The core benefits of the Chase Sapphire card
Chase offers two Sapphire cards: the Sapphire Preferred and the Sapphire Reserve. Both earn points on purchases and offer travel protections, but they differ in annual cost, earning rates, and perks. The Preferred has an annual fee and is built for people who travel occasionally and want solid rewards. The Reserve costs more per year but includes travel credits, concierge service, and higher earning rates — it's designed for frequent travelers and people who spend heavily on dining and travel.
Neither card is right for everyone. The choice depends on how much you spend, whether you travel, and whether the annual fee pays for itself through the credits and rewards you'll actually use.
Key Takeaways
- The Sapphire Preferred charges an annual fee but earns 3 points per dollar on dining and travel, while the Sapphire Reserve charges a higher annual fee and earns 3 points per dollar on those same categories plus 1 point on everything else.
- Both cards let you transfer points to airline and hotel partners, which can be worth more than redeeming them for cash back.
- The Sapphire Reserve includes a travel credit and dining credit each year that can offset part of the annual fee if you use them.
- Both cards offer trip cancellation insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, and emergency medical and dental coverage while traveling.
- You need good to excellent credit to be approved, and Chase typically requires you to have no recent applications or new accounts with them.
How points work on both cards
Both Sapphire cards use Chase Ultimate Rewards points. On the Sapphire Preferred, you earn 3 points per dollar spent on dining and travel (including airfare, hotels, rental cars, and public transportation), 1 point per dollar on everything else. On the Sapphire Reserve, you earn 3 points per dollar on dining and travel, plus 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
The difference matters if you spend a lot outside dining and travel. With the Reserve, you're earning on groceries, gas, and everyday purchases. With the Preferred, you only earn 1 point per dollar on those categories.
Points can be redeemed three ways: as cash back (usually 1 cent per point), as a statement credit toward travel purchases you've already made, or transferred to airline and hotel partners. The transfer option often gives you more value — sometimes 1.5 to 2 cents per point — but requires you to know which airlines and hotels you want to use.
Annual fees and credits that offset them
The Sapphire Preferred charges an annual fee. The Sapphire Reserve charges a higher annual fee. Neither fee is waived in the first year — you pay it when you open the card.
The Reserve includes a travel credit that posts once per calendar year. You can use it on flights, hotels, rental cars, taxis, rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses, and cruise lines. It does not cover airline fees for baggage or seat selection. The card also includes a dining credit that works at restaurants and certain food delivery services. If you use both credits, they can cover a significant portion of the annual fee.
The Preferred does not include these credits. You pay the annual fee outright, so the card makes sense only if the points you earn and the travel protections you use are worth more than the fee.
Travel protections and insurance
Both cards include trip cancellation and interruption insurance, which reimburses you if you have to cancel or cut short a trip for a covered reason (illness, injury, death of a family member). Coverage is per person and has a maximum benefit. Both cards also cover lost luggage reimbursement, emergency medical and dental coverage while traveling outside the U.S., and emergency evacuation and transportation.
The Reserve adds trip delay reimbursement (if your flight is delayed more than 6 or 12 hours, depending on the benefit), baggage delay insurance, and emergency travel information — a service that helps you if you're stranded abroad and need to rebook flights or find a hotel.
These protections explore when you charge the trip to the card. They do not cover pre-existing conditions, trips you book after you've already been diagnosed with an illness, or trips to countries under travel warnings. Read the full terms before you rely on them.
The Sapphire Reserve's additional perks
The Reserve includes a concierge service available 24/7 by phone. They can help with restaurant reservations, travel bookings, event tickets, and other requests. This is not a travel agent service — they do not plan trips for you — but they can make calls and handle logistics.
The card also offers primary auto rental coverage, which means the card's insurance is the first to pay if you damage a rental car (rather than your personal auto insurance paying first). It covers damage and theft but not personal liability or medical payments.
Both cards include purchase protection (reimbursement if something you buy is damaged or stolen within a certain window) and extended warranty (an extra year of manufacturer's warranty on may be able to access items). The Reserve's extended warranty period is longer than the Preferred's.
Comparing the two cards side by side
| Feature | Sapphire Preferred | Sapphire Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | Set amount | Higher set amount |
| Travel Credit | None | Annual credit toward travel purchases |
| Dining Credit | None | Annual credit at restaurants and food delivery |
| Points on Dining & Travel | 3 points per dollar | 3 points per dollar |
| Points on Other Purchases | 1 point per dollar | 1 point per dollar |
| Concierge Service | None | 24/7 concierge |
| Trip Delay Reimbursement | No | Yes |
| Primary Auto Rental Coverage | No | Yes |
Who should consider each card
The Sapphire Preferred works for people who travel a few times a year, eat out regularly, and want to earn rewards without paying a high annual fee. If you spend $10,000 or more per year on dining and travel combined, the points you earn can easily cover the annual fee. It's also a good entry point if you're new to premium rewards cards.
The Sapphire Reserve makes sense if you travel frequently, spend heavily on dining, or both. The travel and dining credits can offset most or all of the annual fee if you use them. The concierge service and additional travel protections add value if you take international trips or book complex itineraries. It's also useful if you want to earn points on everyday purchases, not just travel and dining.
Neither card is worth having if you don't travel or eat out much, or if you won't use the credits and protections. A basic rewards card with no annual fee may be a better fit.
How to understand the points value
Chase values Ultimate Rewards points at 1 cent each when you redeem them as cash back. But their actual value depends on how you use them. If you transfer them to an airline partner and book a flight that would cost $600, and you use 40,000 points, you're getting 1.5 cents per point. If you transfer to a hotel partner and book a night that would cost $300 for 20,000 points, you're getting 1.5 cents per point.
The catch is that transfer partners change their rates, availability varies by destination, and you have to know which airlines and hotels you want to use before you book. If you prefer simplicity and just want cash back, the points are worth 1 cent each — still solid, but not the premium value that makes the Reserve's higher annual fee worthwhile.
To figure out if a card pays for itself, add up what you spend on dining and travel in a year, multiply by the earning rate (3 points per dollar), and multiply by the value you expect per point. Subtract the annual fee. If the number is positive, the card is worth it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need excellent credit to get approved?
Chase typically approves Sapphire cards for people with good to excellent credit (usually a credit score of 670 or higher, though higher scores are more likely to be approved). You also should not have opened a new Chase card in the last 30 days. Chase has rules about how many cards you can open in a certain time period, so if you've recently opened other cards, you may be denied.
Can I use the travel credit on anything travel-related?
The travel credit on the Reserve covers flights, hotels, rental cars, taxis, rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses, and cruise lines. It does not cover airline fees for baggage, seat selection, or pet travel. It also does not cover travel insurance or visa fees. The credit posts once per calendar year, so if you don't use it by December 31, it's gone.
What happens to my points if I close the card?
Your points stay in your Chase Ultimate Rewards account as long as you have at least one other Chase card that earns Ultimate Rewards points. If you close all your Chase rewards cards, your points may be forfeited. Check with Chase before closing a card if you have a large points balance.
Can I transfer points to any airline or hotel?
No. Chase has a list of transfer partners that includes major airlines (United, Southwest, American, Delta, and others) and hotel chains (Hyatt, IHG, Marriott, and others). You can only transfer to partners on that list. The list changes occasionally, so check Chase's website for the current partners.
Is the concierge service really available 24/7?
Yes, the Reserve's concierge is available around the clock by phone. They can help with restaurant reservations, travel bookings, event tickets, and general requests. They cannot plan entire trips or provide investment or legal information. Response time is usually quick, but during very busy periods you may wait on hold.