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Both are travel travel cards. The Chase Sapphire Preferred comes from Chase at $95/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.
Both cards come from Chase and target travel spenders, so the choice usually comes down to whether you'll use the premium-tier benefits. The Chase Sapphire Reserve costs $700 more per year, only worth it if you'll actually use the upgraded perks.
| Feature | Chase Sapphire Preferred | Chase Sapphire Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $95 | $795 |
| Sign-up bonus | 75,000 points | 125,000 points |
| Bonus value (est.) | $1,500 | $2,500 |
| Min spend to unlock bonus | $5,000 in 3 mo | $6,000 in 3 mo |
| Issuer | Chase | Chase |
| Card category | travel | travel |
| Best earning category (Travel) | 5x | 1x |
| Transfer partners | chase-ur | chase-ur |
| Headline benefits |
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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.
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.
TL;DR. The Preferred ($95) is the "right answer" for almost everyone entering the points game. The Reserve ($795) only makes sense if you take three or more paid trips a year, live near a Sapphire Lounge, and will actively use the Edit hotel credit and the dining, Lyft, Apple, and DoorDash stipends. The Reserve earns more on travel booked through Chase Travel (8x) and pure transferable points are the same currency on both cards, so the differentiator is credits and lounge access, not earn rate.
The three dimensions that actually decide it. First, annual fee gap of $700. The Reserve has to claw back $700 of marginal value before it ties the Preferred. Second, lounge access. Reserve gets Priority Pass plus the new Sapphire Lounge network; Preferred gets neither. Third, the Reserve's stacked credits (Edit hotel, dining, Apple, DashPass, Lyft, Peloton, StubHub) add up only if you already spend in those buckets. If you do not, they are theoretical.
Real customer scenario for each. If you spend $4k a month with $800 on dining and one or two paid trips a year, the Preferred wins. You get 3x dining, 5x on Chase Travel, full Ultimate Rewards transfer access (Hyatt, United, Air Canada, etc.) and a $50 Chase Travel hotel credit that wipes out half the fee. If instead you fly four or more times a year, already use the Edit, and would otherwise pay for Apple TV+, Apple Music, and DashPass, the Reserve's roughly $3,000 in stated credits is real and the lounge access changes how you travel.
The trap to avoid. People upgrade to Reserve "for the lounges" and then never claim the dining, Lyft, Apple, Peloton, or StubHub credits because they require active enrollment and behavioral changes. Be honest about which credits you will actually use before the math works. The Preferred is not a downgrade, it is the right card for most travelers.
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.
