Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Chase Sapphire Reserve
A side-by-side breakdown of fees, welcome offers, earning rates and travel perks — so you can see which card is worth it for how you actually spend.
| Annual fee | $95 | $795 |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome offer | 75,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months | 150,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months — the highest ever offered |
| Rewards rate | 5X on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3X on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries; 2X on all other travel purchases; 1X on all other purchases. Plus, 5X on Peloton equipment/accessories (over $150, up to 25,000 pts) through Dec 2027 and 5X on Lyft through Sep 2027. | 8X on travel booked through Chase Travel, 4X on flights and hotels booked directly, 3X on dining worldwide |
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| Card network | Visa Signature | Visa Infinite |
| Foreign transaction fee | None | None |
| Recommended credit | Good to Excellent (670–850) | Excellent (740–850) |
Chase Sapphire Preferred
- Same 13 Chase transfer partners as the $795 Sapphire Reserve at a fraction of the cost
- Primary rental car collision damage waiver — the best travel protection at this price tier
- Trip cancellation/interruption insurance up to $10,000 per person
- 3x on dining, online groceries, and streaming covers daily household spend
- $50 annual hotel credit partially offsets the already-low $95 fee
- No airport lounge access — a gap that competing premium cards fill
- 10% anniversary points bonus ending October 1, 2026
- Chase Travel portal required for 5x on flights (not direct airline bookings)
- Limited statement credits beyond the $50 hotel credit
Chase Sapphire Reserve
- $300 annual travel credit is the most flexible in the premium card space — flights, hotels, transit, car rentals
- Best-in-class lounge access: Priority Pass Select (2 guests free) + Chase Sapphire Lounges + Air Canada Maple Leaf
- 150,000-point welcome bonus — the highest ever offered, worth ~$3,000 at TPG valuations
- Comprehensive travel insurance including primary rental car coverage
- $500 The Edit hotel credit and $300 Exclusive Tables dining credit add significant new value
- $795 annual fee requires actively using 6+ separate credit categories to justify
- Points now worth 1.0 cpp through Chase Travel (reduced from 1.5 cpp)
- Authorized user fee jumped from $75 to $195 — a major cost increase for couples
- Several credits tied to niche categories (Exclusive Tables, StubHub, The Edit) not universally useful
Common questions
Is the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve better?
Chase Sapphire Preferred suits flexibility, while Chase Sapphire Reserve is stronger for premium travel. The Chase Sapphire Preferred carries a $95 annual fee versus $795 for the Chase Sapphire Reserve, so the right pick depends on how much of each card's credits you'll actually use.
What is the annual fee on each card?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a $95 annual fee. The Chase Sapphire Reserve has a $795 annual fee. Weigh that against each card's annual credits — a higher fee often nets out lower once you use the travel and dining credits.