Amex platinum vs chase sapphire reserve travel insurance

The Platinum Card® from American Express is best for luxury travelers while the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card will be the better option for everyday consumers.

Chase Sapphire Reserve® vs. The Platinum Card® from American Express

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The Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express are two of the most popular luxury cards in the U.S. With largely similar features and comparable annual fees, it can be challenging to know which premium card is best for you. While The Platinum Card® from American Express offers a number of credits and luxury travel perks, including things like complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status (enrollment required) and a $200 hotel credit, it's missing the high earning rate on everyday spending categories that make the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card so valuable.

From luxury travel perks to maximizing your rewards, we'll outline the primary differences between these two cards to help you make the best choice for your lifestyle.

The Platinum Card® from American Express vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Earning rate

Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

The Platinum Card® from American Express offers 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Terms apply. 1X Membership Rewards points on all other purchases.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® card lets you 5x points on flights and 10x points on hotels and car rentals through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. Compared with The Platinum Card® from American Express, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers a more flexible and lucrative earning rate.

We used U.S. Bureau of Labor and Skift spending data to estimate how many points per $1 the average consumer would earn with each card, and multiplied that by our estimated value of Amex and Chase Ultimate Rewards points to come up with the following rewards rates. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® comes out ahead for the average consumer.

Rewards earned per $1 spent

Tip: The primary goal of those looking for a premium credit card typically isn’t to earn rewards points, but rather to reap the benefits of luxury travel perks. If you're looking to get the most bang for your buck with a low or no annual fee card that offers a higher rewards earning rate, consider choosing a non-premium cash back or rewards credit card instead.

The Platinum Card® from American Express vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Welcome offer

Winner: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Welcome offers can be a good way for premium credit cards to offset the cost of their high annual fee. The Platinum Card® from American Express offers a generous welcome offer: Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. According to our current Membership Rewards points valuation, that comes out to about $2,200 when transferred to Amex's loyalty program partners, which is well over its annual fee of $695.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® has a smaller sign-up bonus: Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,200 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards® By our estimates, that's a $1,600 value toward travel when you transfer points to Chase's loyalty program partners.

Card

Requirements

Value

Chase Sapphire Reserve® Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,200 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards® $1,600
The Platinum Card® from American Express Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. $2,200

The Platinum Card® from American Express vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Annual fee

Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

The Platinum Card® from American Express charges a $695 annual fee while the Chase Sapphire Reserve® charges a $550 annual fee. While both fees are steep, you won't need to pay quite as much annually with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card.

Note, too, that both cards offer a number of credits, bonuses and travel perks that help to offset these annual fees. For example, the value of the benefits of The Platinum Card® from American Express, including things like credits and access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection, far exceed its annual fee.

However, Amex's credits typically come with a number of limitations that can make them challenging to use. For instance, the Uber cash benefit of up to $200 for U.S. that comes with the The Platinum Card® from American Express comes in $15 monthly increments (good for U.S. Uber rides and eats once you add the card to the Uber app), so you'd have to use Uber on a regular basis in order to appreciate its full value. This card also offers up to a $200 airline fee credit, but it’s limited solely to incidental airline fees on one airline that you have to designate at the beginning of the year.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Annual fee $550 $695
Credits

  • Travel credit = $300
  • Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck® credit = $100

  • Hotel credit = $200
  • Airline fee credit = up to $200*
  • Equinox credit (up to $25/month) = $300*
  • Uber Cash ($15 monthly/$20 in December for U.S. rides and eats) = $200*
  • Digital entertainment credit (up to $20 in statement credits/month when you pay for eligible purchases with your card) = $240*
  • Saks Fifth Avenue credit = $100*
  • Global Entry credit = $100
  • Terms apply

Value of credits minus fee ($150) $645

*Enrollment required

The Platinum Card® from American Express vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Lounge access

Winner: The Platinum Card® from American Express

The Platinum Card® from American Express is notorious for its Centurion lounges, some of the most exclusive airport lounges in the world. Cardholders will have access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection, which includes 1,300+ airport lounges in over 500 airports around the world (including the Priority Pass network).

The overall network also includes:

  • Delta SkyClub
  • Air Space
  • Plaza Premium
  • International American Express Lounges
  • Priority Pass, Escape Lounges
  • The Centurion Lounges.

Amex Centurion lounges are renowned as top-notch lounges that only certain Amex card members (including The Platinum Card® from American Express cardholders) can access.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® card, on the other hand, only comes with a Priority Pass™ Select membership. Cardmembers will have access to 1,300+ VIP airport lounges worldwide. The primary difference between Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express lounge access is that Amex simply offers access to more lounges. Amex lounge access includes the Priority Pass™ Select lounges offered by Chase Sapphire Reserve®.

The Platinum Card® from American Express vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Transfer partners

Winner: It depends

The Platinum Card® from American Express and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® belong to their own flexible travel card rewards programs. Each has their own set of airline and hotel transfer partners that allow users to maximize the value of their rewards points.

Amex Membership Rewards

Chase Ultimate Rewards®

Card The Platinum Card® from American Express Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Airline / Hotel Transfer Partners

  • Aer Lingus
  • Aeromexico
  • Air Canada
  • Air France / KLM
  • Alitalia
  • ANA
  • Avianca
  • British Airways
  • Cathay Pacific
  • Delta
  • Emirates
  • Etihad
  • Hawaiian Airlines
  • Finnair
  • Iberia Plus
  • jetBlue
  • Qantas
  • SAS (Scandinavian Airlines)
  • Singapore Airlines
  • Virgin Atlantic
  • Choice Privileges (Hotel)
  • Hilton Honors (Hotel)
  • Marriott Bonvoy

  • Aer Lingus
  • Air France/KLM Flying Blue
  • British Airways
  • Emirates
  • Iberia Plus
  • JetBlue
  • Singapore Airlines
  • Southwest Airlines
  • United
  • Virgin Atlantic
  • IHG (Hotel)
  • World of Hyatt (Hotel)
  • Marriott Bonvoy (Hotel)

Determining which program is more valuable for you will depend on which airlines and hotels you typically prefer to travel with. With either program, you can boost the value of your points by transferring them. (We estimate an average value of around 2 cents per point.)

Which card should you get?

Best for everyday spending: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® consistently ranks on our best credit cards list. The combination of above-average rewards rates on travel and dining coupled with the $300 annual travel credit are just some of the elements that make this card extremely valuable. As mentioned above, Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardholders will earn Ultimate Rewards points, which offers significant redemption flexibility and increased points value.

However, missing from the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card are brand-specific luxury perks. For example, other premium credit cards tend to throw in elite status with a particular airline or hotel chain, which can be invaluable to travelers. The Platinum Card® from American Express, for instance, gives their cardholders automatic Hilton Honors Gold status (enrollment required).

  • Welcome bonus: Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,200 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
  • Earns Chase Ultimate Rewards®
  • Priority Pass™ Select membership
  • Luxury travel perks and credits

  • $550 annual fee
  • No brand-specific elite status

Best for luxury travel: The Platinum Card® from American Express review

The Platinum Card® from American Express has long been one of our favorite premium travel cards. Packed with credits and luxury travel perks, The Platinum Card® from American Express nearly justifies its $695 annual fee. The card offers a generous welcome offer and a strong rewards rate on American Express travel purchases. However, it lacks a significant earning rate on day-to-day spending.

Ultimately, this card will be best for those who can make use of the luxury travel benefits that characterize it. These include things like access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection, up to a $200 airline fee credit (enrollment required), up to a $200 hotel credit, up to a $240 digital entertainment credit (enrollment required, up to $20 in statement credits per month when you make eligible purchases with your card) and more.

  • Earns Membership Rewards points
  • Superior luxury travel perks
  • Fantastic global lounge access
  • Automatic Hilton Honors Gold status (enrollment required)
  • Strong welcome offer
  • Terms apply

  • $695 annual fee
  • Poor earning rate for everyday spending

While both cards are great options for consumers, if you still haven't found what you're looking for, consider other premium credit cards or rewards credit cards instead.

FAQs

Is it worth having both Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express?

Depending on what you're hoping to gain, it may make sense to have both the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express. Though both cards have high annual fees, they offer credits and travel perks that make up for them. With these premium travel cards, you'd have twice the earning power and would enjoy a wider range of travel perks and benefits.

Is Chase Sapphire better than Amex?

Chase Sapphire will be better than Amex for consumers who prefer to earn higher rewards in everyday spending categories. While very similar overall , the The Platinum Card® from American Express only offers elevated rewards on Amex travel purchases.

Does The Platinum Card® from American Express have more lounge access than the Chase Sapphire Reserve®?

The Platinum Card® from American Express and Chase Sapphire Reserve® offer comparable lounge access, with the Amex Platinum offering access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection, which includes 1,300+ airport lounges in over 500 airports around the world. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers Priority Pass™ Select membership, which includes 1,300+ VIP airport lounges worldwide. Though similar, American Express Centurion Lounges tend to be more luxurious and sophisticated overall than the Priority Pass™ Select lounges.

Are Amex or Chase points worth more?

When transferred to particular travel partners, Amex points are worth more than Chase points. American Express Membership Rewards points are worth about 2.2 cents per point while Chase Ultimate Rewards® points are worth around 1.25-1.5 cents per point.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

Should I book flights on Amex Platinum or Chase Sapphire Reserve?

Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve comes out on top for redemption options since it offers a 1:1 transfer ratio for all of its airline and hotel partners, the Pay Yourself Back feature and more flexibility with its 50% bonus (1.5 cents per point) for travel booked in the Ultimate Rewards portal.

Should I switch from Sapphire Reserve to Amex Platinum?

Winner: Amex Platinum is the clear winner when it comes to perks and benefits, which include its $1,400-plus in annual statement credits, expanded airport lounge access, travel protections, and elite status with Marriott and Hilton.

Which card is better American Express Platinum or Chase Sapphire Preferred?

By far, the Amex Platinum includes more shopping benefits, credits and discounts for cardholders than the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

What is the difference between Amex platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve?

Chase Sapphire Reserve is a better credit card deal because of its lower annual fee, better insurance coverage and greater worldwide acceptance. Amex Platinum is superior in some respects, though. For example, it gives you access to a lot more airport lounges.