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KEY LINKS:

  • card_name – bonus_miles_full annual_fees
  • card_name – bonus_miles_full. annual_fees

There are two Chase personal credit cards that Chase Sapphire Reserve card.  It is certainly a premium card, and not one that I would recommend most beginners signing up for.  I thought it might be a good idea to do a comparison of the Chase Sapphire Reserve vs Chase Sapphire Preferred card, so if you’re looking to get one of these 2 cards, this comparison of the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Chase Sapphire Preferred card might help

Chase Sapphire Reserve® vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Signup bonus

The signup bonuses for the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve cards vary over time.

Currently, the welcome offer on the Chase Sapphire Preferred card allows you to bonus_miles, while the welcome offer on the Chase Sapphire Reserve card allows you to bonus_miles.

ADVANTAGE: Chase Sapphire Preferred (though that may change over time depending on the current bonuses above)

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Ultimate Rewards redemptions

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card gives you 1.25 cents per point when redeeming travel at the Ultimate Rewards portal

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card gives you a value of 1.5 cents per point

(SEE ALSO: Why it pays to check the Chase Ultimate Rewards mall before transferring points)

Both the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Chase Sapphire Preferred card have the advantage over just having a card_name card, which only gives a value of 1 cent per point, whether it’s on travel purchases through the Ultimate Rewards mall or just as statement credits.

ADVANTAGE: Chase Sapphire Reserve cardcard_name

Chase Sapphire Reserve® vs Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Transfer partners

Although the Chase Sapphire Reserve has an advantage over the Chase Sapphire Preferred card when redeeming through the Ultimate Rewards mall, the real value of both cards is their ability to transfer Ultimate Rewards to partners, such as United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Hyatt Hotels and more.

ADVANTAGE: Even (both cards have the same transfer partners)

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Category spending bonuses

Comparing the Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Reserve in terms of their category spending bonuses, they share some of the same category bonuses.

For the Sapphire Preferred:

  • 5 points per $1 spent on all travel purchased through the Ultimate Rewards portal
  • 3 points per $1 spent on dining (including eligible delivery services and takeout).
  • 3 points per $1 spent on select streaming services.
  • 3 points per $1 spent on online grocery purchases (not including Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs).
  • 2 points per $1 spent on travel not purchased through the Ultimate Rewards portal
  • 1 point per $1 spent on other purchases.

The Sapphire Reserve offers:

  • 10 points per $1 spent on Chase Dining purchased through the Ultimate Rewards portal
  • 10 points per $1 spent on hotel stays and car rentals purchased through the Ultimate Rewards portal
  • 5 points per $1 spent on air travel purchased through the Ultimate Rewards portal
  • 3 points per $1 spent on travel and dining not booked with Chase.
  • 1 point per $1 spent on other purchases.

WEAK ADVANTAGE: Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card
card_name

Chase Sapphire Reserve® vs Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Other benefits

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers primary rental car insurance, no foreign transaction fees, trip cancellation insurance, trip delay reimbursement and baggage delay coverage

The Chase Sapphire Reserve has all of the above PLUS

  • $300 annual travel credit, applied automatically to anything in the travel category
  • $100 reimbursement for Global Entry
  • Priority Pass airport lounge access

BIG ADVANTAGE: Chase Sapphire Reserve 

Chase Sapphire Reserve® vs Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Annual Fee

I saved the big one for last, of course.  With all those additional benefits, the Chase Sapphire Reserve also comes with a hefty annual_fees annual fee, and an additional fee for additional authorized users (who don’t end up with many of the benefits).  In contrast, the Chase Sapphire Preferred has a annual_fees annual fee.  No additional fee for authorized users.

Yes, some of the extra fee can be covered by the $300 annual travel credit (above under other benefits), but $300 in travel credits is NOT the same as $300 in cash.

HUGE advantage to the Chase Sapphire Preferred card

The Bottom Line: Comparing the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

KEY LINKS:

  • card_name – bonus_miles_full annual_fees
  • card_name – bonus_miles_full. annual_fees

Deciding whether to get the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve card comes down to what you’re looking for in a card.  I always recommend that you first figure out WHAT TO DO with your miles and points BEFORE applying for a card.

To me, if you were just starting out, or relatively new to miles and points, I would recommend the Chase Sapphire Preferred card

(SEE ALSO: Why I keep recommending the Chase Sapphire Preferred for people starting out)

If you’re more experienced, and feel confident in the system you have in place that the annual_fees annual fee will not be wasted, then the Chase Sapphire Reserve card becomes more attractive. Certainly, other than the annual fee, there’s no arguing with the benefits of the Chase Sapphire Reserve benefits.

What is your take? Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve? Leave your vote in the comments below


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