How are Chase Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve different?

Time to read min

The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® and Chase Sapphire Reserve^® credit cards offer opportunities for cardmembers to enjoy perks and rewards.

We've put together this comparison that may help you decide which card is right for you based on the perks, the cost of the card and your spending habits.

Chase Sapphire Reserve vs. Preferred

Let's review some of the differences between the Chase Sapphire and Reserve cards.

Sapphire Preferred: Key features

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers several benefits to cardmembers for an annual fee, including:

Annual travel credit: $50 Annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit
Authorized user fee: None
Foreign transaction fees: None
Points transfer: 1:1 points transfer for Chase's hotel and airline partners
Travel insurance:* Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Trip Delay Reimbursement, Lost Luggage Reimbursement, Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance.

Sapphire Preferred: Rewards and bonuses

With a sign-up offer, many ways to save up extra points and added travel perks, this is a great credit card fortravel and everyday spending.

3x points on dining and 2x points on travel: With Chase Sapphire Preferred, you can earn 3x points on dining purchases and2x points on travel purchases. With extra points adding up at accelerated rates, you can redeem them for the rewards you want.
Get 25% more value when you redeem points for travel: When you redeem your points through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal, your rewards increase in value to 1.25 cents per point. You can receive 25% more in value when redeeming your points for travel-related purchases such as airfare, hotel stays, car rentals and cruises that you book through the travel portal in Chase Ultimate Rewards.

Sapphire Reserve: Key Features

The Chase Sapphire Reserve is a premium travel credit card, and card members can enjoy its benefits, perks and rewards program for the card's annual fee.

Annual travel credit: Up to $300 travel credit received each anniversary year can be used to reimburse travel-related purchases, which can include airfare, hotel stays, car rentals and more.
Authorized user fee: $75 for each authorized user
Airport lounge access: Priority Pass is an ever-growing airport experiences program that provides members with access to premium experiences from airport lounges to spas to sleeping pods. If you have a Sapphire Reserve card, you can activate a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership.
Foreign transaction fees: None
Travel insurance:* Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Trip Delay Reimbursement, Lost Luggage Reimbursement, Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance
TSA PreCheck/Global Entry/NEXUS credit: When you use your Chase Sapphire Reserve Card to pay for a TSA PreCheck, NEXUS or Global Entry application, you can receive a reimbursement of up to$100. This credit can be used once every four years.

Sapphire Reserve: Rewards and bonuses

Chase Sapphire Reserve has a higher annual fee than the Chase Sapphire Preferred card but boasts premium travel perks, making it an ideal card for frequent travelers.

3x points on travel and dining: With Chase Sapphire Reserve, you can earn 3x points on all dining and travel purchases after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually.
10x points on hotels and car rentals, and 5x points on flights: You can earn points at these rates when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards^® after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually.
Get 50% more value when you redeem points for travel: When redeeming your points through the Chase Ultimate Rewards Travel portal, you can get 50% more value in rewards on your travel-related spending for airfare, hotel stays, car rentals, and cruises.

Chase Sapphire Reserve vs. Preferred – Perks that come with both cards

We've talked a lot about the differences between these cards, but let's review some perks that come with both.

Sign-up bonus

Check our pages for the latest sign-up bonuses that the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve cards offer. Sign-up bonuses require you to meet a spending requirement usually within the first few months.

Food delivery

With either the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Preferred, you can receive a free DashPass membership for at least once a year if you activate by December 31, 2023. With this membership, you can get free delivery and reduced service fees on orders of $12 or more with participating DashPass restaurants.

Transferrable points to travel partners

Both cards allow you to transfer your points to any of Chase's travel partners at a 1:1 rate. This can help you book hotel stays and airfare for less money. Chase's transfer partners include:

United
British Airways
Virgin Atlantic
Southwest Airlines
Singapore Airlines
Emirates
Iberia
JetBlue
Air France
Air Canada Aeroplan
AerLingus
Hyatt
Marriott
IHG

Which card is right for you, Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve?

On one hand, the Sapphire Reserve Card is perfect for frequent travelers who would take advantage of the travel-related perks offered to offset the annual fee. On the other hand, for those who don't travel as much or don't want to pay such annual fee, the Sapphire Preferred Card offers great perks combined with a lower annual fee. Both cards offer sign-up bonuses and a robust rewards program in Chase Ultimate Rewards.

Does Sapphire Preferred suit you?

Chase Sapphire Preferred offers a sign-up bonus and accelerated points earning for travel, dining out and more. With a lower annual fee and Chase's Ultimate Rewards program, this credit card can be a great option for frequent and not-so-frequent travelers.

Does Sapphire Reserve suit you?

The Chase Sapphire Reserve Card is best suited for frequent travelers who want access to key travel perks. This credit card offers a higher points earning rate for travel and dining out, as well as an annual travel credit. You could also take advantage of other benefits that can enhance your travel experiences, such as Priority Pass Select membership.

In conclusion

When deciding which Chase Sapphire card is right for you, compare the benefits and annual fees and choose the card that matches your spending habits and travel needs. You can compare them using our Card Comparison Tool.

Whether you choose the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card, the rewards and benefits can help you get the most value from your spending

Find a credit card