The Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card are two of the most talked-about travel credit cards on the market. That’s thanks to the valuable Ultimate Rewards program, premium benefits and great travel protections. But which one suits you best?
You might assume that the Chase Sapphire Reserve – with a higher annual fee and more luxurious benefits – is always the better choice. It’s the higher level card, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best option. Depending on your spending habits, travel goals and existing credit card offerings, the Sapphire Preferred may be the more attractive option for your wallet.
We compare the two maps below to help you make the best decision.
Sapphire Preferred vs. Sapphire Reserve Comparison
Card |
Chase Sapphire is preferred |
Chase Sapphire Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Annual contribution | $95 | $550 |
| Earn rates | 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through the Ultimate Rewards portal
5 points per dollar on Lyft through March 2025 5 points per dollar on purchases of Peloton gear and accessories over $150 or more, capped at 25,000 points total through March 2025 3 points per dollar on dining at restaurants worldwide, online grocery shopping and select streaming services 2 points per dollar on all other trips 1 point per dollar on everything else |
10 points per dollar on hotels, car rentals and Chase Dining purchased through the Ultimate Rewards portal
10 points per dollar on Lyft through March 2025 10 points per dollar on purchases of Peloton gear and accessories over $150, capped at 50,000 points total through March 2025 5 points per dollar on flights purchased through the Ultimate Rewards portal 3 points per dollar on dining and all other travel 1 point per dollar on everything else |
| Sign-up bonus | 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening | 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening |
| Value for Ultimate Rewards travel redemptions | 1.25 cents | 1.5 cents |
| Advantages | $50 annual ultimate hotel credit reward
10% anniversary points boost DoorDash DashPass subscription (activate by December 31, 2024) Six months of free Instacart+ membership (activated before July 31, 2024) and up to $15 in Instacart statement credits quarterly (through July 2024) |
Annual travel credit of $300
Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus credit (up to $100) every four years Free two-year Lyft Pink All Access membership (activate by December 31, 2024) DoorDash DashPass subscription (activate by December 31, 2024) and $5 in DoorDash credits every month One year of free Instacart+ membership (activated before July 31, 2024) and up to $15 in Instacart statement credits per month (through July 2024) Access to Chase Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection |
| Access to lounges | No | Priority Pass lounges
Sapphire lounges |
| Authorized User Fee | $0 | $75 for each user per year |
Sapphire Preferred vs. Sapphire Reserve welcome bonus
Currently, the Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve have an identical welcome bonus of 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months of opening your account.
TPG values Chase Ultimate Rewards points at 2.05 cents each, making these bonuses worth $1,230.
But keep in mind that you are only eligible for a welcome bonus on one of these cards if you have not received a bonus from one of these cards in the last 48 months. Additionally, both cards are subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule, so make sure you qualify for both the card and the bonus before signing up.
Winner: Tie. Both cards currently have identical welcome bonuses.
Related: The best time to apply for these Chase cards based on their offer history
Sapphire Preferred vs. Sapphire Reserve benefits
The difference in benefits is where the Sapphire Reserve shines. This gets you a $300 annual travel credit, access to Chase Lounges and Priority Pass lounges, and a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus credit of up to $100 every four years.
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Additionally, the Sapphire Reserve comes with a free two-year Lyft Pink All Access membership (activated before December 31, 2024), a free DoorDash DashPass subscription for at least one year (activated before December 31, 2024), and $5 in DoorDash credits per month , one year of free Instacart+ (activated before July 31, 2024), and up to $15 in Instacart statement credits per month through July 2024.
Plus, the Sapphire Reserve gives you access to Chase’s Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection, with benefits like daily breakfast for two and a $100 on-site credit for every booking.
Still, the Sapphire Preferred has a handful of advantages. This gives you a $50 annual Ultimate Rewards hotel credit and an account anniversary points bonus of 10% of the total number of purchases you make that year. You’ll also get a free DoorDash DashPass subscription for at least one year (activated before December 31, 2024), six months of free Instacart+ membership (activated before July 31, 2024), and up to $15 in Instacart statement credits every quarter through July 2024.
While both cards come with impressive travel and purchase protections, the Sapphire Reserve’s protections are more significant. For example, the trip cancellation insurance on the Sapphire Preferred covers up to $10,000 per covered trip, while the Sapphire Reserve covers up to $20,000 per covered trip. The Sapphire Reserve also offers increased coverage for rental car insurance, travel delay protection, emergency medical and dental insurance, and purchase protection.
Winner: Sapphire reserve. The travel credit, airport lounge access and increased travel protection are hard to beat.
Related: Is the Chase Sapphire Reserve Worth the Annual Fee?
Earn points with the Sapphire Preferred vs. Sapphire Reserve
The Sapphire Preferred earns five points per dollar on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards, Lyft rides (through March 2025), and Peloton gear and accessory purchases over $150 (with a maximum earning of 25,000 points total, until March 2025). It also earns three points per dollar on dining out, online grocery and select streaming purchases, as well as two points per dollar on eligible travel purchases and one point per dollar on all other purchases.
The Sapphire Reserve, meanwhile, earns 10 points per dollar on hotels, car rentals and Chase Dining purchased through the Ultimate Rewards portal, Lyft rides (through March 2025), and purchases of Peloton gear and accessories over $150 (with a maximum winnings of 50,000 points in total, until March 2025). It earns five points per dollar on flights purchased through the Ultimate Rewards portal, three points per dollar on dining and travel purchases and one point per dollar on all other purchases.
Winner: Sapphire reserve. It earns more than the Preferred in most bonus categories.
Related: Which purchases count as travel with the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve?
Redeeming points with the Sapphire Preferred vs. Sapphire Reserve
Because both the Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you have the same redemption options with both cards. Your most valuable redemption option is to transfer them to one of Chase’s 14 airline and hotel partners for the most value, but you can also use them to book travel through the Ultimate Rewards portal or the Pay Yourself Back option from Chase to use.
Additionally, you can redeem your points for cash back or gift cards, but you’ll get a lower value for your points if you go this route. We therefore recommend that you use your points for travel whenever possible.
However, if you redeem your points through the Ultimate Rewards portal or use Chase Pay Yourself Back, your points will be worth more with the Sapphire Reserve. This gives you a value of 1.5 cents per point, while the Sapphire Preferred only gives you a value of 1.25 cents per point.
Winner: Sapphire reserve. The higher redemption value through the Ultimate Rewards portal and Pay Yourself Back give the Reserve the edge.
Related: Redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards for maximum value
Transferring points with the Sapphire Preferred vs. Sapphire Reserve
Both Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve allow you to transfer your points to any of Chase’s 14 travel partners. Some of the most valuable partners include Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Air Canada Aeroplan and World of Hyatt.
As a budget traveler, I like to transfer my points to World of Hyatt and grow them by staying at Category 1 Hyatt properties as much as possible. I also transfer my points to Southwest Rapid Rewards regularly and get a lot of value from my points by taking advantage of their frequent sales.
Winner: Tie. You get the same transfer options with both cards.
Related: The Complete Guide to Chase Ultimate Rewards Transfer Partners
Should I get the Sapphire Preferred or the Sapphire Reserve?
If you can take advantage of the annual travel credit and don’t have another card that gets you airport lounge access, you’ll almost certainly get the most value from the Sapphire Reserve. However, if you want to keep your annual costs low or don’t travel much, the Sapphire Preferred gives you good earning rates and redemption options for a much lower annual fee.
Related: 11 Reasons to Choose the Sapphire Preferred Over the Sapphire Reserve
How to upgrade from the Sapphire Preferred to the Sapphire Reserve
If you have the Sapphire Preferred and want the Sapphire Reserve instead, the best strategy is to first downgrade your Preferred to a Chase card with no annual fees, such as the Chase Freedom Unlimited®. You can request this by calling the number on the back of your card. You can then apply for the Sapphire Reserve and earn the welcome bonus, as long as you fall under Chase’s 5/24 rule and didn’t earn the bonus on your Chase Sapphire Preferred less than 48 months ago.
Likewise, you can downgrade your Reservation to a Preferred card by calling the number on the back of your card. However, you will miss out on the welcome bonus on the Preferred, so it is better to first downgrade your Reserve to a card with no annual fee and then reapply for the Preferred to earn the welcome bonus, as long as you have done the Not earning a welcome bonus on the Sapphire Reserve less than 48 months earlier.
You can also request a product change from one card to another by calling the number on the back of your card. However, if you go this route you will lose the welcome bonus on your new card.
Related: 5 Reasons to Upgrade from the Sapphire Preferred to the Sapphire Reserve
In short
The Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve are TPG favorites because of their strong revenue numbers, extensive travel protections and valuable transfer partners. Which card is best for you depends on your travel goals and spending habits, but you can’t go wrong with either card.
For more details, see our full reviews of the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Apply your Chase Sapphire Preferred Card here
Apply here: Chase Sapphire Reserve
