Chase Sapphire Reserve vs Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
Annual fees: Chase Sapphire Reserve $795/yr, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card $650/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Chase Sapphire Reserve on travel, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card on flights.
Card data as of October 12, 2026.
Chase Sapphire ReserveChase · $795/yr
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express CardAmerican Express · $650/yr
Overview
- Annual fee
- Chase Sapphire Reserve$795Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card$650Lowest
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Chase Sapphire Reserve100,000 pointsMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card100,000 points
- Rewards
- Chase Sapphire ReserveChase Ultimate RewardsMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express CardMarriott Bonvoy
- Foreign transaction fee
- Chase Sapphire ReserveNoneMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express CardNone
- Network
- Chase Sapphire ReserveVisa InfiniteMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express CardAmerican Express
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Flights
- Chase Sapphire Reserve4xHighestMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card3x
- Hotels
- Chase Sapphire Reserve4xHighestMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card2x
- Dining
- Chase Sapphire Reserve3xMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card3x
- Everything else
- Chase Sapphire Reserve1xMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card2xHighest
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- Chase Sapphire Reserve
- $300 travel credit
- $500 hotel credit
- $250 select hotels · $250 one-time
- $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck · $120 every 4 years
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck · $120 every 4 years
- $100 luxury hotel credit · $100 per stay
- Rideshare & transit
- Chase Sapphire Reserve
- $10/mo Lyft credit · $10 monthly
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card— - Dining & delivery
- Chase Sapphire Reserve
- $300 dining at 275+ restaurants
- $35/mo DoorDash + DashPass · $35 monthly
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- $300 dining credit
- Entertainment & streaming
- Chase Sapphire Reserve
- $300 event tickets StubHub
- $27/mo Apple TV & Music · $27 monthly
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card— - Shopping & wellness
- Chase Sapphire Reserve
- $10/mo Peloton credits · $10 monthly
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card—
Perks & access— means none on record
- Lounges
- 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
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- Unlimited Priority Pass lounge visits worldwide
- Hotel status & programs
- Chase Sapphire Reserve
- IHG Platinum Elite with 60% bonus points, no stays
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status with room upgrades
- Complimentary premium WiFi at Marriott properties
- Other perks
- 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 more
- Reserve Travel Designer complimentary planning service
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- Amex Offers
- 24/7 premium travel assistance with medical transport
- 24/7 global travel assistance
- American Express Experiences®
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Trip insurance
- 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
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- $10,000 trip cancellation/interruption insurance
- $500 trip delay insurance for 6+ hour delays
- Baggage
- Chase Sapphire Reserve
- Baggage insurance up to $3,000 for lost luggage
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- $3,000 baggage insurance per trip
- Rental car
- Chase Sapphire Reserve
- Primary rental car insurance up to $75,000
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- $75,000 car rental insurance (primary for international)
- Purchase & returns
- Chase Sapphire Reserve
- Purchase protection up to $10,000 per claim for 120 days
- Return protection up to $500 per item within 90 days
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- $10,000 purchase protection per item
- Return protection for unwanted purchases · up to $300
- Extended warranty
- Chase Sapphire Reserve
- Extended warranty adds 1 year to manufacturer coverage
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- Extended warranty protection for eligible purchases · up to $1
- Cell phone
- Chase Sapphire Reserve—Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
- $800 cell phone protection per claim
- Other protections
- Chase Sapphire Reserve—Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
- Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
Pros & cons
- Pros
- 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
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- Automatic Platinum Elite status with room upgrades, late checkout, and lounge access at select brands
- 25 Elite Night Credits annually accelerates path to Titanium/Ambassador status
- Free Night Award worth up to 85,000 points (can book luxury properties)
- $300 annual dining credit offsets nearly half the annual fee
- Priority Pass Select with unlimited lounge visits
- Cons
- 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
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- $650 annual fee is among the highest for hotel cards
- Dining credit is use-it-or-lose-it monthly ($25/month structure)
- Points locked to Marriott Bonvoy program with limited transfer partners
- American Express acceptance more limited than Visa/Mastercard internationally
- Free Night Award capped at 85K points; top-tier properties often cost more
Category-by-Category Winner
The Chase Sapphire Reserve wins in 2 of 3 categories. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card leads in 1. 1 more category depend on booking channel or caps.
Travel
Depends: via Chase Travel portal
Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 8X when conditions are met; Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card earns 2X (2X without restrictions)
Hotels
Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 4X vs 2X
Flights
Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 4X vs 3X
Everyday purchases
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card earns 2X on all other spending vs 1X
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.
Both scenarios favor the Chase Sapphire Reserve on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
| Scenario | Chase Sapphire Reserve | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $281 Credits (our usable estimate): $995 − Annual fee ($795) Ongoing: $481 Year one: $2,406 | Rewards: $181 Credits (our usable estimate): $210 − Annual fee ($650) Ongoing: -$259 Year one: $441 | Chase Sapphire Reserve | Chase Sapphire Reserve |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $1,123 Credits (our usable estimate): $995 − Annual fee ($795) Ongoing: $1,323 Year one: $3,248 | Rewards: $722 Credits (our usable estimate): $210 − Annual fee ($650) Ongoing: $282 Year one: $982 | Chase Sapphire Reserve | Chase Sapphire Reserve |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The Chase Sapphire Reserve costs $795/yr — that's $145 more than the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card ($650/yr). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $145 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 $145 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $145 fee gap means the Chase Sapphire Reserve needs roughly $145 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on travel and hotels and everyday spend.
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card if you:
- +Prefer a high flat rate across all spending
The Bottom Line
Both scenarios favor the Chase Sapphire Reserve on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
Everyday (non-bonus) spend earns 2X on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card vs 1X on the other card.
Published annual fees: Chase Sapphire Reserve $795/yr, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card $650/yr — a $145 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 $650/yr for the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $145 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 Reserve or Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card?
- The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card has a higher base earn rate (2X vs 1X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
- What benefits does the Chase Sapphire Reserve have that the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card doesn't?
- The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers lounge access, travel credits, dining credits. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card offers lounge access, dining credits, cell phone protection.
- Should I get the Chase Sapphire Reserve or the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card has a lower $650/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 October 12, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.