Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Chase Sapphire Reserv...

Chase’s duo of private Sapphire playing cards maintain the ticket to profitable Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Whereas the mid-tier Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) and premium Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) share a household, the playing cards diverge in advantages, incomes charges and, particularly, annual price thresholds.

Nonetheless, including certainly one of these playing cards to your pockets is likely one of the finest methods for factors and miles fans to gather Chase factors, TPG’s top-rated foreign money (alongside Bilt Factors), per our June 2025 valuations.

Earlier than the Sapphire Reserve’s sweeping refresh in 2025, you could not maintain each the Sapphire Most well-liked and Sapphire Reserve playing cards on the identical time. Now, you’ll be able to maintain each playing cards, however there are new restrictions which will make some new candidates ineligible for bonus provides. And, it is necessary to recollect Chase’s 5/24 rule when making use of for one of many issuer’s playing cards.

In case you’re contemplating making use of for the Sapphire Most well-liked or the Sapphire Reserve, there are a number of components to contemplate. The playing cards share a reputation and a rewards foreign money, however they’re vastly completely different in follow. The Sapphire Reserve provides an array of perks at a steep $795 annual price, whereas the Sapphire Most well-liked is an easier possibility for a decrease $95 annual price.

It is necessary to contemplate your journey model and total factors and miles technique earlier than you make your selection. Let’s get into the comparability.

New candidates for the Chase Sapphire Reserve can earn 100,000 bonus factors plus a $500 Chase Journey promo credit score after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.

This supply is value $2,550 once you consider TPG’s June 2025 valuations for the factors worth and add the $500 journey credit score, which is a history-making best-ever for the cardboard’s bonus.

Word that the phrases for the $500 credit score state the next: The promotional credit score is legitimate for a one-time use solely, in case you apply the promotional credit score to a transaction lower than $500, you’ll forfeit the remaining stability.

In the meantime, you’ll be able to earn 75,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening with the Chase Sapphire Preferred. That is value about $1,538 when contemplating TPG’s valuations.

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Per the brand new bonus eligibility necessities for Chase’s suite of private Sapphire playing cards, those that presently maintain a client Sapphire card is not going to be eligible for a bonus on the opposite client Sapphire card.

Plus, in case you’ve beforehand earned a bonus on the Sapphire Reserve, you nearly definitely will not be eligible for a second bonus on the Sapphire Reserve. Likewise, in case you beforehand earned a bonus on a Sapphire Most well-liked, you nearly undoubtedly shall be ineligible for a second bonus on the Sapphire Most well-liked.

Chase additionally components in your 5/24 standing when reviewing candidates, so you’ll want to calculate your 5/24 standing earlier than you apply.

Winner: Sapphire Reserve. The cardboard’s present bonus provides over $1,000 extra in worth than the Sapphire Most well-liked.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve are separated most distinctly by their advantages. Let’s break down what you’ll be able to count on from every card.

With the $95 Sapphire Most well-liked, you will obtain:

• $50 annual hotel credit that you need to use once you e-book by way of Chase Journey
• 10% anniversary points bonus for every account anniversary
• Complimentary DoorDash DashPass subscription for no less than one 12 months (once you activate by Dec. 31, 2027) and $120 in DoorDash credit for non-restaurant purchases, given out as $10 in month-to-month credit

Those that go for the premium, $795 Sapphire Reserve can count on:

• $500 annual assertion credit score for The Edit, Chase’s curated assortment of luxurious accommodations and resorts (cut up into two biannual $250 credit) for pre-paid bookings of two nights or extra
• $300 annual assertion credit score toward all travel purchases
• $300 annual assertion credit score for StubHub or Viagogo purchases of live performance and occasion tickets (cut up into two biannual $150 credit; activation required)
• $300 yearly in month-to-month DoorDash promotions (a $5 restaurant promo and two $10 promos on non-restaurant purchases every month; activate by Dec. 31, 2027) plus a complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership valued at $120 manually (activate by Dec. 31, 2027)
• $300 annual eating credit score and primetime reservations at Sapphire Reserve Unique Tables, which you’ll be able to e-book on OpenTable (cut up into two biannual $150 credit mechanically utilized throughout the Sapphire Reserve Unique Tables program)
• Complimentary annual memberships for Apple TV+ and Apple Music subscriptions (one-time activation per service is required by way of chase.com or the Chase Cellular app)
• $120 in annual assertion credit towards a Peloton membership ($10 month-to-month by way of Dec. 31, 2027)
• $120 in annual Lyft in-app credit, as much as $10 month-to-month by way of Sept. 30, 2027
• Entry to Chase Sapphire airport lounges and Priority Pass lounges (excluding Precedence Move eating places)
• Complimentary IHG Platinum Elite status by way of Dec. 31, 2027 (with the flexibility to spend your method to IHG Diamond standing)
• Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus software price credit score of as much as $120 each 4 years

You may as well obtain additional advantages after spending $75,000 on the Sapphire Reserve in a calendar 12 months. These embrace:

• Southwest Airways A-Checklist standing
• $500 Southwest Airways credit score when reserving by way of Chase Journey
• Complimentary IHG Diamond Elite standing
• $250 credit score for The Retailers at Chase

Two info are obvious: The Sapphire Reserve’s annual price is considerably greater than that of the Sapphire Most well-liked, and the Sapphire Reserve undoubtedly outweighs the Sapphire Most well-liked when it comes to advantages.

A key distinction for a lot of frequent vacationers would be the Sapphire Reserve’s lounge entry. The issuer has opened eight golf equipment and has plans to open three extra. Plus, the Precedence Move community consists of over 1,700 lounges throughout the globe.

In case you ceaselessly fly out of certainly one of these airports, similar to Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) or Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), to call a number of, this might put the Sapphire Reserve excessive.

The Sapphire Reserve maintains its beloved, versatile $300 journey credit score regardless of the cardboard’s total refresh. It broadly applies to a variety of journey purchases and is mechanically utilized to your account. The Sapphire Most well-liked’s $50 resort credit score, however, is proscribed to Chase Journey purchases, which is extra restrictive by comparability.

It is also value noting that each playing cards include a collection of travel protections, together with baggage delay insurance coverage, misplaced baggage insurance coverage, journey cancellation and interruption insurance coverage, buy safety, prolonged guarantee safety and journey delay reimbursement. Nevertheless, the extra premium Sapphire Reserve has broader protection with certain policies than the Sapphire Most well-liked.

Plus, the extra premium Sapphire Reserve consists of emergency medical and dental advantages and emergency evacuation and transportation that the Sapphire Most well-liked doesn’t.

Now, once you break down the assertion credit line by line, it is necessary to contemplate the way you’re spending already. Do you subscribe to Apple TV+ and Apple Music, ceaselessly order from DoorDash or purchase tickets on StubHub? If you cannot simply use the Sapphire Reserve’s credit, it is probably not a worthwhile funding.

If the Sapphire Reserve is just too costly or too difficult, the Sapphire Most well-liked is a superb various.

Winner: Sapphire Reserve. The extra premium card comes with lounge entry, a extra versatile journey credit score and a laundry listing of assertion credit to maximise.

Associated: Is the Chase Sapphire Reserve worth the annual fee?

There are some variations in how the Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve earn factors.

With the Sapphire Most well-liked, you will earn:

• 5 factors per greenback spent on all journey bought by way of Chase Journey, eligible Lyft rides (by way of Sept. 30, 2027) and eligible Peloton purchases pf $150 or extra (by way of Dec. 30, 2027)
• 3 factors per greenback spent on eating, choose streaming companies and on-line grocery purchases (excluding Goal, Walmart and wholesale golf equipment)
• 2 factors per greenback spent on all different journey
• 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases

The Sapphire Reserve earns:

• 10 factors per greenback spent on eligible Peloton purchases of $150 or extra (by way of Dec. 30, 2027)
• 8 factors per greenback spent on all Chase Journey purchases
• 5 factors per greenback spent on eligible Lyft rides (by way of Sept. 30, 2027)
• 4 factors per greenback spent on flights and accommodations booked instantly
• 3 factors per greenback spent on eating purchases worldwide
• 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases

The Reserve outpaces the Most well-liked in a number of bonus classes, together with Chase Journey purchases (8 factors to five factors), flights and accommodations booked instantly (4 factors to 2 factors) and Peloton purchases (10 factors to five factors). The 2 playing cards earn on the identical price on Lyft rides (5 factors) and eating purchases (3 factors).

The Sapphire Most well-liked truly earns extra on choose streaming companies (3 factors to 1 level) and on-line groceries (3 factors to 1 level).

Plus, the Sapphire Most well-liked retains a common journey bonus class (2 factors per greenback) that the Sapphire Reserve dropped in its 2025 refresh. So, in case you e-book Airbnb stays, cruises or another common journey exterior of Chase Journey, direct flights or direct accommodations, you are higher off incomes 2 factors per greenback on the Most well-liked than 1 level per greenback on the Reserve.

As a Sapphire Most well-liked cardholder who not often books by way of portals like Chase Journey, I worth the simplicity of my card’s common journey class.

Nevertheless, I additionally recognize the Sapphire Reserve’s bonus choices on purchases made instantly with airways and accommodations at 4 factors per greenback and may see how that may add worth to many cardholders.

Winner: Sapphire Reserve. In most classes, it earns greater than the Most well-liked, although the incomes distinction within the common journey class is value contemplating.

Associated: Which purchases count as dining with the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve?

With the Chase Sapphire Reserve refresh, Chase rolled out its new factors accelerator referred to as Factors Enhance. This may change the earlier 50% and 25% factors bonus on the Sapphire Reserve and Sapphire Preferred playing cards, respectively. In case you’re deciding between these playing cards at this level, you will be solely eligible for Factors Enhance, so we’ll concentrate on that right here.

Factors Enhance permits eligible cardmembers who redeem factors by way of Chase Journey to obtain as much as 2 cents per level in worth for his or her factors when reserving eligible journey by way of Chase Journey. The cardboard and redemption you select will decide how excessive your potential redemption price might be (see your rewards program settlement for full particulars).

Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders can obtain a price of as much as 2 cents per level on choose resort and flight bookings made by way of Chase Journey. Chase Sapphire Most well-liked cardholders will rise up to 1.5 cents per level in worth on choose resort and flight bookings made by way of Chase Journey. If Sapphire Most well-liked cardholders e-book premium cabin tickets on choose airways, they might obtain as much as 1.75 cents per level in worth.

The bottom redemption price for each the Sapphire Most well-liked and Sapphire Reserve shall be 1 cent per level on Chase Journey redemptions not eligible for Factors Enhance.

Holding the Sapphire Reserve unlocks greater potential worth by way of Factors Enhance than in case you had the Sapphire Most well-liked. Nevertheless, you will need to e-book a Factors Enhance-eligible reserving with choose accommodations and flight itineraries to get greater than a 1-cent per level worth. So, it is necessary to be versatile if you wish to maximize Chase factors this manner.

You may as well redeem your factors for money again or present playing cards, however these redemptions usually offer you poor worth. More often than not, we advocate transferring your Chase factors to certainly one of its companions to get probably the most out of your factors.

Winner: Sapphire Reserve. You possibly can rise up to 2 cents per level in worth with choose Factors Enhance bookings, which is greater than that of the Sapphire Most well-liked.

Associated: How to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards for maximum value

One of the best ways to get most worth out of your factors earned with the Sapphire Preferred or the Sapphire Reserve is to switch them to certainly one of Chase’s 14 journey companions.

These companions embrace useful loyalty applications similar to Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, United Airlines MileagePlus, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and World of Hyatt. While you switch factors, you’ll be able to unlock stellar redemptions and fantastic trips.

Plus, Chase often runs transfer bonuses to obtain much more worth in your factors once you transfer them.

Danyal Ahmed, a bank cards author at TPG, beforehand transferred 70,000 Final Rewards factors to Aeroplan to fly Lufthansa enterprise class from Frankfurt to Los Angeles.

I’ve beforehand redeemed 17,500 Chase factors for 2 normal nights at Hyatt Place Atlanta/Cobb Galleria, a Class 2 property, for my sister’s commencement from school. My favourite Chase redemptions are easy and match into my way of life to offset small journeys I have to take anyway.

Winner: Tie. Each playing cards include the identical switch choices.

Associated: Who are the Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partners? Everything to know

The Sapphire Reserve wins over the Sapphire Preferred in side-by-side comparisons of advantages, incomes charges and redemption choices by way of the Chase Journey portal, so it could be pure for some bank card fans to veer towards the premium possibility.

Nevertheless, with an annual price distinction as steep as $700, it is necessary to contemplate your personal spending habits and journey preferences once you’re making a selection.

Does airport lounge entry matter lots to you? Are you organized sufficient to maintain observe of the Reserve’s credit (particularly these earned month-to-month and biannually)? Are its bonus classes a recreation changer?

In case you reply most of those questions with “sure,” the Sapphire Reserve could also be your selection. In case your reply is not any, the Sapphire Most well-liked remains to be a wonderful possibility at a modest $95 annual price, particularly for vacationers who worth simplicity and primarily switch their Chase factors to companions.

Personally, I am a big fan of the Sapphire Preferred and ceaselessly advocate it to my pals simply stepping into the factors and miles pastime. Nevertheless, we even have workers members who discover loads of worth in holding the Sapphire Reserve 12 months after 12 months. The selection comes all the way down to you.

Associated: Reasons to choose the Chase Sapphire Preferred over the fancier Chase Sapphire Reserve

You possibly can improve from the Sapphire Preferred to the Sapphire Reserve by calling the quantity on the again of your card.

You are able to do the identical if you wish to downgrade your Sapphire Reserve to the Sapphire Most well-liked. You need to maintain your card for no less than 12 months earlier than you’ll be able to downgrade. Nevertheless, you will not be eligible for a welcome supply in your new card in case you select to improve or downgrade.

It is necessary to notice that earlier than the Sapphire Reserve’s 2025 refresh, you could not maintain each Sapphire playing cards on the identical time. Now, you’ll be able to. So, in order for you the additional perks of the Sapphire Reserve together with advantages particular to the Sapphire Most well-liked, you possibly can doubtlessly maintain each.

Associated: 5 reasons to upgrade from Chase Sapphire Preferred to Chase Sapphire Reserve

Each the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Chase Sapphire Reserve are widespread journey playing cards which have earned their place within the factors and miles zeitgeist.

Whereas the playing cards share a household, they’ve grown more and more completely different by way of the years, and one card is not going to be the most suitable choice for each traveler.

In case you worth luxurious perks like airport lounge entry, can maximize assertion credit and recognize excessive incomes charges, the Sapphire Reserve is the decide for you. In case you’re into simplicity and do not wish to pay a excessive annual price, apply for the Sapphire Most well-liked.

To study extra, see our full opinions of the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve.

Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Reserve