Chase Sapphire Preferred Card vs Chase Sapphire Reserve
Annual fees: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card $95/yr, Chase Sapphire Reserve $795/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card on travel, Chase Sapphire Reserve on travel.
Card data as of November 13, 2026.
Chase Sapphire Preferred CardChase · $95/yr
Chase Sapphire ReserveChase · $795/yr
Overview
- Annual fee
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card$95LowestChase Sapphire Reserve$795
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card75,000 pointsChase Sapphire Reserve100,000 points
- Rewards
- Chase Sapphire Preferred CardChase Ultimate RewardsChase Sapphire ReserveChase Ultimate Rewards
- Foreign transaction fee
- Chase Sapphire Preferred CardNoneChase Sapphire ReserveNone
- Network
- Chase Sapphire Preferred CardVisa SignatureChase Sapphire ReserveVisa Infinite
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Flights
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card1xChase Sapphire Reserve4xHighest
- Hotels
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card1xChase Sapphire Reserve4xHighest
- Dining
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card3xChase Sapphire Reserve3x
- Electric Vehicle Charging
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card3xHighestChase Sapphire Reserve1x
- Gas Stations
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card3xHighestChase Sapphire Reserve1x
- Grocery Stores
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card3xHighestChase Sapphire Reserve1x
- Streaming
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card3xHighestChase Sapphire Reserve1x
- Vacation Rentals
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card3xHighestChase Sapphire Reserve1x
- Travel
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card2xHighestChase Sapphire Reserve1x
- Everything else
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card1xChase Sapphire Reserve1x
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS credit · $120 every 4 years
- $100 hotel credit
Chase Sapphire Reserve- $300 travel credit
- $500 hotel credit
- $250 select hotels · $250 one-time
- $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck · $120 every 4 years
- Rideshare & transit
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card—Chase Sapphire Reserve
- $10/mo Lyft credit · $10 monthly
- Dining & delivery
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card—Chase Sapphire Reserve
- $300 dining at 275+ restaurants · $150 every 6 months
- $35/mo DoorDash + DashPass · $35 monthly
- Entertainment & streaming
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- A year of Apple TV, valued at $180 · $180 one-time
Chase Sapphire Reserve- $300 event tickets StubHub
- $27/mo Apple TV & Music · $27 monthly
- Shopping & wellness
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card—Chase Sapphire Reserve
- $10/mo Peloton credits · $10 monthly
Perks & access— means none on record
- Lounges
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card—Chase Sapphire Reserve
- Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge on Star Alliance (1 guest)
- 1,300+ Priority Pass lounges with 2 free guests
- 8 Chase Sapphire Lounges with 2 free guests
- Hotel status & programs
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card—Chase Sapphire Reserve
- IHG Platinum Elite with 60% bonus points, no stays
- Other perks
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- Complimentary DashPass after activation
- Up to $10 monthly on a non-restaurant DoorDash order
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases
Chase Sapphire Reserve- $750 in credits plus elite status at $75k spend
- Dedicated Customer Support with 24/7 priority service
- No foreign transaction fees on international purchases
- Roadside Assistance with $50 reimbursement per incident
- Sapphire Reserve Experiences and Venue Benefits
- Travel and Emergency Assistance Services 24/7
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Reserve Travel Designer complimentary planning service
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Trip insurance
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- Travel Accident Insurance up to $500,000
- $10,000 Trip Cancellation Insurance per person
- $500 Trip Delay Reimbursement per traveler
Chase Sapphire Reserve- Emergency Evacuation up to $100,000 coverage
- Emergency Medical and Dental up to $2,500
- Travel Accident Insurance up to $1,000,000
- Trip cancellation insurance up to $10,000 per person
- Trip delay coverage up to $500 per ticket after 6 hours
- Baggage
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- $500 Baggage Delay Insurance ($100 per day)
- $3,000 Lost Luggage Reimbursement per traveler
Chase Sapphire Reserve- Baggage insurance up to $3,000 for lost luggage
- Rental car
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- Auto Rental Coverage
Chase Sapphire Reserve- Primary rental car insurance up to $75,000
- Purchase & returns
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- 120-day Purchase Protection up to $500 per item
Chase Sapphire Reserve- Purchase protection up to $10,000 per claim for 120 days
- Return protection up to $500 per item within 90 days
- Extended warranty
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- Extended Warranty Protection adds 1 extra year
Chase Sapphire Reserve- Extended warranty adds 1 year to manufacturer coverage
- Other protections
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- Travel and Emergency Assistance Services
Chase Sapphire Reserve—
Pros & cons
- Pros
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- 75,000 point welcome bonus after $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months
- $95 annual fee partly offset by a $100 Chase Travel hotel credit each account anniversary year
- Transfers to 14 airline and hotel partners, 13 at 1:1 and Hyatt at 4:3
- 5X on Chase Travel, 3X dining, streaming, online groceries
- Trip cancellation, delay, and lost luggage insurance included
Chase Sapphire Reserve- Up to $2,060 in annual credits and promos can more than cover the $795 fee
- Priority Pass Select with 2 guests included
- Exclusive Chase Sapphire Lounge access
- Primary rental car coverage saves $15-30/day
- Points Boost values points at up to 2 cents each on select flights and hotels through Chase Travel
- Cons
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- $95 annual fee vs $0 Freedom cards
- No lounge access included
- 5/24 rule restricts applicants with 5+ cards in 24 months
- No 0% intro APR offer
Chase Sapphire Reserve- $795 annual fee is substantial commitment
- 5/24 rule restricts applicants with recent cards
- Credits require specific spending patterns to use
- $195 authorized user fee with no free users
- No 0% intro APR offer
Expert Analysis
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve represent two different tiers within the same card family. The core question is whether the premium card's benefits justify the higher annual fee — and the answer depends on your spending habits and travel frequency.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card's strongest category is Dining at 3X, while the Chase Sapphire Reserve leads with 4X on Hotels. Overall, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card wins in more bonus categories (4 vs 2) — so the better choice depends on where you spend the most.
At $95/yr vs $795/yr, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is the more accessible option. The Chase Sapphire Reserve needs to deliver at least $700 in annual value through its premium benefits to justify the gap. It offers airport lounge access, a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, which can cover that gap for active users.
Key Differences
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X on Streaming vs 1X for the other
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X on Online Groceries vs 1X for the other
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X on Grocery Delivery vs 1X for the other
- The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card costs $95/yr vs $795/yr — a $700 annual gap
- Only the Chase Sapphire Reserve offers airport lounge access and a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit
Spending Scenarios
Which card wins in real-world spending situations?
$50/month on streaming
Chase Sapphire Preferred CardChase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X vs 1X. Over a year, that's 1,800 vs 600 points — a 1,200-point advantage.
$200/month on online groceries
Chase Sapphire Preferred CardChase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X vs 1X. Over a year, that's 7,200 vs 2,400 points — a 4,800-point advantage.
$200/month on hotels
Chase Sapphire ReserveChase Sapphire Reserve earns 4X vs 1X. Over a year, that's 9,600 vs 2,400 points — a 7,200-point advantage.
$300/month on flights
Chase Sapphire ReserveChase Sapphire Reserve earns 4X vs 1X. Over a year, that's 14,400 vs 3,600 points — a 10,800-point advantage.
Mixed everyday spending, 2 trips/year
Chase Sapphire Preferred CardWithout heavy spending in the Chase Sapphire Reserve's premium categories, the $700 fee difference is hard to recover. The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card delivers better overall value for moderate spenders.
Who Should Get Which?
Get the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card if:
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is ideal for cardholders who prioritize spending heavily on streaming and online groceries and keeping annual costs low. At $95/yr, it delivers solid return on the annual fee investment for its target audience.
Get the Chase Sapphire Reserve if:
The Chase Sapphire Reserve is ideal for cardholders who prioritize spending heavily on hotels and flights and maximizing premium travel perks. At $795/yr, it delivers solid return on the annual fee investment for its target audience.
Upgrade & Downgrade Path
Many cardholders start with the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and upgrade to the Chase Sapphire Reserve as their hotels spending increases. You can often hold both cards simultaneously to maximize earn rates across all categories — points pool into the same rewards account.
If you're considering downgrading from the Chase Sapphire Reserve, tally up how much value you actually extract from its hotels earn rates and benefits each year. If you're consistently leaving credits unused, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card likely delivers better value per dollar of annual fee.
Category-by-Category Winner
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card wins in 4 of 6 categories. The Chase Sapphire Reserve leads in 2. 3 more categories depend on booking channel or caps.
Travel
Depends: via Chase Travel portal
Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 8X when conditions are met; Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 5X (2X without restrictions)
Hotels
Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 8X vs 5X
8X via Chase Travel portal - the Chase Travel travel rate restated per bookable subcategory, as Capital One and Citi portal rates are recorded
Flights
Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 8X vs 5X
8X via Chase Travel portal - the Chase Travel travel rate restated per bookable subcategory, as Capital One and Citi portal rates are recorded
Car Rentals
Depends: via Chase Travel portal - the Chase Travel travel rate restated per bookable subcategory, as Capital One and Citi portal rates are recorded
Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 8X when conditions are met; Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 5X (1X without restrictions)
Gas Stations
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X vs 1X
Electric Vehicle Charging
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X vs 1X
Vacation Rentals
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X vs 1X
Streaming
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X vs 1X
Grocery Stores
Depends: Online purchases only. Excludes Target, Walmart, Wholesale Clubs. Grocery pickup or delivery must be ordered online and qualify under Chase's online grocery category. Excludes membership and subscription fees, supermarket pharmacies, gift cards and gift baskets.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X when conditions are met; Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Year One vs Ongoing Value
Modeled net value (bonus categories at unconditional rates, caps applied). Spend mix: dining 15%, groceries 15%, gas 10%, travel 10%, everything else 50%. Statement credits use the same recurring usable estimates as each card's detail page; first-year-only credits count in year one only. Welcome offers valued at each card's program rate shown on this page.
Modeled value is close across spend levels — especially once statement credits are counted.
| Scenario | Chase Sapphire Preferred Card | Chase Sapphire Reserve | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $346 Credits (our usable estimate): $75 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $326 Year one: $1,784 | Rewards: $281 Credits (our usable estimate): $995 − Annual fee ($795) Ongoing: $481 Year one: $2,406 | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use | Chase Sapphire Reserve |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $1,382 Credits (our usable estimate): $75 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $1,362 Year one: $2,820 | Rewards: $1,123 Credits (our usable estimate): $995 − Annual fee ($795) Ongoing: $1,323 Year one: $3,248 | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The Chase Sapphire Reserve costs $795/yr — that's $700 more than the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card ($95/yr). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $700 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve includes travel credits, dining credits, lounge access, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit. Those perks are not included in the earn-rate scenario table above — compare their dollar value to the $700 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $700 fee gap means the Chase Sapphire Reserve needs roughly $700 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on travel and hotels and everyday spend.
What You Give Up
Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.
Choosing Chase Sapphire Preferred Card means losing:
- -Airport lounge access
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card if you:
- +Do most of your spending at grocery stores
Get the Chase Sapphire Reserve if you:
- +Fly frequently and value airport lounge access
The Bottom Line
Modeled value is close across spend levels — especially once statement credits are counted.
Published annual fees: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card $95/yr, Chase Sapphire Reserve $795/yr — a $700 difference before welcome offers and credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the Chase Sapphire Reserve worth the higher annual fee?
- The Chase Sapphire Reserve costs $795/yr vs $95/yr for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $700 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use (the Chase Sapphire Reserve also lists lounge access, travel credits, dining credits).
- Which card earns more rewards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve?
- Both cards earn 1X on everyday purchases. The difference is in bonus categories — check the earn rate comparison above for a full breakdown.
- What benefits does the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card have that the Chase Sapphire Reserve doesn't?
- The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card focuses on earn rates, while the Chase Sapphire Reserve offers lounge access, travel credits, dining credits.
- Should I get the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card has a lower $95/yr fee; the Chase Sapphire Reserve must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $795/yr.
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published November 13, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.