Reasons to pick the Sapphire Preferred over the Sapphire Reserve

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) stay a number of the hottest travel rewards credit cards, even years after they first got here to market. That is partly due to the number of useful perks they each provide, nevertheless it’s additionally as a result of Chase retains selling wonderful welcome bonuses for each playing cards 12 months after 12 months.

The Sapphire Most well-liked is favored amongst budget, newbie and midrange vacationers because of its affordable annual fee of simply $95.

In the meantime, the Sapphire Reserve is focused at extra premium clients because of upscale perks like a $300 annual travel credit, Priority Pass Select lounge membership and a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck software assertion credit score each 4 years — all of which assist offset the cardboard’s $550 annual price.

These further advantages could be price it for some, however the Sapphire Reserve would not make sense for everybody. Should you’re attempting to resolve between these two phenomenal playing cards (since you possibly can’t have each concurrently), listed below are 11 causes to decide on the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked as an alternative of the fancier Chase Sapphire Reserve.

First, the Chase Sapphire Preferred costs an annual fee of simply $95, whereas the Chase Sapphire Reserve options an annual price that prices an eye-watering $550. That is a distinction of $455 yearly.

Granted, the Chase Sapphire Reserve comes with many perks price tons of, and even hundreds, of {dollars} per 12 months (which we’ll get into under). However when you’re simply getting began, do not journey steadily or aren’t positive whether or not you may use the perks, you are higher off choosing the cardboard with the decrease annual price.

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Associated: Chase Sapphire Preferred review

Now for what in all probability caught your eye: these welcome bonuses. New Sapphire Preferred cardholders can earn an unbelievable 100,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 throughout the first three months from account opening.

In the meantime, new Sapphire Reserve cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 throughout the first three months from account opening.

Based on TPG’s March 2025 valuation, Chase Final Rewards factors are price 2.05 cents every once you switch to lodge and airline companions. That makes the Sapphire Most well-liked’s provide price a staggering $2,050, whereas the Sapphire Reserve’s provide is price $1,230 in preliminary worth.

Among the best methods to maximize Chase Ultimate Rewards is to switch them to this system’s 11 airline and three hotel partners, together with United, British Airways, Southwest, Hyatt and Marriott, amongst others. Hyatt and United are unique switch companions of Chase, so when you take pleasure in these manufacturers, that is one more reason to get considered one of these playing cards.

Should you plan to make use of your factors this fashion quite than for direct redemptions by way of Chase, then the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked ought to suffice. That is as a result of regardless of which of those two playing cards you carry, your Final Rewards factors switch to every airline and lodge associate at a 1:1 ratio.

Plus, you may get virtually twice the worth out of the Sapphire Most well-liked’s welcome bonus versus the Sapphire Reserve’s.

Apart from their welcome bonuses, the Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve have comparable incomes buildings and rack up further factors in comparable particular classes. Particularly, they share travel and dining.

It is true that the Sapphire Reserve earns as much as 10 factors per greenback on journey and as much as 10 factors per greenback on eating, however these charges are restricted to purchases by way of Chase.

Concerning common journey purchases, the Sapphire Reserve has only a slight edge (after receiving the $300 journey credit score) — 3 factors per greenback as an alternative of two. And for normal eating (together with takeout and eligible supply providers), the playing cards are tied, as you earn 3 factors per greenback on every.

Should you spend tens of hundreds of {dollars} a 12 months on journey, choosing the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked over the Chase Sapphire Reserve can imply shedding out on a big variety of bonus factors.

However when you solely spend just a few thousand {dollars} per 12 months on these purchases, getting one card as an alternative of the opposite will solely have a negligible impact. That is very true if you have already got different playing cards that earn bonuses in these classes.

Associated: Best credit cards for dining

Due to its $550 annual price, the Chase Sapphire Reserve presents many extra perks than the Chase Sapphire Preferred. However that does not essentially imply it is all the time price a better annual price.

Among the many ones you are most definitely to make use of is the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s $300 annual travel statement credit, which is comparatively straightforward to burn by way of, given the broad vary of purchases which might be eligible for it.

Assuming you possibly can take full benefit of the $300, that brings the cardboard’s annual price nearer to $250, which remains to be much more than $95.

Whereas that credit score makes it simpler to justify the Sapphire Reserve, we do not advocate spending extra in annual charges simply to get the $300 again in credit when you can spend that cash anyway with out getting hit with a better price.

The Sapphire Reserve lacks the substantial credit that assist give different premium playing cards a better return on their annual charges. It presents lounge entry to assist in giving some further worth to cardholders, however you may have already got this profit on one other card.

If that is the case, or when you do not journey greater than a few instances annually, the Sapphire Reserve’s lounge entry will not imply an excessive amount of. Those that do not place a variety of worth on the Reserve’s journey credit score and lounge entry are higher off with the Sapphire Most well-liked.

Associated: How to use the Chase Sapphire Reserve $300 annual travel credit to save on travel

Due to Chase’s partnership with Lyft, Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders can earn 5 factors per greenback on Lyft purchases and as much as $10 in month-to-month Lyft credit score (as much as $120 yearly), whereas the Chase Sapphire Preferred earns 5 factors per greenback with no month-to-month credit score.

Whereas these advantages might help you earn extra rewards whereas additionally saving you cash on rides, they don’t seem to be price an entire lot when you do not really use this particular ride-hailing service fairly often.

Should you’re a frequent Lyft rider, the Sapphire Reserve’s Lyft credit might help make a considerable dent in its annual price. In any other case, you could be higher off with the Sapphire Most well-liked.

Associated: A guide to Lyft benefits as a Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholder

Each playing cards provide the prospect to register by Dec. 31, 2027, for a minimum of a 12 months of complimentary DoorDash DashPass, which entitles you to $0 supply and decreased service charges on eligible orders over $12.

So you aren’t getting forward by selecting one card over the opposite so far as a DashPass membership is anxious.

The place they differ is within the credit they provide DashPass members.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve presents two $10 credit every month at checkout on grocery, comfort or different non-restaurant orders on DoorDash and $5 off restaurant orders as soon as per 30 days.

Sapphire Preferred cardholders who’ve an activated DashPass membership obtain one promo of $10 off every month at checkout on one grocery, comfort or different non-restaurant order on DoorDash.

Should you use DoorDash on a regular basis, you could need to benefit from the additional credit supplied by the Sapphire Reserve. In any other case, the Sapphire Most well-liked nonetheless presents strong advantages for DoorDash followers.

TPG bank cards editor Olivia Mittak is a frequent DoorDash person, but she feels the Sapphire Most well-liked’s DoorDash advantages are greater than ample.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Chase Sapphire Reserve provide a number of the most complete travel protections of any rewards bank cards obtainable. In actual fact, the insurance they provide is virtually an identical in some classes, with just a few variations.

Each provide journey interruption and cancellation protection of as much as $10,000 per coated traveler and $20,000 per journey, misplaced baggage reimbursement and baggage delay insurance coverage for delays of six hours or extra, masking as much as $100 per day for as many as 5 days to switch issues like garments and toiletries.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve has trip delay coverage — say, when you miss a connection and have to in a single day someplace — that kicks in at six hours. The Chase Sapphire Most well-liked’s model would not come into play till 12 hours, so that you might need to hang around a bit longer earlier than you possibly can invoke it.

Although each playing cards provide primary car rental insurance towards harm or theft, the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked will cowl as much as $60,000 on most automobiles with an MSRP of $125,000 or much less, whereas the Chase Sapphire Reserve covers as much as $75,000 for many rental vehicles. That might come into play when you lease an costly car, nevertheless it’s in all probability not a dealbreaker for many leases.

As well as, the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s travel accident insurance maxes out at one million {dollars}, whereas the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked tops out at $500,000. Let’s file this one beneath: „Hope you by no means want it.“

Lastly, the Sapphire Reserve consists of as much as $2,500 in journey medical and dental protection (topic to a $50 deductible) in case you need assistance whereas on the street whilst you’re 100 miles or extra from dwelling on a visit. The Sapphire Most well-liked would not provide this in any respect.

As for purchase protections, the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked solely covers as much as $500 per declare if an merchandise you have used the cardboard to buy is stolen or broken inside 120 days.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve covers them towards harm and theft as much as $10,000 per declare, so it is a significantly better selection for large purchases.

General, you need to be simply tremendous with the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked’s journey protection. However when you do make massive purchases often, the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s buy safety protection restrict is far greater.

At this level, over a dozen other cards, together with the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, The Platinum Card® from American Express, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card and the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card (see rates and fees), all provide some reimbursement for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck purposes — as much as $120 as soon as each 4, 4½ or 5 years, relying on the cardboard.

Enrollment is required for choose playing cards; phrases apply.

Should you already carry a number of of these, you may not want the Chase Sapphire Reserve for this particular perk. That stated, you can all the time use your card to pay for another person’s International Entry or TSA PreCheck software, which is useful when you journey with an entire household.

You do not need to pay further for approved customers

Including a licensed person to a bank card has a number of advantages. Amongst them, it could assist the secondary person build their credit history, which is an effective way to get younger individuals began with credit score.

The factors earned through authorized users‘ spending go to the first cardholder. Assuming everyone seems to be spending responsibly and paying statements off on time, this may be an effective way to rake in much more rewards.

You may add approved customers and get further Chase Sapphire Preferred playing cards in your account for no annual price.

When you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve, although, it prices $75 per approved person and the one further profit they get is the power to register for Precedence Cross Choose lounge entry on their very own.

Bank card issuers, together with Chase, don’t publish details about how they approve or deny potential candidates. Nevertheless, it is extensively believed that you’ll need to qualify for a credit score line of a minimum of $10,000 for the Chase Sapphire Reserve since it is a high-end Visa Infinite product, versus simply $5,000 for the Chase Sapphire Preferred, which is a Visa Signature card.

Many different elements will decide your credit score restrict, and the financial institution will have a look at your general monetary image. However typically, it must be easier to get approved for the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked than the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

Associated: Got excellent credit? These are the best credit cards for you

For a extra in-depth breakdown, try our full comparison of the Sapphire Preferred vs. Sapphire Reserve.

Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Preferred
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Reserve