Is Jiuzhaigou worth the extra travel time?
Jiuzhaigou can be worth the effort if scenery is the reason you are adding Sichuan, but it is not a casual side trip. Flights, road time, season, altitude and ticketing need to make sense before it earns the detour.
Answer
Jiuzhaigou is the kind of place that can justify reshaping a route, but only when the route admits what it is doing. It sits far enough from the classic Beijing–Xi’an–Shanghai spine that it should not be treated as a quick scenic bonus. Weather, altitude, tickets, transfer time and seasonal crowding can decide whether the trip feels graceful or exhausting. Add it if high-colour lakes, mountain scenery and a Sichuan chapter are central to your China plan. Skip it if you are already rushing through big cities.