Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Which Is Better?
The Chase Sapphire cards are two popular travel reward credit cards offering generous sign-up bonuses, accelerated rewards, solid travel protections and a variety of other benefits.
While the Chase Sapphire Reserve® has the potential to earn higher rates and unlock more luxurious travel perks than the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, the hefty annual fee could be a dealbreaker — even with the $300 annual travel credit. Depending on your spending habits and travel goals, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card might better fit your needs.
Here’s what you need to know about comparing the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card versus Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve® comparison
| Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | Chase Sapphire Reserve® | |
|---|---|---|
| Perks that come with both cards |
|
|
| Annual fee | $95 | $550 |
| Sign-up bonus | Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. | Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. |
| Rewards | Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more. | Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases. |
| Other benefits |
|
|
| Redemption rates | Points are worth 1.25 cents each when redeemed through Chase TravelSM | Points are worth 1.5 cents each when redeemed through Chase TravelSM |
What we like about the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Annual travel credit: Receive a $50 statement credit every year after booking a hotel through the Chase TravelSM portal
- Popular everyday spending categories: Earn elevated rewards on day-to-day expenses, such as dining and take-out, travel, select streaming services and online groceries
- Anniversary points boost: Chase offers a 10% points boost based on your total spend from the previous year. For example, if you spend $25,000 in purchases, you’ll receive a bonus of 2,500 points
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card can be an excellent choice for occasional or frequent travelers who want to maximize their everyday spending. Compared to the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, the $95 annual fee is a more cost-effective option, especially if you take advantage of the $50 annual hotel credit and 10% yearly bonus points. Plus, you can add authorized users for free to help boost your earnings even more.
What we like about the Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Annual travel credit: Receive a $300 annual travel credit for travel purchases charged to your card, including plane tickets
- Airport lounge access: Up to two guests can enjoy complimentary access to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with an easy one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select
- TSA PreCheck/Global Entry/NEXUS credit: Receive a statement credit every four years for up to $120 for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is better suited for serious travelers who want access to maximize travel rewards while enjoying top-notch travel perks. Compared to the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® annual fee is quite steep at $550 — although it essentially drops to $250 if you utilize the $300 annual travel credit. Frequent travelers can also enjoy luxurious services and pampering across the globe with the complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership.
Understanding the Chase 5/24 rule
Earning points with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve®
While both cards earn 5x on travel purchased through the Chase TravelSM portal and 3x on dining, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® takes the lead by earning more in particular travel and bonus categories.
With the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, you can earn 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. In addition, other travel paid with your Chase Sapphire Reserve® will earn 3x total points, compared to only 2x total points with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
If you think you will take advantage of Chase’s limited-time bonus offers, you can earn even more with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® versus Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® will get you 10x total points for Lyft expenses instead of 5x with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. Additionally, Peloton users can receive 10x total points when making eligible purchases with their Chase Sapphire Reserve®, compared to only 5x total points with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
Redeeming points with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Both Sapphire cards allow you to transfer points to any of Chase’s travel partners or book travel via the Chase TravelSM portal. You also can use either card to receive statement credits or purchase gift cards, though these redemptions typically have lower redemption values.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® wins when it comes to redeeming points through the travel portal — with 1.5 cents per point versus only 1.25 with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. However, if your ultimate goal is to transfer to partner airlines and hotels, then the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card could be a great pick.
Here’s a quick overview of how the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card versus Chase Sapphire Reserve® works when redeeming points:
- Transfer to Chase’s travel partners: Both Sapphire cards allow you to transfer points to 14 airline and hotel partners at a 1:1 rate, with an estimated value of 2 cents per point. This is typically the most valuable way to redeem your Ultimate Reward points.
- Book through the Chase TravelSM portal: You can use your points to book flights, hotels and rental cars through the Chase TravelSM portal. Your points can be redeemed for 1.25 cents each with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or 1.5 cents each with the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
- Use Chase’s Pay Yourself Back option: You can cash in points for a statement credit at 1 cent per point. While this isn’t the most lucrative offer, it could be helpful if you’re strapped for cash.
- Redeem points for gift cards: You can use your points to purchase gift cards at a rate of 1 cent per point.
As you can see, you can receive the most value for your points by applying them toward travel purchases — either by transferring to one of Chase’s travel partners or booking travel deals through the Chase TravelSM portal.
Transferring points with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve®
You can transfer your Ultimate Reward® points at a 1:1 rate to any of Chase’s 14 travel partners with both the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve®. That means you’ll have access to a wide range of travel deals across the globe with either card. Note that the list of partners and transfer rate is exactly the same, regardless of which Sapphire card you have.
If your ultimate goal is to transfer to travel partners, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card could be the way to go. You’ll get the same value on transfers for a significantly lower annual fee.
And if you have multiple Chase credit cards, you can transfer some or all of your Ultimate Reward® points to your Sapphire card before transferring to your airline or hotel of choice.
Here is the list of Chase’s travel partners:
- Aer Lingus
- Air Canada Aeroplan
- Air France
- British Airways
- Emirates
- Hyatt
- Iberia
- IHG
- JetBlue
- Marriott
- Singapore Airlines
- Southwest Airlines
- United
- Virgin Atlantic
Did you know?
Which card is better for me: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®?
Both Sapphire cards offer enticing rewards with multiple ways to redeem your points, such as transferring to travel partners. Picking between the Chase Sapphire Reserve® versus Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card depends on your spending habits and travel goals.
If you’re an occasional traveler wanting high-earning points for everyday expenses: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card could be your perfect travel card. You can earn solid points on daily purchases like meals out, online groceries, streaming services like Netflix and Spotify. You’ll also earn good bonus rewards on travel bookings like hotels, car rentals, cruise lines, buses, taxis, campgrounds, parking lots and more. The $95 annual fee shouldn’t break your bank account, plus you can add authorized users for no additional charge. The $50 annual hotel credit and 10% annual points boost are nice perks, making this card a long-time keeper.
If you’re a hard-core traveler wanting to maximize rewards and enhance your travel experience: The Chase Sapphire Reserve® might be an ideal choice for you. You automatically earn the $300 annual travel credit after making eligible travel purchases to your card, making the hefty $550 annual fee easier to manage. You’ll earn more rewards on travel purchases. You’ll also get twice the points for eligible Peloton and Lyft purchases, plus hotels and car rentals booked through the Chase TravelSM portal. The travel perks make this card shine, with access for two guests to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership.
Alternatives to the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Compare the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve® to similar travel reward cards
| Card name | Welcome offer | Earning rate | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | Earn 75,000 Miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening | 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day; 5 Miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel | $95 (See rates & fees) |
| The Platinum Card® from American Express | Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. | 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Terms apply. | $695 (See rates & fees) |
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card | Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel | 2X Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day; 10X Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel; 5X Miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel | $395 (See rates & fees) |
Frequently asked questions
While you can upgrade your Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (or downgrade your Chase Sapphire Reserve®), it’s generally not recommended since you’ll miss out on potential sign-up bonuses. Instead, you can downgrade your Sapphire card to a no-annual-fee Chase card and then apply for your next Sapphire card.
For example, if you currently have the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and want the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, you can request to downgrade your Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card to the Chase Freedom Unlimited®. From there, you can apply for the Chase Sapphire Reserve® after waiting at least one statement period.
Note that you can’t have the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve® open simultaneously. Furthermore, you must wait at least 48 months between Sapphire sign-up bonuses — counting from the date you received the bonus, not the date you opened the card.
Chase doesn’t list any specific income requirements for their credit cards. That said, your debt-to-income ratio (DTI) can help determine your overall risk as a borrower. To calculate your DTI, divide your total monthly debt by your monthly income. In general, lenders prefer a DTI ratio below 43%, although keeping it below 35% can improve your chances of approval.
Yes, you can pool your Ultimate Rewards points into one account to make a more significant redemption. However, only the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve® allow you to transfer points between household members or to Chase’s travel partners. You could also use the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card to transfer points between business partners or to Chase’s travel partners.
Note that you need at least 1,000 points to transfer to Chase’s travel partners.
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