Is Chase Sapphire Reserve worth it?

Yes, Chase Sapphire Reserve is worth getting if you spend at least $6,000 in the first 3 months and qualify for the card’s initial bonus of 125,000 points. Frequent travelers will also get a lot of value out of Chase Sapphire Reserve because it comes with a $300 annual travel credit and good ongoing rewards. The card’s initial bonus, ongoing rewards, and benefits will help you offset its hefty $795 annual fee.

Reasons Why Chase Sapphire Reserve Is Worth Getting

• You earn 1 - 8 points per $1 spent on purchases, including 8 points / $1 spent on all purchases made through Chase Travel℠.
• You’ll have an opportunity to earn an initial bonus of 125,000 points for spending $6,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
• There are several types of travel insurance, including a $1 million benefit for serious injury or death.
• You get a Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership that would usually cost $469 a year.
• You’ll receive a $300 travel credit each account anniversary year.

Tips for Getting the Most Out of Chase Sapphire Reserve

Chase Sapphire Reserve’s attractive features are only worth it if you travel frequently and have the excellent credit needed to get approved. You’ll also need to earn enough rewards – or utilize enough of the card’s other perks – to make it worth owning.

1. Maximize the $300 Annual Travel Credit. Use the $300 credit for eligible travel purchases like flights, hotels, and transit. This credit automatically applies, so you'll recoup a significant portion of the $795 annual fee right away.
2. Take Advantage of the Priority Pass Membership. The complimentary Priority Pass Select membership ($469 value) grants access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide. Frequent travelers can easily offset the annual fee by using this perk alone.
3. Pay Your Balance in Full. In order for Chase Sapphire Reserve to be worth it, it’s important to pay the bill in full each month. Otherwise, you’ll end up paying a 19.74% - 28.24% (V) interest rate on the unpaid balance, which will decrease the overall value of the card’s perks and rewards.

More moderate spenders looking for a travel rewards card without the huge annual fee should check out our editors’ picks for the best travel rewards credit cards to help narrow the search.

It's definitely worth it, if you use it enough. It's not a card that you can just forget about on a shelf somewhere, gathering dust. The first reason for that is the giant annual fee, $795. Second reason is you need to travel quite a lot to make use of their rewards, and to get that sweet sign-up bonus. If you're not sure you'll be travelling, or buying big enough, maybe go for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, it's more laidback.

Chase Sapphire Reserve is a premier card, and has a $795 annual fee. It’s only worth it if you’re able to reap all its benefits, such as a $300 in annual travel credits and 8 points / $1 on dining and travel, to name only a couple. There’s also an initial bonus of 125,000 points for spending $6,000 in the first 3 months from account opening.

I'd like to add a key consideration…This card is marketed for seasoned travelers.  If you're a regular traveler, please pass on this card.  I promise I'm saving you a headache.  I've been on the phone for 1hr 44min (ongoing) to simply use travel credits for one round trip ticket.  Another example is that for ANY confirmation number you need, you're required to call chase travel to obtain that number.  The points are terrific, but they use Expedia on the backend. Therefore, you're paying the fee to use a third party to use Expedia along with the requirement to call their travel center every time a trip doesn't go EXACTLY to plan w/o change (which every travel pro knows is rare)…