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Chase is one of the biggest banks in the United States and it offers a wide range of different credit cards. These cards will each have their own pros and cons attached to them, with some focusing on particular use cases.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® are two options that tend to be well suited to travelers. This review will take you through each of the main aspects of using these credit cards.
General Comparison
Compare Rewards: Which Card Gives More?
Both cards offer exclusive travel rewards and considered among the best travel cards in the market. There are varying levels of rewards points available when comparing the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve cards. Here is a look at the points that you can expect from these two offerings.
The following purchases will be assessed, assuming they were made through Chase Rewards:
|
| |
|---|---|---|
Spend Per Category | Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | Chase Sapphire Reserve |
$10,000 – U.S Supermarkets | 30,000 points | 10,000 points |
$5,000 – Airline
| 25,000 points | 25,000 points |
$5,000 – Hotels | 25,000 points | 50,000 points |
$5,000 – Restaurants | 15,000 points | 15,000 points |
$4,000 – Gas | 4,000 points | 4,000 points |
Total Points | 99,000 points | 104,000 points |
Estimated Redemption Value | 1 point ~ 1 – 1.25 cent | 1 point ~ 1 – 1.5 cent |
Estimated Annual Value | $990 – $1,237 | $1,040 – $1,560 |
* Assuming all travel purchases are purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
Compare Welcome Bonus And Fees
With the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, you will be able to get 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. This means that you will be able to get $750 worth of travel rewards.
The Sapphire Reserve card has a similar offer, allowing you to get 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
The fees for the Chase Sapphire Preferred card are significantly less than what you will pay with the Sapphire Reserve card, being $95 versus $550.
Compare The Perks
There are a few different benefits associated with both of these credit card options. Some of these will be common to both the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve options, while others will be different.
Here is a quick look at what you can expect on both cards:
Generous Rewards: While the Sapphire Reserve offers better redemption rates, both of these cards have strong rewards on offer for purchases.
Good Sign-Up Offer: Both of these cards have a decent signup offer that allows you to get a good bang for your buck when you make the qualifying purchases within the time period.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees: You will not have to pay any form of foreign transaction fees when using both cards.
- Travel Interruption/Cancelation Insurance: If you book your trip with your card, you’ll be reimbursed up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip if your trip is cut short or canceled due to covered situations.
- Pay Yourself Back offers, which allow you to redeem points for current offers with a higher redemption value.
- Transfer points to airlines and hotels: Both cards are eligible for transferring points to airline and hotel partners:
- Split purchases of $100+ into fixed monthly payments via the My Chase Plan feature.
- Auto Collision Rental Damage Waiver: If you charge the entire cost of your rental to your card, you’ll have supplemental theft and collision damage cover for free
- Travel Interruption/Cancelation Insurance: If you book your trip with your card, you’ll be reimbursed up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip if your trip is cut short or canceled due to covered situations.
- Baggage Delay Insurance: You’ll receive up to $100 per day for five days for essential purchases if your baggage is delayed by your passenger carrier. You’ll also get up to $500 per ticket if your common carrier travel is delayed for over 12 hours.
- Purchase Protection: New purchases are covered for up to 120 days against theft or damage. There is a claim limit of $500 and $50,000 per account. You’ll also get extended warranty protection on eligible warranties. If you lost or misplaced your credit card, you can quickly lock it on Chase website.
However, there are some unique benefits for each card:
Chase Sapphire Preferred
- Points Bonus for Travel: If you bought your travel-related airfares, hotels, and rentals through Chase, you will get a 25% boost to your points.
- Anniversary Bonus: You’ll get bonus points for 10% of your total purchases from the previous year. So, if you spend $20,000, the following year, you’ll get 2,000 bonus points.
Chase Sapphire Reserve
- $300 annual travel credit. You’ll receive up to $300 statement credit for reimbursement on travel purchases charged to your card.
- Complimentary access to VIP airport lounge access. There are over 1,000 lounges across 500+ cities around the world.
- Travel reimbursement for lost luggage up to $3,000 per passenger and if your carrier travel is delayed for more than 6 hours, up to $500 per ticket.
- Points Bonus for Travel: If you bought your travel-related airfares, hotels, and rentals through Chase, you will get a 50% boost to your points.
Premium Rewards: You have some premium rewards associated with certain types of expenditure with this credit card, particularly for dining and travel-related purchases.
- The Chase Sapphire Reserve card will reimburse your application fee for TSA Precheck or Global Entry once every four years. This cost is usually around $85 to $100.
- 50% More Ultimate Chase Rewards – your points go further when you book through Ultimate Chase Rewards. These rewards include all things travel-related, such as flights, hotels, cruises, and car rentals.
- Cardholders Take advantage of exclusive benefits at a variety of hand-picked top hotels and resorts around the world, such as complimentary room upgrades, early check-in and late check-out.
- There are no dates when the points cannot be redeemed. They can be redeemed at any time of the year. There is also no expiration or use limits.
Compare The Drawbacks
Of course, no credit card is perfect, so it is important to be aware of the potential drawbacks before you make your final card decision.
Chase Sapphire Preferred
- No Introductory 0% APR Offer
You will not get an introductory period of 0% APR that is in place with other Chase cards.
- No Premium Benefits
The Chase Reserve offers more exclusive benefits such as VIP lounge access, better point bonuses and annual travel credit. These features you won't get with the Chase Preferred card.
Chase Sapphire Reserve
- High Annual Fee
While there are some great rewards associated with this card, the annual fee of $550 is quite hefty.
- Need Strong Credit
Only people with very strong credit will usually be able to get their hands on this card.
Top Offers
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Compare Redemption Options
Some redemption options include getting a statement credit or having the funds automatically deposited into your Chase checking account or another eligible bank.
While this can be helpful if you’re short on cash or want to lower your balance, it doesn’t offer the same value as using those rewards for travel.
Cardholders can use points to book flights, hotels, and car rentals through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal. With the Sapphire Reserve, points have a 1.5x redemption value when used for travel, while the Preferred card offers a 1.25x redemption value when used for travel.
You can transfer your Chase Ultimate Rewards to one of Chase's partner airlines or hotels. For example, if you discover a $500 flight on Air France for 25,000 points, you can use the 25,000 points you have with Chase to book the flight. This eliminates the need to earn points with multiple airlines in order to save money on flights.
Air France/KLM, Iberia, Southwest, United, Emirates, Iberia, and Aer Lingus, as well as British Airways, are some of Chase's partner airlines. Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, and Intercontinental Hotels Group are among the hotel options. Also, Chase offers unique experiences that can be redeemed using points.
Using a gift card might seem like a good option, but it won’t earn you enough for travel or a vacation.
To redeem your rewards, just log into your credit card portal or app and choose the redemption option that works for you. Follow the provided instructions to complete the process—it’s that simple!
How to Maximize Cards Benefits?
If you want to make the best use of the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, don't forget the following:
Maximize Welcome Offer: You have a good sign-up offer with this card type that you should make sure to maximize.
Leverage Loyalty Programs: there are some travel partners of Chase that will offer their own additional points boosts that you should be aware of and take advantage of them as needed.
Add Family Members: You are able to add each member of your family as an extra user without incurring any extra cost. This can lead to you accumulating rewards at a much faster rate. You can also combine points:
If you want to make the best use of the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card, don't forget the following:
Maximize Welcome Offer: You have a good sign-up offer with this card type that you should make sure to maximize.
Compare Rewards: If you have other credit cards with Chase, you should make sure that you are aware of which cards are better suited to different types of purchases.
Insurance Offerings: There is no need to get separate travel-related insurance as this card offers that protection for you already. Chase Sapphire Reserve is one of the best credit cards for rental car insurance available.
- Understand all features the card offers – as a luxury card, the Reserve card offers some unique and premium benefit you can't find on other cards. Make sure you know them and leverage them on the right time depends on your needs.
Customer Reviews: Which Card Wins?
Chase Sapphire Preferred | Chase Sapphire Reserve | |
|---|---|---|
App Rating (iOS)
| 4.8 | 4.8 |
App Rating (Android) | 4.4 | 4.4 |
BBB Rating (A-F) | B+ | B+ |
WalletHub | 4 | 3.5 |
Contect Options | phone/social | phone/social |
Availability | 7 AM – 11 PM | 7 AM – 11 PM |
Customers tend to praise the free features that are associated with both of these cards, such as the insurance coverage and the 24/7 customer service. You also will avoid the likes of foreign exchange fees, which is ideal for travelers.
Some people question the size of the annual fees that are in place for these two cards, as well as the lack of an introductory period of 0% APR.
When You Might Want the Chase Sapphire Preferred?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is a flexible option that could be good if:
Ideal For Dining and Travel: This is a good fit for people who are looking to get rewards for their dining and travel purchases. It also does not carry any offering exchange fees.
Looking for Versatility: As well as travel and dining, there are also some decent rewards on offer when making other types of purchases.
Seeking Protection: You will get travel and car rental insurance built into this card, meaning that you will not have to worry in case unforeseen issues arise.
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When the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card Wins?
The Chase Sapphire Reserve Card is a good choice if:
Travel Frequently: If you are a frequent traveler, then you will likely be able to justify the large annual fee. This is because there are some stunning rewards available to you.
Like to Travel in Style: There is access to more than 1,000 VIP airport lounges across the world provided to cardholders. You also get free credits each year for the likes of TSA Precheck or Global Entry.
Want Generous Rewards: You can earn significant rewards as a result of using this card when making certain types of purchases. These rewards can really add up over time
Bottom Line
Both of these cards will have their audiences. They are both great cards for people who travel a lot and will be able to maximize the rewards. While there are annual fees in place for both options, you also get plenty of protection and customer service.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is a great fit for good rewards and versatility. The Sapphire Reserve Card is very valuable for frequent travelers and has some great perks, such as the annual travel credit of $300 and complimentary lounge access that help to neutralize the high annual fee.
Compare The Alternatives
Both of these cards offer some excellent rewards for frequent travelers, particularly if you redeem your rewards on travel products. However, the differences between these two cards will determine which is the better choice for you.
Lastly, there are some alternatives that you may want to take a look before applying.
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|
| |
|---|---|---|---|
The Platinum Card® from American Express | Chase Sapphire Reserve® | Capital One Venture X Rewards | |
Annual Fee | $695. See Rates & Fees | $550 | $395 |
Rewards |
1X – 5X
5X points on up to $500,000 spent on directly-booked airfare and flights and prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel (per calendar year), 2X points on prepaid car rentals through American Express Travel and 1X points on all other purchases
|
1X – 10X
5X total points on air travel and 10X total points on hotels, car rentals and dining when you purchase through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, immediately after earning your $300 annual travel credit. Also, earn 3x points on dining at restaurants and travel (after meeting the $300 travel credit), then 1x points per dollar spent on all other purchases.
| 1X – 10X
10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars when booking via Capital One Travel, 5 miles per dollar on flights and 2 miles per dollar on all eligible purchases
|
Welcome bonus |
80,000 points
80,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership
|
60,000 points
60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
| 75,000 miles
75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
|
Foreign Transaction Fee | $0. See Rates & Fees | $0 | $0
|
Purchase APR | See Pay Over Time APR | 21.99% – 28.99% variable APR | 19.99% – 29.74% (Variable) |
FAQ
There is no sort of limit in place how much cash back or rewards that you can earn when you are using this card over time.
All purchases will earn cashback through this card. This means that it is going to be an ideal option for those people who want to be able to earn consistent rewards.
The usual minimum credit limit for this card is $10,000. The exact credit limit will be dependent on the answers that you provide in your application.
You might not have met one of its requirements. You will usually find out where you fell short. You might be able to rectify the issue or you might have to look elsewhere.
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