Editor’s Note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
I’m always on the hunt for the best premium travel credit cards. These cards offer incredible perks, like lounge access and travel credits, but also come with hefty annual fees. Finding the right one can make all the difference in maximizing your travel experiences. Two cards have dominated the premium market for years: The Platinum Card® from American Express and the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. The Amex Platinum essentially created this market, while the Chase Sapphire Reserve has quickly gained popularity since its launch in 2016.
With the Chase Sapphire Reserve recently updated with new benefits and a higher annual fee, now is an excellent time to compare it to the Amex Platinum, which is also about to receive a refresh of its own. This rivalry is intense, so let’s dive into whether the revamped Sapphire Reserve deserves a spot in your wallet or if you should stick with the Amex Platinum.
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Amex Platinum vs. Sapphire Reserve: A Head-to-Head Comparison
Before we delve into the details, let’s take a look at a high-level comparison of these two powerful cards:
| Feature | Amex Platinum | Chase Sapphire Reserve | |—|—|—| | Welcome Offer | Earn as high as 175,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Welcome offers vary, and you may not be eligible for an offer. | Earn 100,000 bonus points and a $500 Chase Travel℠ credit after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. | | Annual Fee | $695 | $795 | | Earning Rates | 5x points on flights booked directly with airlines or via American Express Travel® (up to $500,000 per calendar year, then 1x) | 10x points on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases (through 12/31/27) | | | 5x points on prepaid hotels booked with Amex Travel | 8x points on all Chase Travel purchases | | | 1x point on all other purchases | 5x points on Lyft rides (through 9/30/27) | | | | 4x points on flights and hotel purchases directly from the merchant | | | | 3x points on dining | | | | 1x point on all other purchases | | Notable Benefits | Up to $200 airline incidental statement credit | $500 annual statement credit for The Edit (up to $250 biannually), plus a $300 annual travel credit | | | Up to $200 in annual Uber Cash | Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/Nexus application fee credit (up to $120 every four years) | | | Up to $100 annual Saks Fifth Avenue statement credit | $300 annual entertainment credit for StubHub or Viagogo (through 12/31/27) | | | Up to $200 annual hotel statement credit | Complimentary Apple TV+/Apple Music subscriptions (through 6/22/27) | | | Up to $199 Clear Plus statement credit | $300 annual dining credit at Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables | | | Up to $240 annual digital entertainment statement credit | $120 in annual statement credits toward Peloton memberships | | | Up to $300 annual Equinox credit | Complimentary DoorDash DashPass subscription and $25 in DoorDash promos each month | | | Up to $300 in annual SoulCycle statement credits | $10 monthly Lyft credit | | | Up to $155 in statement credits for Walmart+ membership | Complimentary IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status | | | Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit | Spend-incentivized perks after spending $75,000 in a calendar year |
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Welcome Offers: Kicking Things Off Right
When investing in a premium card with a high annual fee, the welcome offer is essential. It should provide enough value to offset the fee in the first year.
The Amex Platinum offers a tiered welcome offer. You should find out what offer you are eligible for to see if you can earn as high as 175,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first six months. The potential value here is huge! Amex Membership Rewards points are worth around 2 cents each, making the offer potentially worth up to $3,500! However, Amex only lets you earn a welcome bonus once per lifetime, so if you aren’t targeted for a high offer, it’s best to wait for a better one.
Meanwhile, the Sapphire Reserve’s welcome offer is 100,000 bonus points and a $500 Chase Travel credit after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months. This is one of the highest offers we’ve seen on this card. Since Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth about 2.05 cents each, that makes this bonus worth $2,550, including the travel credit. The spending requirement is a bit lower, making it easier to achieve. However, you won’t be eligible if you currently have the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or previously earned a welcome bonus on the Sapphire Reserve.
Winner: Tie. If your targeted Amex Platinum offer exceeds 100,000 bonus points, go for it. Otherwise, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is the slightly better choice due to its lower spending requirement.
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Unlocking Value: Comparing Benefits
The Chase Sapphire Reserve and Amex Platinum are among the most expensive credit cards. The Sapphire Reserve is now slightly more expensive at $795 per year versus the Amex Platinum’s $695 annual fee. However, both offer benefits that, when used correctly, can far outweigh their annual fees.
The Sapphire Reserve’s benefits include:
* $500 Annual Hotel Credit: For hotels booked through The Edit by Chase Travel, distributed as $250 bi-annually. * $300 Annual Travel Credit: A flexible credit for a range of travel purchases. * Expedited Traveler Program Credit: Reimbursement for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or Nexus every four years. * Entertainment Credit: $300 annual statement credit for StubHub or Viagogo purchases (through Dec. 31, 2027). * Apple TV+/Apple Music Credit: Complimentary subscriptions through June 22, 2027. * Dining Credit: $300 annual dining credit at Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables. * Peloton Credit: $120 in annual credits toward Peloton memberships (through Dec. 31, 2027). * DoorDash Benefits: A complimentary DashPass subscription and $25 in monthly DoorDash promos. * Lyft Credit: $10 monthly credit in-app. * IHG Status: Complimentary IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status. * Spend-Incentivized Perks: Additional rewards after spending $75,000 in a calendar year. * Lounge Access: Priority Pass Select membership and access to Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club locations, Maple Leaf Lounges and Air Canada Cafes. * Travel Protections: Industry-leading travel protections like primary car rental insurance, baggage delay insurance, and trip delay insurance.
The Amex Platinum’s benefits include:
* $200 Airline Fee Credit: For incidental fees charged by a selected airline. * $200 Hotel Credit: For prepaid Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings. * $200 Uber Cash: For Uber rides and Uber Eats orders in the U.S. * $199 Clear Plus Credit: Covers the annual membership fee for Clear Plus. * $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: For select streaming services. * $300 Equinox Credit: For Equinox gym and Equinox+ app memberships. * $300 SoulCycle Credit: Towards the purchase of a SoulCycle bike. * $155 Walmart+ Credit: For a monthly Walmart+ membership. * Global Entry/TSA PreCheck Credit: Covers the application fee for either program. * $100 Saks Fifth Avenue Credit: Split into two $50 credits per year. * Lounge Access: Access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection, including Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, and Delta Sky Clubs. * Hotel Status: Complimentary Gold status with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy. * Car Rental Status: Complimentary elite status with Hertz, Avis, and National. * Travel and Purchase Protections: Trip delay, cancellation, extended warranty, and purchase protection.
I hold both cards and find tremendous value in each. With the Sapphire Reserve’s latest changes, however, it may have surpassed the Amex Platinum. The statement credits on the Sapphire Reserve are more easily maximized and applicable to most people. I find the Sapphire Reserve’s flexible $300 travel credit more valuable than the Amex Platinum’s restrictive $200 airline credit.
However, the Amex Platinum has more lifestyle credits. But some cardholders may not find value in a credit for Equinox or Walmart+. As an Amex Platinum card member, you receive comprehensive lounge access. However, the inability to bring guests to Centurion Lounges without spending $75,000 in a calendar year is a downside.
On the other hand, the Amex Platinum’s Uber credit is flexible. It allows for spending on Uber Eats, and the elite status with Hilton, Marriott and car rental companies is a unique perk.
Winner: Sapphire Reserve. Its statement credits are easier to maximize, and it offers excellent travel protections.
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Racking Up Points: Earning Potential
While a welcome bonus gives you a great start, you want a card that will consistently earn valuable points.
The Amex Platinum earns:
* 5x points on airfare purchased directly with airlines or through Amex Travel (up to $500,000 per year, then 1x). * 5x points on prepaid hotels booked with Amex Travel. * 1x point on all other purchases.
The Sapphire Reserve offers a broader range of bonus categories, including travel and dining:
* 10x points on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases. * 8x points on all Chase Travel purchases. * 5x points on Lyft rides. * 4x points on flights and hotel purchases directly from the merchant. * 3x points on dining purchases. * 1x point on all other purchases.
The Amex Platinum pulls ahead for airfare booked directly with airlines. However, the Sapphire Reserve has more bonus points on Chase Travel bookings, hotels, and dining.
Winner: Sapphire Reserve. The best choice for earning thanks to favorable rates on Chase Travel bookings, hotels, and dining purchases.
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Getting the Most for Your Points: Redemption Options
With Chase Ultimate Rewards and Amex Membership Rewards points both valued at around 2 cents apiece, it’s essential to understand your redemption options.
The Sapphire Reserve offers a 50% bonus when redeeming points for travel directly through Chase Travel. This gives you a minimum redemption value of 1.5 cents per point. You can book any flight available for sale, regardless of award availability. Also, Sapphire Reserve cardholders have access to Points Boost, a new way to redeem up to 2 points per dollar spent with select airlines and hotels through Chase Travel.
In contrast, redeeming Amex points directly through American Express Travel yields lower value. Flight bookings are 1 cent per point, and hotel reservations are just 0.7 cents apiece.
Winner: Sapphire Reserve. The card has a higher straight-up redemption value for travel.
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Transferring Points: Unlock Even More Value
You’ll almost always get better value by transferring your points to airline and hotel loyalty programs. Chase partner transfers are at a 1:1 ratio and most are instant. Chase Ultimate Rewards are especially useful as they transfer to World of Hyatt, and you can book an award night for as low as 3,500 points per night.
Popular transfer partners include United MileagePlus, Southwest Rapid Rewards, and Air Canada Aeroplan. The same holds true for Air Canada Aeroplan, though if you also hold the Aeroplan® Credit Card, you can enjoy a 10% bonus on certain transfers from Chase Ultimate Rewards to your Aeroplan account.
Amex Membership Rewards has more transfer partners, but some transfer ratios are below 1:1. Also, some transfer times are longer. As someone who has both cards, I prefer transferring my points to programs like ANA Mileage Club, Air Canada Aeroplan, and British Airways Club. I recently transferred points from my Sapphire Reserve to Aeroplan to book a multicity stopover ticket in business class throughout Europe for my family.
Winner: Tie. The Sapphire Reserve has better transfer ratios, but the Amex Platinum has more partners.
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The Final Verdict: Which Card is Right for You?
Both cards offer unique perks. The Amex Platinum provides access to a wider lounge network and travel statement credits. The Sapphire Reserve has improved earning rates and valuable statement credits for travelers. The Sapphire Reserve is often the better option unless you aren’t eligible for its welcome offer.
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The Bottom Line
The Sapphire Reserve offers a lot with an impressive list of statement credits and perks. The card offers great earning rates for airfare, hotels, and dining. However, the Amex Platinum suits those who can use the card’s statement credits. Also, cardholders that value lounge access may find this card more appropriate. Since the Sapphire Reserve is a serious contender, I expect changes from American Express soon.
