As bank card annual charges proceed to rise, it is necessary to take a crucial take a look at your pockets to make sure you’re getting the complete worth out of your setup.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and costs) costs $795 per yr. Whereas that is at present the very best annual payment within the premium journey rewards bank card market, its price is offset by a number of perks and assertion credit.
Is it price 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 100,000 bonus factors plus a $500 Chase Journey℠ promo credit score* after spending $5,000 within the first three months from account opening.
*The promotional credit score is legitimate for a one-time use solely. In case you apply the promotional credit score to a transaction lower than $500, you’ll forfeit the remaining steadiness.
This bonus is price as much as $2,550 per TPG’s August 2025 valuation of Chase Final Rewards factors at 2.05 cents every. That is greater than triple the $795 annual payment.
Nevertheless, you’ll be able to solely earn this bonus as soon as in a lifetime, so you will need to maximize the opposite advantages on the cardboard to make its place in your pockets worthwhile.
Associated: Methods to redeem Chase Final Rewards factors for optimum worth
Lounge entry
A prime perk for many who maintain the Sapphire Reserve is airport lounge entry for themselves and as much as two visitors.
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This entry contains eight Chase lounges at present open and lounges included with a Precedence Move Choose membership. Precedence Move 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.
Sapphire Reserve licensed customers obtain the identical airport lounge entry for a $195 payment annually.
In case you’re a frequent traveler who prefers stopping by the lounge earlier than a flight, this card comes with entry to high-quality Chase lounges and greater than 1,700 Precedence Move places.
Nevertheless, when you do not journey often or hardly ever go to lounges while you fly, the Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card (see charges and costs) is a more sensible choice. You will nonetheless earn Chase Final Rewards factors, however you will pay solely a $95 annual payment.
Associated: Amex Platinum vs. Sapphire Reserve: Which card is best for you?
Versatile journey credit score
The Sapphire Reserve gives one of many best journey credit to make use of in the marketplace. That is the $300 annual journey credit score that broadly applies to a number of journey purchases mechanically.
This credit score is mechanically triggered by eligible purchases, which embrace bus tickets, campgrounds, ferries, flights, accommodations and parking.
The journey credit score alone slashes greater than a 3rd off of the Sapphire Reserve’s $795 annual payment, successfully reducing it to $495 a yr.
In case you’re eligible for a enterprise card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve for Enterprise℠ (see charges and costs) may be a strong choice for you. This card comes with the identical annual journey credit score and different advantages useful for enterprise homeowners.
Associated: The 5 best journey credit to redeem
Helpful journey advantages
Frequent vacationers are the Sapphire Reserve‘s audience, and the cardboard gives a number of perks for them to offset the annual payment.
The Edit credit score
Sapphire Reserve cardholders obtain entry to The Edit, Chase’s luxurious resort reserving platform.
Reserving with The Edit provides entry to elitelike perks at varied properties, together with free day by day breakfast for 2, early check-in and late checkout (when obtainable), and space-available room upgrades (when obtainable).
Cardholders additionally obtain two $250 biannual credit to make use of with The Edit (as much as $500 yearly). This is applicable while you guide eligible properties with Chase Journey. You should guide pay as you go stays of a minimum of two nights.
In case you absolutely maximize the final journey ($300) and The Edit ($500) assertion credit annually, that $800 complete greater than offsets the $795 annual payment.
Nevertheless, when you do not assume you will maximize one or each of The Edit credit, or do not thoughts staying in midrange properties, a resort cobranded card or mid-tier normal journey rewards card could be a extra reasonably priced choice. The Citi Strata Premier® Card (see charges and costs), with its $95 annual payment, might be a sensible choice.
Complimentary elite standing
The cardboard gives Hertz 5 Star standing for perks when reserving a rental, comparable to 25% bonus factors on all Hertz leases and complimentary one-car-class upgrades (topic to availability).
Cardholders additionally obtain complimentary IHG One Platinum Elite standing (via Dec. 31, 2027). This mid-tier standing stage contains bonus factors, and complimentary upgrades and late checkout (when obtainable).
In case you spend $75,000 or extra on the Sapphire Reserve in a calendar yr, you will earn top-tier IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite standing and Southwest Airways A-Listing standing.
Different journey rewards playing cards present elite standing for a decrease annual payment, like The Platinum Card® from American Specific, which supplies cardmembers complimentary Gold standing with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy (enrollment required) for a barely decrease $695 annual payment (see charges and costs).
Associated: A comparability of luxurious resort packages from bank card issuers
Eating perks
The Sapphire Reserve provides strong perks for foodies. The cardboard covers all the pieces from meals supply to these hard-to-get reservations. In case you prefer to spend on meals, this card might be well worth the annual payment when you maximize the credit.
Biannual eating credit score
Cardholders obtain two $150 biannual credit (as much as $300 per yr) towards reservations made via Sapphire Reserve Unique Tables via OpenTable.
Sapphire Reserve Unique Tables gives 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 via OpenTable is required.
DoorDash advantages
The Sapphire Reserve additionally gives two $10 nonrestaurant promos and one $5 restaurant promo every month (totaling as much as $300 per yr) with DoorDash.
Cardholders additionally obtain a complimentary DashPass membership for a minimum of one yr, price $120. (Have to be activated by Dec. 31, 2027.)
Sapphire Most popular cardholders additionally obtain complimentary DashPass and one $10 nonrestaurant promo every month. This card costs a a lot decrease annual payment than the Sapphire Reserve, so it might be price contemplating if you would like to pay much less for comparable advantages.
Associated: Which purchases rely as eating with the Chase Sapphire Most popular and Sapphire Reserve?
Life-style credit
The Sapphire Reserve additionally provides useful life-style credit to take the sting out of the annual payment, together with:
- Apple: As much as $250 yearly in complimentary Apple TV+ and Apple Music subscriptions via June 22, 2027. (One-time activation per service via chase.com or the Chase cell app is required.)
- World Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus: As much as $120 as an software payment credit score each 4 years.
- Lyft: $10 month-to-month in-app Lyft credit (as much as $120 yearly; via Sept. 30, 2027; the credit score doesn’t apply to Wait & Save, bike or scooter rides).
- Peloton: $10 per thirty days for a Peloton membership (as much as $120 yearly; via Dec. 31, 2027; activation is required).
- StubHub and Viagogo: $150 biannually (as much as $300 yearly) to make use of on occasion tickets via StubHub or Viagogo via Dec. 31, 2027.
When added collectively, these credit present as much as $910, which offsets the Sapphire Reserve’s $795 annual payment. Nevertheless, some could discover these life-style credit difficult to maximise. Many are cut up into month-to-month or biannual increments, which requires a excessive stage of group.
In case you do not need to spend the additional time factoring these credit into your life-style, the Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card is a strong selection. It gives lounge entry and luxurious perks, together with an annual $300 Capital One Journey credit score. Nevertheless, it does not include a protracted checklist of assertion credit to offset its a lot decrease $395 annual payment.
Associated: Methods to benefit from the Sapphire Reserve’s life-style credit
Prime-notch journey and buy protections
As a Visa Infinite card, the Sapphire Reserve provides cardholders journey and buy safety advantages, together with:
You may entry these advantages even when you pay for only a small a part of the journey along with your Sapphire Reserve, comparable to taxes and costs on a factors redemption.
When you hope 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 gives larger ranges of journey insurance coverage and buy safety than the Chase Sapphire Most popular, its lower-fee counterpart. Nevertheless, the protections are nonetheless fairly comparable, so it might be price contemplating the $95-annual-fee card when you do not require the strongest protection.
Associated: Do you have to get journey insurance coverage when you have bank card safety?
Backside line
The Chase Sapphire Reserve carries a excessive $795 annual payment.
Nevertheless, the cardboard gives a protracted checklist of advantages — together with lounge entry, journey credit, luxurious advantages, life-style credit, eating perks and journey protections — to assist offset that.
In case you maximize the perks, the maths works out. If you cannot sustain, a less complicated choice, such because the $95-annual-fee Chase Sapphire Most popular, could also be higher.
And, when you’re eligible for a enterprise card, contemplate the comparable Chase Sapphire Reserve for Enterprise or the $95-annual-fee Ink Enterprise Most popular® Credit score Card (see charges and costs) since in addition they earn useful Chase Final Rewards factors.
To study extra, try our full overview of the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Reserve
For charges and costs of the Amex Platinum, click on right here.
