When Chase launched the Sapphire Reserve for Business(SM) in the summer of 2025, it became the first top-of-the-line travel credit card for business from this issuer. The highest-value Chase business card with travel rewards before that was the Ink Business Preferred(R) Credit Card, which is still available to applicants. However, the Ink Business Preferred(R) Credit Card comes without many of the premium benefits you get with the Sapphire Reserve for Business(SM), including airport lounge access and a $300 annual travel credit that applies to any travel purchases charged throughout the year.
Overall, the Sapphire Reserve for Business(SM) promises over $2,500 in value through its extensive travel benefits and generous annual statement credits, but there’s a catch. Beyond its primary travel perks, the card offers additional protections and premium features that further enhance its value for cardholders. However, this premium travel credit card comes with a hefty annual_fees annual fee, significantly higher than the annual_fees annual fee of the Ink Business Preferred(R) Credit Card, which remains a strong contender for business owners seeking valuable rewards without the premium price tag.
Even so, new benefits on the Sapphire Reserve for Business(SM) have left many with the Ink Business Preferred(R) Credit Card wondering if they should keep it or upgrade. If you’re in that camp and wondering what to do next, keep reading to learn more.
Core features and welcome offers
The Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business(SM) has considerably more benefits than the Ink Business Preferred®, and it has a much higher welcome bonus to boot. However, the card’s perks can be difficult to use, and the bonus offer requires a higher minimum spending requirement than many business owners can meet.
Here’s a breakdown of these details:
Sign-up bonuses
One of the flashiest features of the Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business(SM) is its welcome offer of signup_reward points after spending signup_bonus_spend_amount on purchases within six months of account opening.
Meanwhile, the Ink Business Preferred(R) Credit Card offers signup_reward bonus points when you spend signup_bonus_spend_amount on purchases within three months of account opening.
While scoring signup_reward points with the Sapphire Reserve for Business(SM) is definitely enticing, remember that meeting that high spend requirement demands a very significant, steady flow of monthly business charges over an extended period. With the Ink Business Preferred® bonus, on the other hand, the required monthly spending is substantially lower and only needs to be maintained for a much shorter period.
Annual fee breakdown: annual_fees vs. annual_fees
Obviously, the annual_fees annual fee on the Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business(SM) is considerably higher than the annual_fees annual fee on the Ink Business Preferred(R) Credit Card. However, the Sapphire Reserve for Business(SM) comes with enough added benefits to justify the additional cost for many cardholders.
Major benefits of the Chase Sapphire Reserve Business℠ Card include:
- $300 annual travel credit
- $120 Global Entry, TSA Precheck, or Nexus credit every four years
- $500 annual The Edit credit – Chase Travel℠ collection of over 1,100 hand-picked hotels and resorts (split into two $250 biannual credits)
- $400 ZipRecruiter credit (split into two $200 biannual credits)
- $200 Google Workspace credit toward AI tools for business
- $100 Giftcards.com credit for flexible employee appreciation (split into two $50 biannual credits)
- $300 annually in monthly DoorDash promos and complimentary DashPass membership
- $120 in annual Lyft in-app credits, up to $10 monthly
- Points Boost program that lets users redeem points for 2x value on thousands of both top booked hotels and flights with select airlines and hotels through Chase Travel
- Complimentary IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite Status
- Access to the Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club network of airport lounges
- Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership (valued at $469)
- Comprehensive travel insurance benefits
Other benefits become available with $120,000 in annual spending on the card, including:
- IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite Status
- Southwest Airlines® A-List Status
- $500 Southwest Airlines credit when booked through Chase Travel
- $500 credit to The Shops at Chase
Meanwhile, Ink Business Preferred(R) Credit Card benefits are mainly limited to:
- Travel and purchase protections
- Free employee cards
Earning potential and bonus categories
The Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business(SM) lets you earn bonus rewards within the following categories:
- 8x points on Chase Travel purchases
- 5x points on eligible Lyft rides (through Sept. 30, 2027)
- 4x points per dollar on flights and hotels booked directly
- 3x points per dollar on social media and search engine advertising
- 1x point per dollar on other purchases
Cardholders can earn points per dollar spent in select business categories, and the card earns Ultimate Rewards points on all eligible purchases. Understanding your business spending habits and business expenses can help you choose the right card to maximize earning points and rewards.
Meanwhile, the Ink Business Preferred(R) Credit Card doles out rewards with the following rates:
- 3x points per dollar on up to $150,000 spent annually on select business categories, including shipping purchases; advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines; internet, cable, and phone services; and travel (then 1x point)
- 1x point per dollar on other purchases
Travel and advertising
As you can gather from the earning rates above, the Sapphire Reserve for Business(SM) offers superior rewards for travel purchases. However, it’s worth noting that the best rewards rates apply to travel purchases made through the Chase portal rather than bookings made directly.
Both cards earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which can be combined with points from other Chase credit cards for greater flexibility and enhanced redemption options. This pooling feature allows cardholders to maximize the value and versatility of their Chase credit cards by consolidating points and accessing a wider range of rewards.
Additionally, users who spend heavily on advertising are sure to appreciate that the Sapphire Reserve for Business(SM) offers 3x points on social media and search engine advertising without any spending caps, making it highly rewarding for businesses with significant marketing expenses.
Business spend categories: Which card covers more?
While the Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business(SM) offers more rewards for travel purchases, Ink Business Preferred® bonus categories cover more types of business spending overall.
Specifically, you can use this card to earn 3x points on up to $150,000 in spending annually on shipping purchases; advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines; internet, cable, and phone services; and travel (then 1x point).
Redemption and travel benefits
The good news about this Chase Ink Business Preferred® vs. Sapphire Reserve Business℠ comparison is that both cards offer similarly flexible redemption options. Cardholders can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to a wide range of airline loyalty programs and hotel partners, maximizing the cash value of their points. Additionally, points can be redeemed for travel bookings, statement credits, gift cards, and more, providing versatile ways to use your rewards. Understanding the rewards program agreement is key to fully leveraging the benefits and transfer options available through Chase Ultimate Rewards, ensuring you make the most of your earned points.
Transfer partners and redemption flexibility
While both the Ink Business Preferred(R) Credit Card and Sapphire Reserve Business℠ let you redeem rewards for travel through Chase Travel, the Reserve Business℠ has an edge for some redemptions. That’s based on the Points Boost program from Chase, which offers more value for certain travel redemptions when you use your rewards.
With Points Boost redemptions on the Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business(SM), you can get up to 2 cents per point in value on eligible hotels and flights with select airlines and properties through Chase Travel. Those who have the Ink Business Preferred(R) Credit Card get access to the same program, but they can only get a maximum of 1.5 to 1.75 cents in value for select travel bookings.
Both business credit cards also have the same transfer partners, all of which let you transfer Chase points at a 1:1 ratio:
Airlines
- AerClub, loyalty program of Aer Lingus
- The British Airways Club
- Emirates Skywards®
- Air France KLM – Flying Blue
- Club Iberia Plus
- JetBlue TrueBlue
- Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
- Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards®
- United MileagePlus®
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
- Air Canada Aeroplan®
Hotels
- IHG® One Rewards
- Marriott Bonvoy™
- World of Hyatt®
Other flexible redemption options are also the same across both cards. You can always redeem points for statement credits, gift cards, and merchandise.
Lounge access and hotel credits
When it comes to travel perks specifically, the Sapphire Reserve for Business(SM) has a definite edge despite its much higher annual fee. Not only do cardholders get a Priority Pass Select membership valued at $469, but they also get access to the Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club network of airport lounges.
Other travel perks include the card’s $300 annual travel credit; a $120 credit toward Global Entry, TSA Precheck, or Nexus membership every four years; and a $500 annual The Edit credit toward over 1,100 hand-picked hotels and resorts (split into two $250 biannual credits).
Best fit by business type
While there are exceptions to this rule, the Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business(SM) and the Ink Business Preferred(R) Credit Card tend to work better for different types of spenders.
Frequent travelers and high spenders: Sapphire Reserve for Business(SM)
While the Sapphire Reserve for Business(SM) charges a high annual fee of annual_fees, frequent travelers and big spenders can get more than enough value in return. The outsized welcome offer of signup_reward points is a major benefit on its own, and cardholders who maximize the card’s statement credit offers and airport lounge access will end up ahead.
Those who spend a lot on travel may also prefer the exceptional earning rates and lack of bonus rewards spending caps on the Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business(SM).
Side hustlers and small teams: Ink Business Preferred(R) Credit Card
There are also people who can’t really justify spending annual_fees on a business credit card, even if they travel from time to time.
The Ink Business Preferred(R) Credit Card tends to work best for business owners who want to keep their spending in check but still want to be able to use points for travel through a portal or transfer rewards to airline and hotel partners.
Pairing both cards for maximum value
If you cannot decide between these two cards, you could also consider pairing both for maximum value. Staggering the sign-ups on these two cards could help you earn both welcome offers, and you could use the benefits and features on each one throughout the course of each year.
You could also maximize ongoing rewards by using the Sapphire Reserve for Business(SM) for all travel spending and switching to the Ink Business Preferred(R) Credit Card for bonus rewards in its 3x categories, excluding travel, at least up to the annual $150,000 bonus rewards cap.
With both cards in your wallet, you could benefit from some of the best travel benefits and earning rates among all business credit cards available today.
Conclusion
The choice between the Chase Ink Business Preferred® vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve Business℠ depends on how much you want to pay for benefits each year. The Reserve Business offers higher earning rates and considerably more travel perks for annual_fees annually, whereas the Chase Ink Business Preferred® offers toned-down benefits for a more reasonable annual fee of annual_fees.
Both cards offer purchase protection, providing peace of mind for business purchases by covering eligible items against damage or theft. Also, remember that Chase offers small business credit cards with $0 annual fees – the Ink Business Unlimited(R) Credit Card and the Ink Business Cash(SM) Credit Card. These cards can be worth considering on their own, but you can also pair them with the Ink Business Preferred(R) Credit Card or Sapphire Reserve for Business(SM) to earn even more rewards over time.
➤ LINK LABEL:Which Chase Ink business credit card is right for you?
