Got CSR? Pony Up Another Benjamin!

[Red Badger]

Saw an email from Chase with the title about some new bennies. Well, the real "benny" was a $100 increase in the annual fee (Going to $550). There were some convoluted programs for Lyft and Door Dash that I'll need to examine, but CSR is getting rather spendy. I really like all the perks that come with CSR, but,,,, I'll have to decide if they've priced themselves out of my market. YMMV!

 

[BeachOrCity]

I always look at the card fee minus the benefits I would pay for.
$550 less
300 travel credit
60 door dash credit
$190 real cost
For $190 I get these less specific benefits
Nice airport lounges with priority pass
Tsa precheck every few years
Primary car rental coverage
Better travel insurance than most cards
15% off lyft for a year. Plus 10x credit means it’s really more like 25+% off
3 free lyft bikes and scooters each month for a year

Still not too bad a value and very competitive with premium cards from Amex and Citi.

 

[MichaelB]

We got this card a year ago mostly for the travel insurance. The cost of the card is less than the cost of separate insurance, so we’ll renew it for another year.

 

[Red Badger]

OP here. ^^^ Ditto. But I've likely got to transfer most of my rides from Uber to Lyft. Already use Door Dash.

 

[athena53]

Saw an email from Chase with the title about some new bennies. Well, the real "benny" was a $100 increase in the annual fee (Going to $550).

As they say on FlyerTalk, "You've been ENHANCED, Dude!"

I'd looked at the benefits of the premium cards when I was looking to change and decided they weren't worth it. Lounges that accept PriorityPass are starting to get jammed- I bought a Day Pass at the Club at DFW and the attendant "suggested" a seat that was basically a chair with an attached tray in front of it. Turned out that was about the only seat available! Only slightly better than the general waiting areas although it did include snacks and drinks. I don't use DoorDash and rarely use Uber- haven't used Lyft at all.

And every time I look at travel insurance provided with credit cards I see gaps. I don't care as much about lost luggage and being delayed overnight (unless I'm going to miss a cruise ship). I focus on Medical and Evacuation and want VERY good coverage there because I go for active, adventurous travel. I always buy a separate policy.

So I'm sticking with cash back cards.

 

[fh2000]

Last year, we earned more than 50K points from CSR after >$17,000 charged the card for travel. That is at least $500 value earned. So, as long as we continue to travel, I think we will keep this card.

 

[bobandsherry]

We got this card a year ago mostly for the travel insurance. The cost of the card is less than the cost of separate insurance, so we’ll renew it for another year.

If the travel insurance is primary benefit you want, then downgrade from Reserve to Preferred. Same travel benefits, lower annual fee.

 

[bobandsherry]

I always look at the card fee minus the benefits I would pay for.
$550 less
300 travel credit
60 door dash credit
$190 real cost
For $190 I get these less specific benefits
Nice airport lounges with priority pass
Tsa precheck every few years
Primary car rental coverage
Better travel insurance than most cards
15% off lyft for a year. Plus 10x credit means it’s really more like 25+% off
3 free lyft bikes and scooters each month for a year

Still not too bad a value and very competitive with premium cards from Amex and Citi.

Don't forget that you get 50% more points applied to travel booked with points, that's a pretty good savings too.

 

[bobandsherry]

Last year, we earned more than 50K points from CSR after >$17,000 charged the card for travel. That is at least $500 value earned. So, as long as we continue to travel, I think we will keep this card.

Have you looked at downgrading from Reserve to Preferred? A few less perks, but still good point benefit and similar benefits as Reserve. Depending on what perks you use Preferred could be a better option by annual fee saving over Reserve.

 

[Amethyst]

Door Dash doesn't even operate in our locale, a resort town whose population plummets in summer. We will probably keep CSR one more year, due to high travel spending/earning lots of points, and then downgrade.
I agree with Athena53 that Priority Pass isn't much of a value at this point. When you can even find a lounge that takes it, it is jammed to the rafters. For long trips, we are flying business class, so we have the airline's BC lounge to use. Short coach trips are hardly worth dragging our carryons to wherever the PP lounge happens to be.

 

[MichaelB]

If the travel insurance is primary benefit you want, then downgrade from Reserve to Preferred. Same travel benefits, lower annual fee.

Not the same travel insurance. The Sapphire Reserve is broader.

 

[erkevin]

I have been a holder for several years now. Even though Lyft and Doordash are worthless for me, I will keep it. Last year, my wife was diagnosed with C and we had to cancel two trips (booked with CSR). They came through with about a 90% refund. We travel internationally a bit and the $100,000 air evac reimbursement is pretty stress-reducing. We also use the Priority pass a lot. I am not happy about the extra $100, but it will not make me cancel (or move down to the Preferred as we have over 300,000 points and want to keep the 50% bonus).

 

[Chuckanut]

So I'm sticking with cash back cards.

+1

With one exception ($49 yearly fee and it includes one 'free' night a year) my regular cards are all cash back. I use that cash to purchase airline seats with more legroom, have a nice meal at a descent airport restaurant, upgrade the hotel room for a bit more room. It works.

I have been known to get a card for the points only and then cancel it.

 

[bobandsherry]

Not the same travel insurance. The Sapphire Reserve is broader.

I did a compare based on details on Chase website,

Reserve: https://www.chase.com/card-benefits/sapphirereserve/travel

Preferred: https://www.chase.com/card-benefits/sapphirepreferred/travel

The difference I see in regards to Trip Cancellation/Interuption, Baggage Delay, Trip Delay and Lost Luggage is Reserve has Trip Delay Reimbursement for more than 6 hours vs. 12 hours for Preferred.

Looking at the other aspects, Travel Accident Insurance is $1 million for SR vs $500 thousand for SP. So OK, I lose a little something with SR (other than my life or limb).

I guess the biggest difference then is SR includes Medical ($2,500 - which isn't worth much) and Emergency Evacuation/Transportation (limited only to $100K). So I'll give you that's a difference, but coverage for a week with much better coverage, $100K for medical and $500K for Emergency Evac/Transport was $40 for my last trip. But with $95 for SP vs $550 now for SR, plus additional $75 for additional Authorized User, that savings can buy a lot of Medical/Emergency Evac coverage.

Here's a summary I found on PointsGuy site:

 

[Peter]

If the travel insurance is primary benefit you want, then downgrade from Reserve to Preferred. Same travel benefits, lower annual fee.

Preferred doesn't give lounge access. And we've found that to be a very nice benefit, mainly in SE Asia airports.

 

[bobandsherry]

Preferred doesn't give lounge access. And we've found that to be a very nice benefit, mainly in SE Asia airports.

That's why I prefaced it by saying

If the travel insurance is primary benefit you want, then downgrade from Reserve to Preferred. Same travel benefits, lower annual fee.

My comment was in response (and the quote was included in my response) to this message:

We got this card a year ago mostly for the travel insurance. The cost of the card is less than the cost of separate insurance, so we’ll renew it for another year.

So MichaelB didn't mention lounge access. And Preferred can save him a few bucks and not really give up much in travel insurance. I'm sure Reserve still fits the need for many people, but if it's primarily for travel insurance, there is a lower cost option.

 

[geeky_grrl]

I'm grumpy about the increase but will probably keep the card unless I find a cheaper way to get priority pass benefits. I figure the Reserved costs me $155 more than the Preferred ($550 - $300 travel credit - $95 preferred fee) to get priority pass and the travel evacuation insurance.

I'm pretty sure I get more than $155 a year worth of priority pass at the moment - my main airport PDX has a restaurant and a whiskey tasting room in the program and me and my partner often hit both a trip out of PDX. If they took away non-lounge access from the priority pass like Amex did I'd cancel because the one priority pass lounge in PDX is meh.

The new benefits are worthless to me because we don't have doordash or lyft in my town.

 

[W2R]

This card sounds good for people who travel a lot (I don't). The annual cost could go in the budget category "Travel". Might seem more reasonable to you if you think of it as a travel expense and I think that would be fair if it helps.

I don't have this card and personally would not use any of the benefits. I like my Amazon Visa, which is a better fit for my particular lifestyle. It gives me rewards that I can use to partially pay for my Amazon purchases.

 

[Red Badger]

I'm grumpy about the increase but will probably keep the card unless I find a cheaper way to get priority pass benefits. I figure the Reserved costs me $155 more than the Preferred ($550 - $300 travel credit - $95 preferred fee) to get priority pass and the travel evacuation insurance.

I'm pretty sure I get more than $155 a year worth of priority pass at the moment - my main airport PDX has a restaurant and a whiskey tasting room in the program and me and my partner often hit both a trip out of PDX. If they took away non-lounge access from the priority pass like Amex did I'd cancel because the one priority pass lounge in PDX is meh.

The new benefits are worthless to me because we don't have doordash or lyft in my town.

Hlton Amex provides PP access, diamond status, a free weekend night and other perks. It's $450/year. I keep it as Hilton is where we prefer to stay. The diamond status upgrades and lounge access more than offsets the $450 for us.

 

[geeky_grrl]

Hlton Amex provides PP access, diamond status, a free weekend night and other perks. It's $450/year. I keep it as Hilton is where we prefer to stay. The diamond status upgrades and lounge access more than offsets the $450 for us.

I'd seriously consider that card if Amex PP still worked at all the places Chase PP does. The places I tend to use my PP benefits were excluded by Amex last year . But I can see Diamond status would be worth it for frequent Hilton visitors. I've indulged in more than a couple of glasses of wine in Hilton executive lounges when travelling with my sister who had diamond status.

 

[BeachOrCity]

It seems the CC companies have trained many of us to expect a lot for nothing or very little.

If I ignore the other benefits just the international business class flights I have cashed in over the past five years are worth over $25000. Yes hard to believe but that is how much ultra long haul business class costs versus using points. No I would never have paid those prices, but frankly I am grateful for the generous points I have been able to accumulate!!!

550 a year? No problem!

 

[fh2000]

Have you looked at downgrading from Reserve to Preferred? A few less perks, but still good point benefit and similar benefits as Reserve. Depending on what perks you use Preferred could be a better option by annual fee saving over Reserve.

To compare between Reserve and Preferred, I see that Reserve points worth 1.5 cents and Preferred worth 1.25 cents. I do redeem points for airline tickets so I get a bigger boost with Reserve.

Also, Reserve spend worth 3 points per dollar, and Preferred worth 2 points. So, the 50K points I earned last year, could worth as much as $750 (50K X 1.5) if I redeem from their website for air travel. If this is Preferred, the points received would be 34K, and worth $425 (34K X 1.25). So, for my use, I think Reserve is still better for me.

In LAX, we went to PF Chang few times last year, and get a free dinner that worth up to $60. In other Asian airports, they do not restrict PP so we have enjoyed a few of their VIP lounge.

 

[bobandsherry]

To compare between Reserve and Preferred, I see that Reserve points worth 1.5 cents and Preferred worth 1.25 cents. I do redeem points for airline tickets so I get a bigger boost with Reserve.

Also, Reserve spend worth 3 points per dollar, and Preferred worth 2 points. So, the 50K points I earned last year, could worth as much as $750 (50K X 1.5) if I redeem from their website for air travel. If this is Preferred, the points received would be 34K, and worth $425 (34K X 1.25). So, for my use, I think Reserve is still better for me.

In LAX, we went to PF Chang few times last year, and get a free dinner that worth up to $60. In other Asian airports, they do not restrict PP so we have enjoyed a few of their VIP lounge.

Using what you shared, it seems you are paying more to keep the CSR than the value you are getting.

As you mentioned, with CSR you would have point value of $765 in travel ($17K spend * 3 pnts * 1.5 redemption bonus). The annual fee cost is now $550 + $75 for additional authorized user. So card nets you $140 with 1 additional authorized user, or $215 with only single user.

By contrast, with CSP you would have a point value of $425 in travel ($17K spend * 2 pnts *1.25 redemption bonus. The annual fee cost is $95, no charge for additional authorized user. So the card nets you $330.

So just looking at charge and use for travel redemption CSP would have a larger benefit, $190/yr (figuring 2 authorized user) vs CSR. Not sure what other benefits you use, so perhaps those justify the $190 "cost" for keeping the CSR. Happy travels.

 

[gtweath]

I've had it for a couple years now and was on the fence about renewing it but they just made that decision easy.

 

[MichaelB]

I did a compare based on details on Chase website,

Thank you. I did a compare as well, and after considering all the costs and only those benefits that affect us, concluded that the Sapphire Reserve was a better deal. It may the same for some and not for others. As W2R pointed out, it is travel focused. As geeky_grrl showed, the $300 annual travel credit is part of the calculation.