The premium rewards card market is filled with choices. If you happen to’re into maximizing transferable rewards or prepared to gather extra perks to make use of along with your favourite loyalty program, including a bank card could be a nice selection.
Two of our favourite choices symbolize every of those selections. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) earns priceless Chase Ultimate Rewards factors which you could switch to a number of applications, whereas the United Club℠ Card (see rates and fees) is the top-tier selection for United Airways loyalists who need to earn extra with the airline.
Let’s stroll via incomes charges, advantages and lounge entry options with every of those premium playing cards that can assist you determine which is the most effective so as to add to your pockets.
United Membership Card vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve comparability
| Card | United Membership Card | Chase Sapphire Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | Earn 95,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. This provide ends Could 7. | Earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. |
| Incomes charges
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| TPG’s April 2025 valuation | 1.35 cents per mile | 2.05 cents per level |
| Annual payment | $695 | $550 |
| Lounge entry |
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| Different standout advantages |
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United Membership vs. Sapphire Reserve welcome provide
The United Club Card is providing 95,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. Based mostly on TPG’s April 2025 valuations, this welcome bonus is value $1,283 towards flights.
In the meantime, with the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you will get a welcome provide of 60,000 factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. TPG’s April 2025 valuations peg this bonus at $1,230 if you issue within the worth of transferring to Chase’s loyalty companions.
Winner: United Membership Card. Its present welcome bonus is value about $50 extra.
Associated: Have a new credit card? Here are 4 tips to help you earn your welcome bonus
United Membership vs. Sapphire Reserve advantages
On the subject of advantages, these two playing cards present lounge entry and different priceless perks. Let’s examine them.
Lounge entry
The United Club Card presents a United Membership membership that grants the first cardholder, one grownup visitor and dependent kids beneath 18 years previous access to more than 45 United Clubs worldwide. This perk is valued at $750, which greater than offsets the cardboard’s $695 annual payment.
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Then, for those who spend $50,000 on purchases along with your United Membership Card in a calendar 12 months, you will obtain United Membership All Entry membership. This upgraded tier consists of entry to collaborating Star Alliance lounges and the power to carry a further grownup visitor (for a complete of two) into United Golf equipment. You will additionally obtain 4 one-time passes in your licensed customers every year.
The Sapphire Reserve supplies entry to all eight (and rising) Chase lounges and a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership. Precedence Cross consists of entry to greater than 1,700 lounges worldwide.
If you happen to favor United Membership lounges or can spend to unlock All Entry membership, then the United Membership Card would be the more sensible choice for you. Nonetheless, Chase continues to develop its personal lounge footprint and comes with a broader perk with Precedence Cross, giving cardholders entry to a better variety of lounges throughout the globe. So, the Reserve would be the more sensible choice for somebody who is not so loyal to United.
Different advantages
The United Membership is a superb choice for those who’re flying United and searching for premium perks, together with:
- The primary two checked baggage are free (for the first cardholder and a companion on the identical reservation)
- Premier entry: Precedence check-in, safety screening, boarding and baggage dealing with (the place obtainable)
- Expanded award availability
- 25% again on United inflight purchases
With the cardboard, you will obtain as much as $200 in annual assertion credit to make use of on bookings with Famend Lodges and Resorts. That is United’s luxurious resort portal, which grants cardholders perks reminiscent of each day breakfast for 2, complimentary Wi-Fi and room upgrades at check-in (when obtainable).
You will additionally obtain credit on ride-hailing, JSX and Instacart purchases, plus Avis/Finances automobile leases booked via United’s automobile rental portal. To study extra, take a look at our full review of the United Club Card.
With the United Membership Card, you’ll be able to spend your means towards elite standing with United. You will obtain a lift of 1,500 Premier qualifying factors every year, beginning in 2026. You will additionally obtain 1 PQP for each $15 spent on the cardboard (as much as 28,000 PQP in a calendar 12 months). This may be utilized as much as and together with the Premier 1K stage.
As for the Sapphire Reserve, it presents one of many easiest journey credit available on the market — overlaying $300 statement credit in travel. This credit score robotically kicks in in your first $300 in journey purchases you make with the cardboard every account anniversary 12 months. Plus, Chase broadly defines travel, that means you will obtain it robotically on the primary $300 you spend on purchases for all the things from flights and lodges to tolls and parking.
Different standout Sapphire Reserve advantages embody:
- A $10 month-to-month Lyft in app-credit*
- A 50% bonus on factors redeemed via Chase Travel
- A $100 property credit score, each day free breakfast for 2 and room upgrades (upon availability) when reserving via The Edit
Each playing cards have journey and buying protections and as much as $120 in assertion credit towards Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus each 4 years. In addition they provide a free DoorDash DashPass membership (activate by Dec. 31, 2027).
With the Sapphire Reserve, you will obtain particular privileges if you enroll in Nationwide Automotive Rental, Avis and Silvercar — however no credit. With the United Membership Card, you will obtain as much as $50 every in United TravelBank money in your first and second Avis or Finances automobile leases booked every anniversary 12 months via United’s automobile rental portal — however no elite standing.
The Sapphire Reserve outshines the United Membership Card for many vacationers due to its versatile journey credit score and broad record of perks that may apply to a number of aspects of journey. Conversely, the United Membership Card is healthier for individuals who are extraordinarily loyal to United since its standout perks are associated to flying with the airline.
Winner: Sapphire Reserve. Its advantages are broader and simpler for the on a regular basis traveler to make use of.
*Excludes Wait & Save, bike and scooter rides. Most assertion credit score is as much as $120 yearly.
Associated: Valuable travel perks that you can get with a credit card
Incomes rewards on the United Membership vs. Sapphire Reserve
If you pay with the United Club Card, you will earn:
- 9 miles per greenback spent on United flights
- 5 miles per greenback spent on stays bought via Famend Lodges and Resorts
- 4 miles per greenback spent on all different United purchases
- 2 miles per greenback spent on eating and all different journey
- 1 mile per greenback spent on all different purchases
That is an over 12% return if you use the cardboard to pay for United flights (based mostly on TPG’s April 2025 valuations), which is greater than another airline bank card.
In the meantime, the Sapphire Reserve earns the next:
- 10 factors per greenback spent on resort and automobile rental bookings made via Chase Journey and eligible Peloton purchases over $150 (as much as 50,000 factors)
- 5 factors per greenback spent on flights booked via Chase Journey and Lyft rides
- 3 factors per greenback spent on all different journey and eating purchases
- 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases
The United Membership shines brighter if you make purchases with United and is the higher choice for those who incessantly e-book with the airline and need to acquire United MileagePlus miles.
Nonetheless, with the Sapphire Reserve, you will obtain a greater return in a broader record of bonus classes, together with normal journey and eating.
Winner: Sapphire Reserve. The United Membership presents profitable earnings on United flights, however the Sapphire Reserve’s broader classes win out once more.
Redeeming and transferring rewards on the United Membership vs. Sapphire Reserve
The Sapphire Reserve presents extra versatile rewards than the United Club Card, making it a greater choice for many vacationers seeking to maximize rewards. You will get probably the most worth out of your Chase Final Rewards factors by transferring them to one among Chase’s 14 airline and hotel partners.
Chase’s strong record of switch companions consists of United, which implies you’ll be able to nonetheless use your factors earned with the Sapphire Reserve towards United flights if you wish to fly the airline and its companions.
Plus, the pliability of Chase factors opens up the potential for unimaginable redemptions if you transfer your points. That is very true with the award-friendly World of Hyatt resort program.
For instance, you can keep on the luxurious Park Hyatt Sydney for 35,000 to 45,000 factors per evening, which might be a implausible deal in your factors.
With the Sapphire Reserve, you can even e-book journey via Chase Journey along with your factors at a set worth of 1.5 cents every. It is a nice choice for boutique lodges that do not belong to a bigger model. It is also nice for reserving flights when money costs are low.
In the meantime, United miles are far more restrictive since they will solely be redeemed for United flights, flights with its companions and different United-related purchases. They’re additionally topic to devaluation. Dynamic award pricing additionally signifies that redemption charges range considerably relying on the ticket you e-book.
Nonetheless, the MileagePlus program nonetheless presents good worth via sweet spots. For example, Katie Genter, TPG’s lead factors and miles author, redeemed simply 6,000 United miles per individual for a one-way flight from Amsterdam to Munich.
There are additionally different methods to seek out worth in this system, such because the United Excursionist Perk or reserving associate awards with United miles. For instance, Rachel Craft, an affiliate factors and miles author at TPG, redeemed 88,000 United miles for a one-way business-class ticket on Ethiopian Airways from Denver to Antananarivo, Madagascar.
Winner: Sapphire Reserve. Its redemption and switch choices are far more versatile.
Associated: Why transferable points and miles are worth more than other rewards
Ought to I get the United Membership or Sapphire Reserve?
The Sapphire Reserve is the higher all-around journey card, because it earns priceless Final Rewards factors throughout a number of high-earning bonus classes. Plus, you’ll be able to switch these factors to United for those who’re actually into the airline. However the United Club Card is the higher choice if you’re fiercely loyal to United, need entry to United Golf equipment and worth precedence perks when flying the airline.
Backside line
Each the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the United Membership Card are strong premium playing cards, however they serve completely different functions.
If you happen to’re a United devotee searching for a set of perks if you fly with the airline, the United Membership is the higher choice. For many vacationers, nonetheless, the versatile rewards and broad advantages supplied by the Sapphire Reserve give it the sting.
Do not forget that regardless of which card you select, they’re each issued by Chase and might be subjected to the issuer’s 5/24 rule. If you happen to’ve opened 5 or extra private bank cards prior to now two years, you are unlikely to be accredited for both card.
To study extra, take a look at our Chase Sapphire Reserve review and United Club Card review.
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Reserve
Apply right here: United Club Card
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