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The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® are two of the most popular travel rewards credit cards on the market—and for good reason. They both rack up valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which can be redeemed directly toward travel bookings made through Chase, as well as transferred to more than a dozen airline and hotel partner loyalty programs.
For most folks, the choice between these two cards usually comes down to their annual fees. The Chase Sapphire Reserve charges $550 per year while the Chase Sapphire Preferred’s annual fee is $95. But there are other significant differences between them, too.
When considering any travel rewards credit card, however, it pays to look past the initial bonus to how you might be able to maximize its perks over the course of several years. Here’s how the Chase Sapphire Preferred compares to the more premium Chase Sapphire Reserve and which one might be best for you.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Higher bonus, fewer perks
Chase introduced the powerhouse Chase Sapphire Preferred Card way back in 2009—practically a lifetime ago in terms of travel rewards cards. It was the first card to earn Ultimate Rewards points that were transferable to a number of different airline and hotel loyalty programs, but it offered some other outsized benefits as well.
Sign-up bonus
Earn 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
Annual fee
$95
Earning points
While the Chase Sapphire Preferred only earns one point per dollar on most purchases, it racks up bonus points in a variety of categories including...
- Five points per dollar on travel booked through Chase Travel
- Three points per dollar (up from two) on dining
- Three points per dollar on select streaming services—including Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, Netflix, Sling, Vudu, Fubo TV, Apple Music, SiriusXM, Pandora, Spotify, and YouTube TV
- Three points per dollar online grocery purchases, except for Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs
- Two points per dollar on travel not booked through Chase
- One point per dollar on other purchases
- Now through March 2025, cardholders can also register to earn five points per dollar on Lyft rides.
Redemption choices
Ultimate Rewards points earned with the Chase Sapphire Preferred are worth 1.25 cents apiece when redeemed directly for travel reservations—such as flights, hotels, and cruises—booked directly through the Chase travel portal.
Focusing on travel, cardholders can transfer points at a ratio of 1:1 to 11 airline frequent flier and three hotel points programs, including United, Southwest, JetBlue, British Airways, Air France/KLM, Marriott, and Hyatt. That makes them especially versatile.
Other benefits
This card is an excellent option to use when traveling internationally since it waives foreign transaction fees. It also offers some of the best travel protections available with any credit card, including primary rental car insurance so you don’t have to pay for the agency’s expensive policy or go through your own insurance if you hit bumps in the road.
There’s also trip cancellation and interruption insurance that can cover nonrefundable expenses up to $10,000 per person or $20,000 per trip.
Finally, cardholders receive a $50 annual credit on hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel (new cardmembers can earn this credit immediately, while existing cardmembers will start earning this after their next card anniversary.) Each year on the anniversary of opening their account, cardholders will also now earn bonus points equivalent to 10 percent of the total purchases they made the previous year.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Fewer bonus points, more value
The Chase Sapphire Reserve is one of the best premium travel credit cards ever created thanks to valuable perks like annual travel statement credits and access to airport lounges.
Sign-up bonus
Earn 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months. Because Chase Sapphire Reserve points are worth 1.5 cents apiece compared to 1.25 cents with the Preferred, this bonus is worth $900 when redeemed through Chase Travel.
Annual fee
$550
Points earned
The Sapphire Reserve racks up...
- Ten points per dollar on Chase Dining purchases
- Ten points per dollar on hotel stays and car rentals made through Chase Travel after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually.
- Five points per dollar on flights made through Chase Travel after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually.
- Three points per dollar on other travel and dining, including takeout and delivery
- One point per dollar on all other eligible purchases
- Earn ten points per dollar on Lyft rides through March 31, 2025.
Redemption choices
Points earned with the Chase Sapphire Reserve transfer to the Chase Travel program’s airline and hotel partners on a 1:1 basis, just like with the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
However, if you have this card and redeem Ultimate Rewards points for travel reservations directly through the Chase portal they are worth 1.5 cents apiece compared to 1.25 cents with the Preferred.
That’s a substantial premium and means this card’s sign-up bonus is worth $900 if this is the way you hope to use your points.
Other benefits
The Chase Sapphire Reserve is chock-full of other perks. Cardholders can enjoy $300 in annual credit as reimbursement for travel purchases each account year. Cardholders can enroll for complimentary Priority Pass Select membership with access to more than 1,300 airport lounges worldwide and bring two guests with them for free.
They are also eligible for either a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee statement credit, up to $100 once every four years.
Deciding between the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve
Figuring out whether to get the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve usually comes down to which card’s annual fee is more within your budget, and whether you’ll get enough value from the Reserve’s extra benefits to justify paying for it year after year.
Here are the main factors you need to consider.
Crunching the numbers
The Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Chase Sapphire Reserve both require new cardholders to spend $4,000 within three months to earn a 60,000-point bonus right now.
However, if you redeem Ultimate Rewards points for travel reservations directly through the Chase portal they are worth 1.5 cents apiece with the Reserve compared to 1.25 cents with the Preferred.
Higher cost, more perks
The Chase Sapphire Preferred doesn’t boast much in the way of value-added benefits.
For its part, though, the Sapphire Reserve proffers $300 in annual travel statement credits, which can be put toward flights and hotel stays, plus things like taxi rides and even parking meters. The Sapphire Reserve also offers statement credits worth up to $100 toward either a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application once every four years. Sapphire Reserve cardholders can take advantage of Priority Pass lounges, too, while Sapphire Preferred cardholders cannot.
If you take advantage of those statement credits on a regular basis and use airport lounges frequently, the Sapphire Reserve might be a better choice because it can provide you with hundreds or even thousands of dollars’ worth of value each year.
Travel and purchase protections
In terms of travel protections, the differences between these two cards probably won’t affect most travelers. Both offer nearly identical trip cancellation and interruption insurance, primary auto rental coverage, and lost luggage reimbursement if your bags go missing. If you’re delayed and need to spend money on meals, lodging, or other necessities, the Sapphire Reserve’s coverage kicks in at 6 hours instead of 12 for the Sapphire Preferred, and the same is true if your bag is delayed and you need to buy replacement clothes or toiletries.
The Sapphire Preferred offers purchase protection against damage or theft of up to $500 per claim and $50,00 per account, while the Sapphire Reserve will cover you up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per year. So if you make large purchases, you’ll want to use the Sapphire Reserve to do so.
The final verdict on the Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve
The Chase Sapphire Reserve has the edge in terms of perks—annual travel statement credits and lounge access can all add up. If you’re looking for a solid travel credit card with comprehensive protections and a decent rate of return on spending, though, the Chase Sapphire Preferred might just be the card for you. You can always upgrade to the Sapphire Reserve later if you decide you’d rather take advantage of its perks and its higher direct-redemption rate for travel expenses.
While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they are subject to change at any time, and may have changed or may no longer be available. This article was originally published in 2020, and most recently updated on December 7, 2022.
