Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Which is Better for YOU?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve® were both just refreshed. But the Preferred really got a jolt: increased and new points earning categories, an anniversary point bonus, and $50 hotel credit. The Reserve got some new Chase Ultimate Rewards® travel booking service points earnings.

If you don’t hold one of the Chase Sapphire cards — and haven’t received a new cardmember bonus for any Sapphire card during the past 48 months — you might be tempted to get one.

Both offer redemption bonuses when booking travel through Chase. This helps you field a pretty great, effective Ultimate Rewards “team” when you combine them with cards such as the Chase Freedom Flex®, Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card, and/or Chase Freedom Unlimited®. (All information about Chase Freedom Flex® has been collected independently by Eye of the Flyer. Chase Freedom Flex® is no longer available through Eye of the Flyer.).

So which Chase Sapphire card is better for you? Below is a handy-dandy table comparing and contrasting the two products. Let’s take a quick look and then discuss a few things to consider. (We recommend using landscape viewing if you’re on a mobile phone.)

	Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card	Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Type of Points Earned	Chase Ultimate Rewards®	Chase Ultimate Rewards®
Current Welcome Offer	See the current offer now!	See the current offer now!
Primary Cardholder Annual Fee	$95	$550
Additional Cardholder Annual Fee	$0	$75
Statement Credits
Annual $300 Travel Credit (Rolling 12-Month Card Membership Period — NOT Per Calendar Year)	No.	Yes.
Annual $50 Credit for Hotel Purchases Made Through Chase’s Ultimate Rewards Travel Service	Yes.	No.
Points Earnings
Points Bonus Awarded Each Anniversary Year	10% of whatever you spent the previous anniversary year. For example, $25,000 in spending would earn you a bonus 2,500 Ultimate Rewards — on top of whatever bonuses you earned that year.	None.
Airfare Booked Through Chase’s Ultimate Rewards Travel Service	5X	5X (after annual $300 credit is used)
Hotels and Card Rentals Booked Through Chase’s Ultimate Rewards Travel Service	5X (excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the $50 Anniversary Hotel Credit.)	10X
Peloton Bike, Tread, and Accessory Purchase Over $1,800.	5X (Maximum of 25,000 Points)	10X (Maximum of 50,000 Points)
Dining at restaurants worldwide (includes eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out)	3X	3X
Select Streaming Services	3X	1X
Travel (airfare, hotels, taxis, trains, rideshare, select parking, etc.)	2X	3X (after annual $300 credit is used)
Grocery Stores	3X	1X
Everything Else	1X	1X
Points Redemptions
Transfer to Chase Ultimate Rewards® Travel Partners	Yes	Yes
Transfer to Other Chase Cardholders	Yes	Yes
Point Value When Redeeming for Travel Through Chase’s Ultimate Rewards Site	1.25 Cents	1.50 Cents
Pay Yourself Back on Eligible Purchases in Select, Rotating Categories	Yes.	Yes.
Pay Yourself Back Statement Credit Redemption Rate Per Point	1.25 Cents	1.50 Cents
Chase Dining Statement Credit Redemption Rate Per Point	1.25 Cents Per Point	1.50 Cents Per Point
Travel Benefits
Complimentary Priority Pass Select Membership (Enrollment Required)	No.	Yes. Includes dining credit at select airport restaurants.
Complimentary One-Year Membership in Lyft Pink (Enrollment Required by March 2025)	No.	Yes.
Access to Chase Luxury Resorts & Hotels	Yes.	Yes.
Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance	Yes. (Terms, minimums, and limits may apply. See this document for more details.)	Yes. (Terms, minimums, and limits may apply. See this document for more details.)
Trip Delay Reimbursement	Yes. (Terms, minimums, and limits may apply.)	Yes. (Terms, minimums, and limits may apply.
Travel Accident Coverage	Yes. (Terms, minimums, and limits may apply.)	Yes. (Terms, minimums, and limits may apply.)
Foreign Transaction Fees	$0	$0
Other Features and Benefits
Extended Warranty Protection	Yes.	Yes.
Purchase Protection	Yes.	Yes.
Where Can You Apply for the Cards?	Learn here how to apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card card.	Learn here how to apply for the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs. Reserve: Which is Better?

This is purely subjective.

For a general points-earning card, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is better. Especially now that it offers select streaming services and grocery store bonuses. (Both 3X) Plus, its travel earnings are now 3X — the same as the Reserve card.

One of my friends wanted to start collecting and redeeming points — and decided to test the waters with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. He wanted a Visa because it’s accepted more places than American Express. Plus, he likes flying jetBlue between LAX and JFK — and JetBlue is a Chase Ultimate Rewards® travel partner. He doesn’t crave luxury and simply wants to travel affordably in an aisle seat. So the CSP serves him just fine.

So if travel benefits (lounges, statement credits, etc.) don’t do anything for you, go with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. This is especially the case if you’re worried about annual fees. Consider that the Preferred’s is $455 cheaper than its Reserve sibling.

Personally, I slightly favor the Chase Sapphire Reserve® over the Preferred because its trip cancellation-interruption-delay benefits are a little more generous (six hours vs the Preferred’s 12-hour minimum).  The $550 annual fee essentially gets knocked down to $250 after you factor in the annual $300 travel credit.

The 50% bonus redemption on Pay Yourself Back and travel purchased through Chase is also a big plus, versus the Preferred’s 25%.

Plus, the Reserve’s Priority Pass Select membership (enrollment required) still includes select airport restaurants and establishments. The American Express cards yanked that benefit from their Priority Pass-eligible cards. One of my clients gives me a flat per diem when I travel, so airport lounge access and restaurant discounts help keep my costs low. Worth noting: several lounges and airport restaurants haven’t yet reopened. So keep that in mind.

I also enjoy the Lyft Pink membership. Rides are discounted by 15% and I receive priority pick-ups at airports. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card does not offer the complimentary Lyft Pink membership.

The Peloton benefits do nothing for me. I have a young child who loves running and swimming. That keeps me plenty active 🙂 .

Final Approach

Now is an excellent time to consider getting the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve® credit card (assuming you’re eligible). Keep in mind both are subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule.

The only person who can decide which card is better for you is, well, you. I prefer (no pun intended) the Chase Sapphire Reserve® because I can make the annual fee work out across the statement credits, travel benefits, and points earnings/redemptions.

Chase Sapphire vets: which card do you prefer and why? Please tell us in the below Comments section.