Amex Platinum vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve: Which Is Better in February 2026?
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The American Express Platinum Card® and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) feel pretty similar. They both are premium travel cards, carry massive annual fees, and promise a better experience at the airport.
But they actually solve very different problems.
The Platinum Card® rewards structure and optimization, while the Chase Sapphire Reserve® rewards flexibility and ease.
Which one is "better" depends almost entirely on how you actually spend and travel.
The case for the Chase Sapphire Reserve®
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is built to be used. Everywhere.
It earns:
- 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠
- 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct
- 3x points on dining worldwide
- 1x points on all other purchases
No portals required. No special bookings. If it codes as travel or dining, you earn higher rewards automatically.
The $795 annual fee looks aggressive until you factor in the $300 annual travel credit. That credit applies automatically to almost any travel purchase, effectively dropping the real cost to $495 for anyone who travels even a little.
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Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR
19.49% - 27.99% Variable
Rewards Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠ and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases
8x points on Chase Travel℠, 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct, 3x points on dining, 1x points on all other purchases
Annual Fee
$795
Welcome Offer Earn 125,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
125,000 bonus points
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Chase Sapphire Reserve® earns its premium status. You’ll get a $300 annual travel credit, airport lounge access, and elevated rewards on travel and dining. Points are worth up to 2x on thousands of top booked hotels and flights with select airlines and hotels through Chase Travel, and the massive 125k sign-up bonus available right now makes it a strong pick if you’re comfortable with the higher annual fee.
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- Travel credits
- Airport lounge access
- Travel and dining rewards
- Welcome offer
- Flexible travel points
- Annual fee
- Limited-time benefits
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- Earn 125,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Get more than $2,700 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
- Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠ and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases
- $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests. Plus, up to $120 towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck® every 4 years
- Get up to $150 in statement credits every six months for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
- Get complimentary Apple TV+, the exclusive streaming home of Apple Originals. Plus Apple Music — all the music you love, across all your devices. Subscriptions run through 6/22/27 — a value of $250 annually
- Member FDIC
That simplicity is the Chase Sapphire Reserve®'s biggest strength.
- You do not need a second "workhorse" card.
- You do not need to track half a dozen credits.
- You just swipe the card and move on.
Lounge access is solid rather than overwhelming. Priority Pass plus a growing network of Chase Sapphire Lounges gives you a calmer, more consistent experience, even if the footprint is smaller than Amex's.
Bottom line: this card works best for people who want premium benefits without turning travel into a part-time job. Read our full review and apply here.
The case for the American Express Platinum Card®
The American Express Platinum Card® is not subtle about what it's trying to be.
Between hotel credits, airline fees, and airport conveniences, Amex is putting real money on the table:
- Up to $600 a year in hotel credits for prepaid bookings through Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection (THC requires a min. two-night stay.)
- A $209 annual CLEAR® Plus credit
- $200 per year in airline fee credits
- $200 in annual Uber Cash
- $120 in Uber One credits
- Terms apply; enrollment may be required
That's already more than $1,300 a year in tangible travel perks before you even factor in airport lounge access and some of the other available perks. Enrollment may be required, and some benefits are easier to use than others, but the math is hard to ignore if you already travel regularly.
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Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Rewards Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®. 1X Membership Rewards® Points on other purchases. Terms apply.
1X-5X Membership Rewards® Points
Annual Fee
$895
Welcome Offer You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
As High As 175,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.
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The American Express Platinum Card® isn’t just a credit card — it’s a status symbol. With over $3,500 in annual credits like $400 for dining with Resy, $600 in luxury hotel stays, and $300 in digital entertainment, plus VIP access to 1,550 airport lounges and automatic Hilton and Marriott Bonvoy elite status (enrollment required), it delivers prestige few cards can match. The fee is steep, but for those who want the best, the Platinum Card® can more than pay for itself — starting with a powerful welcome offer. Terms apply.
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- Big welcome offer
- Substantial spending credits
- Airport lounge access
- Hotel benefits
- Flexible travel points
- Annual fee
- Limited bonus categories
- Spending credits can be complicated to manage
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- You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Get more for your travels with 5X Membership Rewards® points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel®, including Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings. You earn 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
- More Value! With over 1,550 airport lounges - more than any other credit card company on the market* - enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection®, over $850 of annual value, with access to Centurion Lounges, 10 complimentary Delta Sky Club® visits when flying on an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations), Priority Pass Select membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges. * As of 07/2025.
- More Value! $200 Uber Cash + $120 Uber One Credit: With the Platinum Card® you can receive $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a bonus $20 in December when you add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to use on rides and orders in the U.S when you select an Amex Card for your transaction. Plus, when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply.
- More Value! $300 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $25 in statement credits each month after you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card® at participating partners. Enrollment required.
- More Value! $600 Hotel Credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel® using the Platinum Card®. *The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- New! $400 Resy Credit + Platinum Nights by Resy: When you use the Platinum Card® to pay at U.S. Resy restaurants and to make other eligible purchases through Resy, you can get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter with the $400 Resy Credit benefit. Plus, with Platinum Nights by Resy, you can get special access to reservations on select nights at participating in demand Resy restaurants with the Platinum Card®. Simply add your eligible Card to your Resy profile to book and discover Platinum Nights reservations near you, enrollment required.
- More Value! $209 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR Plus Membership* with up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR Plus with the Platinum Card®. *Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to the Platinum Card® Account*. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
- Start your vacation sooner, and keep it going longer. When you book Fine Hotels + Resorts® through American Express Travel®, enjoy noon check-in upon arrival, when available, and guaranteed 4PM check-out.
- New! $300 lululemon Credit: Enjoy up to $75 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® for eligible purchases at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and lululemon.com. That’s up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year. Enrollment required.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Receive a statement credit* for one monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) after you pay for Walmart+ each month with the Platinum Card®.*Up to $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Ups not eligible.
- $100 Saks Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com on the Platinum Card®. That’s up to $50 in statement credits from January through June and up to $50 in statement credits from July through December. No minimum purchase required. Enrollment required.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- $895 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
Then there's access.
You get entry to more than 1,550 airport lounges worldwide, including Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass locations, and Delta Sky Club® visits when flying Delta (terms apply). For frequent flyers moving through major airports, this is still the strongest lounge portfolio available on a consumer card.
Earning power reinforces that travel-first design:
- 5X points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year
- 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®
- 1X points on other purchases
And then there's the welcome offer.
Apply and find out if you are eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
The max welcome bonus offer could be worth roughly $1,750 in travel value at $0.01 per point, more than twice the annual fee by Motley Fool Money's estimate.
Transfer those points to airline partners and the upside can be meaningfully higher.
If you want a shot at one of the largest welcome offers available right now and travel enough to use the credits naturally, it's worth reading our full review of the American Express Platinum Card® before applying.
The verdict
There is no clean winner here.
If you want premium travel with minimal thinking, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® wins.
If you enjoy maximizing perks and squeezing every dollar, the American Express Platinum Card® can still justify its reputation.
The best card is the one that fits how you already live, not the one that looks best in your wallet.
Our Research Expert
Jake FitzGerald is a full-time Editorial Strategist and Personal Finance Writer at Motley Fool Money, leading content production and distribution while also writing about credit cards, bank accounts, and other financial products. He has more than a decade of experience editing and shaping financial content to give readers clear, trustworthy money advice. His work focuses on delivering practical insights that empower people to make smarter financial decisions. Off the clock, he’s a fan of college football tailgates and still loyal to his favorite putter -- despite what his short game suggests.
Motley Fool Stock Disclosures
JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. American Express is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends JPMorgan Chase, Target, and Uber Technologies. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.For rates and fees for American Express Platinum Card®, click here