As bank card annual fees proceed to rise, it is essential to take a essential have a look at your pockets to make sure you’re getting the total worth out of your setup.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) fees $795 per yr. Although that is at present the second-highest annual payment within the premium travel rewards credit card market, its price is offset by multiple perks and statement credits.
Is it value it? Let’s overview the advantages of the Sapphire Reserve and see if they supply sufficient worth.
Welcome bonus
New candidates to the Chase Sapphire Reserve can earn 150,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
This bonus is value $3,075, per TPG’s Could 2026 valuation of Chase Ultimate Rewards factors at 2.05 cents every. That is virtually quadruple the $795 annual payment — and is the very best publicly obtainable supply we have seen in the card’s history.
Nevertheless, you may solely earn this bonus once in a lifetime, so you will wish to maximize the opposite advantages on the cardboard to make its place in your pockets worthwhile.
Associated: Chase Ultimate Rewards points: How to redeem for maximum value
Lounge entry
A high perk for individuals who maintain the Sapphire Reserve is airport lounge entry for themselves and as much as two visitors.
This entry contains eight Chase Sapphire Lounges at present open and lounges included with a Priority Pass Select membership. Precedence Cross grants entry to greater than 1,700 lounges worldwide. Plus, when flying with a Star Alliance airline, you will obtain entry to greater than 20 Air Canada Maple Leaf lounges.
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Sapphire Reserve authorized users obtain the identical airport lounge entry for a $195 payment annually.
If you happen to’re a frequent traveler who prefers stopping by a lounge earlier than a flight, this card comes with entry to high-quality Chase lounges and Precedence Cross areas.
Nevertheless, should you do not journey often or hardly ever go to lounges if you fly, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) is a better option. You will nonetheless earn Chase Final Rewards factors, however you will pay solely a $95 annual payment.
Associated: Amex Platinum vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve: Which premium travel card is right for you?
Versatile journey credit score
The Sapphire Reserve offers one of many easiest travel credits to make use of: a $300 annual travel credit that broadly applies to a number of journey purchases.
This credit score is routinely triggered by eligible purchases, together with bus tickets, campgrounds, ferries, flights, inns and parking.
The journey credit score alone slashes greater than a 3rd off the Sapphire Reserve’s $795 annual payment, successfully reducing it to $495 a yr.
If you happen to’re eligible for a enterprise card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ (see rates and fees) is also a stable choice for you. This card comes with the identical annual journey credit score and different advantages useful for enterprise house owners.
Associated: The 5 easiest travel credits to redeem
Helpful journey advantages
Frequent vacationers are the Sapphire Reserve‘s audience, and the cardboard offers a number of perks to assist them offset the annual payment.
The Edit credit score
Sapphire Reserve cardholders obtain entry to The Edit, Chase’s luxurious lodge reserving platform.
Reserving with The Edit offers entry to priceless perks at numerous properties, together with free each day breakfast for 2, early check-in and late checkout (when obtainable), and space-available room upgrades (when obtainable).
Cardholders additionally obtain two $250 statement credits to make use of with The Edit (as much as $500 yearly). This is applicable if you e-book eligible properties with Chase Travel℠. You will need to e-book pay as you go stays of at the least two nights. The credit can be utilized at any time, however they can not be mixed.
If you happen to totally maximize the final journey ($300) and The Edit ($500) assertion credit annually, that $800 complete greater than offsets the $795 annual payment.
Nevertheless, should you do not assume you will maximize one or each of The Edit credit or do not thoughts staying in midrange properties, a lodge cobranded card or mid-tier common journey rewards card could be a extra inexpensive choice. The Citi Strata Premier® Card (see rates and fees), with its $95 annual payment, might be a good selection.
Complimentary elite standing
The cardboard offers Hertz Five Star status for perks when reserving a rental, reminiscent of 25% bonus factors on all Hertz leases and complimentary one-car-class upgrades (topic to availability).
Cardholders additionally obtain complimentary IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status (by Dec. 31, 2027). This mid-tier standing degree contains bonus factors, plus complimentary upgrades and late checkout (when obtainable).
If you happen to spend $75,000 or extra on the Sapphire Reserve in a calendar yr, you will earn top-tier IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite standing, World of Hyatt Explorist status and Southwest Rapid Rewards A-List standing.
Different journey rewards playing cards, such because the American Express Platinum Card® — which supplies cardmembers complimentary Gold standing with Hilton Honors, Gold Elite standing with Marriott Bonvoy and Sterling standing with The Leading Hotels of the World (enrollment required) for a $895 annual payment (see rates and fees) — present elite standing for the next annual payment.
Associated: A comparison of luxury hotel programs from credit card issuers: Amex, Capital One, Chase and Citi
Eating perks
The Sapphire Reserve gives stable perks for foodies. The cardboard covers all the things from meals supply to these hard-to-get reservations. If you happen to prefer to spend on meals, this card might be well worth the annual payment should you maximize the credit.
Biannual eating credit score
Cardholders obtain two $150 biannual credit (as much as $300 per yr) towards reservations made by Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables through OpenTable.
Sapphire Reserve Unique Tables offers entry to particular eating occasions and hard-to-get reservations at choose eating places throughout the U.S. The greater than 25 cities the place these perks can be found embrace New York Metropolis, Philadelphia and Miami. No prepayment or fee by OpenTable is required.
DoorDash advantages
The Sapphire Reserve additionally offers two $10 nonrestaurant promos and one $5 restaurant promo every month (totaling as much as $300 per yr) with DoorDash.
Moreover, cardholders obtain a complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership value $120 for at the least one yr. (The membership have to be activated by Dec. 31, 2027.)
Sapphire Preferred Card holders additionally obtain a complimentary DashPass membership and one $10 nonrestaurant promo every month. This card fees a a lot decrease annual payment than the Sapphire Reserve, so it might be value contemplating if you would like to pay much less for comparable advantages.
Associated: Which purchases count as dining with the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve?
Life-style credit
The Sapphire Reserve additionally gives priceless life-style credit to take the sting out of the annual payment, together with:
- Apple: Obtain as much as $288 yearly in complimentary Apple TV+ and Apple Music subscriptions by June 22, 2027. (One-time activation per service by chase.com or the Chase cell app is required.)
- International Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus: Obtain as much as $120 as an software payment credit score each 4 years.
- Lyft: Obtain $10 month-to-month in-app Lyft credit (as much as $120 yearly, by Sept. 30, 2027; the credit score doesn’t apply to Wait & Save, bike or scooter rides).
- Peloton: Obtain $10 monthly for a Peloton membership (as much as $120 yearly, by Dec. 31, 2027; activation is required).
- StubHub and Viagogo: Obtain $150 biannually (as much as $300 yearly) to make use of on occasion tickets by StubHub or Viagogo by Dec. 31, 2027.
When added collectively, these credit present as much as $948 in worth, which offsets the Sapphire Reserve’s $795 annual payment. Nevertheless, some could discover these life-style credit difficult to maximise. Many are break up into month-to-month or biannual increments, which requires a excessive degree of group.
If you happen to do not wish to spend the additional time factoring these credit into your life-style, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a stable selection. It offers lounge entry and luxurious perks, together with an annual $300 Capital One Travel credit score. Nevertheless, it does not include a protracted record of assertion credit to offset its a lot decrease $395 annual payment.
Associated: How to make the most of Chase Sapphire Reserve’s 5 lifestyle credits
Prime-notch journey and buy protections
As a Visa Infinite card, the Sapphire Reserve gives cardholders journey and buy safety advantages, together with:
You possibly can entry these advantages even should you pay for only a small a part of the journey together with your Sapphire Reserve, reminiscent of taxes and costs on a factors redemption.
Whereas everybody hopes to keep away from journey hiccups, they do occur. The Sapphire Reserve’s strong protections could make its annual payment worthwhile for the peace of thoughts they supply.
The Sapphire Reserve offers greater ranges of journey insurance coverage and buy safety than the Chase Sapphire Preferred, its lower-fee counterpart. Nevertheless, the protections are nonetheless fairly comparable, so it could be value contemplating the $95-annual-fee card should you do not require the strongest protection.
Associated: Should you get travel insurance if you have credit card protection?
Backside line
The Chase Sapphire Reserve carries a excessive $795 annual payment.
Nevertheless, the cardboard offers a protracted record of advantages — together with lounge entry, journey credit, luxurious advantages, life-style credit, eating perks and journey protections — to assist offset that.
If you happen to maximize the perks, the mathematics works out. If you cannot sustain, a less complicated choice, such because the $95-annual-fee Chase Sapphire Preferred, could also be higher.
And, should you’re eligible for a enterprise card, take into account the comparable Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business or the $95-annual-fee Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (see rates and fees) since additionally they earn priceless Chase Final Rewards factors.
To be taught extra, take a look at our full review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Reserve
For charges and costs of the Amex Platinum, click on here.
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