Introduction
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® (rates and fees) and The Platinum Card® from American Express are two of the best premium travel rewards cards on the market. While each card has a high annual fee, they offer more than enough rewards to justify the cost for the right cardholder.
These aspirational cards have much in common, as well as some key differences. Before applying, make sure the one you choose offers perks that align well with your lifestyle.
This guide will help you compare the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and the Amex Platinum Card to help you decide which is best for you.
The Prestige of Premium Cards
Premium credit cards have a reputation among people "in the know." These cards often come with sky-high annual fees, in addition to benefits such as luxurious travel experiences, purchase protection, and travel insurance that can be worth thousands of dollars.
Few cards are more prestigious than the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Amex Platinum Card. This guide compares different facets of each card, and chooses "winners" in each category based on their respective merits.
$550
N/A
20.24% - 28.74% Variable
Earn 60,000 bonus points
Good to Excellent
Pros
Cons
If you're new to rewards credit cards you may want to start elsewhere, but if you know you want to earn Chase points and you spend a lot on travel and dining, the Sapphire Reserve is one of the most rewarding options.
Chase Sapphire Reserve- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority PassTM Select and up to $120 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Member FDIC
$695
N/A
See Pay Over Time APR
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points
Good to Excellent
Pros
Cons
If you want as many premium travel perks as possible, The Platinum Card® from American Express could be the right card for you. The annual fee is high, but you get a long list of benefits such as airport lounge access, travel statement credits, and more.
Amex Platinum Card- Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- 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®.
- $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
- Enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection, with over $500 of annual value if you visit Centurion Lounges and each of our partner lounges including Delta Sky Club® lounges when flying an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations) , select Lufthansa lounges when flying Lufthansa, Plaza Premium lounges and Escape Lounges, and enroll in Priority Pass Select. See terms.
- A Walmart+ membership can get you free shipping with no order minimum on eligible items shipped by Walmart. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive one statement credit for up to $12.95 (plus applicable taxes. Plus Ups not eligible) each month. Free Shipping excludes most Marketplace items, freight & certain location surcharges. Paramount+ Essential plan only, separate registration required.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your 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.
- $200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card® Members can ride or dine in style with $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December after adding their Card to their Uber account. Use your Uber Cash on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- $199 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. Receive up to $199 per Calendar year in statement credits, when you pay for a CLEAR Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the Platinum Card.
- Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- Use Global Dining Access by Resy to access premium dining experiences. Receive Priority Notify and unlock insider access to some of the world's most sought-after restaurants with Global Dining Access by Resy. Download the Resy iOS app or log into Resy.com and add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile to take advantage of your special benefits and discover restaurants near you.
- $695 annual fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
Annual Fees
There's no way around it: Neither the Chase Sapphire Reserve® nor the Amex Platinum Card comes cheap.
We'll discuss their upsides next, but this section focuses on the cost of holding each card. There are many ways to justify the expense with benefits, but you're the final judge of whether these cards make sense for your lifestyle.
Annual Fee Comparison
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® costs $550 a year, while the Amex Platinum Card costs $695 a year (rates and fees).
The full annual fee is charged upfront when you first open the card, and then again on your card renewal anniversary each year.
These numbers can sound astronomical, especially if you're used to cards with no annual fee, but they're less intimidating if you break them down. When evaluating each card's benefits, it may help to consider whether you'd pay $46 a month ($1.50 a day) for the Chase Sapphire Reserve® or $58 a month ($1.90 a day) for the Amex Platinum Card. Of course, you won't be able to pay the annual fee in increments, so you should also evaluate whether you can afford to pay the large fee when it hits each year.
Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Earning and Redeeming Rewards
Both the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and the Amex Platinum Card earn bonus points per dollar spent on travel expenses, with generous statement credits for various lifestyle products and services.
If you travel frequently each year and spend a lot on certain expenses, your premium card's benefits can offer you significantly more value than the cost of your annual fee.
Earning Potential on Travel and Dining
Both cards earn bonus points on travel booked through their respective issuer portals.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® earns 5 points per dollar on flights and 10 points per dollar on hotels and car rentals purchased through Chase Travel℠ after the first $300 annual credit is spent. It also earns 3 points per dollar on all other travel, and on dining expenses including bars, cafes, takeout, and select delivery services. Cardholders can also earn 5 points per dollar on Chase Dining and qualifying Lyft rides through September 2027, and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
The Platinum Card® from American Express, meanwhile, earns 5 points per dollar on flights purchased directly through the airline or through Amex Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), as well as on prepaid hotel reservations made through the Amex Travel portal. It earns 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. Terms apply.
Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve®, unless you spend more each year on airfare than on dining and other travel combined. Earning 3 points per dollar on your vacations, commute, lunch, and drinks after work can add up very quickly.
Point Redemption Value
Chase Ultimate Rewards and Amex Membership Rewards are some of the most valuable points you can earn in loyalty program "currency."
Both Chase and Amex points are worth an average of 1.8 cents apiece, based on Business Insider's valuations of what points and miles are worth in value. However, the value you get from your points can fluctuate depending on how you redeem them.
Some redemptions are worth more than others, which we'll evaluate and compare below.
Transferring Points to Travel Partners
Transferring points for travel is the best way to get maximum value from your rewards, since you can use them to book premium-class flights or luxury hotel rooms for minimal cash out of pocket.
Chase and Amex primarily partner with different airlines and hotels, so you'll want to choose the card program that best suits your travel habits.
For example, Chase partners with Southwest and United Airlines while Amex partners with Delta Air Lines. If you primarily fly Delta, the Amex Platinum Card would make more sense for you because rewards earned on the Chase Sapphire Reserve® don't transfer to Delta.
If you're a Marriott hotel fan, however, the concern is moot: Both card issuers partner with Marriott Bonvoy, so you can transfer rewards to your Bonvoy account from either the Chase Sapphire Reserve®or the Amex Platinum Card.
Read our dedicated guides to each rewards program to learn more about Chase Ultimate Rewards partners and American Express Membership Rewards partners.
Winner: It's a tie, depending on your personal travel habits
Booking Through the Travel Portal
While transferring your points to travel partners offers the best value, you may find it easier to book directly through your credit card's travel portal and use your points to pay at checkout.
If you go this route, you'll get more value from the Chase Sapphire Reserve® because its points are worth 1.5 cents apiece when redeemed through the Chase Travel℠ portal. Meanwhile, your Amex Platinum Card rewards are only worth between 0.7 cents to 1 cent apiece when redeemed through the American Express Travel® portal, depending on the type of service you book.
Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Redeeming for Statement Credits, Gift Cards, and Retail Purchases
Both cards also allow cardholders to redeem points as statement credits to pay down their outstanding balance or to pay for purchases on retail sites such as Amazon. But we don't recommend using your points this way on either card, since the value per point is very low.
Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve® when redeeming for statement credits. Chase points are worth 1 cent apiece when used to pay off your card balance, while Amex points are worth just 0.6 cents apiece toward your statement.
Welcome Offers
Both the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express offer excellent welcome bonuses. Welcome offers give new cardholders the chance to earn a generous stash of points after meeting certain requirements.
- The Chase Sapphire Reserve® comes with 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening (worth around $1,080 in travel, based on our valuations)
- The Platinum Card® from American Express has a welcome bonus offer of 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership (worth around $1,440 in travel, based on our valuations).
Winner: It's a tie, depending on which point "currency" is most valuable to you.
Travel Benefits and Perks
These cards are only worth holding if you travel regularly, since their primary value comes from the luxury travel benefits they provide.
Airport Lounge Access
Both cards rank highly on our list of the best credit cards with free airport lounge access because they offer Priority Pass membership to over 1,500 airport lounges worldwide after enrollment, as well as access to their respective lounge networks: Chase Sapphire Lounges and Amex Centurion Lounges. Amex also offers access to a number of other lounge networks for Platinum cardholders, including airline lounges for Delta and Lufthansa when flying with those airlines.
If you primarily travel within the U.S. and want lounge access when you fly, you may want to get the Amex Platinum Card since there are many more Centurion lounges worldwide than Sapphire lounges. Terms apply.
Amex Platinum Cardholders also get to access Delta Sky Clubs when flying same-day on a flight operated or marketed by Delta. Cardholders are limited to 10 visits per calendar year unless they spent $75,000 or more on this card in a calendar year. Terms apply.
Winner: Amex Platinum Card
Travel Credits and Elite Status Opportunities
Both cards come with generous travel and shopping credits that go a long way toward offsetting the annual fee. Of course, you'll still have to pay the fee upfront before making some of your money back from the credits.
Chase Sapphire Reserve
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® comes with a straightforward and easy-to-use $300 travel credit. The first $300 you spend on travel-related purchases every cardmember year is credited back to your account. This category includes everything from subways, taxis, parking, and tolls to airfare and hotels. After subtracting this credit from the $550 annual fee, the card effectively costs just $250 a year.
Amex Platinum Card
Meanwhile, Amex Platinum Card offers a slew of valuable credits for specific use when you enroll (terms apply):
- Up to $200 in annual credit toward prepaid hotels booked through Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts or The Hotel Collection (minimum two-night stay)
- Up to $199 a year in credit toward CLEAR® Plus membership (expedited security screening at select airports and stadiums)
- Up to $200 in airline fee credit each calendar year. Every January, you pick one eligible airline of your choice for which the credit will apply. While it doesn't cover airfare or airline gift cards, the credit covers incidental fees like checked bags, seat assignments on basic economy tickets, change fees, and more.
The airline credit is available each calendar year, so you can actually collect it twice if you open your card mid-year and maximize the credit before and after January of that first cardmember year. - Cardholders also get up to $200 in Uber Cash credits each cardmember year, broken down into monthly chunks, when Uber Cash is toggled on and the card is selected as your payment method. Each month, cardholders receive $15 in Uber Cash to use on Uber rides or for food or merchandise delivery with Uber Eats. In December, that's boosted to $35.
Winner: The Platinum Card® from American Express, if you can use enough of your benefits to offset the annual fee. If you value simplicity, the $300 Chase Sapphire Reserve® travel credit is unbeatable.
Additional Cardholder Benefits
You can reap hundreds of dollars in benefits from each card if you utilize most or all of the vendors listed below.
Dining Credits and Experiences
Chase Sapphire Reserve
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® comes with a handful of lifestyle perks, including:
- Complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership through December 31, 2027 (requires activation)
- $5 monthly DoorDash in-app credit and up to $20 per month on non-restaurant orders in the form of two $10 promotions
- 10 points per dollar on eligible Lyft rides through September 2027
Amex Platinum Card
The Amex Platinum Card also offers numerous valuable credits you can enroll in (terms apply):
- Up to $240 a year in digital entertainment credits, broken into up to $20 monthly chunks (Hulu, ESPN+, Disney+, Peacock, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal subscriptions qualify)
- Up to $300 a year in Equinox credits
- $12.95 (plus taxes) in credit each month toward Walmart+ membership (which now includes a free Paramount+ Essential subscription)
- $300 credit when you purchase a SoulCycle At-Home Bike
- You can get up to $100 in Saks shopping credits each calendar year, broken into two chunks: You'll get up to $50 during the first six months of the year, and another $50 during the second.
Winner: The Platinum Card® from American Express, if you use most or all of these benefits
Concierge Services
Amex Platinum Cardholders can use the famous Amex Concierge hotline for trip planning, restaurant reservation requests, and various other personalized services. This service is unique to the premium card, and Chase does not offer a comparable counterpart. Terms apply.
Winner: The Platinum Card® from American Express
Other Travel Benefits
Both cards have other benefits that are also worth considering. While their value is less tangible, these protections are still valuable features of the cards.
Chase Sapphire Reserve
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® includes:
- Primary car rental insurance on up to $75,000 in theft and collision coverage (except for New York State residents who have personal auto insurance, in which case they receive secondary coverage within the U.S.)
- Trip cancellation and interruption insurance (covering you for up to $10,000 in prepaid, nonrefundable expenses per traveler if a trip is canceled or interrupted due to illness, severe weather, or other eligible reasons.)
- Trip delay insurance (which covers up to $500 in unreimbursed expenses per covered traveler when your travel is delayed for six hours or more, or overnight)
- Baggage delay coverage (reimburses up to $100 a day for up to 5 days for essentials such as toiletries and clothing when checked bags are delayed for six or more hours)
- Various purchase and shopping protections
- Baggage loss and damage coverage
- Travel accident insurance
- Up to a $120 credit for TSA PreCheck®, Global Entry, or NEXUS
The Chase Sapphire Reserve®'s primary rental car coverage is extremely valuable because it takes precedence over other insurance you may already have, such as a personal auto policy. In contrast, the Amex Platinum Card only offers secondary rental car coverage. Terms apply.
In the event of a covered incident, you'll file a claim directly with Chase's underwriting partner instead of going through your own insurance company. This can protect you from paying a deductible and potentially higher premiums in the future.
Amex Platinum Card
The Platinum Card® from American Express offers (terms apply):
- Gold elite status at Marriott and Hilton hotels (enrollment required)
- Top-tier Hertz President's Circle elite status (enrollment required)
- Trip cancellation/interruption insurance (up to $10,000 per covered ticket if a trip is canceled or interrupted due to issues like illness)
- Trip delay coverage (up to $500 per covered ticket when your travel is delayed 6+ hours or overnight)
- Various purchase and shopping protections
- Concierge service
- Baggage loss and damage coverage (for New York State residents, this is additionally limited to $2,000 per bag and $10,000 for all covered travelers per trip)
- Credit for TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry after enrollment ($120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or up to $85 statement credit every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck®)
The Amex Platinum Card's hotel elite status is worth special mention, since cardholders may be able to enjoy valuable extras such as late check-out and free breakfast during hotel stays.
Winner: It's a tie, depending on which benefits are worth most to you
Choosing the Right Card
No matter which card you choose, both the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express are excellent cards that come with a ton of value.
Rewards for Restaurant Spend
If you're a foodie, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a significantly better choice than the Amex Platinum Card, which only earns 1 point per dollar on spending outside of direct purchases with airlines and Amex Travel flight and hotel bookings.
Assuming you spend $1,000 monthly on restaurants, you could earn 36,000 Chase points a year ($12,000 × 3 points per dollar on restaurants) or just 12,000 Amex points yearly ($12,000 × 1 point per dollar on restaurants).
Matching Perks to Your Lifestyle
If you prefer to keep it simple with a core set of travel protections and strong rewards for dining and travel, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a great choice.
If you prefer the luxury of holding one of the heaviest metal cards in the market and can utilize Amex Centurion lounges often enough to make it worth your while, The Platinum Card® from American Express could be the perfect addition to your wallet.
At the end of the day, the best option for you depends on the benefits you care about. If you want complimentary hotel elite status, statement credits for things like Uber, Saks, and digital subscriptions, and as many airport lounge access options as possible, the Amex Platinum Card is likely a better fit. Terms apply.
Evaluating Spending Habits and Travel Preferences
If you already have Chase or Amex points, it might make sense to choose the premium card that complements your existing wallet. Since you can pool points from different cards in the same rewards program, it could be worth opening another card from that issuer so you can build up your balance.
This is especially valuable in the Chase ecosystem if you get the Chase Sapphire Reserve, since all points are worth 1.5 cents apiece if you use them to book through Chase Travel℠. You can combine points from lesser cards to automatically increase their value by 50%.
Amex Platinum vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve Frequently Asked Questions
How do the annual fees for the Amex Platinum and Sapphire Reserve compare?
The Platinum Card® from American Express has a higher annual fee of $695 (rates and fees), while the Chase Sapphire Reserve®'s annual fee is $550.
Which card offers better rewards for travel and dining?
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers better rewards for most travel and dining. It earns 3 points per dollar on dining and travel purchases including most forms of city transit. When booking through Chase Travel℠, it earns 10 points per dollar on hotels and rental cars or 5 points per dollar on flights after the $300 annual travel credit is spent. Meanwhile, The Platinum Card® from American Express earns 5 points per dollar on flights booked directly through the airline or Amex Travel and 5 points per dollar on eligible prepaid hotels through Amex Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year, then 1 point). Terms apply.
What are the major differences in travel benefits between the two cards?
The Platinum Card® from American Express offers more access to airport lounges, and elite status with Marriott and Hilton (after enrollment and terms apply.). The Chase Sapphire Reserve® also has airport lounge access, as well as superior travel insurance with primary rental car coverage and a $300 annual travel credit.
Which card is better for someone who values comprehensive travel insurance?
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers the most comprehensive travel insurance coverage on the market, including generous windows for trip cancellation benefits. It also includes primary rental car coverage for most drivers, trip interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance, and emergency medical benefits.
Can points from both cards be transferred to airline and hotel partners?
Yes, both the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express earn points that can be transferred to the respective issuer's network of airline and hotel partners.
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards.
Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.
**Enrollment required.
Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Trip Delay Insurance, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance, and Cell Phone Protection Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. Global Assist Hotline Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. Extended Warranty, Purchase Protection, and Baggage Insurance Plan Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
