Is Chase Sapphire Reserve worth it?

Yes, Chase Sapphire Reserve is worth its $550 annual fee if you spend at least $4,000 in the first 3 months and qualify for the card’s initial bonus of 60,000 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.

Chase Sapphire Reserve Worth: Key Considerations

• You earn 1 - 10 points / $1 spent on purchases, including 10 points / $1 spent on select travel expenses.
• You’ll have an opportunity to earn an initial bonus of 60,000 bonus points for spending $4,000 in the first 3 months.
• Chase Ultimate Rewards Reserved points are worth 50% more than usual when you redeem them for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards Reserved.
• 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 $429 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.

For example, if you make the most of the Priority Pass membership ($429 annual value), along with the $300 annual travel credit, you’d recoup the entire annual fee. That shouldn’t be hard for frequent travelers to do every year. And the more benefits you take advantage of, the less you need to spend to break even.

Finally, 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 21.74% - 28.74% (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, $550. 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 $550 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 10 points / $1 on dining and travel, to name only a couple. There’s also an initial bonus of 60,000 bonus points for spending $4,000 in the first 3 months from account opening.