Both the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express give cardholders luxury benefits in exchange for hefty annual fees. Here’s how they stack up.
FinanceBuzz value calculation1 | Year one: $2,023
Year two: $1,123 |
Year one: $2,280
Year two: $1,480 |
Annual Fee | $550 | $695 |
Welcome offer | Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening | Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in the first 6 months |
Earning rate | 5X points on flights and 10X points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually; 3X points on other travel and dining & 1X points per dollar on all other purchases | 5X points per dollar spent on eligible airfare (on up to $500,000 per calendar year, after that 1X) and eligible hotel purchases, and 1X points per dollar on all other eligible purchases |
Statement credits |
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Travel benefits |
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Foreign transaction fee | None | None |
Credit needed | Excellent | Excellent, Good |
Apply now or Learn more in our review | Learn how to apply or Learn more in our review |
When to go with the Chase Sapphire Reserve
The Chase Sapphire Reserve might be the better option if:
- You want to maximize your earning potential
- You want a lower annual fee
- You prefer Chase transfer partners
Higher earning potential
One of my main qualms with The Platinum Card is its earning potential. Cardholders earn 5X points on flights booked directly with airlines or on Amextravel.com (on up to $500,000 per calendar year, after that 1X) and prepaid hotels booked on Amextravel.com. You earn 1X on all other eligible purchases. Unless you spend significant money on hotels and flights each year, your earning potential leaves a lot to be desired.
On the other hand, the Sapphire Reserve offers a tiered earning structure. Cardholders earn 5X points on flights and 10X points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually; 3X points on other travel and dining & 1X points per dollar on all other purchases. If you frequently travel or go out to eat, the Sapphire Reserve is the better option.
Lower annual fee
Although the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s annual fee of $550 is still a good chunk of money, The Platinum Card charges a whopping $695 per year to be a cardholder. If you want to save on annual fees, the Sapphire Reserve is the clear winner.
Chase transfer partners
Both cards allow you to transfer your points to various hotel and airline transfer partners. Although American Express has 21 transfer partners compared to Chase’s 14, you might still prefer Chase’s roundup. Chase has four unique transfer partners from American Express: Southwest, United, IHG, and World of Hyatt. If you fly with those airlines or stay at those hotels, you’ll likely want to go with the Sapphire Reserve.
Apply now | Learn more about the Chase Sapphire Reserve in our review
When to go with The Platinum Card by American Express
You might be better off with The Platinum Card by American Express if:
- You can maximize the statement credits
- You want elite status with hotels and car rentals
- You prefer American Express transfer partners
Statement credits
Although both cards provide statement credits, The Platinum Card wins by a long shot—as long as you know how to redeem them. Here are the statement credits you can take advantage of as a Platinum Card holder:
- Up to $200 annually in hotel credits
- Up to $240 annually in digital entertainment credits
- Up to $155 annually in Walmart+ credits
- Up to $200 annually in Uber Cash (Terms apply)
- Up to $200 annually in airline fee credits
- Up to $100 annually in Saks Fifth Avenue credits
- Up to $199 annually in a CLEAR® Plus membership credits
- Up to $85 for TSA PreCheck or up to $120 for Global Entry application fees
- Up to $300 annually in statement credits for an Equinox digital or club membership
In total, you’re completely covering your annual fee and then some if you maximize each and every credit. However, it takes a lot of planning and effort to do so. Many of the credits are doled out monthly, so you aren’t getting that credit back if you miss a month. Most require enrollment and can be challenging to use. For instance, while the airline incidental fee credit is great, you have to select one airline to which this credit applies. If you select Delta Air Lines and then pay for a checked bag later in the year on American, you won’t be reimbursed.
Similarly, these credits might be for merchants where you don’t typically shop. So, if you don’t shop at Walmart and Saks Fifth Avenue, subscribe to a digital entertainment service, or go to Equinox, you won’t use a considerable percentage of your cardholder benefits. This is the primary reason why I haven’t applied for The Platinum Card.
In contrast, the Chase Sapphire Reserve offers only a flexible $300 annual travel credit and a reimbursement of up to $100 for the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee. If you will utilize each statement credit provided by The Platinum Card, it’s the clear winner. However, don’t let a coupon book worth of statement credits persuade you to get a card that doesn’t match your spending habits.
Luxury perks
As one of the most luxurious cards on the market, The Platinum Card is also the better choice for anyone looking for luxury perks. Cardholders receive automatic Gold Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy, Gold Status with Hilton Honors, and car rental privileges with Avis, Hertz, and National. The Sapphire Reserve doesn’t offer any elite status with hotels but does offer VIP amenities with Avis, Hertz, National, and Audi on Demand.
Both cards offer airport lounge access through Priority Pass, but The Platinum Card allows cardholders to access the Centurion Lounge and several other lounge networks, giving you much more flexibility when you go to the airport.
American Express transfer partners
As I mentioned above, American Express has several transfer partners that Chase cardholders don’t have access to, including:
- Hilton
- Choice Privileges
- Aeromexico
- ANA
- Avianca
- Cathay Pacific
- Delta
- Etihad
- Hawaiian
- Qantas
- Qatar
If you wish to transfer your points to any of these airlines or hotels, you’re better off with The Platinum Card.
Learn how to apply | Learn more about the Amex Platinum in our review
A closer look at the welcome bonuses
New cardholders of the Sapphire Reserve can earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. If you redeem for travel purchases through Chase Travel, that’s worth $900.
New cardholders of The Platinum Card can earn 80,000 membership rewards points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in the first 6 months.
With both cards, you can get outsized value from your points by transferring to a hotel or airline transfer partner. So, you’ll likely want as many points as possible to maximize transfer opportunities.
FAQs
Does it make sense to have both the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Amex Platinum?
If you can get enough benefits from both cards to offset their annual fees and want to maximize your earning potential and perks, it could make a lot of sense to have both the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Amex Platinum.
For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve earns bonus rewards on broad categories of other travel and dining, but the Amex Platinum offers additional airport lounge access and complimentary elite status with loyalty programs like Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors. You would certainly be paying a premium in annual fees, but if you’re utilizing the benefits, you could get substantially more value.
Is the Amex Platinum prestigious?
The Amex Platinum is among the most prestigious credit cards available because of its premium travel perks. It’s also one of the most expensive cards to hold, making it rare to see one in the wild.
Bottom line
The Chase Sapphire Reserve is the better choice for a larger group of people. The annual travel credit is extremely easy to use, and getting basic access to a large number of airport lounges is advantageous to any traveler. However, if you think you can utilize each statement credit offered by The Amex Platinum Card, it would be worthwhile to apply. As with any financial decision, weigh the benefits against your spending habits and financial and travel goals before applying.