🙁
Yeah, between that and $300 travel credit, it pretty much pays for itself….errr….paid for itself. Not sure how I can justify it with no traveling now though.