Originally Posted by
MY-OTHER-BROTHER-"TED"
It's probably more advisable that the OP makes his own decision as how to spend his OWN money, especially for something that he doesn't need to purchase.
^^ Its an OP decision. VISA is not necessary but everyone has their own preference to improve convenience and security. Some people don't like the hassle of public transit and take a taxi. Some people buy trip insurance for extra security. Some people pay for TSA pre to avoid security hassle. Some people book F to avoid the hassle of Y. Some people pay for UA Signature service to smooth things along. Its up to each person's preference, budget, and comfort level. For me, if I'm only planning to travel to china once and/or live far away from a visa office, I certainly won't get a visa.