Editorial take: Bank of America Premium Rewards
Only a standout if you're a BoA Preferred Rewards member, that boost can push earnings to 2.625x on everything, 3.5x on travel and dining. Without it, Venture and Sapphire both beat it.
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Side-by-side
Bank of America Premium Rewards vs Chase Sapphire Preferred
Both are travel travel cards. The Bank of America Premium Rewards comes from Bank of America at $95/yr; the Chase Sapphire Preferred from Chase at $95/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 Preferred is the stronger pick today, the sign-up bonus is meaningfully larger ($1,500 more in estimated value) than the Bank of America Premium Rewards's. Get the Chase Sapphire Preferred first; revisit the Bank of America Premium Rewards after you've earned that bonus.
| Feature | Bank of America Premium Rewards | Chase Sapphire Preferred |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $95 | $95 |
| Sign-up bonus | Not advertised | 75,000 points |
| Bonus value (est.) | - | $1,500 |
| Min spend to unlock bonus | - | $5,000 in 3 mo |
| Issuer | Bank of America | Chase |
| Card category | travel | travel |
| Transfer partners | None | chase-ur |
| Headline benefits |
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Read the full review
Bank of America Premium Rewards
$95/yr ·
Read the full review
Chase Sapphire Preferred
$95/yr · 75,000 points
Editorial take: Chase Sapphire Preferred
The best starter travel card, period. Transferable points, solid bonus categories, and a low annual fee make this the card we recommend to almost everyone getting into the points game. Note: the 10% anniversary points bonus sunsets October 1, 2026.
The real-world take
TL;DR. BoA Premium Rewards ($95) earns 2x on travel and dining, 1.5x on everything else. It is a great card only if you are a Bank of America Preferred Rewards Platinum Honors member (requires $100k in BoA assets), which boosts earn 75% to a flat 2.625x on everything and 3.5x on travel and dining. Sapphire Preferred ($95) earns 5x on Chase Travel, 3x dining and 3x other category bumps without any banking relationship requirement. CSP wins for the average user. BoA wins for high-net-worth BoA bankers.
The three dimensions that actually decide it. First, BoA Preferred Rewards status. Without it, BoA Premium Rewards is a worse version of CSP. With Platinum Honors, the earn becomes the best in the category. Second, transfer partners. CSP transfers to Hyatt, United, etc. BoA Premium Rewards points are cash-redemption only. Third, fee credits. Both fees are $95 with similar incidental credit structures.
Real customer scenario for each. If you have $100k or more parked at Merrill Edge or BoA and qualify for Platinum Honors, you earn 2.625x on everything (effectively 2.625% cash back) and 3.5x on travel and dining, which beats almost every flat-earn card. If instead you do not bank at BoA, CSP earns transferable points and has Hyatt access, which is more valuable for most travelers.
The trap to avoid. Choosing Premium Rewards without the Preferred Rewards multiplier and assuming you will move money to BoA later. The card without the multiplier is a 2x/1.5x card with no transfer partners, which is below average at $95.
Common questions
- Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, Bank of America Premium Rewards or Chase Sapphire Preferred?
- The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a public bonus (75,000 points, worth roughly $1,500), while the Bank of America Premium Rewards doesn't advertise one right now.
- Is the Bank of America Premium Rewards's $95 annual fee worth it compared to the Chase Sapphire Preferred?
- At $95/yr, the Bank of America Premium Rewards is in the mid-fee tier. Compare its specific perks (lounge access, travel credits, primary rental insurance) to the Chase Sapphire Preferred's, pick the one whose perks you'll actually use.
- Can I have both the Bank of America Premium Rewards and Chase Sapphire Preferred?
- Yes, since they're from different issuers (Bank of America 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 Bank of America Premium Rewards or the Chase Sapphire Preferred first?
- Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. Bank of America Premium Rewards: no published min spend. Chase Sapphire Preferred: $5,000 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.