Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve® Review

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has been a highlight of Chase’s consumer card portfolio for years. However, when Chase released the Chase Sapphire Reserve® in 2016, it stole all the limelight and set the stage for other card issuers to up their game in the premium card arena.

Both cards have great benefits, earn Ultimate Rewards points, offer the ability to earn a generous welcome bonus and have the same airline and hotel transfer partners.

However, they have an eye-watering $700 difference in annual fees. As a result, the Sapphire Reserve offers an impressive suite of perks geared toward luxury travelers, while the Sapphire Preferred offers valuable earning rates and a limited range of additional perks at a reasonable price.

So, which card is better suited to you?

Here’s a full comparison of the Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve®: An Overview

Both the Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve are issued by Chase, meaning that they should be prioritized at the beginning of your card journey, due to Chase’s 5/24 rule—which generally makes you ineligible to be approved for a Chase card if you’ve opened more than five cards with any issuer within a 24-month period.

And, while you can now hold both Sapphire cards simultaneously, you can’t earn the welcome offer for the same Sapphire card more than once.

In short, the stakes are high.

So, before we dive into the details, here’s a side-by-side comparison of what each card offers.

Let’s now look at each of these features in detail.

Welcome Offers

The Chase Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve share similar welcome offers.

The Sapphire Preferred has a typical welcome offer between 60,000 and 100,000 points after you spend between $4,000 and $5,000 within the first three months of card membership.

The Sapphire Reserve has a typical welcome offer between 60,000 and 125,000 points after you spend $4,000 to $6,000 within the first three months of card membership.

To earn the Sapphire Preferred’s welcome offer, you’ll need to be putting $1,334 to $1,667 in spend on your card each month, depending on the offer at the time you apply.

To earn the Sapphire Reserve’s welcome offer, you’ll need to be charging around $1,667 to $2,000 per month.

Keep in mind that under the Chase’s new eligibility rules, you may be ineligible to receive the welcome offer on either of the cards if you’ve received one for that same card previously—even if more than 48 months have passed.

Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve

Overall, while the Sapphire Reserve has seen slightly higher historical welcome offers, both cards offer very similar welcome bonuses and minimum spending requirements.

Bonus Spending Categories

The Chase Sapphire Preferred is a powerhouse when it comes to earning a return on multiple bonus spending categories. It offers the following rates on eligible spending:

• 5X points per dollar spent on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠ (excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the annual $50 hotel credit)
• 5X points per dollar spent on Lyft rides (through Sept. 30, 2027)
• 5X points per dollar spent on eligible Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $150 (through Dec. 31, 2027)
• 2X points per dollar spent on all other travel purchases
• 3X points per dollar spent on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out
• 3X points per dollar spent on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs)
• 3X points on select streaming services
• 1X points per dollar spent on all other purchases

In contrast, the Chase Sapphire Reserve offers slightly higher rates on certain spending categories, albeit with less breadth than the Sapphire Preferred. Here’s an overview of the earning rates offered by the Sapphire Reserve:

• 10X points per dollar spent on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases of $150 or more in the United States, on up to $5,000 in total purchases (through Dec. 31, 2027)
• 8X points per dollar spent on all purchases made through Chase Travel℠, including purchases with The Edit℠ (after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases)
• 5X points per dollar spent on purchases with Lyft (through Sep. 30, 2027)
• 4X points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline and on stays booked directly with the hotel (after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases)
• 3X points per dollar spent on dining purchases worldwide, including takeout and eligible delivery services
• 1X points per dollar spent on all other purchases

If you spend a lot on bookings made through Chase Travel℠, the Sapphire Reserve will give you the biggest bang for your buck.

For example, an $800 flight booked through Chase Travel℠ and charged to the Sapphire Reserve would earn you 6,400 Ultimate Rewards points compared to the Sapphire Preferred, which would earn you 4,000 points. The more you spend on Chase Travel℠ purchases, the greater the disparity in points earning potential will be.

Similarly, if you book many of your flights and hotel stays directly with the respective airline or hotel, you’ll get 4X points per dollar spent on the Sapphire Reserve compared to 2X points per dollar spent on the Sapphire Preferred—double the amount of points.

However, while the Sapphire Reserve offers increased earning potential on Chase Travel℠ spending and direct cash bookings with airlines and hotels, the Sapphire Preferred offers a greater return on your everyday spending. If you book most of your flights and hotel stays using points and transfer partners, the Sapphire Preferred will likely offer you greater earning potential.

Just like the Sapphire Reserve, the Sapphire Preferred offers 3X points per dollar spent on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out. However, the Sapphire Preferred takes this a step further, offering 3X points per dollar spent on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs) and 3X points on select streaming services.

The average American spends $6,053 per year on grocery shopping. Charged to the Sapphire Preferred with an online grocery merchant, that spending would net you 18,159 Ultimate Rewards every year. In contrast, that same spending would earn you just 6,503 points when charged to the Sapphire Reserve.

Additionally, the Sapphire Preferred offers 2X points on all other travel purchases (non-Chase Travel℠ spending). Chase has a generous definition of travel, grouping the following merchants into the same category:

• Airlines
• Buses
• Campgrounds and operators of passenger trains
• Car rental agencies
• Cruise lines
• Discount travel sites
• Ferries
• Hotels
• Limousines
• Motels
• Parking lots and garages
• Taxis
• Timeshares
• Toll bridges and highways
• Travel agencies

This makes it easy to earn 2X points on a variety of purchases, not just limited to vacation spending.

Both cards offer a weak baseline rewards rate of just 1X points per dollar on non-bonus category spending. Luckily, this can be amended by leveraging a Chase card combo strategy, wherein you combine one of the Sapphire cards with a Chase Freedom card to earn 1.5X points.

Winner: Chase Sapphire Preferred

Overall, unless Chase Travel℠ purchases and direct spending with airlines and hotels makes up the majority of your expenditure, the Sapphire Preferred comes out on top with regards to bonus spending categories.

Cardholder Perks

With an annual fee more than eight times as high as the Sapphire Preferred’s, it’s no surprise that the Sapphire Reserve outpaces the Sapphire Preferred when it comes to cardholder perks.

The Sapphire Reserve offers an impressive suite of perks and credits, totaling more than $3,000 in annual value. Here’s an overview of what’ll you get as a cardholder:

• $300 annual travel statement credit
• $500 annual statement credit for stays with The Edit℠, issued in semi-annual $250 increments (minimum stay of two nights required). Plus, you’ll receive complimentary benefits, such as a $100 property credit, daily breakfast for two, room upgrades and more (subject to availability).
• Up to $250 in statement credits through Dec. 31, 2026 on prepaid Chase Travel hotel bookings with eligible hotel brands, with a two-night minimum; qualifying purchases do not earn points.
• Statement credit every four years toward Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or Nexus membership application fees
• Complimentary IHG® One Rewards Platinum Elite Status (through Dec. 31, 2027)
• Complimentary Priority Pass Select membership
• $300 annual statement credit for dining purchases made with eligible restaurants belonging to the Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables program (issued in semi-annual $150 credits)
• $288 annual statement credit toward Apple TV+ and Apple Music subscriptions (through June 22, 2027)
• Complimentary DashPass membership worth $120, offering reduced service fees and $0 delivery fees on eligible orders when activated by Dec. 31, 2027. Enrolled members will also receive up to $300 in DoorDash credits per year, including a $5 monthly promo to spend on restaurant orders and two $10 promos each month to save on non-restaurant orders.
• $300 annual statement credit for StubHub and Viagogo purchases, issued in semi-annual $150 credits (activation required)
• $120 in annual Lyft credits, issued in $10 monthly increments (through Sept. 30, 2027)
• $120 in annual Peloton credits, issued in $10 monthly increments toward eligible memberships (through Dec. 31, 2027). Eligible memberships include Peloton All-Access Membership, Rental, App+, Guide, App One or Strength+ memberships purchased by you or an authorized user using your Chase Sapphire Reserve card.

If those weren’t enough, Chase also offers its Sapphire Reserve cardholders an additional selection of bonus perks when they charge $75,000 to their card within a calendar year, including the following:

• Complimentary IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite Status for the remainder of the calendar year plus the following year
• $250 credit for The Shops at Chase
• $500 Southwest Airlines Chase Travel℠ credit
• Complimentary Southwest Airlines A-list status for the remainder of the calendar year plus the following year

In contrast, the Sapphire Preferred offers a much more modest selection of cardholder perks, including:

• Anniversary bonus equivalent to 10% of your total annual expenditure
• Complimentary DashPass membership worth $120, offering reduced service fees and $0 delivery fees on eligible orders when activated by Dec. 31, 2027. Enrolled members will also receive up to $120 in credits per year, issued in $10 monthly promos, toward eligible orders (through Dec. 31, 2027).
• Annual $50 credit toward hotel stays booked through Chase Travel℠

If you can fully maximize the DashPass membership and credits, as well as the $50 annual hotel credit, you’ll squeeze $290 worth of value out of the Sapphire Preferred each year, offsetting its $95 annual fee by more than triple. Otherwise, you’ll need to rely on spending to offset the Sapphire Preferred’s annual fee.

The Sapphire Reserve offers far greater value to the luxury traveller who prioritizes elite status, airport lounge access and annual lifestyle and travel credits. Among the card’s many perks, the most valuable are its $300 annual travel credit, complimentary Priority Pass membership (including access to Chase Sapphire Lounges by The Club and select Air Canada Maple Leaf lounges) and complimentary IHG® One Rewards Platinum Elite Status.

Similarly, the card’s $500 annual statement credit for stays with The Edit℠ and its statement credit every four years toward Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or Nexus membership application fees, offer frequent travellers an easy way to offset its annual fee. Even by utilizing a handful of the Sapphire Reserve’s credits and perks, you can more than offset its $795 annual fee.

Therefore, the Sapphire Reserve knocks it out of the park when it comes to cardholder perks.

Travel Protections

Both the Sapphire Reserve and Sapphire Preferred offer some of the most comprehensive travel insurance perks of any card on the market.

There are only a few differences in the protections offered by both cards, with the Sapphire Reserve offering a few extra benefits and, in some cases, higher coverage limits.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers the following protection benefits.

• Auto rental coverage. Primary coverage of up to $60,000 for theft and collision damage for most rental vehicles in the U.S. and abroad, when you decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver and charge the entire cost to your Sapphire card. For New York state residents, this auto rental coverage is secondary to your primary automobile insurance plan when in the U.S.
• Baggage delay insurance. Provides reimbursement of up to $100 per day for up to five days for essential purchases such as toiletries and clothing when your baggage is delayed for more than six hours.
• Lost luggage reimbursement. Provides reimbursement of up to $3,000 per covered traveler for the cost to repair or replace checked or carry-on baggage that is lost, damaged or stolen during a covered trip. New York state residents are limited to reimbursement of $2,000 per bag and $10,000 for all covered travelers per trip.
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance. If your trip is canceled or cut short due to sickness, inclement weather or another covered situation, you’ll be reimbursed for up to $10,000 per covered traveler and $20,000 per trip for your pre-paid, non-refundable travel expenses, including passenger fares, tours and hotels.
• Trip delay reimbursement. If your common carrier travel is delayed for more than 12 hours or requires an overnight stay, you are covered for unreimbursed expenses, such as meals and lodging, up to $500 per covered traveler.
• Travel accident insurance. When you charge your common carrier fare to your Sapphire card, you’re eligible to receive up to $500,000 in the event of accidental death or dismemberment.

The Sapphire Reserve builds upon these protection benefits, offering a higher primary auto rental coverage limit of $75,000, travel accident reimbursement up to $1 million, and it reduces the required delay time period for trip delay reimbursement to six hours. The card also offers the following additional insurance benefits:

• Emergency evacuation and transportation insurance. If you or a covered traveler are injured or become sick during a trip that is 100 miles or further away from your home that results in an emergency evacuation, you can be covered for medical services and transportation up to $100,000.
• Emergency medical and dental benefit. If you or an immediate family member become sick or injured while you’re 100 miles or further away from home during a trip, you can be reimbursed up to $2,500 for medical expenses (subject to a $50 deductible).

Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve

Both cards will keep you and your loved ones protected while abroad. However, if you’re after the ultimate protection package, you can’t do better than the Sapphire Reserve.

Redemption Options

When it comes time to redeem your hard-earned Ultimate Rewards points, both the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve offer a bunch of lucrative redemption opportunities.

Among these opportunities, the most lucrative are Chase’s transfer partners. Chase boasts 14 airline and hotel transfer partners, to whom you can transfer your Ultimate Rewards points from both cards at a 1:1 ratio, including the following rewards programs:

• Aer Lingus AerClub
• Air Canada Aeroplan
• Air France-KLM Flying Blue
• British Airways Club
• Iberia Club
• Emirates Skywards
• IHG One Rewards
• JetBlue TrueBlue
• Marriott Bonvoy
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
• United Airlines MileagePlus
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
• World of Hyatt

Having access to programs such as Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Air Canada Aeroplan and World of Hyatt make Chase Ultimate Rewards points one of the most valuable currencies you can hold.

Whether you’re equipped with a Sapphire Preferred or Sapphire Reserve, you can take advantage of all of Chase’s transfer partners.

However, when it comes to redeeming your points through Chase Travel℠, the Sapphire Reserve has the edge.

Before Chase revamped its Sapphire Reserve, you could redeem your points for 1.5 cents apiece through Chase Travel℠. Likewise, Sapphire Preferred cardholders could redeem their points for 1.25 cents apiece.

While this system still applies to those who held or were approved for the Sapphire Reserve prior to June 23, 2025 (on points earned prior to Oct. 26, 2025, and redeemed through Oct. 26, 2027), Chase has since introduced a new Points Boost feature for both Sapphire Preferred and Reserve cardholders.

Now, Sapphire Reserve cardholders can redeem their points for up to 2 cents apiece on eligible premium airfare bookings and hotel stays with The Edit℠ by using a Points Boost offer. All other bookings made through Chase Travel℠ will have a redemption value of 1 cent per point.

Sapphire Preferred cardholders can redeem their points for up to 1.5 cents apiece on eligible hotel and airline bookings. Just like the Sapphire Reserve, all other bookings that fall outside of these categories made through Chase Travel℠ will have a redemption value of 1 cent per point.

Winner: Tie

If you tend to avoid booking through Chase Travel℠, both cards offer equal redemption value.

However, if you rely on using your points for Chase Travel℠ bookings, the Sapphire Reserve offers the opportunity for your points to go further.

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve: Which is Better?

The Chase Sapphire Reserve delivers an impressive package of credits, perks and premium travel protections that can easily outweigh its steep annual fee. However, the catch is that you need to actually use these perks and credits to fully offset the card’s annual fee—otherwise, it will burn a bigger hole in your wallet than it can make up for with points.

For the average traveler, the $795 price tag will likely be too high to justify holding it. Instead, the Chase Sapphire Preferred offers strong earning rates, equally valuable redemption options and reliable travel protections at just $95 per year. That makes it one of the best low-cost travel rewards cards on the market and a smarter fit for the majority of travelers. Not to mention, it’s also our favorite beginner credit card.

If the following statements apply to you, you should opt for the Chase Sapphire Reserve:

• You travel frequently enough to maximize credits like the $300 annual travel credit, The Edit℠ hotel credit and Chase dining perks
• You value luxury travel benefits like lounge access and elite hotel status
• You spend heavily on airfare and hotels through Chase Travel℠
• You could easily charge $75,000 to your card within a calendar year

Alternatively, if the following statements apply, the Chase Sapphire Preferred will be a better fit:

• You want strong rewards on your everyday spending
• You want access to numerous transfer partners without paying a steep annual fee
• You value the flexibility to transfer points to travel partners and avoid redemptions through Chase Travel℠
• You want reliable travel protections at a low price

Ultimately, you need to weigh up each cards’ benefits and see which card you’ll be able to squeeze the most value out of.

Final Thoughts

Both the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve are excellent choices for travelers who want to maximize the value of their rewards. The right card for you comes down to how often you travel and how much value you can extract from premium perks.

If you’re a frequent traveler who books flights and hotels regularly, values airport lounge access and can use many of the card’s annual credits, the Sapphire Reserve can deliver outsized value despite its hefty annual fee. But, if you’re looking for a card that offers strong earning potential, flexible redemption options and solid travel protections without breaking the bank, the Sapphire Preferred stands out as the best all-around option for most travelers.

Whichever card you choose, pairing it with other Chase cards like the Chase Freedom Flex® or Chase Freedom Unlimited® can supercharge your rewards strategy and help you squeeze even more value out of your Chase Ultimate Rewards.