Chase Sapphire Showdown: Preferred vs. Reserve - Which Card Reigns Supreme for Your Wallet?

Ever feel like credit card names are designed to confuse you? Platinum, Preferred, Premier, Reserve – it's like a secret code only a few chosen ones understand! But when it comes to the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, their similar names hide dramatically different perks and price tags. They might look alike, and they earn the same type of valuable points, but the journey they offer is vastly different.

So, if you’re standing at a crossroads, wondering which shimmering Sapphire card belongs in your wallet, you've come to the right place. We’re about to dive deep, compare every glinting feature, and help you decide which card is your ultimate travel companion.

💸 The Annual Fee Arena: First Glance at the Cost of Entry

Let's get straight to the numbers that often cause the most sticker shock: the annual fees.

✅ Preferred = low fee, solid bonus.
✅ Reserve = high fee, flashy bonus + instant credits to offset it.

• The Chase Sapphire Reserve®, Historically, this fee has risen, jumping from $450 to $550 in 2020, then to its current $795 in 2025.

Hold on, don't let that higher number scare you off just yet!😳 The Reserve aims to offset a large portion of its fee with a slew of generous benefits, but whether it truly "cancels out" for your spending habits is the million-dollar question.

🍄 Points & Power-Ups: How Your Spending Pays Off

Both cards are your ticket to earning Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, widely regarded as one of the most flexible and valuable transferable rewards currencies available. The Points Guy values Ultimate Rewards points at 2.05 cents each as of June 2025.

Here’s how each card helps you stack up those precious points:

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - Earning Rates:

• 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠ (excluding hotels eligible for the $50 annual credit).
• 3x points on dining, including eligible delivery services and takeout.
• 3x points on select streaming services.
• 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs).
• 2x points on all other travel purchases (not booked through Chase).
• 1x point on all other purchases.
• 10% Anniversary Bonus: Each account anniversary, you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year. So, if you spend $25,000, you get an extra 2,500 points.

Chase Sapphire Reserve® - Earning Rates:

• 8x points on travel booked through Chase Travel℠ (including flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises, activities, and tours).
• 4x points on flights booked directly with airlines.
• 4x points on hotels booked directly.
• 3x points on dining worldwide, including eligible food delivery.
• 10x total points on Chase Dining purchases made through Chase Travel.
• 1x point on all other purchases.
• 5x points on Lyft purchases through September 2027.
• 10x points on eligible Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $150 through December 31, 2027.

Redemption Rhapsody: Making Your Points Soar!

Both cards offer incredible flexibility with your Ultimate Rewards points. The most lucrative option is often transferring them at a 1:1 ratio to one of Chase's airline or hotel partners. Popular partners include World of Hyatt, United MileagePlus, Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways, and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer. Many experts consider World of Hyatt transfers to be particularly valuable, especially for luxury stays.

Alternatively, you can book travel directly through the Chase Travel℠ portal. This is where the new Points Boost redemption feature comes into play (phasing in for all cardholders by October 26, 2027):

• Chase Sapphire Reserve®: If you applied on or after June 23, 2025, points are worth up to 2 cents apiece on rotating flights and hotel stay offers with Points Boost. For those who applied before June 23, 2025, points earned before October 26, 2025, can still be redeemed at 1.5 cents per point until October 26, 2027. All other non-Points Boost redemptions through Chase Travel are worth 1 cent per point.
• Chase Sapphire Preferred®: Points are worth up to 1.5 cents each for hotels and flights with select airlines and up to 1.75 cents each for premium cabin tickets on select airlines when booked through Chase Travel via Points Boost. All other non-Points Boost bookings are worth 1 cent per point.

While transferring points often yields the highest value, the Points Boost offers a simpler way to get enhanced value for travel bookings directly through Chase. Note that non-travel redemptions like Amazon purchases, gift cards, or statement credits typically offer less value (0.8 to 1 cent per point).

🤑 The Full Suite of Benefits: More Than Just Points

Beyond points, these cards are packed with features designed to protect your travels and purchases. While they share some core benefits, the devil, as they say, is in the details – and the limits!

Travel Protections: Essential for Any Explorer

These are the unsung heroes that can save you from unforeseen travel nightmares:

• Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance:

  • Both cards offer identical coverage: up to $10,000 per covered person with a maximum of $20,000 per trip, and a maximum payout of $40,000 per 12-month period.
  • This covers prepaid, nonrefundable expenses if your trip is canceled or cut short due to covered reasons like accidental bodily injury, sickness, severe weather, change in military orders, or a call to jury duty. It can even cover terrorist incidents within certain proximity to your residence or destination.

• Baggage Delay Insurance:

  • Both cards offer identical protection: $100 per day for up to five days for necessities like toiletries and clothing, kicking in after a baggage delay of six hours or more. This is in excess of what the carrier provides, and you must report the delay to the carrier.

• Lost Luggage Reimbursement:

  • Both cards offer identical coverage: up to $3,000 per covered person per trip for lost, damaged, or stolen checked or carry-on baggage. New York residents are limited to $2,000 per person. There's a sub-limit of $500 for jewelry, watches, cameras, and electronic equipment. This coverage does not apply to items you accidentally forgot.

• Trip Delay Reimbursement:

  • Chase Sapphire Preferred®: Up to $500 per covered traveler, triggered after a twelve-hour or overnight delay.
  • Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Up to $500 per covered traveler, triggered after a more generous six-hour or overnight delay. This is considered one of the most generous perks on the market.

• Primary Rental Car Insurance:

  • Chase Sapphire Preferred®: Covers up to $60,000 for theft and collision damage for most rental vehicles with an MSRP of $125,000 or less, valid for rentals of 31 consecutive days or less.
  • Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Covers up to $75,000 for theft and collision damage for most rental vehicles, valid for rentals of 31 consecutive days or less.
  • Both cards offer primary coverage, meaning you don't need to involve your personal car insurance first. It applies if you decline the rental agency's collision damage waiver and pay in full with your card. It does not cover damage to other property, personal liability, loss of personal property in the vehicle, or damage from reckless/off-road driving. Certain vehicles like antique cars, cargo vans, motorcycles, limousines, and passenger vans for more than nine people are excluded.

• Travel Accident Insurance:

  • Chase Sapphire Preferred®: Up to $500,000 for losses when traveling on a common carrier, and up to $100,000 for 24-hour coverage.
  • Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Up to $1 million for losses when traveling on a common carrier, and up to $100,000 for 24-hour coverage. This covers accidental loss of life, limb, sight, speech, or hearing. Certain high-risk events (e.g., professional sports, racing, self-inflicted injuries) are not covered.

• Roadside Assistance:

  • Chase Sapphire Preferred®: Cardholders pay for services received, but the Roadside Dispatch program helps coordinate services. Available in the U.S. only.
  • Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Events covered up to a maximum of $50 each, up to four events per year, available in the U.S. or Canada. Services include towing, tire changes, jump-starts, lockout service, fuel delivery, and winching.

• No Foreign Transaction Fees: Both cards proudly boast no foreign transaction fees, making them ideal for international travel.

Purchase Protections: Shop with Confidence

These benefits guard your recent purchases against life's little mishaps:

• Purchase Protection:

  • Chase Sapphire Preferred®: Covers eligible new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft, up to $500 per claim, with a maximum of $50,000 per account.
  • Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Covers eligible new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft, up to $10,000 per claim, with a maximum of $50,000 per year. The Reserve clearly "wins hands down" for costly items.

• Extended Warranty Protection:

  • Both cards offer identical terms: one additional year on eligible manufacturer's warranties of three years or less, up to a maximum of $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account. You need to keep original receipts or register your warranty.

💃🏻The Reserve's Exclusive Red-Carpet Treatment

This is where the Reserve truly justifies its premium annual fee for those who can maximize these perks. It comes with an abundance of perks, benefits and more than $2,700 in annual value when considering credits, promotions, and partner benefits.

• $300 Annual Travel Credit: This credit is automatically applied to travel spending, effectively reducing the annual fee for many.

• Airport Lounge Access: A major draw!

  • Complimentary Priority Pass Select membership, granting access to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with up to two complimentary guests.
  • Access to any Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club with two complimentary guests.
  • Access to select Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges and Air Canada Cafés in the U.S., Canada, and Europe with an eligible boarding pass.

• TSA PreCheck®, Global Entry, or NEXUS Credit: Up to $120 in statement credit every four years for the application fee.

• Emergency Evacuation and Transportation: Up to $100,000 in expenses if you or an eligible family member needs transportation to a suitable medical facility due to illness or injury during a trip. Preapproval from the benefit administrator is required.

• Emergency Medical and Dental Coverage: Up to $2,500 when traveling, subject to a $50 deductible. You may also qualify for up to $75 per day for up to five days toward the cost of a hotel room.

• "Reserved by Sapphire" & Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables: Access to coveted dining experiences, with up to $300 in annual statement credits ($150 from January-June, $150 from July-December) at participating restaurants.

• The Edit by Chase Travel℠: Access to a hand-picked collection of high-end hotels and resorts offering benefits like complimentary breakfast, room upgrades (when available), and a $100 property credit. Plus, up to $500 in credit annually for prepaid bookings made through The Edit ($250 from January-June, $250 from July-December).

• IHG® One Rewards Platinum Elite Status: Complimentary status through December 31, 2027 (activation required).

• Lyft Benefits: Through September 30, 2027, receive up to $10 in monthly in-app credits (up to $120 annually) and earn 5x total points on eligible Lyft rides.

• Peloton Benefits: Up to $120 in annual statement credits for Peloton memberships ($10 per month) and earn 10x points on eligible Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $150 through December 31, 2027.

• Apple TV+ and Apple Music: Complimentary subscriptions through June 22, 2027, valued at up to $250 annually.

• StubHub Benefits: Up to $300 in annual statement credits for StubHub and viagogo purchases ($150 from January-June, $150 from July-December) through December 31, 2027.

• DoorDash Benefits: Complimentary DashPass membership for 12 months (worth $120 annually), offering $0 delivery fees and reduced service fees. Plus, get up to $25 each month to spend on DoorDash (a $5 monthly promo for restaurant orders and two $10 promos for groceries, retail, and more), totaling up to $420 in annual value. Many cardholders find the DoorDash credits challenging to maximize due to markups. Pro tip: Use these credits at pick-up locations like 7-Eleven.

• High-Spend Annual Benefits: After spending $75,000 or more on the card each calendar year, you can unlock additional perks, including a $500 Southwest Airlines credit, Southwest A-List status, IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite Status, and a $250 credit for purchases through The Shops at Chase.

• Dedicated Customer Service: Enjoy exclusive access to a dedicated customer service team 24/7.

• Authorized User Fee: A $195 annual fee is charged for each authorized user added to the account.

🤓The Preferred's Smart Conveniences

The Preferred, while not as flashy, offers highly practical benefits that make its lower annual fee feel like a steal:

• $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit: Cardmembers can earn up to $50 in statement credits each anniversary year for hotel stays booked through Chase Travel. This effectively reduces your annual fee to $45 if used.

• 10% Anniversary Point Bonus: As mentioned in the earning section, this valuable bonus adds to your rewards simply by spending on the card.

• DoorDash Benefits: Enjoy a complimentary DashPass by DoorDash membership for one year (an annual value of $120). DashPass members also get up to $10 off each month to spend on groceries, beauty, electronics, and more, plus $0 delivery fees and lower service fees on eligible orders. This provides up to $240 in annual value.

• No Authorized User Fee: You can add authorized users to your account without an additional annual fee.

• Visa Signature Concierge Service: Access to help with dinner reservations or event tickets.

👯‍♀️ Who Should Carry Which Card? Your Personalized Match

Deciding between these two powerful cards ultimately comes down to your lifestyle, spending habits, and how much you value certain perks.

📖 Making Your Choice: The Ultimate Guide

The decision between the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve isn't about one card being universally "better" than the other; it's about which one aligns best with your financial habits and travel aspirations.

1. Assess Your Travel Frequency and Style: Do you take a few trips a year, mostly domestic, or are you a globetrotter constantly in airports and high-end hotels? The Reserve shines for the latter, while the Preferred is excellent for the former.

2. Evaluate the Annual Fee Against Your Usage: Can you realistically use enough of the Reserve’s benefits to offset its $795 annual fee? The $300 travel credit effectively brings it down to $495, but you'll need to leverage other perks like lounge access or the various credits to get full value. If you don't travel enough to use the travel credit, or if you find the "coupon book" benefits too much effort or not aligned with your spending, the Preferred offers similar protections for a much lower cost.

3. Consider the Value of Points Redemption: If you primarily transfer points to partners like World of Hyatt for maximum value, both cards offer 1:1 transfers. If you prefer the simplicity of booking through the Chase Travel portal, consider the "Points Boost" differences (up to 1.75x for Preferred, up to 2x for Reserve on select bookings).

4. Authorized Users: If you plan to add family members, the Preferred's $0 authorized user fee is a significant advantage over the Reserve's $195 fee.

5. Think "Chase Trifecta": Many savvy cardholders combine a Sapphire card (Preferred or Reserve) with a Chase Freedom Flex® or Chase Freedom Unlimited®. The Freedom cards earn cash back that can be converted into Ultimate Rewards points and then transferred to your Sapphire card to unlock higher redemption values or transfer partners. This strategy can maximize your earning potential across all spending categories.

Ultimately, both cards are powerhouses in the travel rewards space. The Chase Sapphire Preferred is often hailed as a "keeper card", offering incredible value for a modest annual fee, especially if you're new to the points game. The Chase Sapphire Reserve, despite its formidable fee, can deliver immense value for the right person – a frequent, high-spending traveler who values top-tier perks and is willing to engage with the card's diverse benefits.

The key is to run the numbers based on your unique spending and travel habits. Happy travels, no matter which Sapphire card lights your way!

Need tips on how to meet the spend needed to earn the bonus? Check out "Creative Ways to Meet Minimum Spend Requirements for New Credit Cards".

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All information is accurate as of the date of publication but may change over time.

Always check for the latest details before making travel plans.