Is the Chase Sapphire Reserve worth the higher annual fee?

The Chase Sapphire Reserve costs $795/yr vs $495/yr for the Bilt Palladium Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $300 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use (the Chase Sapphire Reserve also lists lounge access, travel credits, dining credits).

Which card earns more rewards, the Bilt Palladium Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve?

The Bilt Palladium Card has a higher base earn rate (2X vs 1X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.

What benefits does the Bilt Palladium Card have that the Chase Sapphire Reserve doesn't?

The Bilt Palladium Card offers lounge access, cell phone protection. The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers lounge access, travel credits, dining credits.

Should I get the Bilt Palladium Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve?

Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Bilt Palladium Card has a lower $495/yr fee; the Chase Sapphire Reserve must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $795/yr.

Bilt Palladium Card vs Chase Sapphire Reserve

Annual fees: Bilt Palladium Card $495/yr, Chase Sapphire Reserve $795/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Bilt Palladium Card on rent and travel, Chase Sapphire Reserve on travel.

Card data as of November 13, 2026.

Credit card comparison
Overview
	Bilt Palladium Card Cardless · $495/yr	Chase Sapphire Reserve Chase · $795/yr
Annual fee	$495 Lowest	$795
Welcome offerCurrent public offer	50,000 points	100,000 points
Rewards	Bilt Points	Chase Ultimate Rewards
Foreign transaction fee	None	None
Network	Mastercard	Visa Infinite
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
Flights	2x	4x Highest
Hotels	2x	4x Highest
Dining	2x	3x Highest
Travel	2x Highest	1x
Mortgage	1.25x Highest	1x
Rent	1.25x Highest	1x
Everything else	2x Highest	1x
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
Travel	$400 hotel credit	$300 travel credit $500 hotel credit $250 select hotels · $250 one-time $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck · $120 every 4 years
Rideshare & transit	—	$10/mo Lyft credit · $10 monthly
Dining & delivery	—	$300 dining at 275+ restaurants · $150 every 6 months $35/mo DoorDash + DashPass · $35 monthly
Entertainment & streaming	—	$300 event tickets StubHub $27/mo Apple TV & Music · $27 monthly
Shopping & wellness	$200 Bilt Cash	$10/mo Peloton credits · $10 monthly
Perks & access— means none on record
Lounges	Priority Pass Airport Lounge Access	Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge on Star Alliance (1 guest) 1,300+ Priority Pass lounges with 2 free guests 8 Chase Sapphire Lounges with 2 free guests
Hotel status & programs	—	IHG Platinum Elite with 60% bonus points, no stays
Other perks	—	$750 in credits plus elite status at $75k spend Dedicated Customer Support with 24/7 priority service No foreign transaction fees on international purchases Roadside Assistance with $50 reimbursement per incident Sapphire Reserve Experiences and Venue Benefits Travel and Emergency Assistance Services 24/7 Show 1 moreShow fewer Reserve Travel Designer complimentary planning service
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
Trip insurance	Trip Delay	Emergency Evacuation up to $100,000 coverage Emergency Medical and Dental up to $2,500 Travel Accident Insurance up to $1,000,000 Trip cancellation insurance up to $10,000 per person Trip delay coverage up to $500 per ticket after 6 hours
Baggage	—	Baggage insurance up to $3,000 for lost luggage
Rental car	MasterRental Coverage	Primary rental car insurance up to $75,000
Purchase & returns	Purchase Assurance · up to $1,000 Price Drop Protection · up to $250	Purchase protection up to $10,000 per claim for 120 days Return protection up to $500 per item within 90 days
Extended warranty	—	Extended warranty adds 1 year to manufacturer coverage
Cell phone	Cellular Wireless Telephone Protection · up to $800	—
Pros & cons
Pros	$600+ in annual credits ($400 hotel + $200 Bilt Cash) partially offsets $495 fee Earn up to 1.25X points on rent and mortgage with no transaction fees 2X points on all everyday purchases 50,000 points + $300 Bilt Cash welcome bonus (highest among Bilt cards) Transferable points to major airline and hotel partners	Up to $2,060 in annual credits and promos can more than cover the $795 fee Priority Pass Select with 2 guests included Exclusive Chase Sapphire Lounge access Primary rental car coverage saves $15-30/day Points Boost values points at up to 2 cents each on select flights and hotels through Chase Travel
Cons	Requires high spending volume to qualify and maintain Palladium status No card-level bonus categories beyond the 2X flat rate (headline multipliers are membership-inclusive composites) Housing multiplier (up to 1.25X) depends on everyday-spend tiers or Bilt Cash redemption Benefits still lag behind premium travel cards from Chase/Amex	$795 annual fee is substantial commitment 5/24 rule restricts applicants with recent cards Credits require specific spending patterns to use $195 authorized user fee with no free users No 0% intro APR offer
	Card details	Card details

Bilt Palladium Card
Cardless · $495/yr
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Chase · $795/yr

Overview

Annual fee: Bilt Palladium Card
$495
Lowest
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$795
Welcome offerCurrent public offer: Bilt Palladium Card
50,000 points
Chase Sapphire Reserve
100,000 points
Rewards: Bilt Palladium Card
Bilt Points
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Chase Ultimate Rewards
Foreign transaction fee: Bilt Palladium Card
None
Chase Sapphire Reserve
None
Network: Bilt Palladium Card
Mastercard
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Visa Infinite

Earn ratesPer $1 spent

Flights: Bilt Palladium Card
2x
Chase Sapphire Reserve
4x
Highest
Hotels: Bilt Palladium Card
2x
Chase Sapphire Reserve
4x
Highest
Dining: Bilt Palladium Card
2x
Chase Sapphire Reserve
3x
Highest
Travel: Bilt Palladium Card
2x
Highest
Chase Sapphire Reserve
1x
Mortgage: Bilt Palladium Card
1.25x
Highest
Chase Sapphire Reserve
1x
Rent: Bilt Palladium Card
1.25x
Highest
Chase Sapphire Reserve
1x
Everything else: Bilt Palladium Card
2x
Highest
Chase Sapphire Reserve
1x

Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record

Travel: Bilt Palladium Card
$400 hotel credit
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$300 travel credit
$500 hotel credit
$250 select hotels · $250 one-time
$120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck · $120 every 4 years
Rideshare & transit: Bilt Palladium Card
—
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$10/mo Lyft credit · $10 monthly
Dining & delivery: Bilt Palladium Card
—
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$300 dining at 275+ restaurants · $150 every 6 months
$35/mo DoorDash + DashPass · $35 monthly
Entertainment & streaming: Bilt Palladium Card
—
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$300 event tickets StubHub
$27/mo Apple TV & Music · $27 monthly
Shopping & wellness: Bilt Palladium Card
$200 Bilt Cash
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$10/mo Peloton credits · $10 monthly

Perks & access— means none on record

Lounges: Bilt Palladium Card
Priority Pass Airport Lounge Access
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge on Star Alliance (1 guest)
1,300+ Priority Pass lounges with 2 free guests
8 Chase Sapphire Lounges with 2 free guests
Hotel status & programs: Bilt Palladium Card
—
Chase Sapphire Reserve
IHG Platinum Elite with 60% bonus points, no stays
Other perks: Bilt Palladium Card
—
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$750 in credits plus elite status at $75k spend
Dedicated Customer Support with 24/7 priority service
No foreign transaction fees on international purchases
Roadside Assistance with $50 reimbursement per incident
Sapphire Reserve Experiences and Venue Benefits
Travel and Emergency Assistance Services 24/7
Show 1 moreShow fewer
Reserve Travel Designer complimentary planning service

Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record

Trip insurance: Bilt Palladium Card
Trip Delay
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Emergency Evacuation up to $100,000 coverage
Emergency Medical and Dental up to $2,500
Travel Accident Insurance up to $1,000,000
Trip cancellation insurance up to $10,000 per person
Trip delay coverage up to $500 per ticket after 6 hours
Baggage: Bilt Palladium Card
—
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Baggage insurance up to $3,000 for lost luggage
Rental car: Bilt Palladium Card
MasterRental Coverage
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Primary rental car insurance up to $75,000
Purchase & returns: Bilt Palladium Card
Purchase Assurance · up to $1,000
Price Drop Protection · up to $250
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Purchase protection up to $10,000 per claim for 120 days
Return protection up to $500 per item within 90 days
Extended warranty: Bilt Palladium Card
—
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Extended warranty adds 1 year to manufacturer coverage
Cell phone: Bilt Palladium Card
Cellular Wireless Telephone Protection · up to $800
Chase Sapphire Reserve
—

Pros & cons

Pros: Bilt Palladium Card
$600+ in annual credits ($400 hotel + $200 Bilt Cash) partially offsets $495 fee
Earn up to 1.25X points on rent and mortgage with no transaction fees
2X points on all everyday purchases
50,000 points + $300 Bilt Cash welcome bonus (highest among Bilt cards)
Transferable points to major airline and hotel partners
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Up to $2,060 in annual credits and promos can more than cover the $795 fee
Priority Pass Select with 2 guests included
Exclusive Chase Sapphire Lounge access
Primary rental car coverage saves $15-30/day
Points Boost values points at up to 2 cents each on select flights and hotels through Chase Travel
Cons: Bilt Palladium Card
Requires high spending volume to qualify and maintain Palladium status
No card-level bonus categories beyond the 2X flat rate (headline multipliers are membership-inclusive composites)
Housing multiplier (up to 1.25X) depends on everyday-spend tiers or Bilt Cash redemption
Benefits still lag behind premium travel cards from Chase/Amex
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$795 annual fee is substantial commitment
5/24 rule restricts applicants with recent cards
Credits require specific spending patterns to use
$195 authorized user fee with no free users
No 0% intro APR offer

Card details

Add a 3rd or 4th card to this comparison →

Category-by-Category Winner

Both cards win in 3 categories each — it comes down to which categories matter most to you. 2 more categories depend on booking channel or caps.

Rent

Bilt Palladium Card earns 1.25X vs 1X

1.25X via tiered option or up to 1X via Bilt Cash option; no transaction fee; no annual cap on housing payments

Mortgage

Bilt Palladium Card earns 1.25X vs 1X

1.25X via tiered option or up to 1X via Bilt Cash option; no transaction fee

Travel

Depends: via Chase Travel portal

Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 8X when conditions are met; Bilt Palladium Card earns 2X (2X without restrictions)

Hotels

Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 8X vs 2X

8X via Chase Travel portal - the Chase Travel travel rate restated per bookable subcategory, as Capital One and Citi portal rates are recorded

Flights

Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 8X vs 2X

8X via Chase Travel portal - the Chase Travel travel rate restated per bookable subcategory, as Capital One and Citi portal rates are recorded

Car Rentals

Depends: via Chase Travel portal - the Chase Travel travel rate restated per bookable subcategory, as Capital One and Citi portal rates are recorded

Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 8X when conditions are met; Bilt Palladium Card earns 2X (2X without restrictions)

Dining

Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 3X vs 2X

Everyday purchases

Bilt Palladium Card earns 2X on all other spending vs 1X

Year One vs Ongoing Value

Modeled net value (bonus categories at unconditional rates, caps applied). Spend mix: dining 15%, groceries 15%, gas 10%, travel 10%, everything else 50%. Statement credits use the same recurring usable estimates as each card's detail page; first-year-only credits count in year one only. Welcome offers valued at each card's program rate shown on this page.

Close — depends on how much of the credits you use

Scenario	Bilt Palladium Card	Chase Sapphire Reserve	Ongoing winner	Year-one winner
Light spender: $1,000/month	Rewards: $480 Credits (our usable estimate): $300 − Annual fee ($495) Ongoing: $285 Year one: $1,285	Rewards: $281 Credits (our usable estimate): $995 − Annual fee ($795) Ongoing: $481 Year one: $2,406	Close — depends on how much of the credits you use	Chase Sapphire Reserve
Heavy spender: $4,000/month	Rewards: $1,920 Credits (our usable estimate): $300 − Annual fee ($495) Ongoing: $1,725 Year one: $2,725	Rewards: $1,123 Credits (our usable estimate): $995 − Annual fee ($795) Ongoing: $1,323 Year one: $3,248	Close — depends on how much of the credits you use	Chase Sapphire Reserve

Is the Fee Difference Worth It?

The Chase Sapphire Reserve costs $795/yr — that's $300 more than the Bilt Palladium Card ($495/yr). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $300 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve includes travel credits, dining credits, lounge access, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit. Those perks are not included in the earn-rate scenario table above — compare their dollar value to the $300 fee gap for your own usage.

Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $300 fee gap means the Chase Sapphire Reserve needs roughly $300 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on travel and hotels and everyday spend.

What You Give Up

Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.

Choosing Bilt Palladium Card means losing:

-Global Entry credit

Which Card Is Right for You?

Get the Bilt Palladium Card if you:

+Prefer a high flat rate across all spending

Get the Chase Sapphire Reserve if you:

+Spend $300+/month on restaurants and dining out

The Bottom Line

Close — depends on how much of the credits you use

Everyday (non-bonus) spend earns 2X on the Bilt Palladium Card vs 1X on the other card.

Published annual fees: Bilt Palladium Card $495/yr, Chase Sapphire Reserve $795/yr — a $300 difference before welcome offers and credits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Chase Sapphire Reserve worth the higher annual fee?: The Chase Sapphire Reserve costs $795/yr vs $495/yr for the Bilt Palladium Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $300 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use (the Chase Sapphire Reserve also lists lounge access, travel credits, dining credits).
Which card earns more rewards, the Bilt Palladium Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve?: The Bilt Palladium Card has a higher base earn rate (2X vs 1X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
What benefits does the Bilt Palladium Card have that the Chase Sapphire Reserve doesn't?: The Bilt Palladium Card offers lounge access, cell phone protection. The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers lounge access, travel credits, dining credits.
Should I get the Bilt Palladium Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve?: Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Bilt Palladium Card has a lower $495/yr fee; the Chase Sapphire Reserve must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $795/yr.

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Official issuer pages: Cardless cards · Chase cards

Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published November 13, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.