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In 2025, Chase gave the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) a serious glow-up. And that overhaul pushed it into a completely different lane than the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees).
What used to feel like a close call between the two cards is now a much clearer decision.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card sits comfortably as an entry-level travel rewards card. It carries a $95 annual fee and is one of the most widely recommended starting points for anyone getting into the points game.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve®, on the other hand, is firmly planted in "luxury-travel" territory. It rocks a massive $795 annual fee, has way more credit and perks, and is designed for high-end travelers.
Here's the full breakdown and comparison.
Key differences between Chase Sapphire Reserve and Chase Sapphire Preferred
At a high level, both cards earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points, have no foreign transaction fees, and require good to excellent credit.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
4.90/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
4.90/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Welcome Offer:
Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
75,000 bonus points
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
Rewards Program:
Enjoy benefits such as 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
5x on Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, 2x on all other travel
Rewards Program:
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
Intro APR:
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Intro APR:
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR:
19.24% - 27.49% Variable
Regular APR:
19.49% - 27.99% Variable
Annual Fee:
$95
Annual Fee:
$795
Highlights:
Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Enjoy benefits such as 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
Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
Member FDIC
Highlights:
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
We rate travel credit cards based on how well they reward frequent travelers — not just with points and miles, but with valuable perks and flexible redemption options. Our scoring prioritizes cards that offer strong earning rates and a rewarding travel experience.
Our highest-rated travel cards have:
Elevated rewards on travel or everyday purchases, with the ability to transfer points
Flexible redemption options through travel portals or transfer partners
Welcome bonuses that meaningfully offset the annual fee in the first year
Perks that improve the travel experience, like airport lounge access, statement credits, and trip protections
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best travel card recommendations. Our aim is to maintain a balanced best-of list featuring top-scoring travel credit cards from reputable brands. 'Best for' category selections on this page are determined by our editors, and a single card may be recognized in multiple categories.
Ordering within lists is influenced by advertiser compensation, including featured placements at the top of a given list, but our product recommendations are NEVER influenced by advertisers. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates credit cards.
We rate travel credit cards based on how well they reward frequent travelers — not just with points and miles, but with valuable perks and flexible redemption options. Our scoring prioritizes cards that offer strong earning rates and a rewarding travel experience.
Our highest-rated travel cards have:
Elevated rewards on travel or everyday purchases, with the ability to transfer points
Flexible redemption options through travel portals or transfer partners
Welcome bonuses that meaningfully offset the annual fee in the first year
Perks that improve the travel experience, like airport lounge access, statement credits, and trip protections
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best travel card recommendations. Our aim is to maintain a balanced best-of list featuring top-scoring travel credit cards from reputable brands. 'Best for' category selections on this page are determined by our editors, and a single card may be recognized in multiple categories.
Ordering within lists is influenced by advertiser compensation, including featured placements at the top of a given list, but our product recommendations are NEVER influenced by advertisers. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates credit cards.
Annual fee comparison: the first fork in the road
Let's get this out of the way first, because for most people, the annual fee alone will narrow the decision pretty quickly.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: $95 annual fee
Chase Sapphire Reserve®: $795 annual fee
That gap isn't small, but it's by design.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is made to be approachable. For many people, this is the first "real" travel card they ever open.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® shouldn't be judged on the sticker price alone. The higher annual fee can be well justified with built-in travel credits, VIP perks, and slightly higher earning rates.
Comparing the welcome offers: Both have big first-year value
A strong welcome offer can massively boost your value in the first year. And in some cases, it can even offset the annual fee for multiple future years.
Here are the current welcome offers and qualifying criteria:
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Earn 125,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Since both cards earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, the final value depends on how you redeem them. Just keep in mind: once the bonus is earned, the card still needs to make sense for your long-term spending.
Rewards and earning potential: Both are excellent
Both cards use Chase Ultimate Rewards®, which is one of the most flexible and valuable point systems out there. Here is how they differ in earning rates:
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card:
5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries
2X points on all other travel purchases
1X points on all other purchases
Chase Sapphire Reserve®:
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
If you spend a TON on travel, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® has a significant leg up with higher earning rates.
But the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card still has excellent earning potential for everyday spending. It also has an advantage with higher earning rates for online groceries and streaming services.
Points Boost: Widens the gap in potential point value
Points Boost is a Chase Travel℠ feature that lets Sapphire cardholders redeem points for more value on select hotels and flights for a limited time.
When a booking qualifies, your points simply go further -- meaning you need fewer points to book the same trip.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Points are worth up to 2x on top-booked hotels, including The Edit℠, and flights with select airlines through Chase Travel℠.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Points are worth up to 1.5x on thousands of both top booked hotels and flights with select airlines through Chase Travel℠ and and up to 1.75x on premium cabin tickets on select airlines.
Points Boost tends to show up most often on higher-end hotels and premium flight tickets, which naturally gives it more upside for travelers who like to travel in style.
Travel perks and credits comparison
The overall benefits package is what separates these cards completely. And after learning what's inside each, the annual fees start to make way more sense.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®: what you actually get for the annual fee
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is loaded with $2,700+ in premium credits and perks that can be incredibly valuable if they match how you travel and spend. Here are the headline benefits:
$300 annual travel credit. Automatically applied to a wide range of travel purchases each year, making it one of the most flexible travel credits out there.
Up to $500 in The Edit℠ hotel credits. Split into two $250 credits per year on prepaid stays of two nights or more. Includes perks like daily breakfast for two, property credits, and potential room upgrades.
Priority Pass™ Select membership ($469 value). Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Chase Sapphire Lounges, with up to two guests.
Up to $300 in dining credits. Earn up to $150 twice per year when dining through Sapphire Exclusive Tables on OpenTable.
Global Entry, TSA PreCheck®, or NEXUS credit (up to $120). Statement credit every four years to cover the application fee.
DashPass membership + DoorDash credits ($420+ value). DashPass included, plus up to $25 per month in DoorDash promos through 2027.
Up to $300 in StubHub credits Split into two $150 credits per year for ticket purchases through 2027.
As you can see, many of these credits come with strings attached and do take a bit of mental bandwidth to track. This card really only makes sense for travelers who are already spending in these specific areas.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: simple perks that don't require tracking
Instead of stacking multiple credits and benefits, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card focuses on a couple of benefits that are easy to use and easy to remember.
$50 annual hotel credit. Each account anniversary year, you can earn up to $50 in statement credits on hotel stays booked through Chase Travel.
10% anniversary points bonus. On your card anniversary, Chase automatically adds bonus points equal to 10% of the total points you earned from spending the prior year.
Travel protections: Both are strong, Chase Sapphire Reserve is stronger
Both Sapphire cards include a solid baseline of travel protections, including:
Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
Primary rental car coverage
Lost luggage reimbursement
Baggage delay insurance
Travel and emergency assistance
But the Chase Sapphire Reserve® takes things a step further with higher coverage limits in several areas, and added protections like emergency medical, evacuation coverage, and more robust roadside assistance.
If you travel frequently, those upgrades can matter. But for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card holders it's nice to know the basic coverages are in place, and several people on our team have used them to save hundreds when things went wrong on trips.
Final verdict: The Chase Sapphire Preferred fits a wider group of people
For most travelers, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the better all-around fit.
It gives you flexible points, travel protections, and the simplest perks at a price point that's easy to live with long term.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® still makes sense for a specific type of cardholder. Namely, frequent travelers who actively use airport lounges, book higher-end hotels, and are willing to manage multiple credits to offset the higher annual fee.
But for most people, most of the time, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card strikes the better balance. It's simpler, more forgiving, and easier to recommend as a long-term keeper card.
Yes, Chase now allows people to carry both personal Sapphire cards. There's not a huge benefit in doing so, but it's an option if you can find a way to maximize perks across both simultaneously.
Yes it's pretty easy. Just call Chase and ask what your options are. Keep in mind: you won't earn a new welcome offer when you switch, but you'll get the benefits of the new card and continue earning Ultimate Rewards® without closing your account.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® has a minimum credit limit of $10,000, while the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has a minimum of $5,000. But the actual limit you're approved for on either card will depend on your credit profile, income, and overall relationship with Chase.
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Motley Fool Stock Disclosures
JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Brooklyn Welch has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends JPMorgan Chase. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Visa.
