Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Learn more. Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. CREDIT MONITORING. Learn More Terms Apply. Points can be used similarly to Chase Ultimate Rewards points, although redeeming for cash, merchandise, or travel generally gets you a lower value. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Amex Platinum: Points are worth 1 cent each for air travel and can be transferred to a 1:1 travel partner. Not only is it a higher amount than the up-to-$200 airline fee credit that comes with the Amex Platinum, but its also much less restrictive. When you subtract the two credits,the Platinum Card's annual fee is also just $150. Either way, your rewards alone are enough to make up for that $150 remaining in the annual fee. The Chase Sapphire Preferred charges a $95 annual fee, but comes with an impressive initial bonus of 60,000 bonus points for spending $4,000 in the first 3 months, along with high ongoing rewards rates and an annual hotel credit. Thats more than $4,000 in annual value on benefits alone, for when you get back to traveling again and maximizing all the cards features. The $300 annual travel credit is automatically applied to a wide range of purchases. Some people give Chase the edge since it partners with more programs you may already be familiar with and includes Hyatt (arguably the most lucrative hotel program based on the value of its points). Enjoy benefits such as a $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases, plus more. Commissions do not affect our editors opinions or evaluations. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. product manufacturer/service provider, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. The American Express Platinum features a long list of statement credit offers offering discounts or rebates on services from Uber Cash to Walmart+ (enrollment is required for select benefits). our office. Plus, enjoy premium rental car status with Avis, Hertz and National. Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. Chase Sapphire Reserve: Points are worth 1.5 cents each for all award travel or can transfer to a 1:1 travel partner. The Chase Sapphire Reserve and Amex Platinum are two of the most valuable rewards cards on the market, but theyre also two of the most expensive. INVESTING. Amex Platinum. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. Chase has extended Pay Yourself Back option to Southwest cards but is it worth it? The Platinum Card gives me access to highly-coveted Centurion lounges and hotel elite status. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. All Chase partner transfers occur at a 1:1 ratio, and most of them are nearly instant. Many or all of the offers on this site are from companies from which Insider receives compensation (for a full list. Do you have the We highlight products and services you might find interesting. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. It is worth noting that the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card has a lower annual fee. Your financial situation is unique and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. this card independently, rather than in comparison to another card. The Forbes Advisor editorial team is independent and objective. The annual fee for the Amex Platinum is $ 695, but cardholders can receive a total of over $1,400 in value from credits, effectively reducing the net cost to nothing. You can purchase syndication rights to this story here. If instead you redeem your points against travel purchases through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal or to cover eligible Pay Yourself Back purchases, the Sapphire Preferred sweetens the deal and gives you 25% more value for your points. Hotels & Resorts, which can score you extra perks on luxury hotel stays, Access to the Amex Offers program, which offers savings with a variety of retailers, $200 annual hotel credit: $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings, which requires a minimum two-night stay, through American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card, Fantastic car rental coverage, as well as travel and baggage protection, An up to $100 Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck fee credit every four years, The ability to redeem Ultimate Rewards points for 1.5 cents towards travel purchases through the Ultimate Rewards portal, Do you want an incredibly well-rounded card that offers an excellent return on popular cards can make sense, for others one card can make sense, and for others neither card makes sense. The Chase Sapphire Reserve and The Platinum Card from American Express are two of the most popular premium rewards cards on the market. The Chase Sapphire Reserve and American Express Platinum travel cards offer flexible redemption options. Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Both the Amex Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve cards have a wealth of benefits. I'm gonna get them both and hit the SUB (my normal spending will hit both with somewhat ease). Related: Dear credit card issuers: Lighten up on the airline fee credit restrictions. While they are both excellent travel . fees? 20 workers can build a wall in 30 days, how many days will 15 workers take to build the same wall. In this area, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card shines. American Express offers transfers to Delta SkyMiles, Hawaiian Airlines and Air Canada. To me, the Amex Platinum is all about the lounge access and credits, while the Chase Sapphire Reserve is Points transfer to participating partner programs at a 1:1 ratio. There are plenty of other benefits that come with the Platinum Card, including exclusive access to a concierge service,a credit to cover enrollment in TSA PreCheck/Global Entry, purchase protections,a free membership in Boingo's preferred plan, which gets you access to more than 1 million WiFi hotspots around the world,access to the AmEx Fine Hotels and Resorts program, and much more. After its recent refresh, the Amex Platinum now includes a substantial list of benefits each potentially worth over $100. (Rates & Fees) and offers a variety of valuable perks , including: Read a full review of the Amex Platinum Card, and The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. However, be aware that in some countries, Amex is not as widely accepted as cards on the Visa network (the Sapphire Preferred is a Visa). The Amex Platinums annual fee is for me more than covered by the credits. Winner: Tie Best benefits and perks Best card for premium perks while traveling, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, The Business Platinum Card from American Express, Fly round trip to London for as low as $431, Did Norwegian Cruise Line make its new ships too small? Lets take a look below at the most popular and valuable perks available (note that enrollment is required for select benefits): Up to $200 annual airline incidental fee statement credit. That noted, there are plenty of very . Becky Pokora is an avid traveler with a particular love for the outdoors. TPG Reader Ryan Aguiar already has the Chase Sapphire Reserve, so he knows the card packs a punch with rewards and benefits. ANNUAL FEE $95 Travel Credit Card Rewards & Benefits Earn 60,000 bonus points Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. The catch is that not everyone is going to use all of those credits. When you get the card, be sure to flip through the benefits guide. Want to make sure youre maximizing every purchase like a points expert? Get the Chase Sapphire Reserve, Do you want the best card for airport lounge access, a huge number of credits that could way more than justify the annual fee, useful mid-tier hotel status with two programs, 5x points on airfare, and more? We welcome your feedback. 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. All Rights Reserved. Our experts answer readers' credit card questions and write unbiased product reviews (here's how we assess credit cards). That being said, the math truly does check out for me on both cards. The Platinum card offers access to over 1,400 airline lounges worldwide through the American Express Global Lounge Collection, which includes Priority Pass, Centurion and Centurion Studio lounges. Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024. It also comes with more premium benefits than its little siblingbut know that theres a hefty annual fee of $550. The welcome offer alone is worth $2,000, according to TPG valuations. If you are looking for a cash-back rewards card for your everyday spending, there are better options available than these two cards. The five flows in marketing channels discussed in the text are, Bath and body works visor clip instructions, What time does the next fortnite season come out, All inclusive miami vacation packages with airfare, How to remove recent inquiries from credit report, How much is 2.5 liters of water in gallons, Amex Platinum Vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve (2022). That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards. $50 annual hotel credit that can be used for any booking. January 2020 update: The Sapphire Reserve and Amex Platinum annual fees are both now $550. So theres nothing further I need to do to justify the card on my end, and its also why I judge the value of The card also comes with trip cancellation/interruption coverage. For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card, please click here. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. When you're working to earn credit-card rewards, it's important to practice financial discipline, like paying your balances off in full each month, making payments on time, and not spending more than you can afford to pay back. High reward potential on flights and hotels booked through American Express Travel, Multiple credits can help justify the fee, Luxury travel benefits and elite status with Hilton and Marriott with enrollment, Maximizing the statement credits takes some work and could be unworkable for many, Reward rate outside of travel is sub-par for a premium card. I get near full value out of the: Thats $879 worth of credits that Im more or less maximizing, There are even more places your Platinum Card can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. We've picked the best credit cards in a way designed to be the most helpful to the widest variety of readers. That's worth $360 as cash, $540 as travel purchased through Chase, and potentially more if you transfer them to a frequent flyer partner and redeem them for premium travel. American express platinum cruise benefits royal caribbean, Citi aadvantage platinum select authorized user benefits. Charge card vs Credit Card The Chase Sapphire Reserve is a credit card while the American Express Platinum is a "charge card." A charge card must be paid off in full each month or else you face a hefty monthly fee. Although the Priority Pass Select membership that comes with this card no longer allows you to access participating restaurants (you can with a Chase-issued Priority Pass membership), the access to Amexs wide collection of Centurion Lounges and Delta Sky Clubs on same-day Delta flights should be enough to make up for that. American Express has expanded The Centurion Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. Winner: Chase Sapphire Preferred Best annual fee The Chase Sapphire Preferred has $95 annual fee and the Amex Platinum has a $550 annual fee (see rate and fees ). Editor's note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and card details. Between hotel elite status and Centurion Lounge access, the Amex Platinum is better suited for those looking to enjoy a more luxurious travel lifestyle. Plus, that way you can spread out the annual fees by a few months. Download the free TPG App to start spending like a pro. Check here before booking an award fare. This section explains the subject of divorce law in New Jersey. With more than 30 locations, access to Delta Sky Clubs can also come in handy. Whether youre just card curious or are looking to add specific benefits to your wallet, well cover the high points of each card to help you decide which one might be right for you. We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. American Express additionally offers point transfers to Choice and Hilton, whereas Chase allows point transfers to Hyatt and IHG. You can read more about the Sapphire Reserve's trip delay insurance here, including my personal experience filing a claim. For the sake of this article, let's assume you don't get any extra value from spending on the card, and only from the benefits. Please check out our advertiser policy for further details about our partners, and thanks for your support! Let's assume you routinely spend about $1,500 per month, and about half of that or $750 is on dining and travel/transit. Theyoffer snacks, breakfast, complimentary soft and alcoholic drinks, sometimes more substantial food during meal times, fast Wi-Fi, and spacious, comfortable seats so that you can relax before your flight. Ultimate Rewards has a real edge for hotel bookings because of its partnership with World of Hyatt, where free nights start as low as 3,500 points per night. The Platinum Card earns 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly from the airline or Amex Travel, or pre-paid hotel bookings made through Amex Travel (starting January 1, 2021, earn 5X points on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), and one point per dollar on everything else. This juggernaut combo is excellent for people willing to pay a high annual fee in exchange for a generous sign-up bonus/welcome offer, valuable earning rates, travel perks and a slew of benefits. Some have transfer ratios below 1:1, have longer transfer times (which means you risk watching your award space disappear) or simply dont have reasonably priced redemption options. The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers a sign-up bonus of 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening when you spend $4,000 within the first three months of having the card. But wait! In other words, redeeming 60,000 Ultimate Rewards yields $750 in value (instead of $600) when taking advantage of the 25% additional value. Chase Sapphire Preferred Card . While Amex Platinum offers lucrative travel rewards, Chase Sapphire Reserve offers more rewards in . Learn more about the Sapphire Reserve: https://bit.ly/2GL5CJRClick "Show. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Up to $200 annual Uber Cashfor eligible U.S. purchases ($15 each month, with a $20 bonus in December). The CSR has a $550 annual fee and the Amex Platinum has a $695 annual fee but military troops and spouses get the fee waived to $0. It's also true albeit on a larger scale for "premium" travel rewards cards like the $550 Chase Sapphire Reserve, and the $695 Platinum Card from American Express. An up to $100 Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck fee credit every four years. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Chase has historically been the leader in travel insurance, with a multitude of different policies and generous terms. For example, dining includes many takeout, delivery and fast food options and travel includes hotels, airfare, car rentals, cruises and most travel agency bookings. Get theAmex Platinum. Right on! If youre anything like me, the math may make sense on both cards. Since Amex only allows you to earn a welcome offer on each of its cards once per lifetime, it might be tempting to hold off on applying for the Amex Platinum in hopes that you may be targeted through CardMatch for a higher bonus at some point in the future. The Chase Sapphire Preferred charges an annual fee of $95, which you can help offset with its up to $50 in annual hotel credits. Please try again later. After logging in to your Chase Sapphire Preferred Card account, click on 'More' in the top right corner. Amex Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve are the two most popular premium credit cards. Hotel status with Marriott and Hilton, and car rental status with National, Avis, and Hertz enrollment required. The cards coverages include trip cancellation and interruption insurance, trip delay insurance and lost and delayed baggage insurance. Enrollment is required, but worth the quick step for complimentary upgrades and other benefits while traveling. Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards. In the interest of full disclosure, OMAAT earns a referral bonus for anyone thats approved through some of the below links. Airfare booked through the Ultimate Rewards portal. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. The best option is transferring to an airline. Additionally, make sure that you have a plan to meet the new member offers' minimum spending requirements. While youll pay over $1,200 in annual fees between the two cards, I think it absolutely could make sense to have both. 50,000 Miles 90,000 Miles! The Sapphire Reserve, by comparison, is a premium card thats simple enough for beginners and pros alike. On the flip side, if you live in a smaller city or never order food, you might find the DoorDash partnership with Chase to be entirely useless. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Here are the best cards for making your trip more comfortable. Both can easily justify the card's annual fee in your first year. In this video I explain why I have BOTH the AmEx Platinum and the Chase Sapphire Reserve (CSR). While you'll get the value back, you still have to pay it up front. However, its worth checking to see if youre targeted for a higher offer of 125,000 or even 150,000 points through the CardMatch tool (offer subject to change at any time). Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Find the right card for you. Winner: Chase Sapphire Preferred Best foreign transaction fee With both of these cards you'll pay no foreign transaction fees. Note that there is a two-night minimum stay for The Hotel Collection bookings. Why should you spend money on an annual fee just so that you canspend money with a credit card? Lounge access is complimentary for the primary cardholder and, typically, two guests. Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. TheAmex Platinum has a $695 annual fee Within the Chase family, the Chase Sapphire Reserve earns more points for every dollar spent on travel purchases than the Sapphire Preferred. Nowadays premium credit cards are more popular than ever before. The cards, however, actually complement each other quite well. Your best option depends on which other Chase or Amex cards you currently have in your wallet and how the bonus categories on those other cards overlap with the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Amex Platinum. Get up to $300 back per calendar year on the Equinox+ digital fitness app, or eligible Equinox club memberships when you pay with your Platinum Card. Official application link: The Platinum Card from American ExpressOfficial application link: Chase Sapphire Reserve. Basics of the Amex Platinum Card; Basics of the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card Yes, you have to pay them up front, but you get a big portion of them back through annual travel statement credits. Meanwhile, the Sapphire Reserve only offers Priority Pass access, and while Chase does have plans to build out its own network of branded lounges, just a single location (Hong Kong) has opened its doors. as well as other partner offers and accept our. Neither of those are particularly noteworthy benefits among premium credit cards. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. To get the best possible experience please use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge to view this website. (Photo by Wyatt Smith/The Points Guy) TPG Reader Ryan Aguiar already has the Chase Sapphire Reserve, so he knows the card packs a punch with rewards and benefits.Currently, the Sapphire Reserve offers a 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, worth $1,200 according to TPG valuations.It also features an easy-to-use $300 travel . The USDA National Hunger Hotline has information available in both English and Spanish. Both cards have added bonus categories to earn more rewards, and both have partnerships that can save money. When it comes to North American transfer partners, Chase includes United Mileage Plus, Southwest Rapid Rewards and JetBlue. By clicking "Accept All", you consent to our use of cookies. Secondary car rental coverage. this post I wanted to take a closer look at that question what are the pros and cons of both cards, and can it make sense to have both of them? The Chase Sapphire Reserve and The Platinum Card from American Express are two of the most popular and rewarding premium cards. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Like individuals, teams develop their skills, the more they use them. The following links will direct you to the rates and fees for mentioned American Express Cards. The Platinum Card from. How To Find The Cheapest Travel Insurance, Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard, Chase Sapphire Preferred Vs. Capital One Venture, Chase Freedom Unlimited Vs. Chase Slate Edge, 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, 80,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 on purchases on the card in the first 6 months of card membership, 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2 points per dollar on all other travel purchases and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases, 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 per calendar year, 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel and 1 point per dollar on other eligible purchases.