Frequent travelers are sure to appreciate the fact that both the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® earn users multiple points per dollar spent not only on airline purchases, but on all travel related expenses, such as taxi rides and hotel stays, 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 travel 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 might notice, for example, is that the Chase Sapphire Reserve® credit card comes with a hefty annual fee of $550, plus an additional $75 annual fee for each authorized user (versus the Preferred card's $95 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.
Bonus points
The new member signup bonuses also slightly vary between the two, but, the thing to really look at is the value of the points being offered.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers new users 60,000 points once spending $4,000 in the first three months, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers 50,000 points, under the same conditions. However, through this rewards system, Chase Sapphire Reserve® points are worth 50% more, and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card points are worth 25% more when redeemed for travel.
What's more, Chase offers its users the opportunity to earn up to 50,000 more bonus points each year through referrals, meaning if you get five new people to sign up for the card, you could end up with 100,000-110,000 bonus points your first year as a cardholder.
Earning rates
When it comes to rewards earned through spending, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® earns just a little bit more, but in more restricted categories. With the Reserve card, earn five points on air travel and 10 points on hotels and car rentals booked through Ultimate Rewards® immediately after earning your travel reimbursement and three points on other travel (after earning your annual travel reimbursement) as well as on dining worldwide.
The Preferred card, on the other hand, offers five points per $1 spent on travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards®; three points on dining, select streaming purchases and online grocery store purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs); two points per $1 on travel; and one 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.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve®
$95
$550 annual fee for the primary cardholder, plus $75 annually for each authorized user
60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of opening an account
50,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of opening an account
- 5 points per $1 on travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards®
- 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
- 10 points on car rentals and hotels booked through Ultimate Rewards® (after earning your annual reimbursement)
- 10 points on Chase Dining purchases through Ultimate Rewards®
- 5 points on air travel booked through Ultimate Rewards® (after earning your annual reimbursement)
- 3 points for each $1 spent on other travel (after earning your annual $300 travel reimbursement)
- 3 points per $1 on dining purchases
- 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
- 25% more value when redeemed for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards® compared to $1,000 when redeemed for cash.
- 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.
- 50% more value when redeemed for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 50,000 points are worth $750 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards® compared to $600 when redeemed for cash.
- 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.
15.99% - 22.99% Variable
16.99% - 23.99% Variable
$0
$0
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 collision damage 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 collision damage 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
$50 annual hotel credit for stays purchased through Ultimate Rewards®
Earn 5x points per $1 spent with Lyft through March 2022
Up to a $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSAPreCheck® Approved every four years
$300 annual travel reimbursement statement credit
Access to 1,000+ airport lounges worldwide after a one-time enrollment in Priority Pass Select
Special hotel benefits such as complimentary room upgrades and early check-in and late check out offers
Enjoy a complimentary Lyft Pink membership, a $199 minimum value.
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
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 Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve® reviews.
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