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Let’s compare the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs Chase Sapphire Reserve® card to see which is best for you! Spoiler alert – it might not be what you think!
As we know, Chase offers some of the most versatile rewards for travelers of all kinds – and they’re my favorite. If you didn’t know that, that’s essential to the conversation. Whether you’re looking to take your family to the beach, hoping for an annual honeymoon for your anniversary, OR just don’t want to spend insane amounts going to kids soccer tournaments every weekend, flexible points from either card can get you there! To be honest with you, the BIGGEST ANNOUNCEMENT of the year has been that you can now hold BOTH cards. You might not need both cards at the same time, but you probably want the welcome offer for both!
Let’s get to the details: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
This card is the perfect beginner card. The Sapphire Preferred has a $95 annual fee and you’ll earn the following:
- 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3x points dining
- 2x points on all other travel
- 1x point on all purchases
With the Sapphire Preferred, when booking with Chase TravelSM, you will receive a Points Boost. This will replace the previous 1.25 cents per point that you previously could redeem your points in the portal for. Now, when you use your points in Chase TravelSM you’ll receive variable 1.0-1.75 cents/point value when redeeming points on select airline tickets and hotel accommodations.
I almost always recommend transferring your points to travel partners for maximum value.
The biggest travel benefits from this card include trip cancellation/interruption insurance, auto rental collision damage waiver, travel and emergency assistance services, and baggage delay insurance.
The “big brother” card to the Sapphire Preferred is the Sapphire Reserve. With this card, you’ll receive:
- 8x points on flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises, activities and tours purchased through Chase TravelSM
- 4x points on flights or hotels booked directly with the airline or hotel
- 3x points on dining
- 1x point per dollar on all other purchases.
With the Sapphire Reserve, when booking with Chase TravelSM, you will receive a Points Boost. This will replace the previous 1.5 cents per point that you previously could redeem your points in the portal for. Now, when you use your points in Chase TravelSM you’ll receive variable 1.0-2.0 cents/point value when redeeming points on select airline tickets and hotel accommodations.
While the $795 annual fee sounds steep, the math changes quickly when you look at the ‘Net Effective Fee.’ Beyond the $300 travel credit, Chase has added massive lifestyle offsets for 2026. Between the $288 Apple lifestyle credit and the $300 in live event credits (StubHub), the card can actually provide more in credits than the cost of the fee before you even book a single flight.
If your family hits one concert or a few ballgames a year, the Reserve’s $300 StubHub/viagogo credit is essentially cash in your pocket.
The Sapphire Reserve includes many travel perks with comprehensive travel benefits including trip cancellation/interruption services, primary auto rental collision damage waiver, luxury travel protection including lost luggage and trip delay reimbursement, Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit (up to $120 every 4 years), and access to Priority Pass lounges and Sapphire Reserve Lounges worldwide.
Read more about the Sapphire Reserve.
Transferring Points
Both cards allow you to transfer points to Chase’s extensive list of travel partners. Which includes airlines and hotel chains, at a 1:1 ratio. This flexibility can be a huge advantage for travelers looking to maximize their rewards. We have recently utilized travel partners to transfer points to Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) for round trip flights to Europe, and for Hyatt stays at Paris Hyatt Etoile, Hyatt Regency Amsterdam, and Hyatt Regency Maui. These have been some wonderful sweet spot redemptions for us.
To transfer points, go to Chase Travel℠ and select “transfer points.” You can then browse the airline and hotel partners (remember, you need an account with the partner to transfer points). From there, enter the amount of points you want to transfer (be sure to transfer in increments of 1,000). Now book the trip of your dreams on the travel partner’s website!
Which Card is Right for You?
Sapphire Preferred: Best for travelers who want robust travel rewards and benefits without the high annual fee. The Sapphire Preferred provides solid rewards and points transfer options, making it a great value for its lower cost. I personally have this card and we average one trip each month.
Sapphire Reserve: While this card is an obvious choice for frequent travelers, it now appeals to more families as well. This “lifestyle” card that practically pays for itself. If your family already spends money on Apple services (like iCloud, Music, or TV+) and you attend at least two live events (concerts/sports) a year via StubHub, the $588 in combined credits almost entirely wipes out the annual fee.
Plus, you’ll get the increased points boost and premium lounge access for your family trips. While we miss the Chase Sapphire Terrace in Austin, the new Sapphire Lounges in JFK, LaGuardia, Vegas and Boston set a new standard for domestic travel. For a family, the value of ‘free’ airport meals and a quiet space can easily save you $100+ per trip.
Odds and Ends
I like to use my (free) Travel Freely App to remind me of important deadlines and annual fees.
In Conclusion: Chase Sapphire Preferred® card vs Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Ultimately, both cards offer excellent travel benefits. The right choice will depend on how you prioritize travel rewards, benefits, and the value you place on premium perks. I prefer the Sapphire Preferred because I prefer to avoid the annual fee of the Sapphire Reserve. However, with many cards recently losing lounge access perks, the Sapphire Reserve is a GREAT option to get you and two guests into airport lounges!
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or MasterCard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
EDITORIAL NOTE:
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included with the post.
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Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or MasterCard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
EDITORIAL NOTE:
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included with the post.