Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, Bilt Palladium or Chase Sapphire Reserve?

The Chase Sapphire Reserve has the bigger bonus, 125,000 points, worth roughly $2,500, versus 50,000 Bilt Points + $300 Bilt Cash + Bilt Gold status (~$1,125) on the Bilt Palladium.

Is the Bilt Palladium's $495 annual fee worth it compared to the Chase Sapphire Reserve?

At $495/yr, the Bilt Palladium is in the mid-fee tier. Compare its specific perks (lounge access, travel credits, primary rental insurance) to the Chase Sapphire Reserve's, pick the one whose perks you'll actually use.

Can I have both the Bilt Palladium and Chase Sapphire Reserve?

Yes, since they're from different issuers (Bilt / Cardless and Chase) the application rules don't conflict. Many points enthusiasts hold both, they pair well when one earns flexible bank points and the other earns a different currency.

Should I get the Bilt Palladium or the Chase Sapphire Reserve first?

Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. Bilt Palladium: $4,000 spend in 3 months. Chase Sapphire Reserve: $6,000 in 3 months. Pick the easier minimum spend if you're new to points; pick the larger bonus if you have planned big purchases coming up.

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Side-by-side

Bilt Palladium vs Chase Sapphire Reserve

Both are travel travel cards. The Bilt Palladium comes from Bilt / Cardless at $495/yr; the Chase Sapphire Reserve from Chase at $795/yr. Below: side-by-side specs, an opinionated verdict, and the FAQs people actually ask before applying.

Bottom line

For most people the Chase Sapphire Reserve is the stronger pick today, the sign-up bonus is meaningfully larger ($1,375 more in estimated value) than the Bilt Palladium's. Get the Chase Sapphire Reserve first; revisit the Bilt Palladium after you've earned that bonus.

Feature	Bilt Palladium	Chase Sapphire Reserve
Annual fee	$495	$795
Sign-up bonus	50,000 Bilt Points + $300 Bilt Cash + Bilt Gold status	125,000 points
Bonus value (est.)	$1,125	$2,500
Min spend to unlock bonus	$4,000 in 3 mo	$6,000 in 3 mo
Issuer	Bilt / Cardless	Chase
Card category	travel	travel
Best earning category (Dining_or_groceries)	3x	1x
Transfer partners	bilt	chase-ur
Headline benefits	$400 Bilt Travel hotel credit $200 Bilt Cash bonus Priority Pass + 2 guests All Obsidian-tier benefits	$300 annual travel credit 8x on Chase Travel 4x on flights & hotels booked direct $500 The Edit hotel credit

Read the full review

Bilt Palladium

$495/yr · 50,000 Bilt Points + $300 Bilt Cash + Bilt Gold status

Read the full review

Chase Sapphire Reserve

$795/yr · 125,000 points

Editorial take: Bilt Palladium

Bilt 2.0's top tier ($495 AF), launched February 7, 2026 by Cardless. Stacks $400 hotel + $200 Bilt Cash + the Obsidian benefit set + Priority Pass with 2 guests. For Bilt loyalists who already hit the rent-day game hard, the math works; for everyone else, Obsidian is plenty.

Editorial take: Chase Sapphire Reserve

Recently revamped with over $3,000 in annual credits and perks. If you travel three or more times a year and live near an airport with a Sapphire lounge, this card is a smart choice.

The real-world take

TL;DR. Bilt Palladium ($495) is Bilt 2.0's top tier (launched February 2026 by Cardless). It earns 3x on dining/groceries, 2x travel, 1x rent, plus a $400 hotel credit, $200 Bilt Cash annual bonus, Priority Pass with 2 guests, and the full Bilt transfer partner list (American, Alaska, Hyatt, Flying Blue, etc.). Reserve ($795) is the broader premium card with 8x Chase Travel, Sapphire Lounges, and Hyatt transfers. Palladium wins for renters with high dining and travel spend. Reserve wins if you do not pay rent or already exhausted Bilt's rent benefit.

The three dimensions that actually decide it. First, rent. Palladium is the only premium card that pays you points on rent. Reserve cannot. Second, transfer partner overlap. Both transfer to Hyatt. Bilt transfers to American (Reserve cannot). Reserve transfers to United (Bilt cannot). Third, fee. $300 difference, plus Palladium's $400 hotel credit and $200 Bilt Cash credit effectively net the fee close to zero if used.

Real customer scenario for each. If you pay $3k a month in rent, dine out $1k a month, and travel three or more times a year, Palladium earns roughly 36,000 points on rent (1x), 36,000 on dining (3x), and lets you transfer to American for trans-Atlantic business class. That is the case to take Palladium over Reserve. If instead you own your home, Reserve is the right premium card.

The trap to avoid. Believing Palladium pays for itself on rent earn alone. At 1x on rent and roughly 2 cpp transfer redemption value, you are earning about 2% on rent, worth $40 a month on $2k rent. That helps cover the fee but does not replace the broader earning of Reserve.

Common questions

Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, Bilt Palladium or Chase Sapphire Reserve?: The Chase Sapphire Reserve has the bigger bonus, 125,000 points, worth roughly $2,500, versus 50,000 Bilt Points + $300 Bilt Cash + Bilt Gold status (~$1,125) on the Bilt Palladium.
Is the Bilt Palladium's $495 annual fee worth it compared to the Chase Sapphire Reserve?: At $495/yr, the Bilt Palladium is in the mid-fee tier. Compare its specific perks (lounge access, travel credits, primary rental insurance) to the Chase Sapphire Reserve's, pick the one whose perks you'll actually use.
Can I have both the Bilt Palladium and Chase Sapphire Reserve?: Yes, since they're from different issuers (Bilt / Cardless and Chase) the application rules don't conflict. Many points enthusiasts hold both, they pair well when one earns flexible bank points and the other earns a different currency.
Should I get the Bilt Palladium or the Chase Sapphire Reserve first?: Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. Bilt Palladium: $4,000 spend in 3 months. Chase Sapphire Reserve: $6,000 in 3 months. Pick the easier minimum spend if you're new to points; pick the larger bonus if you have planned big purchases coming up.

Card details on this page reflect the most recent data we've verified against the issuer's own site. Sign-up bonuses and fees can change at any time, confirm the current offer on the issuer's page before applying.