Chase Sapphire Preferred® vs. Sapphire Reserve®
Quick insights
- The Chase Sapphire Preferred and Reserve credit cards both offer travel perks, partner benefits and rewards.
- The Sapphire Reserve card has more travel benefits (including airport lounge access) and statement credits than the Preferred card.
- The Sapphire Preferred has a lower annual fee and more varied rewards categories than the Reserve card.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® and Chase Sapphire Reserve® credit cards are two popular options for those looking for a card with travel benefits, rewards earning potential and a host of other perks. Even though they are both Chase credit cards with an annual fee, the two cards have many differences you may want to consider.
Review the guide below to learn about the similarities and differences between the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Sapphire Preferred cards.
Benefits of Chase Sapphire Preferred and Reserve
Depending on your credit card needs, you may prefer either the Sapphire Preferred or Reserve card. Here are some factors you may want to consider before applying:
Travel benefits
The Sapphire Reserve and Preferred cards offer various travel-related benefits. Both cards provide access to Chase Travel® and allow cardmembers to earn accelerated rewards on eligible travel purchases. They also both provide a statement credit every 4 years that’s associated with the application fee for TSA PreCheck®, Global Entry or NEXUS. The Sapphire Reserve card, however, has a longer list of travel benefits and perks than Sapphire Preferred.
Let’s examine them both:
Sapphire Preferred
The Sapphire Preferred card has a $100 annual Chase Travel hotel credit. Cardmembers can earn up to $100 in statement credits each anniversary year for hotel stays booked through Chase Travel.
Sapphire Reserve
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card provides a variety of travel benefits and credits as well as access to travel bookings and programs exclusive to Reserve cardmembers, including:
- A $300 annual travel credit
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership
- Access to any Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club with two complimentary guests
- Access to The Edit by Chase Travel®, a collection of hand-picked hotels and resorts providing daily complimentary breakfast for two, room upgrades, a $100 property credit and more with each stay (some benefits are subject to availability and vary by property)
- A $500 credit for stays booked through The Edit (up to $250 for each prepaid booking, up to $500 annually)
- Access to Sapphire Reserve experiences, which offer memorable events and sought-after destinations designed primarily for Sapphire Reserve cardmembers
- A $300 annual credit for dining at restaurants in the Sapphire Reserve Exclusive TablesOpens overlay program (up to $150 from January through June and up to $150 from July through December)
- IHG® One Rewards Platinum Elite Status
Sapphire card reward earning rates
The Reserve and Preferred cards both earn points at an accelerated rate on select categories and 1 point for each dollar spent on all other purchases.
Sapphire Preferred
- 5x points on hotels, flights, cruises, rental cars, activities and more booked through Chase Travel
- 2x points on other travel purchases
- 3x points on vacation homes at top brands like Airbnb, Vrbo and more
- 3x points on dining, including eligible delivery services
- 3x points on online grocery purchases (not including Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs)
- 3x points on select streaming services
- 3x points at gas stations and on electric vehicle charging
Sapphire Reserve
- 8x points on hotels, flights, cruises, rental cars, activities and more booked through Chase Travel
- 4x points on flights booked direct
- 4x points on hotels booked direct
- 3x points on dining worldwide
Points do not expire for either card, provided your account is open.
Partner benefits
Chase has partnered with several brands to bring additional benefits and promos to each card. They include:
Sapphire Preferred
- DoorDash: Get a complimentary DashPass membership for 12 months and $0 delivery fees and reduced service fees on eligible DoorDash orders when you activate by December 31, 2029. Plus, DashPass members get a $10 promo each month to save on groceries, retail orders and more.
- Peloton: Earn 5x total points on eligible Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $150 through December 31, 2027.
- Lyft: Earn 5x points on eligible Lyft rides through September 30, 2027.
Sapphire Reserve
- Apple: Get at least a year of complimentary Apple TV and Apple Music when activated by June 22, 2027.
- DoorDash: Get a complimentary DashPass membership for 12 months, giving you $0 delivery fees and reduced service fees on eligible DoorDash orders. Plus, get up to $35 each month to spend on DoorDash through December 31, 2029.
- StubHub: Get up to $150 in statement credits from January 1 through June 30 and up to $150 again from July 1 through December 31 for StubHub and viagogo purchases through December 31, 2027 (up to a $300 annual value).
- Peloton: Get $10 in statement credits per month on eligible Peloton memberships and earn 10x points on eligible Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $150 through December 31, 2027.
- Lyft: Earn 5x points on eligible Lyft rides through September 30, 2027 and up to $10 in monthly in-app credits on Lyft rides through that same period.
In addition, the Sapphire Reserve card unlocks more benefits—including airline status and statement credits with designated partner brands—when cardmembers spend more than $75,000 each calendar year.
Learn about additional lifestyle benefits with the Sapphire Reserve card.
Perks available with both Sapphire Preferred and Reserve
While the Sapphire Preferred and Reserve cards differ in a number of ways, they do have some overlapping benefits. Read about their similarities below:
Travel and purchase protection benefits
Both cards offer travel protection benefits that include Auto Rental Coverage, Trip Delay Reimbursement, Lost Luggage Reimbursement and Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance, among others.
Purchase coverage includes Purchase Protection and Extended Warranty Protection, among others. Protections vary by card, so check the cardmember benefits for details.
Welcome bonus offer
Both cards typically have welcome bonus offers for new cardmembers. These offers require you to meet a spending requirement, usually within the first few months of opening an account.
Check the credit card landing pages for the latest welcome bonus offers that the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve cards provide.
Transferrable points to travel partners
Both the Sapphire Reserve and Preferred cards allow you to transfer your points to participating travel partners that include several major airlines and international hotel brands.
Customer service
Cardmembers have access to customer service specialists from virtually anywhere in the world. Sapphire Reserve cardmembers also receive access to a dedicated customer service team available seven days a week.
Which card is right for you?
The right card for you depends on your spending habits and financial goals. On one hand, the Sapphire Reserve card may be a good fit for frequent travelers who would take advantage of the travel-related perks, statement credits and rewards earning potential offered. The card has an annual travel and lifestyle value that adds up to more than $3,000 (this includes statement credits and partner benefits).
For those who travel less often or prefer a card with a lower annual fee, the Sapphire Preferred still provides a strong mix of perks and rewards across several popular spending categories.
In summary
When deciding which Chase Sapphire card is right for you, you may want to compare the benefits and annual fees. Your ideal card is often the one that best matches your spending habits.
Those who prioritize travel may find that the Sapphire Reserve's benefits balance the cost of the card’s annual fee. Those who want a lower annual fee but still prioritize travel perks and rewards potential may find that the Sapphire Preferred card suits their needs.
For a side-by-side comparison, you can review the cards’ fees, offers, rewards, benefits and more by using Chase’s Card Comparison Tool.
