Chase Sapphire Preferred® vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Jennifer Doss
Written by
Jennifer Doss
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Terms apply; see the online credit card application for full terms and conditions of offers and rewards.

Frequent travelers are sure to appreciate the fact that both the card_name and the card_name earn users multiple points per dollar spent not only on airline purchases, but on other travel-related expenses as well. This, paired with high-value introductory offers and a number of great travel and purchase protection benefits, makes these two cards some of the most popular credit cards that Chase has to offer. 

At first glance, it may appear that there’s little difference between these two cards. While it’s true that they both offer some identical perks, when comparing them side by side, you’ll quickly see that there are several areas where the cards vastly differ.

Annual fees

The first thing you’ll likely notice, for example, is that the CardName credit card comes with a hefty annual fee of AnnualFees, versus the Preferred® card’s AnnualFees annual fee. You might also notice, however, that there’s a long list of premium travel benefits offered with the Reserve® that could very well make the fee worth it for some users.

Welcome bonus

The CardName offers new users signup_reward bonus points once spending signup_bonus_spend_amount on purchases in the first three months from account opening. The CardName offers cardholders 100,000 bonus points and a $500 Chase Travel promo credit under the same spending conditions.

Earning rates

With the Reserve® card, earn 8X points on all Chase Travel purchases, 4X points on flights and hotels booked direct, 3X points on dining worldwide, and 1X point on all other purchases.

The Preferred® card, on the other hand, offers 5X points per dollar spent on travel purchased through Chase Travel; 3X points on dining, select streaming purchases and online grocery store purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs); 2X points per dollar on travel; and 1X point per dollar on everything else. 

Even with the Reserve® credit card’s high annual fee, if you dine out and travel often, and want to reap high rewards throughout the process, we think having either one of these cards in your wallet is a smart choice. When it comes to deciding which is the better option for you, since the purchase and balance transfer APRs are similar, ultimately, the decision boils down to which benefits matter to you the most.

To learn more, check out the table below to compare the various rewards, benefits, features, and fees associated with each card.

CardName vs. CardName

Annual Fee

AnnualFees

AnnualFees

New Cardholder Bonus Offer

Earn signup_reward bonus points after you spend signup_bonus_spend_amount on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Earn 100,000 points and a $500 Chase Travel promotional credit after you spend signup_bonus_spend_amount on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Rewards

  • 5 points per $1 on travel purchased through Chase Travel
  • 3 points on dining (including eligible takeout and delivery)
  • 3 points on select streaming services
  • 3 points on online grocery store purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs)
  • 2 points on travel
  • 1 point on other purchases
  • 8X points on all purchases through Chase Travel
  • 4X points on flights and hotels booked direct
  • 1X point for all other purchases

Redeeming Rewards

  • 25% more value when redeemed for travel through Chase Travel.
  • 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs such as British Airways Executive Club, Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards, Marriott Rewards, and the World of Hyatt.
  • Points Boost redemption program, which lets users redeem points for 2X for select flights and hotel stays
  • 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs such as British Airways Executive Club, Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards, Marriott Rewards, and the World of Hyatt.

Purchase and Balance Transfer APR

RegAPR

RegAPR

Foreign Transaction Fees

foreign_fee

foreign_fee

Travel Protection

  • Trip cancellation/interruption insurance up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip for your pre-paid, non-refundable travel expenses
  • Trip delay reimbursement up to $500 per ticket if you’re delayed more than 12 hours or require an overnight stay
  • Baggage delay insurance up to $100 a day for five days for baggage delays over 6 hours
  • Lost luggage reimbursement up to $3,000 per passenger
  • Travel accident insurance up to $500,000
  • Travel and emergency assistance services
  • Auto rental coverage which provides reimbursement up to the actual cash value of the vehicle for theft and collision damage for most rental cars in the U.S. and abroad
  • Trip cancellation/interruption insurance up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip for your pre-paid, non-refundable travel expenses
  • Trip delay reimbursement up to $500 per ticket if you’re delayed more than 6 hours or require an overnight stay
  • Emergency evacuation and transportation coverage up to $100,000
  • Emergency medical and dental reimbursement up to $2,500 for medical expenses if you or your immediate family member becomes sick or injured more than 100 miles away from your home
  • Baggage delay insurance up to $100 a day for five days for baggage delays over 6 hours
  • Lost luggage reimbursement up to $3,000 per passenger
  • Auto rental coverage which provides reimbursement up to $75,000 for theft and collision damage for rental cars in the U.S. and abroad
  • Roadside assistance up to $50 per incident up to four times a year

Premium Travel Benefits

  • $50 annual hotel credit for stays purchased through Chase Travel
  • Up to a $120 application fee credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck®, or NEXUS approved every four years
  • $300 annual travel reimbursement statement credit
  • $500 annual credit for The Edit
  • Access to 1,000+ airport lounges worldwide after a one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select
  • Complimentary IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite Status
  • $120 in annual Lyft in-app credits, up to $10 monthly, plus 5x total points on eligible Lyft rides

Purchase Protection

  • Purchase protection covering new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account
  • Extended warranty protection which extends the time period of the U.S. manufacturer’s warranty by an additional year, on eligible warranties of three years or less
  • Purchase protection covering new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per year
  • Extended warranty protection which extends the time period of the U.S. manufacturer’s warranty by an additional year, on eligible warranties of three years or less
  • Return protection allowing reimbursement for eligible items that the store won’t take back within 90 days of purchase, up to $500 per item, and $1,000 per year

Customer Service

  • 24/7 access to a customer service specialist
  • Access to a Visa Infinite Concierge who can help with things like dinner reservations or Broadway, music, and sporting event ticket bookings

For a full synopsis of each card, be sure to check out our CardName and CardName reviews.

author
Jennifer Doss
CardRatings Executive Editor

Jennifer Doss is a credit card analyst and the executive editor of CardRatings.com. Drawing on 15 years in the media industry as a print and online journalist and editor, her work has covered diverse subjects from finance and technology to travel and dining. As a...Read more

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Disclaimer:

The information in this article is believed to be accurate as of the date it was written. Please keep in mind that credit card offers change frequently. Therefore, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this article. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accurate information. See the online credit card application for full terms and conditions on offers and rewards. Please verify all terms and conditions of any credit card prior to applying.

This content is not provided by any company mentioned in this article. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed here are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any such company. CardRatings.com does not review every company or every offer available on the market.