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Two options stand out from the rest when it comes to premium travel credit cards. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express offer the most benefits among all travel credit cards and give you the chance to earn a lot more points on your spending over time. Card details
Chase Sapphire Reserve vs. Amex PlatinumAirfare and hotel rewards
The winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve The Amex Platinum lets you earn 5X points on up to $500,000 in flights booked annually with airlines directly or through American Express Travel, as well as 5X points on prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel. However, Chase recently added new card benefits to the Sapphire Reserve, upping the rewards rates on travel purchases. With the Sapphire Reserve, travelers earn 10X points on hotel and rental cars as well as 5X on airfare booked through Ultimate Rewards. Note: You must use up your annual $300 travel credit before earning points at their boosted rates. General travel purchases will also give you 3X points. Though both cards prefer you to book through their issuer travel portals, the Amex Platinum is slightly more restrictive since its 5X points applies to prepaid hotels only and excludes rental cars. Overall, the Sapphire Reserve earns points at higher rates on a broader range of categories than the Amex Platinum. Points value during redemption
The winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve Though on average Membership Rewards points are worth slightly more than Ultimate Rewards points (according to Bankrate), holding the Sapphire Reserve Card will allow you to stretch your rewards further when redeeming them. Based on point value alone, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is easily a better option since the card gives you 50 percent more value when you redeem for travel through the Ultimate Rewards travel portal. This boosted value makes your points worth 1.5 cents each, so you can stretch them considerably further when you’re using the Chase portal to book airfare, hotels, rental cars and more. Further, Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth 1 cent when you redeem for statement credits, cash back or gift cards. On the other hand, Amex points are worth 1 cent apiece when redeemed through Amex Travel for airfare and just 0.7 cents apiece when you book prepaid hotels, rental cars, cruises or vacation packages. Likewise, you’ll only get 0.6 cents per point when you redeem for statement credits. Additional benefits
The winner: Amex Platinum What the Amex Platinum lacks in rewards potential, it makes up in statement credits and travel benefits. Known for its unique perks, the Platinum Card easily offsets its $695 annual fee with credits alone. For starters, you’ll get automatic Hilton Honors Gold elite status, which includes free Wi-Fi, late checkout and room upgrades upon availability (enrollment is required in the hotel program). You’ll also get up to $200 annually in Uber credits, which are doled out on a monthly basis. Other annual credits include: up to $200 hotel credit on eligible reservations (minimum two-night stay) on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings, up to $200 airline fee credit, $189 credit for a Clear membership and $100 or $85 for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application. The card also gives you access to over 1,200 airport lounges internationally and provides various travel insurances, such as the highly sought-after travel cancellation and interruption insurance. Other than travel, the Platinum Card’s statement credits also extend to lifestyle. It gives you up to $240 in digital entertainment credit when you use your card for purchases on Peacock, Audible, SiriusXM and The New York Times (enrollment required). You can also enroll for up to $100 credit toward Saks Fifth Avenue purchases and up to $300 credit on eligible Equinox memberships. Which card should you get?Though the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Amex Platinum are the premier travel cards of their respective issuers, they’re quite different. The Sapphire Reserve excels at earning travel rewards at high rates, whereas the Platinum Card’s many statement credits give it its value. For example, you may want to go with the Chase Sapphire Reserve if you dine out often and want to rack up more points, or if you frequently fly with Southwest or United Airlines. Conversely, the Amex Platinum Card could be a better option if you make frequent purchases or are enrolled in Audible and New York Times memberships, or if you often fly with Delta Air Lines or obscure international carriers.
Bottom lineThere’s no right answer for everyone when you’re comparing the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Amex Platinum. The right card for you really depends on which cardholder benefits you’ll use and how you plan to redeem your rewards. Meanwhile, you should also look at each card’s rewards rate to determine which one might leave you with more points at the end of the year. Both of these travel credit cards can be lucrative in their own right, but there’s a good chance one of them will give you better value over time. Editorial Disclaimer The editorial content on this page is based solely on the objective assessment of our writers and is not driven by advertising dollars. It has not been provided or commissioned by the credit card issuers. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Holly Johnson is a financial expert and award-winning writer who is obsessed with frugality, budgeting and travel. In addition to serving as contributing editor for The Simple Dollar, Johnson owns Club Thrifty and is the co-author of “Zero Down Your Debt: Reclaim Your Income and Build a Life You’ll Love.” Erin Bendig Erin pairs personal experience with research and is passionate about sharing credit card information and personal finance advice with others. Which card is better American Express Platinum or Chase Sapphire Preferred?Chase Sapphire Preferred wins this matchup with better value on rewards redeemed for travel and high reward-earning rates in other everyday spending categories. Its initial bonus, while smaller than what the American Express Platinum card offers, gives you more bang for your buck.
Why Amex Platinum is better than Chase Sapphire Reserve?The Chase Sapphire Reserve and Amex Platinum are two of the most popular premium rewards cards on the market but they offer slightly different value propositions. Between hotel elite status and Centurion Lounge access, the Amex Platinum is better suited for those looking to enjoy a more luxurious travel lifestyle.
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.
Who is better Amex or Chase?Bottom Line: Amex Membership Rewards is slightly more valuable than Chase Ultimate Rewards, thanks to an abundance of amazing airline transfer partners like ANA Mileage Club. However, Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be redeemed for fantastic value, too, particularly with unique partners like World of Hyatt.
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