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The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) remain some of the most popular travel rewards credit cards, even years after they first came to market. That’s partly because of the variety of valuable perks they both offer, but it’s also because Chase keeps promoting excellent welcome bonuses for both cards year after year.
The Sapphire Preferred is favored among budget, beginner and midrange travelers thanks to its affordable annual fee of just $95.
Meanwhile, the Sapphire Reserve is targeted at more premium customers thanks to upscale perks like a $300 annual travel credit, Priority Pass Select lounge membership and a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application statement credit every four years — all of which help offset the card’s $550 annual fee.
Those extra benefits might be worth it for some, but the Sapphire Reserve doesn’t make sense for everyone. If you’re trying to decide between these two phenomenal cards (since you can’t have both simultaneously), here are 11 reasons to choose the Chase Sapphire Preferred instead of the fancier Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve
First, he’s a quick comparison of the two cards and their main features:
| Card | Chase Sapphire Preferred | Chase Sapphire Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. | Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. |
| Annual fee | $95 | $550 |
| Earning rates |
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| Redemption rate |
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Now let’s dig into the details to see just why the Chase Sapphire Preferred excels as the more entry-level of the two cards.
*Excludes Wait & Save, bike, and scooter rides. Maximum statement credit is up to $120 annually.
Lower annual fee
First, the Chase Sapphire Preferred charges an annual fee of just $95, whereas the Chase Sapphire Reserve features an annual fee that costs an eye-watering $550. That’s a difference of $455 every year.
Granted, the Chase Sapphire Reserve comes with many perks worth hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars per year (which we’ll get into below). But if you’re just getting started, don’t travel frequently or aren’t sure whether you’ll use the perks, you’re better off opting for the card with the lower annual fee.
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Related: Chase Sapphire Preferred review
Highest-ever welcome bonus
Now for what probably caught your eye: those welcome bonuses. New Sapphire Preferred cardholders can earn an incredible 100,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 within the first three months from account opening.
Meanwhile, new Sapphire Reserve cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 within the first three months from account opening.
According to TPG’s March 2025 valuation, Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth 2.05 cents each when you transfer to hotel and airline partners. That makes the Sapphire Preferred’s offer worth a staggering $2,050, while the Sapphire Reserve’s offer is worth $1,230 in initial value.
One of the best ways to maximize Chase Ultimate Rewards is to transfer them to the program’s 11 airline and three hotel partners, including United, British Airways, Southwest, Hyatt and Marriott, among others. Hyatt and United are exclusive transfer partners of Chase, so if you enjoy these brands, that’s another reason to get one of these cards.
If you plan to use your points this way rather than for direct redemptions through Chase, then the Chase Sapphire Preferred should suffice. That’s because no matter which of these two cards you carry, your Ultimate Rewards points transfer to each airline and hotel partner at a 1:1 ratio.
Plus, you’ll get almost twice the value out of the Sapphire Preferred’s welcome bonus versus the Sapphire Reserve’s.
You don’t spend tens of thousands each year on travel
Aside from their welcome bonuses, the Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve have similar earning structures and rack up extra points in similar specific categories. Namely, they share travel and dining.
It’s true that the Sapphire Reserve earns up to 10 points per dollar on travel and up to 10 points per dollar on dining, but those rates are limited to purchases through Chase.
Regarding general travel purchases, the Sapphire Reserve has just a slight edge (after receiving the $300 travel credit) — 3 points per dollar instead of 2. And for regular dining (including takeout and eligible delivery services), the cards are tied, as you earn 3 points per dollar on each.
If you spend tens of thousands of dollars a year on travel, opting for the Chase Sapphire Preferred over the Chase Sapphire Reserve can mean losing out on a significant number of bonus points.
But if you only spend a few thousand dollars per year on these purchases, getting one card instead of the other will only have a negligible effect. This is especially true if you already have other cards that earn bonuses in these categories.
Related: Best credit cards for dining
The Sapphire Reserve’s travel benefits aren’t valuable to you
Thanks to its $550 annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Reserve offers many more perks than the Chase Sapphire Preferred. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s always worth a higher annual fee.
Among the ones you’re most likely to use is the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s $300 annual travel statement credit, which is relatively easy to burn through, given the broad range of purchases that are eligible for it.
Assuming you can take full advantage of the $300, that brings the card’s annual fee closer to $250, which is still a lot more than $95.
While that credit makes it easier to justify the Sapphire Reserve, we don’t recommend spending more in annual fees just to get the $300 back in credits when you could spend that money anyway without getting hit with a higher fee.
The Sapphire Reserve lacks the substantial credits that help give other premium cards a higher return on their annual fees. It offers lounge access to help give some additional value to cardholders, but you might already have this benefit on another card.
If that’s the case, or if you don’t travel more than a couple of times each year, the Sapphire Reserve’s lounge access won’t mean too much. Those who don’t place a lot of value on the Reserve’s travel credit and lounge access are better off with the Sapphire Preferred.
Related: How to use the Chase Sapphire Reserve $300 annual travel credit to save on travel
You’ve left Lyft behind
Thanks to Chase’s partnership with Lyft, Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders can earn 5 points per dollar on Lyft purchases and up to $10 in monthly Lyft credit (up to $120 annually), while the Chase Sapphire Preferred earns 5 points per dollar with no monthly credit.
While these benefits can help you earn more rewards while also saving you money on rides, they’re not worth a whole lot if you don’t actually use this specific ride-hailing service very often.
If you’re a frequent Lyft rider, the Sapphire Reserve’s Lyft credits can help make a substantial dent in its annual fee. Otherwise, you may be better off with the Sapphire Preferred.
Related: A guide to Lyft benefits as a Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholder
You’re fine with basic DoorDash benefits
Both cards offer the chance to register by Dec. 31, 2027, for at least a year of complimentary DoorDash DashPass, which entitles you to $0 delivery and reduced service fees on eligible orders over $12.
So you don’t get ahead by choosing one card over the other as far as a DashPass membership is concerned.
Where they differ is in the credits they offer DashPass members.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers two $10 credits each month at checkout on grocery, convenience or other non-restaurant orders on DoorDash and $5 off restaurant orders once per month.
Sapphire Preferred cardholders who have an activated DashPass membership receive one promo of $10 off each month at checkout on one grocery, convenience or other non-restaurant order on DoorDash.
If you use DoorDash all the time, you may want to take advantage of the extra credits provided by the Sapphire Reserve. Otherwise, the Sapphire Preferred still offers solid benefits for DoorDash fans.
TPG credit cards editor Olivia Mittak is a frequent DoorDash user, yet she feels the Sapphire Preferred’s DoorDash benefits are more than sufficient.
Comparable travel and purchase protections
The Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Chase Sapphire Reserve offer some of the most comprehensive travel protections of any rewards credit cards available. In fact, the insurance they provide is practically identical in some categories, with a few differences.
Both offer trip interruption and cancellation coverage of up to $10,000 per covered traveler and $20,000 per trip, lost luggage reimbursement and baggage delay insurance for delays of six hours or more, covering up to $100 per day for as many as five days to replace things like clothes and toiletries.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve has trip delay coverage — say, if you miss a connection and need to overnight somewhere — that kicks in at six hours. The Chase Sapphire Preferred’s version doesn’t come into play until 12 hours, so you might have to hang out a bit longer before you can invoke it.
Though both cards offer primary car rental insurance against damage or theft, the Chase Sapphire Preferred will cover up to $60,000 on most vehicles with an MSRP of $125,000 or less, while the Chase Sapphire Reserve covers up to $75,000 for most rental cars. That could come into play if you rent an expensive vehicle, but it’s probably not a dealbreaker for most rentals.
In addition, the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s travel accident insurance maxes out at a million dollars, while the Chase Sapphire Preferred tops out at $500,000. Let’s file this one under: “Hope you never need it.”
Finally, the Sapphire Reserve includes up to $2,500 in travel medical and dental coverage (subject to a $50 deductible) in case you need help while on the road while you’re 100 miles or more from home on a trip. The Sapphire Preferred doesn’t offer this at all.
As for purchase protections, the Chase Sapphire Preferred only covers up to $500 per claim if an item you’ve used the card to purchase is stolen or damaged within 120 days.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve covers them against damage and theft up to $10,000 per claim, so it’s a much better choice for large purchases.
Overall, you should be just fine with the Chase Sapphire Preferred’s travel coverage. But if you do make large purchases regularly, the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s purchase protection coverage limit is much higher.
You get Global Entry or TSA PreCheck through another card
At this point, over a dozen other cards, including the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, The Platinum Card® from American Express, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card and the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card (see rates and fees), all offer some reimbursement for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck applications — up to $120 once every 4, 4½ or 5 years, depending on the card.
Enrollment is required for select cards; terms apply.
If you already carry one or more of those, you might not need the Chase Sapphire Reserve for this specific perk. That said, you could always use your card to pay for someone else’s Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application, which comes in handy if you travel with a whole family.
You don’t want to pay extra for authorized users
Adding an authorized user to a credit card has several benefits. Among them, it can help the secondary user build their credit history, which is a great way to get young people started with credit.
The points earned via authorized users’ spending go to the primary cardholder. Assuming everyone is spending responsibly and paying statements off on time, this can be a great way to rake in even more rewards.
You can add authorized users and get additional Chase Sapphire Preferred cards on your account for no annual fee.
If you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve, though, it costs $75 per authorized user and the only extra benefit they get is the ability to register for Priority Pass Select lounge access on their own.
It may be easier to be approved for the Chase Sapphire Preferred
Credit card issuers, including Chase, do not publish information about how they approve or deny potential applicants. However, it’s widely believed that you will need to qualify for a credit line of at least $10,000 for the Chase Sapphire Reserve since it’s a high-end Visa Infinite product, versus just $5,000 for the Chase Sapphire Preferred, which is a Visa Signature card.
Many other factors will determine your credit limit, and the bank will look at your overall financial picture. But in general, it should be easier to get approved for the Chase Sapphire Preferred than the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Related: Got excellent credit? These are the best credit cards for you
Bottom line
You can’t go wrong with either the Chase Sapphire Reserve or the Chase Sapphire Preferred. Though, there are plenty of reasons to choose the Sapphire Preferred over the fancier Sapphire Reserve.
The Sapphire Preferred has a lower annual fee and substantially higher welcome bonus, plus comparable benefits and redemption options.
Finally, you could always apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred now. Then, if you decide you’d like to try out the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s premium perks, you can ask Chase to upgrade to that card later.
For a more in-depth breakdown, check out our full comparison of the Sapphire Preferred vs. Sapphire Reserve.
Apply here: Chase Sapphire Preferred
Apply here: Chase Sapphire Reserve