amex platinum travel vs reserve

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AmEx Platinum vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve: Reserve Has More Mass Appeal

Gregory Karp is a former NerdWallet writer and an expert in personal finance and credit cards. A journalist for more than 30 years, he has been a newspaper reporter and editor, authored two personal finance books and created the "Spending Smart" syndicated newspaper column. His awards include national recognition several times from the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing.

Erin is a credit card and travel rewards expert at NerdWallet, based in Baltimore, Maryland. She has spent nearly two decades showing readers unique ways to maximize their investments and personal finances. Prior to joining NerdWallet, Erin worked on dozens of newsletters and magazines in the areas of investing, health, business and travel with Agora Publishing. Her love of travel led to a passion for credit card and loyalty rewards to subsidize trips, and she thrives on teaching others how to harness the power of credit card rewards. When she's not writing or editing, Erin is planning her next adventure for her family of four using points and miles. Erin recommends this card as the cornerstone for all travelers looking to build up their rewards portfolio - see it here.

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

In the rarefied air of premium travel cards , two lead the pack when it comes to offering a chance for big rewards and a ton of travel benefits — for huge price tags. They are The Platinum Card® from American Express , with an annual fee of $695 (terms apply) and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® with an annual fee of $550 .

These are cards for people willing to pay a lot because they expect a lot. Both cards offer generous rewards for travel, healthy welcome offers and a slew of benefits that make them hard to compare. But they have differences, both big and small.

In a head-to-head matchup, the better card will be the one that you, personally, can extract the most value from.

The Platinum Card® from American Express offers many perks for traveling in style. That’s why we think it’s suited to a certain type of traveler who appreciates better airport lounge options and hotel elite status, for example, as well as those simply partial to American Express. However, some of the card’s value is tied to niche retail offers, meaning most people are unlikely to use all of them.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is great for travel with sky-high point-earning and redemption value if you book through Chase . It also has wider appeal because of its higher rewards for restaurant spending. It comes with a big annual travel credit that is easy to use for even casual travelers.

That’s why, overall, the Chase card is probably the better choice for most people.

on Chase's website

on American Express' website

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply. Terms apply.

10 points per dollar spent on hotel stays, car rentals and dining purchased through Chase. Also on Lyft through March 2025.

5 points per dollar spent on flights purchased through Chase.

3 points per dollar spent on other travel and dining worldwide.

1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.

Note: Travel bonus rewards are after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually.

5 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel.

5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel.

2 points per dollar on other travel booked through AmEx.

1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

Terms apply ( see rates and fees ).

» MORE: See the benefits of the Chase Sapphire Reserve®

» MORE: See the benefits of The Platinum Card® from American Express

AmEx Platinum vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve: Deciding factors

The best card for you will be the one that better matches your spending and lifestyle. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers big value for its big annual fee. The Platinum Card® from American Express can also offer strong value, but you'll have to work harder to realize its full potential. If the card isn't a natural complement to a high-end lifestyle, it probably won't make sense. Here are some major factors to consider.

Welcome offer

Bonuses can change, so examine the current offers and the required spending. You’ll get big upfront value from both. Remember that points with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® can be worth 1.5 cents each when redeemed for travel booked through Chase. AmEx points can give outsized value too, but only when transferred to travel partners. (More on that later.)

The difference in annual fees — $695 vs. $550 — is $145, making the The Platinum Card® from American Express 26% more expensive every year.

If you’re spending over $500 on a premium travel credit card, maybe an extra $145 per year isn’t a big deal. But if you’re comparing value, you’ll have to wring out more dollars from the AmEx card.

Travel bonus reward rates

With premium travel cards, rewards are key for buying plane tickets, hotel nights and other travel. The checkmark here goes to the Chase Sapphire Reserve® . Note that with both cards, some elevated rewards are only when you book travel through the issuer’s online travel portal.

Here’s a breakdown.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® has better rewards on hotel and car rentals booked through the issuer’s portal.

Just as important, the 3 points per dollar spent on all other travel is significant because the definition of travel is broad. That means earning extra points for not only obvious out-of-town travel-related expenditures but also local travel, including taxis, parking and tolls.

Restaurant rewards

Outside of travel, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® wins hands-down for its triple points on spending at restaurants, a useful bonus category even when you’re not jetting off somewhere. Add to that its 10 points per dollar spent on Chase Dining purchases when you make prepaid restaurant reservations, order takeout or join virtual cooking events through Chase.

The Platinum Card® from American Express has no bonus rewards for restaurants.

» MORE: Where is American Express accepted?

Redemption value

In this comparison of rewards rates, points aren’t necessarily equal with these cards.

Points with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® are worth 1.5 cents each when redeemed through Chase for travel — a reasonable redemption option to expect for people who use a premium travel card.

So if you’ll redeem points for travel on the Chase booking site, you can consider those bonus reward rates to be 50% more. For example, if you use the card to book a hotel stay or car rental through Chase travel, that 10x point-earning is suddenly worth 15x when those points are, in turn, redeemed for more travel. The 3x on restaurants is worth 4.5x for travel.

Generally, points with The Platinum Card® from American Express are worth 1 cent each (although, with both cards you could transfer to partners for possibly even more value . More on partners below.) Notably, if you redeem your Membership Rewards points for most hotel stays through AmEx Travel, they'll only be worth 0.7 cent a piece. That's less than half the value of the 1.5 cents you could get with Chase.

In addition, Chase has a program called Pay Yourself Back , in which points are also worth 50% more when you redeem them for statement credits against existing purchases in select, rotating categories or the annual membership fee. However, that redemption option is scheduled to end March 31, 2022. The deadline for using points for select charitable organizations is later, Dec. 31, 2022.

Travel credits

These are key benefits. When credits are used, they essentially help to cover part of the annual fee.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

$300 annually, automatically applied to travel spending.

$100 maximum every four years for application to Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS.

The Platinum Card® from American Express

$200 annually for airline incidentals, like bag fees.

$200 annually for prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel at more than 1,700 hotels. ( Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection properties.)

$189 annually for Clear membership.

Fee credit for either Global Entry or TSA Precheck.

Terms apply. Enrollment is required.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® probably has the edge for most people despite having fewer credits.

Its $300 credit is very easy to use on a wide range of travel. Credits on the The Platinum Card® from American Express are narrower, making them harder to fully use every year.

» DIVE DEEPER : 6 things to know before you get the The Platinum Card® from American Express

Airport lounge access

The Platinum Card® from American Express gives access to American Express' own well-regarded Centurion Lounges , as well as Delta Sky Clubs and Airspace Lounges. You also get complimentary membership in Priority Pass Select when you enroll, which grants access to more than 1,300 airport lounges worldwide. Terms apply.

The offering is sparse by comparison for the Chase Sapphire Reserve® . It offers only Priority Pass Select membership. The American Express card wins handily, especially for Delta Air Lines flyers, when it comes to seeking refuge from the usual commotion at the boarding gates.

Though both cards offer Priority Pass, not all memberships are created equal. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers credit at Priority Pass-affiliated restaurants in more than 20 airports, but The Platinum Card® from American Express does not.

Hotel status

If you’re getting a luxury card because you expect preferred treatment at hotels, The Platinum Card® from American Express is the better choice. It offers complimentary Gold elite status when you enroll with two massive hotel chains, Hilton and Marriott , which gives you bonus points on each stay, plus other perks like complimentary Wi-Fi. Terms apply and enrollment is required. Chase offers some amenities from hotels in its The Edit by Chase Travel ℠ (formerly the Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection), but offers no hotel elite status with a major chain.

» SEE: Why it's worth paying an annual fee for a credit card

Transfer partners

Tough call here because it depends on which transfer partners you prefer, based on what airlines and hotel companies you use. Compare these lists to see which partners appeal more to you.

Aer Lingus (1:1 ratio).

Air Canada (1:1 ratio).

Air France-KLM (1:1 ratio).

British Airways (1:1 ratio).

Emirates (1:1 ratio).

Iberia (1:1 ratio).

JetBlue (1:1 ratio).

Singapore (1:1 ratio).

Southwest (1:1 ratio).

United (1:1 ratio).

Virgin Atlantic (1:1 ratio).

Hyatt (1:1 ratio).

InterContinental Hotels Group (1:1 ratio).

Marriott (1:1 ratio).

AeroMexico (1:1.6 ratio).

Air Canada. (1:1 ratio).

Air France/KLM (1:1 ratio).

ANA (1:1 ratio).

Avianca (1:1 ratio).

Cathay Pacific (1:1 ratio)

Delta Air Lines (1:1 ratio).

Etihad Airways (1:1 ratio).

Hawaiian Airlines (1:1 ratio).

Iberia Plus (1:1 ratio).

JetBlue Airways (2.5:2 ratio).

Qantas (1:1 ratio).

Qatar Airways (1:1 ratio).

Singapore Airlines (1:1 ratio).

Virgin Atlantic Airways (1:1 ratio).

Choice Hotels (1:1 ratio).

Hilton Hotels & Resorts (1:2 ratio).

Marriott Hotels & Resorts (1:1 ratio).

For details on transfer ratios, see AmEx's website .

» MORE: 5 best transferrable points currencies and their partners

Card ecosystem

If you’re considering one of these cards, you might be willing and savvy enough to use multiple credit cards to optimize rewards within the American Express Membership Rewards program or the Chase Ultimate Rewards® program . They’re both good programs, so this might hinge on cards you already have. For example, Chase has a suite of cards that work well together. Meanwhile, the American Express® Gold Card , with high rewards on restaurants and U.S. supermarkets, dovetails nicely with The Platinum Card® from American Express — although that’s a pricier combination.

Chase Sapphire Reserve vs. AmEx Platinum: Minor features to consider

Both cards offer a slew of travel and purchasing protections.

For example, while both have car-rental perks, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers primary rental car insurance , meaning you might not have to use your personal auto insurance.

On the other hand, The Platinum Card® from American Express offers complimentary cell phone protection . Terms apply. When you use the card to pay your monthly cell phone bill, you're eligible for up to $800 per year for two approved claims to cover repairs or replacement for your damaged or stolen phone. You'll pay a $50 deductible. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers no such protection.

If you want to go further down the tiebreaker list, you can get into niche perks, some with specific retailers:

Credit required

Neither card is appropriate for someone with poor credit. But they differ in the credit score ranges that will be accepted.

Chase Sapphire Reserve® : Your credit should be firmly in the excellent range (above 720) before you apply for this card. If you've opened five credit cards in the past 24 months, Chase may reject your application .

The Platinum Card® from American Express : This card is available to a wider range of applicants. Credit needs only to be good, not excellent, to have a reasonable chance of approval.

NerdWallet offers readers a chance to get pre-qualified for certain cards , which may entitle you to a better welcome offer.

Overseas acceptance

American Express cards are widely accepted, but less so abroad. The Visa network, which the Chase Sapphire Reserve® runs on, has near-universal acceptance where you can use payment cards.

» MORE: What makes AmEx and Discover different from Visa and Mastercard

Who might prefer AmEx Platinum over Chase Sapphire Reserve

Viewed solely as a premium travel card, The Platinum Card® from American Express might offer more luxury travel perks, along with considerable value, especially if you can take advantage of its niche offers. It should, because its annual fee is considerably higher.

But for most people, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is probably the best premium credit card for spending on travel and for earning rewards toward even more travel.

To view rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card , see this page . To view rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express , see this page .

1.5%-5% Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Up to $300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1%-5% Earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Earn 5% on Chase travel purchased through Chase Travel®, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases.

$200 Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.

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• Sign-up bonus

Other travel benefits

Amex platinum vs. sapphire reserve: elite card showdown.

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Introduction

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express are two of the best premium travel rewards cards. While each comes with a high annual fee, both cards offer more than enough rewards to make up for the upfront cost. Before you apply, you'll want to make sure that the perks match up with your lifestyle.

The cards have a lot in common, but there are also distinct features unique to each of them. Here's a guide to help you compare the Amex Platinum Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve and decide which card is best for you. 

The prestige of premium cards

Premium credit cards have something of a reputation amongst people "in the know." These cards often come with sky-high annual fees and luxury benefits worth thousands of dollars if utilized on a regular basis. Few cards are more prestigious than the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express , and this guide can help you decide on the best option for your wallet.

Earn 5x points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1x point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

22.49% - 29.49% Variable

Earn 60,000 bonus points

Good to Excellent

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Annual travel credit can effectively shave $300 off the annual fee if you use it
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Strong travel insurance
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Strong bonus rewards on travel and dining
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Very high annual fee

If you're new to rewards credit cards you may want to start elsewhere, but if you know you want to earn Chase points and you spend a lot on travel and dining, the Sapphire Reserve is one of the most rewarding options.

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Member FDIC

Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 per calendar year) and on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Earn 1X Points on other purchases.

See Pay Over Time APR

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Long list of travel benefits, including airport lounge access and complimentary elite status with Hilton and Marriott (enrollment required)
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Annual statement credits with Saks and Uber
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Bonus categories leave something to be desired
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. One of the highest annual fees among premium travel cards

If you want as many premium travel perks as possible, The Platinum Card® from American Express could be the right card for you. The annual fee is high, but you get a long list of benefits such as airport lounge access, travel statement credits, complimentary hotel elite status, and more.

• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
• Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 year period for TSA PreCheck® application fee for a 5-year plan only (through a TSA PreCheck® official enrollment provider), when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

Annual fees

There's no way around it: Neither of these cards comes cheap. The next section will discuss their upsides, but it's all about the numbers here, and whether they make sense for your wallet. 

Comparison of annual fees

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® costs $550 a year, while Amex Platinum Card is a whopping $695. 

Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Justifying the cost with benefits

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® and the Amex Platinum Card both have high annual fees, but they each offer a slew of benefits that are worth hundreds of dollars in luxurious travel experiences, purchase protection, and travel insurance. The next section will break these down in more detail.

Reward structures

Over the past few years, both premium cards have added additional perks, ranging from improved bonus categories to statement credits for lifestyle products and services. Depending on your spending and travel habits, it's possible to get a value that far exceeds the annual fee on either card.

Earning potential on travel and dining

Both cards earn bonus points on travel booked through their respective issuer portals. 

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® earns 5x total points on air travel and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards. It also earns 3x points on all other travel and dining including bars, cafes, and in many cases, bakeries and ice cream shops. You'll also earn 10x points on Lyft rides through March 2025, as part of the latest batch of new card benefits. 

Amex Platinum Card, meanwhile, earns 5 points per dollar on flights purchased directly through the airline or through Amex Travel on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year) and prepaid hotel reservations made through the Amex Travel portal. It earns 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. 

Winner: Unless you spend more money on flights than other travel and dining, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® wins this category. Earning 3x points on your commute, lunch, and drinks after work makes it easy to stockpile a ton of points quickly.

Point redemption value

Chase Ultimate Rewards and Amex Membership Rewards points are both worth 1.8 cents apiece on average, based on Business Insider's latest points and miles valuations . 

Both Chase Ultimate Rewards and Amex Membership Rewards points are transferable to airline and hotel partners, which are the most valuable type of points. However, there are other ways to use your rewards as well. For example, you can redeem points for statement credits or use them toward travel booked through each card's travel website — however, Chase will value your points at a higher rate in these scenarios than Amex will. 

The exact value you'll get depends on how you redeem your rewards — our guides to maximizing Ultimate Rewards and Membership Rewards can show you how to trade your points for business- and first-class plane seats, five-star hotels, and more. 

These two loyalty programs provide some of the most valuable rewards in the currency game. Read our comparison of Chase points and Amex points to find out which system works best for your needs. 

Sign-up bonuses and offers

Both the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express currently offer excellent welcome bonuses:

• The Platinum Card® from American Express: 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership 
• Chase Sapphire Reserve®: 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening

Welcome offer comparisons

With either card, you can earn a ton of extra points when you open a new account and meet the requirements.

• The Chase Sapphire Reserve® comes with 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening (worth around $1,080 in travel, based on our valuations)
• Amex Platinum Card has a welcome bonus offer of 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership (worth around $1,440 in travel, based on our valuations)

Winner: Both cards offer generous boosts to help you build or boost your stash of rewards. The winner of this category will be subjective: If you already have Chase Ultimate Rewards cards, go with the Sapphire; conversely, get the Platinum card if you have or are interested in earning American Express Membership Rewards.

Travel benefits and perks

These cards are only worth holding if you travel somewhat regularly, since their primary value lies in their travel benefits. 

Airport lounge access

Both cards rank highly on our list of the best credit cards with free airport lounge access , because you get both Priority Pass membership to 1,500+ lounges worldwide as well as access to the issuer's proprietary set of lounges. 

If you're mostly flying within the U.S., you may be better off with the Amex Platinum Card. That's because many Priority Pass lounges within the U.S. are in international terminals.

Fortunately for domestic flyers, the Platinum Card also comes with access to Amex's proprietary Centurion Lounges , which can be found at some of the busiest airports in the U.S. as well as Hong Kong, with more locations on the way. In addition, cardholders can enter Delta Sky Club lounges whenever they're flying with the airline

Chase Sapphire Lounges

Chase has just begun entering the airport lounge market, but it's done so with an elegant splash. Chase Sapphire Lounges can be found at several locations, primarily focused in the northeast part of the U.S. 

Amex Centurion Lounges

Amex Centurion Lounges, on the other hand, have been synonymous with airport elite status for years. There are more than a dozen Centurion lounges in the U.S. and nearly as many worldwide, and they are beautifully designed with tasteful meals worthy of fine dining restaurants. 

Winner: If airport lounge access is important to you, especially when flying within the U.S., or if you frequently fly Delta, the Amex Platinum Card is the clear winner.

Travel credits and elite status opportunities

Both cards come with generous travel and shopping credits that go a long way toward offsetting the annual fee. Of course, you'll still have to pay the fee upfront before making some of it back from the credits. 

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® comes with a straightforward and easy-to-use $300 travel credit. The first $300 you spend on travel-related purchases every cardmember year is credited back to your account. The travel category is expansive, including everything from subways, taxis, parking, and tolls to airfare and hotels. When you subtract that credit from the annual fee, the card effectively costs $250 per year.

Amex Platinum Card, meanwhile, has numerous valuable credits :

• Up to $200 in annual credit toward prepaid hotels booked through Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts or The Hotel Collection (minimum two-night stay)
• Up to $189 per year in credit toward CLEAR® Plus membership** (expedited security screening at select airports and stadiums)
• Up to $200 in airline fee credit each calendar year. Every January, you pick one eligible airline for that credit to apply toward. While the credit doesn't cover airfare or airline gift cards, it covers incidental fees like checked bags, seat assignments on basic economy tickets, change fees, and more. The airline credit is available each calendar year, so you can actually collect it twice if you open your card mid-year and maximize the credit before and after January of that first cardmember year.
• Cardholders also get up to $200 in Uber Cash credits** each cardmember year, which is broken down into monthly chunks. Each month, cardholders receive $15 in Uber Cash to use on Uber rides or for food or merchandise delivery with Uber Eats. In December, that's boosted to $35. 

Winner: Amex Platinum Card, if you can use all of your benefits

Additional cardholder benefits

You can reap hundreds of dollars' worth of dining benefits from each card if you utilize most or all of the vendors listed below. 

Dining credits and experiences

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® comes with a handful of lifestyle perks, including

• Complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership through December 31, 2024
• $5 monthly DoorDash in-app credit from April 2022 to December 2024
• One year of Instacart+ free plus up to $15 per month in statement credits on Instacart.com purchases (activation required by July 31, 2024)
• Two years of complimentary Lyft Pink All Access membership (activate by December 31, 2024)

Amex Platinum Card also offers  numerous valuable credits :

• Up to $240 per year in digital entertainment credits**, broken into up to $20 per month chunks (Hulu, ESPN+, Disney+, Peacock, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal subscriptions qualify)
• Up to $300 per year in Equinox credits**
• $12.95 (plus taxes) in credit each month toward Walmart+ membership** (which now includes a free Paramount+ Essential subscription)
• $300 credit when you purchase a SoulCycle At-Home Bike
• You can get up to $100 in Saks shopping credits** each calendar year, broken into two chunks: You'll get up to $50 during the first six months of the year, and another $50 during the second.

Winner: Amex Platinum Card, if you use all of these benefits

Concierge services

Amex Platinum Card offers its famous Amex Concierge service for Platinum cardholders. This service is unique to the premium card, and Chase does not offer a comparable counterpart. 

Winner: Amex Platinum Card

Both cards come with other benefits, too, which are worth considering. While these are generally discussed less often, they're still valuable features of the cards.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® includes:

• Primary car rental insurance
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance (covering you for up to $10,000 per ticket if a trip is canceled or interrupted due to things like illness, personal sickness, etc.)
• Trip delay insurance (which reimburses up to $500 per covered ticket when your travel is delayed 6+ hours or overnight)
• Baggage delay coverage
• Various purchase and shopping protections
• Baggage loss and damage coverage
• Travel accident insurance
• Up to a $100 credit for TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, or NEXUS

The Amex Platinum Card, meanwhile, offers:

• Gold elite status at Marriott and Hilton** hotels
• Top-tier Hertz President's Circle elite status**
• Trip cancellation/interruption insurance (up to $10,000 per ticket if a trip is canceled or interrupted due to things like illness, personal sickness, etc.)
• Trip delay coverage (up to $500 per covered ticket when your travel is delayed 6+ hours or overnight)
• Concierge service
• Credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry ($100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or up to $85 statement credit every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck®)

These perks are all potentially useful, and even though they differ between cards, both offer strong options. The Amex Platinum Card added trip delay and cancellation coverage, though the Chase Sapphire Reserve® stands out for offering primary car rental insurance — which means you can waive the insurance offered by a car rental company and still be covered for damage and loss through your card before your personal car insurance kicks in.

The Amex Platinum Card's hotel elite status, meanwhile, can get you a ton of valuable extras during hotel stays. 

Winner: Tie — it depends on which benefits are the most important to you.

Comparison of the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Amex Platinum

***Eligible digital subscriptions include Hulu, ESPN+, Disney+, Peacock, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal**

Choosing the right card

No matter which card you choose, both the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express are excellent cards that come with a ton of value. 

If you prefer to keep it simple with a core set of travel protections and strong rewards for dining and travel, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a great choice.

If you prefer the luxury of holding one of the heaviest metal cards in the market and can utilize Amex Centurion lounges often enough to make it worth your while, Amex Platinum Card could be the perfect addition ot your allet. 

Matching perks to your lifestyle

At the end of the day, the best option for you depends on the benefits you care about. If you want complimentary hotel elite status, statement credits for things like Uber, Saks, and digital subscriptions, and as many airport lounge access options as possible, the Amex Platinum Card is likely a better fit.

Evaluating spending habits and travel preferences

If you already have a stock of either rewards currency from Chase or Amex, it might make sense to choose the premium card that complements your existing wallet. Since you can pool points from different cards in the same rewards program, it could be worth opening another card from that issuer so you can build up your balance.

Amex Platinum vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve frequently asked questions

Both premium cards carry high annual fees, which reflect their range of exclusive benefits and services. The Platinum Card® from American Express is significantly more expensive, but offers a few benefits which the Chase Sapphire Reserve® does not. 

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® earns significantly more points on dining and travel purchases, although The Platinum Card® from American Express might offer more value if you plan to book a lot of flights directly with airlines or through American Express Travel.

The Platinum Card® from American Express cardholders can access both Priority Pass lounges as well as Amex Centurion lounges. Meanwhile, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers Priority Pass Select membership, a $300 flexible travel credit each year, and superior travel insurance. 

Yes, both cards earn points that can be transferred to the issuer's large network of airline and hotel partners. 

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers the most comprehensive travel insurance coverage on the market, which includes generous timeframes for trip cancellation and interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance, and emergency medical benefits.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards .

Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.

**Enrollment required.

Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Trip Delay Insurance, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance, and Cell Phone Protection Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. Global Assist Hotline Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. Extended Warranty, Purchase Protection, and Baggage Insurance Plan Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

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AmEx Platinum vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve—What’s the Better Travel Card?

Condé Nast Traveler has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Condé Nast Traveler and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. We don't review or include all companies, or all available products. Moreover, the editorial content on this page was not provided by any of the companies mentioned, and has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are entirely those of Condé Nast Traveler's editorial team.

The The Platinum Card® from American Express has long been one of the most popular travel rewards cards thanks to the sheer number of perks it includes, such as statement credits for airline fees, access to airport lounges , and Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credits (enrollment required, terms apply). Recently, AmEx added a few more benefits to that roster, but also raised the card’s annual fee from $550 per year to $695 ( see AmEx rates and fees ). Here’s a look at what’s new with the AmEx Platinum Card, and a fresh look at how it compares one of its main competitors , the Chase Sapphire Reserve rewards card .

This article has been updated with new information since its original publish date.

What’s new with the AmEx Platinum Card

First, a rundown of what’s changed with the AmEx Platinum Card in addition to that annual fee hike.

Hotel credits: The card now offers up to $200 in statement credits each year toward prepaid bookings of two nights or more made through AmEx Fine Hotels & Resorts and The Hotel Collection from AmEx Travel. (Enrollment required, terms apply.)

CLEAR credit: Cardmembers can now receive up to $189 per year for CLEAR Plus , which will cover the cost of annual membership. CLEAR kiosks at airports use biometric information to identify members so they can bypass the TSA identification checkpoint and head straight to security screening. (Enrollment required, terms apply.)

Premium private jet access: AmEx has teamed up with Wheels Up to offer Platinum cardholders up to 40 percent off a membership for the Premium Private Jet Program, plus up to $2,000 in initial year flight credits to book private charter flights . The perk knocks Connect membership, best for occasional flyers, down to $2,396 for the first year (usually $2,995) and drops the initial Core membership fee—which usually costs $17,500 the first year, and $8,500 in subsequent years—down to $10,500. (Enrollment required, terms apply.)

Digital entertainment credits: Get up to $20 per month ($240 per year) in statement credits toward purchases or subscriptions with Audible, The New York Times , Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, and Peacock. (Enrollment required, terms apply.)

Equinox credits: Receive up to $300 per year in statement credits on select Equinox memberships or a digital subscription to the Equinox+ on-demand fitness app. (Enrollment required, terms apply.)

More lounges to visit: AmEx will be converting all existing Escape Lounges into Centurion “Studios,” smaller versions of its popular Centurion Lounges, which cardmembers will be able to access in addition to their current lounge privileges—more on that below.

Global dining access through Resy: Access to reservations at some of the world’s hardest-to-book restaurants and invitations to special events.

As you can see, there’s potentially a ton of value to be gleaned from all these new benefits, if you actually use them. The Chase Sapphire Reserve is still a strong contender, though. Here’s a detailed look at how the AmEx Platinum Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve now stack up.

Welcome offers

The Chase Sapphire Reserve currently offers 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points when you make $4,000 in purchases within the first three months of account opening.

The Platinum Card from American Express is currently offering 80,000 Membership Rewards points when you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first six months.

Winner: It's a close one: The Platinum Card from American Express has a higher welcome offer right now—and more points means more trip possibilities—but also a higher spending threshold to reach it.

Earning rates

The Chase Sapphire Reserve earns three points per dollar on travel and dining, including takeout and delivery, and one point per dollar on everything else. Now through March 2022, it also earns 10 points per dollar on Lyft rides.

The AmEx Platinum earns five points per dollar on prepaid hotel bookings made through AmEx Travel , and on up to $500,000 per calendar year on flights booked directly with airlines or through AmEx Travel. The card earns one point per dollar on everything else.

Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve. If you book flights and hotels through AmEx Travel, it’s true that the AmEx Platinum Card might be a better earner. But given the broad range of travel and dining purchases that count as bonus categories with the Chase Sapphire Reserve, it’s probably a better card for most folks.

Statement credits

The Chase Sapphire Reserve refunds cardholders $300 each year for a broad range of travel purchases including airfare and hotels, train tickets , taxis, ride-shares, and even road tolls and parking fees. The amount resets after your account anniversary and credits are applied automatically to your statement, making it easy to take advantage of.

The Platinum Card from American Express, on the other hand, is brimming with potential statement credits. Cardmembers are eligible for up to $200 back on airline fees like checked-bag charges or lounge passes on a carrier that they designate (enrollment required, terms apply), and up to another $200 per year toward prepaid Fine Hotels & Resorts and The Hotel Collection bookings (enrollment required, terms apply). There’s also up to $200 in Uber cash toward U.S. Uber rides and Uber Eats orders, parceled out into $15 per month, except December, when it is $35 (enrollment required, terms apply).

Cardmembers receive up to $100 in statement credits annually for Saks Fifth Avenue purchases—$50 to use from January through June, and another $50 for July through December (enrollment required, terms apply). They are also now eligible for those digital entertainment and Equinox statement credits, which are worth up to another $540 in value each year (enrollment required, terms apply).

Winner: AmEx Platinum. The Chase Sapphire Reserve’s statement credits are easier to take advantage of. However, if you use even just a few of the AmEx Platinum’s ongoing and new statement credits, you can potentially save a lot more money with them. That said, the digital entertainment, Equinox, and Saks credits are somewhat limited—for instance, if you don’t usually shop at Saks, subscribe to any of the four entertainment services eligible for credits, or hit the gym with Equinox—so you might not be able to maximize them very easily.

Transfer partners

The Platinum Card from American Express earns Membership Rewards points, which currently transfer to 19 airlines and three hotel partners including Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club, Delta SkyMiles, JetBlue TrueBlue, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Hilton Honors , and Marriott Bonvoy.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve, on the other hand, earns Ultimate Rewards points, which transfer to 10 airlines and three hotel programs including Air France / KLM Flying Blue, Southwest Rapid Rewards, United MileagePlus, World of Hyatt , IHG Rewards , and Marriott Bonvoy .

Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve. Although American Express has more transfer partners , Ultimate Rewards is linked to more useful programs for U.S. travelers, in particular.

Direct redemptions

In addition to transferring points to airline and hotel partners, cardholders can also redeem their points for travel at fixed rates through AmEx Travel or Chase’s travel portal .

AmEx Platinum cardholders get a value of one cent per point redeemed for flights, and slightly less than that for hotel bookings. Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders get 1.5 cents per point in value for their travel bookings, including flights, hotels, cruises, vacation rentals, and more.

Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve, hands down.

Airport lounge access

Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders can register for Priority Pass Select, which gets the cardholder plus two free guests into over 1,200 airport lounges worldwide.

Along with Priority Pass Select membership (enrollment required, terms apply), the Platinum Card will also get you into AmEx’s own swanky Centurion Lounges . There are over a dozen locations, including one with a speakeasy bar at New York JFK , and a Dallas-Fort Worth location that has an Exhale Spa. Platinum Cardholders can also enter Delta’s Sky Clubs when flying Delta, and a handful of small Airspace and Escape Lounges (enrollment required, terms apply).

Winner: The Platinum Card from American Express gets you into a lot more locations.

Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, and CLEAR benefits

Both will reimburse cardholders for either the $85 application fee for TSA PreCheck or $100 for Global Entry . The Chase Sapphire Reserve’s benefit applies once every four years, while the Platinum Card’s kicks in once every four years for Global Entry, and 4.5 for TSA PreCheck.

However, the AmEx Platinum has now added that $189 annual CLEAR credit, which can get you through security at nearly 40 airports even faster. When you become a CLEAR member and register your biometric information, you simply head to one of the service’s kiosks near security checkpoints to check in, and then can bypass TSA agents checking identification documents and go straight to the front of the security screening line. Depending on how busy the airports you pass through normally are, this can be a real time saver.

Winner: AmEx Platinum thanks to that extra CLEAR perk, which the Chase Sapphire Reserve does not offer.

Elite status

If you have the Platinum Card, you can enroll for automatic Hilton Honors Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold elite status (enrollment required, terms apply). Both programs confer benefits like room upgrades, late check-out, and points bonuses on stays. You can also register for Hertz Gold Plus Rewards and National Emerald Club Executive Elite status on car rental perks such as category upgrades and quicker customer service (enrollment required, terms apply)

Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders don’t get hotel elite status, but do get status with National and Avis, and can score benefits and discounts on Silvercar by Audi rentals. Thanks to recent card changes , Sapphire Reserve members are also eligible for a year of complimentary Lyft Pink membership valued at $19.99 per month. The benefits include a 15 percent discount on all car rides, priority airport pickups, up to three no-fee cancellations per month, waived lost and found fees, three free 30-minute bike or scooter rides per month, and seasonal discounts and offers.

Winner: The Platinum Card from American Express, since its hotel benefits will be more useful and more valuable to frequent travelers.

Luxury air and hotel bookings

Both cards have access to specialized online booking sites for luxury hotels.

The American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts program partners with over 1,000 properties worldwide, such as the Conrad Maldives and Claridge’s in London. Platinum Card members who book through this portal can count on benefits such as room upgrades, late check-out, complimentary daily breakfast for two, $100 on-property credits for things like dining or spa treatments, and occasional third- or fourth-night-free bookings.

Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders can book through either the Chase Luxury Hotels & Resorts Collection or Visa Infinite Hotels to score similar benefits.

Carrying the Platinum Card also enables members to make flight reservations through AmEx’s International Airlines Program with discounts of hundreds or even thousands of dollars on premium-economy, business- or first-class tickets with partner airlines like Air France and Cathay Pacific. Not only that, but if you book charter flights even just a few times a year and are fine with giving Wheels Up your business, you can expect savings of thousands of dollars per year on membership with the private jet service , and up to $2,000 more in flight credits your first year.

Winner: The Platinum Card from American Express, since it offers both hotel and flight benefits.

Travel protections

The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers some of the most comprehensive travel protections of any rewards credit card, including $100,000 for emergency medical and evacuation, and up to $1 million in travel accident insurance. Trip-delay coverage if your flight is late or you miss a connection, for example, kicks in after just six hours and will reimburse you up to $500 per ticket for expenses like hotel rooms and meals. Lost luggage coverage maxes out at $3,000 per person. The card also includes primary rental car insurance , so you don’t have to go through your personal insurer or the rental agency’s if you run into bumps on the road.

The Platinum Card from American Express recently enhanced its travel protections to include trip interruption and cancellation coverage of up to $10,000 per trip or $20,000 per account each year and trip delay insurance that covers up to $500 per trip.

Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve—the protections are just much more comprehensive.

Choosing the right card

The Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Platinum Card from American Express are two of the best premium travel credit cards available.

Thanks to its lower price point, and how easy it is to take advantage of its various statement credits and perks, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is probably the better choice for folks who just want a solid travel rewards card without having to put in too much effort.

However, you can potentially get a lot more value out from the AmEx Platinum Card and its new perks, despite that higher annual fee. If you actually belong to Equinox, book flights and hotels through AmEx Travel (and particularly Fine Hotels & Resorts properties), and either charter flights, or purchase business- and first-class seats on commercial flights through the issuer’s International Airline Program, you can reap thousands of dollars in value from carrying the AmEx Platinum Card each year. Throw in more extensive lounge access, and statement credits not just for Global Entry but also CLEAR, and the Platinum Card from American Express could make your airport experience that much more pleasant.

No matter which card you settle on, both offer an array of benefits that can help you make the most of your travel experiences. Picking the one that’s right for you will just come down to which card you can maximize by taking advantage of its perks, and which one fits your specific travel goals and spending habits best.

Learn more about applying for the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card here.

Learn more about applying for the platinum card from american express here ..

See rates and fees for The Platinum Card from American Express .

Condé Nast Traveler has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Condé Nast Traveler and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. This story has been updated with new information since its original publish date.

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Amex Platinum vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve: Which card is right for you in 2022?

Update : Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here .

It seems like almost every airline, hotel chain and credit card issuer has launched its own premium credit card , enticing customers with luxury travel perks to offset hefty annual fees. Many of these cards offer solid value, especially if you're loyal to the underlying brand.

Despite more recent entrants like the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card , there are two undeniable titans of the premium card market: The Platinum Card® from American Express and the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

The former built the market for premium rewards cards decades ago, while the latter is responsible for growing its mass appeal.

Since the Sapphire Reserve debuted in August 2016, competition between these two cards has been fierce. Today, we're going to take a look at how they stack up against each other and whether you should consider adding one (or both) to your wallet.

New to The Points Guy? Sign up for our daily newsletter and check out our beginner's guide .

Welcome bonus

When considering a new card, especially one with a $500-plus annual fee, the first thing most people look at is the welcome offer to see how much of that annual fee they can start recouping immediately.

With its $695 annual fee (see rates and fees ), the Amex Platinum is currently offering new applicants 80,000 Membership Rewards Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership.

You'll also earn 5 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines and flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com booked by both you and additional cardmembers on up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year.

TPG values American Express' Membership Rewards points at 2 cents each, making the initial welcome offer of 80,000 points worth $1,600 alone. Since Amex only allows you to earn a welcome offer on each of its cards once per lifetime , it might be wise 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 (offers are subject to change at any time).

Meanwhile, the Chase Sapphire Reserve offers a sign-up bonus of 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months from account opening.

TPG also values Ultimate Rewards points at 2 cents each, making this bonus worth $1,600. That's significantly lower than the Amex Platinum offer, though the spending requirement to earn the bonus is also lower.

Winner: The Amex Platinum takes the lead in this first category, especially if you are targeted for an elevated offer through CardMatch.

Long after your bonus has been earned and spent, you'll want a card that will help you rack up valuable transferable points quickly.

Both of these cards get that done but in very different ways. 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 .

Here are the bonus categories for these two cards:

Chase offers a broader range of bonus categories, including everyday purchases like travel and dining .

While the Amex Platinum does pull ahead in the short term and on most airfare purchases, the Chase Sapphire Reserve pulls ahead for dozens of other travel expenses , including most hotels, ride-sharing services, parking fees, tolls, tours and more. It also has an equally broad 3 points per dollar spent on dining category that the Platinum can't match.

Winner: The Chase Sapphire Reserve is the best for earning, thanks to its favorable everyday bonus categories that help you earn more points in the long term.

Redemption options

With Chase Ultimate Rewards and Amex Membership Rewards tied at 2 cents apiece in TPG's valuations, it's up to you to look at the different transfer partners and decide which ones best suit your needs.

Let's start with the Chase Sapphire Reserve. In addition to 11 airline and three hotel transfer partners , Sapphire Reserve customers get a 50% bonus when redeeming points for travel directly through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal . This gives you a minimum redemption value of 1.5 cents per point, meaning you can book a seat on any flight that's for sale, even if there isn't award space available.

Better yet, these bookings are treated like cash tickets, so you'll earn redeemable and elite miles on them, further increasing your value. You can also redeem points at a rate of 1.5 cents per point on purchases at Airbnb and dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery services) with Chase's Pay Yourself Back feature .

That said, you'll often get a better value by transferring your points to the loyalty programs of airlines and hotels instead. All partner transfers occur at a 1:1 ratio, and most of them are nearly instant . Ultimate Rewards has a real edge for hotel bookings because of its partnership with World of Hyatt, where free nights start as low as 5,000 points per night during standard pricing or as low as 3,000 points during off-peak pricing .

On the airline side of things, popular Chase transfer options include United MileagePlus , Southwest Rapid Rewards , Air Canada Aeroplan , British Airways Avios , Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Flying Blue (Air France-KLM ), though the last four also partner with Amex Membership Rewards.

Amex Membership Rewards has a whopping 20 transfer partners , including 17 airlines and three hotels, but not all of them are worth your attention. Some have transfer ratios below 1:1, or longer transfer times (which means you risk watching award space disappear), while some simply don't have reasonably priced redemption options.

Some of the best are ANA Mileage Club , Air Canada Aeroplan and Avianca LifeMiles , each of which offers attractively-priced options for booking Star Alliance tickets . Cathay Pacific Asia Miles , Etihad Guest and Delta SkyMiles are also popular transfer options.

Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve comes out on top for redemption options since it offers a 1:1 transfer ratio for all of its airline and hotel partners, the Pay Yourself Back feature and more flexibility with its 50% bonus (1.5 cents per point) for travel booked in the Ultimate Rewards portal.

Perks and benefits

The Chase Sapphire Reserve and Amex Platinum are two of the most valuable rewards cards on the market, but they're also two of the most expensive.

You'll pay a $550 annual fee with the Sapphire Reserve and a $695 annual fee with the Amex Platinum (see rates and fees ).

So, what do you get in exchange for those upfront costs? For starters, both cards feature airport lounge access and additional travel and food delivery credits, among other benefits. Let's take a look below at the most popular and valuable benefits available with each card:

*Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. See our complete guide to travel protections on American Express cards . The trip cancellation and interruption insurance, trip delay insurance and cell phone protection are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. Baggage insurance plan, car rental loss and damage insurance and extended warranty coverage are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

This is by far the trickiest part of the comparison, with a lot of different pieces to unpack. It's also the section where your own personal preferences are most likely to sway you toward one card versus the other.

Let's start with the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

It still has an edge over Amex regarding the $300 annual travel credit . Not only is it a higher amount than the up-to-$200 airline fee credit that comes with the Amex Platinum, but it's also much less restrictive, meaning it will automatically apply to a broad range of travel purchases. You can't use the $200 Amex airline credit for airfare — only for select fees, such as seat assignments or checked bags — and you can only use it to cover charges from one U.S. carrier that you must designate each year.

When it comes to ride-hailing services, some people see the up-to-$200 annual (U.S.) Uber Cash (broken into $15 a month, with a $20 bonus in December) that comes with the Amex Platinum card as a cash-like credit. However, not everyone uses a ride-hailing service once a month, which means the 10 points per dollar spent on Lyft rides might be a more interesting option.

On the flip side, if you live in a smaller city or never order food delivery, you might find the DoorDash partnership to be entirely useless. The same can be said of the up-to-$100 Amex Platinum Saks Fifth Avenue credit . If you already shop at Saks: great. If not, you may find that this isn't a real value-add relative to the annual fee, even when using the credit at Saks.com.

The Amex Platinum is widely considered the most comprehensive card when it comes to airport lounge access for good reason. 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 Amex's growing collection of Centurion Lounges and Delta Sky Clubs on same-day Delta flights should be enough to make up for that. Another area where Amex excels is by offering Gold elite status with both Marriott and Hilton to Platinum cardholders. Chase offers no equivalent benefit. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

Chase has historically been the leader in travel insurance, with a multitude of different policies and generous terms. Amex has partially closed the gap , adding a new suite of travel insurance benefits to the Amex Platinum card. You should also remember that both cards offer rental car elite status with a few programs, which you can then use to status match to other rental car programs .

Winner: Amex Platinum is the clear winner when it comes to perks and benefits, which include its $1,400-plus in potential annual statement credits , expanded airport lounge access, new travel protections and elite status with Marriott and Hilton.

Bottom line

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. If you frequently purchase airfare that would qualify for the 5 bonus points per dollar earning rate, this card deserves a spot in your wallet.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve, by comparison, is a premium card that's simple enough for beginners and pros alike to maximize. The $300 annual travel credit is automatically applied to a wide range of purchases. Plus, your 3 points per dollar earning rate on travel (excluding purchases covered by the $300 travel credit) and dining bonus categories are broad enough that you won't be scratching your head trying to decide if you're tapping the right card.

Some people may even find that there's enough room for both cards in their wallets. If you can take advantage of all the annual statement credits and luxury perks, these cards can actually complement each other well.

Official application link: Amex Platinum . Official application link: Chase Sapphire Reserve.

For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum, click here .

Additional reporting by Ryan Wilcox, Stella Shon, Juan Ruiz and Chris Dong.

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Amex Platinum vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve: Elite travel cards with competing perks

The Platinum Card® from American Express and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® are among the most expensive credit cards on the market. However, if you're a travel enthusiast, the benefits these premium credit cards offer can easily outweigh their costs.

But with many overlapping perks, it doesn’t make sense for most people to have both, so it's important to carefully compare the two options to determine which is better for you. Here's what you need to know.

In this article:

Platinum Card from American Express overview

Amex Platinum Card pros and cons

Chase Sapphire Reserve overview

Sapphire Reserve pros and cons

Should you get the Amex Platinum Card?

Should you get the Chase Sapphire Reserve?

Does it make sense to get both cards?

Other travel cards to consider, the platinum card® from american express.

• Annual fee $695
• Welcome offer Earn 80,000 points after spending $8,000 in the first 6 months
• Card type(s) Travel
• Ongoing Purchases APR See Pay Over Time APR
• Recommended credit score Excellent/Good
• 5x points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5x points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel
• 1x points on all other purchases
• Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel (requires a minimum two-night stay)
• Select one qualifying airline and receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline
• Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the U.S. annually (you must have the latest version of the Uber App downloaded and your eligible American Express Platinum Card must be a method of payment in your Uber account; Amex benefit may only be used in United States)

The Amex Platinum offers up a wide range of statement credits and travel perks, but lacks significant rewards for everyday spending.

Why we like it : You'll be hard-pressed to find a credit card that offers more value than the Amex Platinum . While the reward rates on purchases aren’t especially notable, you can get more than $1,500 in value every year in the form of statement credits toward digital entertainment, airline fees, prepaid hotel stays, a Walmart+ subscription, purchases with Saks Fifth Avenue, and a CLEAR subscription. You'll also get Uber Cash each month, which you can use for Uber rides or Uber Eats delivery.

The card also offers complimentary access to several airport lounge networks, elite status with Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, Avis, Hertz, and National Car Rental, and many other travel and lifestyle benefits.

Amex Platinum Card pros

Generous welcome offer: The card offers a sizable welcome bonus , and while the spending requirement is steep, Amex gives you six months to meet the threshold instead of the standard three.

Unparalleled benefits: It may take you some time to make the most of the card, partially because there are so many perks to keep track of. But if you're a frequent traveler, the Platinum Card can elevate nearly every aspect of each trip you take.

Prestige: The Platinum Card has been the standard for other premium credit cards since it first launched in 1984. The heft of the metal card and classic Centurion design adds cachet to your wallet.

Amex Platinum Card cons

Maximizing rewards can take some work: Due to the structure of many of the card's statement credits, it can take some strategy to make the most of what it offers. Be prepared to track your rewards regularly in order to ensure you’re getting all the value you can from the card.

Spending rewards are lacking: The card doesn't offer any bonus rewards on everyday spending categories, and while Membership Rewards points are flexible, most redemption options will give you less than 1 cent per point in value, which is the standard for points and miles credit cards. Generally, your best bet is to transfer your rewards to one of Amex's airline or hotel loyalty program partners.

Steep annual fee: While you can expect a high annual fee for any premium credit card, the Platinum Card's is higher than most. That may not be an issue if you regularly take advantage of the card's perks, but it's a major obstacle for most people.

Read more: Amex points vs. Chase points: Who has the best rewards program?

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

• Annual fee $550
• Welcome offer Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months (that's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠)
• Ongoing Purchases APR 22.49% - 29.49% Variable
• Recommended credit score Excellent
• 10x points on hotels and rental cars purchased through Chase Travel*
• 5x points on flights purchased through Chase Travel*
• 3x points on dining and other travel purchases
• *After the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually
• Points are worth 50% more when you redeem through Chase Travel
• Earn up to $300 in annual statement credits for travel purchases
• Receive up to a $100 statement credit every four years to cover the application fee for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS

The Chase Sapphire Reserve serves up an attainable welcome offer, but the highest rewards on spending are only offered on travel booked through Chase.

Why we like it : The Chase Sapphire Reserve is a rewards powerhouse, offering several ways to rack up a ton of points in a variety of spending categories. What's more, the Chase Ultimate Rewards program offers both versatile and valuable redemption options.

While you can redeem your rewards for things like cash back and gift cards at a rate of 1 cent per point, you'll get 50% more value if you use your points to book travel through Chase's travel portal. Alternatively, you can transfer your rewards to more than a dozen airline and hotel loyalty programs.

The card also offers complimentary access to Priority Pass and Chase Sapphire lounges, a flexible annual travel credit worth $300, and several travel protections to give you peace of mind when a trip doesn't go as planned.

You'll also get a complimentary two-year Lyft Pink membership, a complimentary DoorDash DashPass subscription (when you activate by Dec. 31, 2024) and $5 in DoorDash credits each month, and a complimentary one-year Instacart+ membership and up to $15 in monthly statement credits through July 2024.

Chase Sapphire Reserve pros

Massive welcome bonus: The card's welcome bonus is significant, especially if you use your hard-earned points to book travel through Chase.

Impressive rewards program: You'll not only earn great rewards on various spending categories, but you'll also get incredible value when you use your rewards to book travel through Chase. If you're taking a break from travel, you can safely redeem your rewards in other ways without losing too much value.

Great perks: While it's not as comprehensive as the Amex Platinum, the Sapphire Reserve offers a lot of value with its flexible travel credit, airport lounge access, and other travel benefits.

Chase Sapphire Reserve cons

Rewards are somewhat complicated: While the card's rewards program is incredibly valuable, there may be a steep learning curve when it comes to tracking all the bonus categories and maximizing the value out of your redemptions.

High annual fee: While the Sapphire Reserve charges a lower annual fee than the Platinum Card, it doesn't offer as many ways to offset that cost each year, making it harder to justify with perks alone.

Must book through Chase to get highest rewards: While the card offers a solid 3x points on general travel and dining, the highest rewards for spending are reserved for travel booked through the Chase portal. For those who prefer to book directly with the travel provider, this could be an added hassle.

Should you get Amex Platinum Card?

You may consider the Platinum Card if you're a frequent traveler and value premium benefits on every trip you take.

However, the card's steep annual fee and complicated perks are best suited for people who are willing to do a little extra legwork to squeeze as much value out of it as possible.

Should you get Chase Sapphire Reserve?

The Sapphire Reserve is a bit more accessible than the Platinum Card, both in terms of its yearly cost and straightforward benefits. You may also prefer this option if you want to focus on earning rewards.

That said, it doesn't offer nearly as much value on the benefit side of things, so if your priority is enjoying premium travel perks, it might not be the best fit.

For the most enthusiastic travel rewards hobbyists, there are enough differences between the two cards to justify getting the best of both worlds. True jet-setters may want to maximize the spending rewards of the Sapphire Reserve and the luxury perks of the Amex Platinum .

However, the majority of people likely aren’t willing to pay $1,245 in annual fees to carry both cards. And unless you're traveling constantly, the perks overlap enough that you'll have a hard time maximizing either card.

While the Amex Platinum and Sapphire Reserve are two of the top premium cards on the market, there are plenty of other travel credit cards that offer ample rewards and benefits.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Simple rewards and premium perks.

• Annual fee $395
• Welcome offer Earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months
• Purchase APR 19.99% - 29.99% variable
• 10x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 5x miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles on all other purchases
• $300 annual credit for travel bookings through Capital One Travel
• 10,000 annual bonus miles (worth $100 in travel spending; starts on your first account anniversary)
• Unlimited access for you and two guests to Capital One Lounges and 1,300+ more lounges through partner networks

Why we like it : The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a premium travel credit card that can work for both frequent and casual travelers alike. 

The card charges a hefty annual fee, but you can easily offset that with its annual credit toward Capital One Travel bookings and a 10,000-mile anniversary bonus each year. You can use miles to book travel through Capital One, book on your own and request a statement credit, or transfer your rewards to several airline and hotel loyalty program partners.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Great rewards and low annual fee.

• Annual fee $95
• Welcome offer Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months (that's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠)
• Ongoing Purchases APR 21.49% - 28.49% Variable
• 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel
• 3x points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries
• 2x points on all other travel purchases
• Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel
• Earn up to $50 in annual statement credits for hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel
• On every account anniversary, earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year

Why we like it : The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card 's affordable annual fee is easier to stomach compared to other premium cards. That said, the card still offers impressive value. Its welcome bonus equals that of the Sapphire Reserve, and it offers solid rewards on things like travel, dining, select online grocery purchases, and streaming services.

You'll get the same redemption options as the Sapphire Reserve, though the bonus for travel bookings through Chase is 25%, instead of the Reserve’s 50%. 

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Straightforward travel rewards.

• Recommended credit score Good, Excellent
• 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• Receive up to a $100 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck application fees
• Receive a $50 experience credit, room upgrades, and early check-in at eligible hotels
• Access Hertz's Five Star membership tier, offering free upgrades, a wider selection of vehicles, and more

Why we like it : As with the Sapphire Preferred, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card charges a modest annual fee. It also offers the same welcome bonus as the Venture X and similar rewards to boot — though the bonus rates on travel booked through Capital One Travel are lower.

The Venture Rewards Card also offers the same flexible travel redemption options as the Venture X, making it easy to use your rewards for any kind of travel. On top of that, you'll get an application fee credit toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck and elite status with Hertz.

This article was edited by Alicia Hahn

Editorial Disclosure: The information in this article has not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. All opinions belong solely to the author(s) and are not those of any other entity. The details on financial products, including card rates and fees, are accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information. This site doesn't include all currently available offers. Credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.

American Express Platinum vs Chase Sapphire Reserve: two of the best travel rewards cards for 2024

Dec 15, 2023 • 14 min read

Travel the world with the many perks these two top credit cards offer; here's your guide to which one is best for you © martin-dm / Getty

This series of articles about credit cards, points and miles, and budgeting for travel is brought to you in partnership with  The Points Guy .

Advertiser Disclosure: This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. This relationship may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit  americanexpress.com  to learn more.

With the right travel credit card, you'll go further faster and with plenty of more perks. Of the premium travel rewards cards , The Platinum Card® from American Express * and the Chase Sapphire Reserve®  are two of the best on the market. These cards are among the most popular as well, offering members the chance to earn points toward complimentary flights, hotel stays, rental cars and several other redemptions.

While both cards include a robust amount of statement credits for members to use whether or not they’re traveling, you’ll need to take a closer look to determine which perks will be the most applicable to your current needs and travel preferences. 

If you prefer specific airport lounges or travel with certain airlines or hotel brands over others, pay attention to the ones each card is associated with — and the spending categories each one lets you earn bonus points for — so you can make the most of all those benefits and points-earning possibilities.

Here’s everything you need to know if you’re considering applying for The Platinum Card® from American Express or the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and how they stack up against each other. 

The best credit cards with no international fees

Welcome bonus

Whether you’re just starting your points and miles journey or have been a rewards enthusiast for years, a lucrative welcome bonus is a nice way to boost your current balance. Just pay attention to your finances and ensure you’ll be able to hit the minimum spending requirement responsibly (ideally, by paying off your balance in full each month to avoid extra fees).

Amex Platinum: New cardholders can earn 80,000 bonus Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 within the first six months of opening their account. Those points are worth $1,600 in travel when redeemed for flights, hotels, rental cars and cruises through AmexTravel.com.

Chase Sapphire Reserve: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Verdict: While each welcome bonus offers an incredible amount of points to help you get started on your rewards-earning journey , it’s worth considering which minimum-spend requirement you’re more comfortable with and whether or not you’ll be able to hit it within those timeframes.

Best credit cards for adventure travel

While a high annual fee may seem intimidating, keep in mind that the card’s included memberships and benefits will help to offset it — or even provide a greater value — as long as you use all of them.

Amex Platinum: $695 ( see rates and fees )

Chase Sapphire Reserve: $550 (see rates and fees )

Verdict: The Chase Sapphire Reserve’s annual fee is $145 less than the Amex Platinum Card’s, but it depends more on which card you think you’ll get the most value out of according to your rewards-earning goals.

Traveling to Europe using points and miles

Earning rewards

While both rewards programs let you earn points you can eventually put toward flights, hotel stays, car rentals and other travel elements; each lets you maximize them in different ways. 

For instance, you’ll pick up the most points with the Amex Platinum by using it to pay for hotel and flight reservations made within the Membership Rewards ecosystem (or directly with the airline). The Chase Sapphire Reserve, meanwhile, lets you earn points on more general spending categories, like travel and dining, that you’re more likely to use regularly.

Amex Platinum: Cardmembers can earn 5X points by booking flights via AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year) or directly with the airline and by reserving prepaid hotel stays through the Amex Membership Rewards portal. For all other purchases, you’ll earn just 1X points.

You’ll also pick up 5X points for hotel stays at luxury properties within Chase’s Hotel Collection portfolio, which allows you to receive further benefits like room upgrades, free breakfast or hotel credits up to $100. 

Chase Sapphire Reserve: Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

Additional points can be picked up by doing all your retail therapy through the Shop Through Chase shopping portal, where you’ll receive discounts and earn anywhere from 1 to 15 points per dollar at over 450 online stores. Referring a friend to sign up for the Chase Sapphire Reserve also gets you 10,000 points per referral, with a limit of 50,000 points per year.

Verdict: The Chase Sapphire Reserve card wins this round purely for the fact that you can earn points through more spending categories you’re likely to use regularly (like dining and travel) or online shopping through its portal. The Amex Platinum, by contrast, only lets you earn 1X points on purchases made outside AmexTravel.com.

Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partners: How to get the best value

Redeeming rewards

The best part of earning all those rewards points is redeeming them for what you need the most, whether that’s a free flight to Japan or gift cards for the whole family during the holidays — or using them to cover recent charges. Here are the best options for redeeming your earnings with either card.

Amex Platinum: While you’ll get the biggest bang for your buck by transferring Membership Rewards points directly to one of the program’s 21 airline or hotel partners mentioned below, cardholders still have the option to redeem their points for flights, hotels, rental cars and cruises through AmexTravel.com at a value of about 1 cent per point.

If you’re not going to be traveling for a while, redeeming points for online purchases via MembershipRewards.com or Amex’s retail partners — Amazon, PayPal, GrubHub, Best Buy, Staples and Seamless — or using them to buy gift cards or cover eligible charges made with the card may be more appealing. Note, however, that your redemption value will be slightly lower at 0.6 cents to 1 cent per point depending on what you decide to do.

Chase Sapphire Reserve: Ideally, you’ll want to transfer your Chase Ultimate Rewards points over to one of the program’s 14 airline or hotel partners, which will grant you the highest redemption value. Otherwise, your redemptions will be worth 1.5 cents per point when you book flights, hotels, car rentals and tours via the Chase travel portal, which isn’t too shabby.

Besides that, Ultimate Rewards points can be redeemed for gift cards, statement credits toward recent purchases via Chase’s nifty Pay Yourself Back feature or exchanged for cash back, though the value you’ll get will be considerably lower at 1 cent per point.

Verdict: The Amex Platinum certainly has an edge when it comes to redeeming points, with 21 travel partners to transfer your points to, and options for putting them toward online shopping. That said, if cash-back rewards or the ability to “erase” recent charges is appealing, the Chase Sapphire Reserve might be a better pick depending on your needs.

American Express Membership Rewards vs. Chase Ultimate Rewards

Transfer partners

Cardholders will get the best value by transferring their Amex Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards directly to one of their associated airline and hotel partners. While this is typically done at a transfer ratio of 1:1, several exceptions have been noted below.

Amex Platinum: You’ll have 21 travel transfer partners to choose from with Amex Membership Rewards, including 18 airlines and three hotel brands:

Airline partners: 

• Aer Lingus AerClub
• AeroMexico Rewards (1:1.6)
• Air Canada Aeroplan
• Air France/KLM Flying Blue
• ANA Mileage Club
• Avianca LifeMiles
• British Airways Executive Club
• Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
• Delta Air Lines SkyMiles
• Emirates Skywards
• Etihad Guest
• Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles
• Iberia Plus
• JetBlue TrueBlue (1:0.8)
• Qantas Frequent Flyer
• Qatar Airways Privilege Club
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Hotel partners:

• Choice Privileges
• Hilton Honors (1:2)
• Marriott Bonvoy

Chase Sapphire Reserve: Choose from 14 travel transfer partners with Chase Ultimate Rewards , including 11 airlines and three hotel chains:

• Aer Lingus AerClub 
• Air Canada Aeroplan 
• British Airways Executive Club 
• Emirates Skywards 
• Air France / KLM Flying Blue 
• Iberia Plus 
• JetBlue TrueBlue 
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer 
• Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards 
• United Airlines MileagePlus 
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club 

Hotel partners: 

• IHG One Rewards 
• Marriott Bonvoy 
• World of Hyatt

Verdict: While the Chase Sapphire Reserve® would only give you access to 14 travel partners versus the 21 you could reach with the Amex Platinum Card®, your choice will have to do more with which airlines and hotels you consider yourself most loyal.

It’s important to remember that each airline on the list can also be used to connect with its alliance partners. To use points and miles to save on a trip to Hawaii , for instance, you could transfer points from either rewards program to British Airways Executive Club, then use them to book flights on American Airlines or Alaska Airlines since they’re Oneworld partners.

How to travel to Greece using points and miles

Travel perks and statement credits

While each card offers similar overall benefits — airport lounge access, the ability to book super-luxe accommodations through an exclusive hotel program and credits meant to cover your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck registration — they also provide a slew of statement credits to put toward purchases made when you’re not traveling.

Amex Platinum: One way the Amex Platinum card really shines is with its travel perks and statement credits, which help to balance out the high annual fee, offering an overall value of up to $1,584 if you use all of them. 

For starters, you’ll get an up to $200 airline fee credit, given in statement credits, to use toward in-flight purchases and other incidental charges (like baggage fees) on a designated airline. Then there’s the $200 credit toward The Hotel Collection and Fine Hotels + Resorts stays booked through the AmexTravel.com portal. A 2-night minimum stay is required and this benefit is given in statement credits. 

Cardholders also receive an up to $189 credit to reimburse the fees for CLEAR Plus membership, as well as a credit of up to $100 to cover Global Entry or TSA PreCheck enrollment. The card also offers automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite and Hilton Honors Gold status and access to more than 1,400 lounges around the world through The American Express Global Lounge Collection and its network of Plaza Premium Lounge and Priority Pass partners.

For the times when you’re not traveling, the Amex Platinum  throws in some great perks to use from home, like an up to $155 annual credit ($12.95 plus tax per month) toward a Walmart+ subscription, $100 worth of credit (broken up into $50 per six-month period) for purchases made with Saks Fifth Avenue and up to $300 in annual statement credits toward an Equinox gym membership.

In addition, cardholders score up to $240 digital entertainment credit ($20 per month, given in statement credits) to cover certain streaming services — in particular, Peacock, Hulu, Disney+, ESPN+, The Wall Street Journal or The New York Times. You’ll also enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or Uber Eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.

Another great feature offers cardholders exclusive seating at musical, dining, cultural and sporting events when booked through Membership Rewards.

Chase Sapphire Reserve: Cardholders receive a $300 annual travel credit meant to “erase” travel-related purchases made with the card, as well as a statement credit of up to $100 every four years to reimburse the enrollment fee for Global Entry , TSA PreCheck or NEXUS .

The card includes Priority Pass Select membership, which provides access to more than 1,300 airport lounges worldwide including Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club outposts in Boston and Hong Kong (locations are also expected to open soon in New York, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Philadelphia and San Diego).

You’ll also have access to the Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection, which opens you up to earning more benefits like late checkout, free breakfast, room upgrades or hotel-specific perks worth up to $100. Another included feature, Reserved by Sapphire, offers members exclusive seating at special events, whether culinary, musical or sports-related.

Additional perks include a free two-year Lyft Pink All Access membership, a one-year subscription to Instacart+ with up to $15 in statement credits each quarter, plus a complimentary DashPass membership to satisfy all your DoorDash and Caviar cravings, with $5 in DoorDash credits each month.

Verdict: It really depends on your personal travel preferences for this one. If you’re someone who makes visiting Amex Centurion Lounges a priority and who will use the credits for CLEAR Plus and TSA PreCheck (or Global Entry) memberships, you’ll likely lean toward the Amex Platinum. 

If the Priority Pass lounge membership, Lyft Pink All Access subscription and Instacart+ benefits are more appealing, the Chase Sapphire Reserve might be a better choice. Think about which perks you’d use the most if you had each of these cards and go from there.

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Additional benefits and protections

In addition to all the included benefits mentioned above, each card offers a litany of travel-related insurance and purchase protections. Note, however, that the type of coverage you’ll get from each of them is slightly different. They do have one thing in common, though: no foreign transaction fees.

Amex Platinum: As included benefits, cardmembers receive secondary coverage for standard car rentals, trip interruption and cancellation insurance, trip delay reimbursement, baggage insurance, access to a global emergency assistance hotline and medical transport and evacuation coverage in case of an emergency during your travels*.

In addition, you’ll get a year’s worth of extended warranty protection, up to 90 days of purchase protection and return protection — meaning you could be reimbursed for items within 90 days, even if the store won’t take them back — and cell phone protection (up to $800 per claim, limited to two claims per 12-month period, plus a $50 deductible*).

Chase Sapphire Reserve: This card offers a robust portfolio of benefits to provide peace of mind as you travel, including an auto rental collision damage waiver for car rentals (which counts as primary insurance), roadside assistance, emergency transportation and evacuation and an emergency medical and dental benefit if you’re at least 100 miles from home.

All cardmembers receive baggage delay insurance, reimbursement for trip delays and lost luggage, trip interruption and cancellation insurance, travel accident insurance and emergency assistance services should any issues arise during your trip.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve also provides purchase protection for 120 days, extended warranty protection for an additional year (on eligible warranties up to three years) and return protection within 90 days of the original purchase.

Verdict: While both cards offer similar purchase protections and worst-case scenario travel insurance coverage, the Chase Sapphire Reserve stands out for one reason: it provides primary car insurance via the auto rental collision damage waiver while the Amex Platinum only gives you secondary coverage.

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Bottom line

There’s a lot to consider when choosing your next card, especially when the The Platinum Card® from American Express and the Chase Sapphire Reserve  are top premium products offering similar perks and benefits. To help narrow it down, think about the features that are most appealing to you and your travel needs, and pick the one you’ll be able to maximize the most.

If you end up going with the Chase Sapphire Reserve, be aware of Chase’s strict 5/24 rule, which may mean your application gets rejected if you’ve already applied for five or more credit cards within a 24-month period. 

While American Express does not practice the same policy, it might be worth signing up for any Chase cards first (especially if your rewards-earning strategy involves acquiring more of them) and saving the Amex Platinum for later since it would count toward Chase’s 5/24 restriction if you did it first.

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* Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit  americanexpress.com/benefitsguide  for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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Chase Sapphire Reserve® vs. The Platinum Card® from American Express: Which is Best?

Compare the different offers from our partners and choose the card that is right for you. Some of the card offers on this site are from companies who are advertising clients of U.S. News. Advertising considerations may impact where and in what order offers appear on the site but do not affect any editorial decisions, such as which card products we write about and how we evaluate them. This site does not include all card companies or all card offers available in the marketplace. Terms apply.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express are both premium travel cards that can help make your travel more luxurious. The right choice between the two options depends on whether you want more flexible rewards or more premium perks. Read how the cards compare to decide which one is better for you.

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In Travel Credit Cards

In Cards for Excellent Credit

Credit Rating

• 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually.
• 5x total points on flights
• 3x points on other travel and dining
• 1X point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year
• 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• 1x points on other eligible purchases

Regular APR

22.49%-29.49% Variable

See Pay Over Time APR

Introductory APR

Introductory bonus.

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

• Up to a $300 annual travel credit
• Global Entry, NEXUS or TSA Precheck fee credit
• Trip cancellation or interruption insurance
• Auto rental collision damage waiver
• Lost luggage reimbursement
• Trip delay reimbursement
• Emergency evacuation and transportation
• Purchase protection
• Return protection
• Extended warranty protection
• Uber VIP status available
• Up to a $200 airline fee credit
• Fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck
• The Global Lounge Collection
• Platinum Travel service
• Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status
• Hilton Honors Gold Status
• Car rental loss and damage insurance
• Premium Global Assist Hotline
• Platinum concierge service

Which Card Offers the Best Rewards?

With the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, you can earn three points per dollar on travel immediately after earning your $300 travel credit, three points per dollar on dining at restaurants and one point per dollar on all other purchases. You can earn 60,000 bonus points with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠ . Points are worth 1 cent for most redemptions or 1.5 cents when redeemed for travel. They transfer at a 1-to-1 value with airline and hotel travel partners.

Based on how the average American consumer spends*:

Annual rewards value: $408 Sign-up bonus value: $900 First-year value: $1,308 Total two-year value: $1,716

With The Platinum Card® from American Express, you'll earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Cardholders earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points bonus points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership . Terms apply.

First-year rewards value: $512 Introductory bonus value: $750 First-year value: $1,262 Total two-year value: $1,774

Best two-year value: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

*Rewards value is based on data from the 2017 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Expenditure Survey, rounded to the nearest $100 for annual expenditures. That amounts to $500 for flights, $500 for hotels, $3,400 for dining, $4,400 for groceries, $2,000 for gas, $3,000 for entertainment, $1,800 for apparel and services, $800 for personal care products and services, and $2,000 for all other expenditures, earned and redeemed at the highest value available.

Which Card Has the Lowest Fees?

Chase Sapphire Reserve® has a $550 annual fee. Cardholders pay no foreign transaction fee, but there is a balance transfer fee of 5% of the amount of the transfer with a $5 minimum. There’s a late fee of up to $40.

The Platinum Card® from American Express has an annual fee of $695 . ( See Rates & Fees )

Lowest fees: The Chase Sapphire Reserve® has the lowest fees overall, with a lower annual fee.

Which Card Has the Lowest APR?

The Chase Sapphire Reserve®'s APR is 22.49% to 29.49% variable . The card has no 0% introductory period for purchases or balance transfers.

see pay over time APR for The Platinum Card® from American Express. ( See Rates & Fees )

Which Card Has the Most Valuable Benefits?

Chase Sapphire Reserve’s most valuable benefits:

• Global Entry or TSA Precheck fee credit

The Platinum Card from American Express’ most valuable benefits:

Enrollment Required for Select Benefits.

Most valuable benefits: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Which Card Is the Best For You?

Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers several luxury travel perks, including airport lounge access with Priority Pass Select, an application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck, and a $300 annual travel credit. It also offers more than $400 of rewards value during the first year and allows cardholders to transfer points at their full value to travel partners.

The Platinum Card® from American Express offers a suite of luxury travel perks, including fee credits, airport lounge access, elite hotel status and more. You also have the ability to transfer points to several airline and hotel partners.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here

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You can compare cards side-by-side, plus get info about rewards, points, interest rates, and how to apply — all in one place.

Comparative assessments and other editorial opinions are those of U.S. News and have not been previously reviewed, approved or endorsed by any other entities, such as banks, credit card issuers or travel companies. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired.

Partner Offers:

Terms Apply

Citi Double Cash® Card

On Citi 's Website.

Top Rewards Rates

on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.

total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24.

At A Glance

Credit Needed

580-850 Fair to Excellent

Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.

Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24.

Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% - 29.24%, based on your creditworthiness.

Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.

If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.

There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).

Rates & Fees

Issuer Name

Excellent, Good, Fair

Penalty APR

Up to 29.99% (Variable)

Balance Transfer Intro APR

Balance transfer fee.

Intro fee 3% of each transfer ($5 min) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, 5% of each transfer ($5 min).

Cash Advance Fee

5% of each cash advance; $10 minimum

Foreign Transaction Fee

• See all credit card details

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

On Chase 's Website.

on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠

on dining, select streaming services and online groceries

on all other travel purchases

on all other purchases

670-850 Good to Excellent

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.

Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.

Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.

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.

Member FDIC

Excellent, Good

Up to 29.99%

Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater.

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service

cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more

cash back on all other purchases

INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).

After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!

Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.

No annual fee - You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card

Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.

Purchases Intro APR

0% Intro APR on Purchases for 15 months

0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers

3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars

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Amex Platinum Card vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve: Which Premium Card Is Better?

AwardWallet receives compensation from advertising partners for links on the blog. Terms Apply to the offers listed on this page. The opinions expressed here are our own and have not been reviewed, provided, or approved by any bank advertiser. Here's our complete list of Advertisers .

The Chase Sapphire Reserve ® and The Platinum Card ® from American Express are two of the most popular rewards cards in the ultra-premium / luxury category.

While both cards come with hefty annual fees that you'll need to pay each year, both cards provide a wide array of benefits. Many people find that the total value of the benefits they receive each year from holding one of these luxury rewards cards more than offsets the cost of the annual fee — justifying keeping the card for another year.

But, when comparing the Chase Sapphire Reserve ® vs. the Amex Platinum card, it's important to understand the differences between these two cards to determine which one might be best for you.

Today, we'll help you determine which of these heavy-hitting cards might best fit your unique spending and travel habits. In this post, we'll take a look at the welcome bonus, benefits, spending categories, and other perks.

Page Contents

Chase Sapphire Reserve vs. Amex Platinum Welcome Bonus

Chase sapphire reserve vs. amex platinum annual fee, when to use amex platinum vs. chase sapphire reserve, airport lounge access, travel credits, other monthly and annual credits, partner benefits, amex reward points vs. chase sapphire reserve point value, should i have both the amex platinum and chase sapphire reserve, is the chase sapphire reserve better than amex platinum.

• 10X points on Lyft rides through March 2025
• 10X points on hotels and car rentals purchased through Chase Travel℠
• 10X points on Chase Dining (including prepaid reservations and prepaid takeout purchased through Chase)
• 5X points on airfare purchased through Chase Travel℠
• 3X points on all other travel
• 3X points on dining at restaurants
• 1X points on all other purchases

• Earn 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year).
• Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.

The welcome bonus for both the Sapphire Reserve and Amex Platinum varies over time. Thus, it's important to make sure that you're comparing the most recent bonus. You'll also want to understand that it will be a while before you can earn a welcome bonus more than once on either of these cards. Because of this, you'll want to apply when the bonus is higher than average.

These are the current welcome offers:

• Sapphire Reserve : Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• Amex Platinum : Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards ® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

You can earn more points overall with the Amex Platinum, but you'll pay a higher annual fee on this card and need to spend more to unlock the welcome bonus. However, the value of the bonus is what we're evaluating.

Winner: Amex Platinum

• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
• Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 year period for TSA PreCheck® application fee for a 5-year plan only (through a TSA PreCheck® official enrollment provider), when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.
• Rates & Fees

The Sapphire Reserve has a $550 annual fee, while the annual fee on the Amex Platinum is $695 ( Rates & Fees ). While the two cards both charge high annual fees, the Sapphire Reserve charges a significantly lower annual fee.

Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck ®
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Member FDIC

One key to maximizing the value of your miles and points is to know when and where to use your card to boost your point earnings. The Sapphire Reserve offers:

Note that bonus earning on travel purchases happens only after the first $300 in travel purchases each year. You get a $300 annual travel credit to offset those purchases, so Chase doesn't allow you to double dip by earning extra points on spending that was offset by the credit.

In contrast, the earning rates on the Amex Platinum include 1 point per $1 spent on purchases other than these:

The Sapphire Reserve seems like the clear winner for most spending patterns. Not only do you get the same 5x on flights booked through the card's travel portal, but you also get a higher earning rate on hotels booked through the travel portal. In addition, you get additional bonus points on other travel and dining purchases.

Chase Sapphire Reserve Benefits vs. Amex Platinum

Now, let's compare the Sapphire Reserve vs. Amex Platinum in terms of cardholder benefits. We'll break this down into a few different categories.

Both the Sapphire Reserve and the Amex Platinum card come with a Priority Pass Select membership . This membership allows you access to over 1,300 airport lounges throughout the world. However, Priority Pass memberships through Chase allow you access to non-lounge amenities like select airport restaurants , while Priority Pass memberships through American Express do not .

Amex Platinum cardholders also get access to the Global Lounge Collection , including American Express Centurion lounges , Plaza Premium lounges, Airscape and Escape lounges, as well as Delta Sky Clubs when traveling Delta (subject to 10 visits per year starting on February 1, 2025). There are a few Chase Sapphire Lounges at this point, with more being built, but these are currently much less common than Amex-exclusive lounges.

Both the Amex Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve offer annual travel credits . The Chase   Sapphire Reserve offers a $300 travel credit each year.

This credit is quite valuable since it can be used on just about anything that codes as “travel.” That means it's quite easy to redeem, and there's a relatively little chance of “breakage” (where you don't use the full value of your available credit).

On the other hand, the Amex Platinum offers two annual travel credits:

• A $200 annual airline incidental fee credit that can be used to pay for ancillary charges on one specific airline, including seat selection, wifi, baggage fees, or other similar charges.
• A $200 credit on select prepaid hotel bookings .

Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.

While the face value of the annual travel credits is higher with the Amex Platinum, the ease of use of the $300 Chase travel credit gives it a slight nod.

The Sapphire Reserve offers a couple of monthly credits to cardholders:

• $5 in DoorDash credits each month
• Up to $15 in monthly statement credits for Instacart purchases

The Amex Platinum card, on the other hand, has a wide array of available credits, including:

• $20 monthly (up to $240 per year) as a digital entertainment credit
• A $155 Walmart+ credit (up to $12.95 per month plus applicable taxes)
• $200 in Uber Cash towards rides or Uber Eats orders in the U.S. ($15 each month, plus a $20 bonus in December) when you add your card as a payment method in your Uber account
• $300 annually in statement credits on a digital or club membership at Equinox
• $50 twice a year to shop at Saks Fifth Avenue
• $189 per year as a statement credit for CLEAR Plus membership

Both cards offer a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit when you pay the application fee with your card. The Amex Platinum offers a reimbursement for TSA PreCheck once every 4.5 years or once every 4 years for Global Entry. The Sapphire Reserve makes this benefit available every four years for either program and also can reimburse your application fee for NEXUS , the cross-border program between Canada and the U.S.

Sapphire Reserve cardholders are also eligible for:

• Access to The Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection
• Complimentary two-year Lyft Pink All Access membership plus 10x points on Lyft purchases (must activate by December 31, 2024)
• One year of complimentary Instacart+ (activate by July 31, 2024)
• Complimentary access to DashPass – a membership for both DoorDash and Caviar (activate by December 31, 2024)

Related:  Is the Sapphire Reserve Worth the $550 Annual Fee?

Here is a look at some of the partner benefits available to Amex Platinum cardholders:

• Access to the Fine Hotels + Resorts program and The Hotel Collection
• Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
• Hilton Honors Gold status
• Premium car rental status with several programs

Both cards offer:

• Trip cancellation/interruption insurance
• Lost luggage reimbursement
• Trip delay reimbursement
• Extended warranty
• Purchase protection and return protection
• The Amex Platinum card offers secondary car rental coverage, while the Sapphire Reserve offers much more valuable primary car rental coverage.

However, there are benefits that they don't have in common as well:

• The Amex Platinum offers cell phone insurance
• The Sapphire Reserve offers baggage delay insurance (in addition to lost luggage coverage), travel accident insurance, and emergency medical/dental coverage

While it's possible to compare the amount of rewards you'll earn with both cards, it's important to note that the two cards earn different currencies: American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards .

Thus, the card you choose may depend on the value you place on either of these currencies. Generally, both of these currencies are quite valuable, so your card choice might depend on your travel and redemption habits.

As a point of comparison, AwardWallet users have redeemed Membership Rewards points for an average of 1.86¢ and Ultimate Rewards points for an average of 1.82¢.

Winner: Tie

Related: Chase Ultimate Rewards vs. American Express Membership Rewards: Which Is Better?

Since both the Amex Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve have solid benefits, you might wonder if it makes sense to have both cards. While the exact answer will depend on your unique spending, travel, and redemption habits, it probably doesn't make sense for most people. The reason is that many card benefits overlap.

After all, if you already have a Priority Pass Select membership from the Sapphire Reserve , you won't gain additional benefits of having Priority Pass with your Amex Platinum .

In addition, if you earn 5x points for flights booked with your Sapphire Reserve, you can't also earn 5x points for booking with your Amex Platinum.

That is why for most people, it probably makes the most sense to find one of these luxury rewards cards that best suits you and stick with it. Focus on the differences, such as Amex's expanded number of lounges or the Chase lounges, or consider the differences in spending credits and insurance protections.

You can read our Sapphire Reserve review and our Amex Platinum review to learn more about both cards.

The Amex Platinum and Sapphire Reserve are two premium rewards cards. Both offer an array of travel and cardmember perks and benefits while also charging annual fees of hundreds of dollars.

Yes, the annual fees are pretty high. That means savvy travelers will compare the value of the benefits they receive to the cost of the annual fee to decide which of these luxury cards makes the most sense for them and which annual fee is justified year after year, based on the value obtained from holding the card.

Both cards are likely to give more value than their annual fee at least in the first year, thanks to the welcome offers. After that, make an informed decision and cost–benefit analysis to determine what is your best path forward. While the Amex Platinum did come out ahead in one more category than the Chase Sapphire Reserve, that's close enough to indicate you should dig deeper before deciding on which card is right for you.

For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: The Platinum Card ® from American Express ( Rates & Fees )

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• Credit-Cards
• American Express

AMEX Platinum Travel Credit Card

• Compare American Express® Platinum Reserve

AMEX Platinum Travel Credit Card vs American Express® Platinum Reserve

American Express® Platinum Reserve

Joining Fees

₹3,500

₹10,000

Editor's Rating

Key Features

• Rewards Points can be redeemable for Travel Vouchers worth Rs. 3,500
• 4 complimentary visits per year to airport lounges across India
• Get Taj Experiences E-Gift Card worth Rs. 10,000 from the Taj, SeleQtions and Vivanta Hotels
• If you don't wish to redeem rewards points for Travel Vouchers, you can then redeem them by choosing from over 500 other redemption options
• Avail 20% discounts or more every time you dine at select restaurants
• Welcome Gift of 11,000 Bonus Membership Rewards Points
• Complimentary Airport Lounge accesses such as American Express and other Domestic Lounges in India. Also, get a Complimentary Membership to Priority Pass, with the US$99 Annual Membership Fee waived off
• Avail privileges at Taj Hotels Palaces Resorts Safaris; Preferred Hotel Group
• Get special benefits at Max Healthcare and various other curated benefits for mind, body and soul
• Complimentary access to leading Golf courses in India

Editor's Review

• Massive reward points on this credit card. One of the best cards with reward points
• Travel benefit vouchers are great those who travel frequently and prefer to stay with Taj Hotel
• The reward points earned can easily be redeemed by choosing other items from catalogue, giving a free hand to cardholders
• No complimentary Golf/coaching sessions
• Not many benefits on entertainment, in fact, there aren’t any.
• No Annual/Joining Fee reversal comes with American Express Platinum Travel credit card
• Relax luxuriously in the American Express Platinum Lounge at Delhi Domestic Terminal
• Avail movie or online shopping vouchers worth Rs.6,000 per year
• Special privileges at Taj, SeleQtions and Vivanta Hotels; Preferred Hotels & Resorts
• Redeem the Points for over 500 options that include travel, dining, accessories and more
• Poor reward structure
• Absence of bonus reward points on milestone spends
• High-interest rates
• High Annual Fee

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HDFC Diners Club Black

More comparisions with american express® platinum reserve.

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Vote for your favorite rewards credit card!

USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards

A good rewards credit card offers users greater flexibility on how they earn and redeem points, with no need to fly the same airline, stay in the same hotel chain, or rent from the same car company on every trip. We asked a panel of miles-and-points experts to tell us their favorite general rewards credit cards, and we need you to help us pick a winner. Vote for your favorite card once per day until voting ends on Monday, July 29 at noon ET. We'll announce the 10 winning credit cards on Wednesday, August 7.  Read the official  Readers' Choice rules .

A good rewards credit card offers users greater flexibility on how they earn and redeem points, with no need to fly the same airline, stay in the same hotel chain, or rent from the same car company on every trip. We...   Read More

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American Express Business Gold Card

The American Express Business Gold Card features a 70,000-point sign-up bonus with qualifying purchases. Cardholders also have the chance to earn four points per dollar on the two categories (out of six possible categories) where your business spends the most each billing cycle.

American Express Gold Card

The American Express Gold Card offers cardholders with excellent credit several perks and benefits, including the chance to earn three points per dollar spent booking flights directly from airlines and four points per dollar spent at grocery stores and restaurants (including takeout and delivery). The card also comes with a $120 annual dining credit and $120 in Uber Cash.

American Express Green Card

The American Express Green Card comes with a 40,000-point sign-up bonus after qualifying purchases and no foreign transaction fees. Cardholders earn three points per dollar spent on dining (including takeout and delivery), transit, airfare, hotels, and car rentals. Other perks include a $189 CLEAR Plus credit and $100 LoungeBuddy credit.

American Express Platinum Card

While the Platinum Card from American Express has a higher-than-average annual fee, it can be well worth it, thanks to perks like a 125,000-point sign-up bonus (after qualifying purchases), $200 airline fee credit, $15 worth of Uber rides or Eats orders each month, $189 CLEAR Plus credit, and the chance to earn five points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines and on prepaid hotels.

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Bank of America Premium Rewards Visa

With the Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card, cardholders earn 60,000 bonus points with qualifying purchases, 2 points per dollar spent on travel and dining and 1.5 points per dollar on everything else. Other perks include up to $200 in travel statement credits, travel insurance protections, and no foreign transaction fees.

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Bilt Mastercard issued by Wells Fargo

Designed for convenience and flexibility, Bilt cardholders enjoy rewards without any annual fee and earn points for everyday purchases, including rent. Those points can be redeemed for flights, hotels, car rentals, and experiences, or you can transfer them to a number of loyalty partners like IHG One Rewards and United MileagePlus.

Blue Business Plus from American Express

New cardholders with Blue Business Plus from American Express can earn 50,000 rewards points with qualifying purchases in the first three months. And the card nets users 2 points per dollar spent on business purchases up to $50,000 per calendar year.

Photo courtesy of Capital One

Capital One Savor

Capital One Savor offers unlimited 4% cash back on dining and entertainment, as well as popular streaming services, and 3% cash back at grocery stores. New cardmembers enjoy a $300 bonus with qualifying purchases. The card also comes with nice benefits, such as no foreign transaction fees and 24/7 complimentary concierge service.

Capital One Venture Rewards

Venture Rewards cardholders earn 2 miles per dollar on all purchases. When paired with an attractive 75,000-mile sign-up bonus (after $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months), a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, and flexible redemption options, it becomes a great all-around card for frequent travelers who want a simple and effective way to earn miles.

Capital One Venture X Rewards

With the Capital One Venture X Rewards card, your travel will earn you big benefits. Within the first three months of membership, a bonus of 75,000 free miles is rewarded to members that spend $4,000. Earn two times the miles for all purchases, five times the miles on every flight booked with Capital One Travel, and 10 times the miles on hotels and rental cars booked with Capital One Travel. 

Capital One VentureOne Rewards

With the Capital One VentureOne Rewards card, cardholders earn unlimited 1.25 miles per dollar on all purchases, as well as 20,000 bonus miles with qualifying purchases — all with no annual fee. Plus, you can earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

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Chase Freedom Flex Mastercard

Generous cash-back rewards are available if you carry a Chase Freedom Flex Mastercard, including rotating bonus categories that offer higher cash-back rates. Another great perk is the lengthy introductory 0% APR period for balance transfers and purchases, helping you save on interest charges. This card also provides valuable purchase protection benefits, such as extended warranty coverage and purchase protection against damage or theft.

Photo courtesy of Chase

Chase Freedom Unlimited Visa

Chase Freedom Unlimited cardholders earn 5% cash back on travel through Chase Travel, 3% on restaurants, and 1.5% on all purchases. There's no annual fee, and the card comes with a $200 cash-back bonus offer on $500 of purchases in the first three months. Even better, the cash-back rewards don't expire.

Photo courtesy of Chase Ink

Chase Ink Business Premier

The Chase Ink Business Premier credit card provides valuable travel and purchase protections, including trip cancellation/interruption insurance, rental car insurance, cell phone protection, purchase protection, and extended warranty protection. Cardholders also earn 2% to 5% cash back on every purchase, and points that are redeemed through Chase Travel have a boosted rate of 25% more value.

Chase Sapphire Preferred

Chase Sapphire Preferred offers perks like a 60,000-point sign-up bonus, no foreign transaction fees, and the chance to earn 5 points per dollar spent on travel through Chase Travel. Cardholders enjoy 2 points per dollar on all other travel purchases. Points can be converted one-to-one with several loyalty programs, including United and Southwest.

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Chase Sapphire Reserve offers a 60,000-point sign-up bonus, plus a $300 annual travel credit, Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit, no foreign transaction fees, and 3 points per dollar spent on travel and restaurants worldwide. Cardholders get 50% more value when they redeem points through Chase Travel.

Photo courtesy of Maca and Naca / E+

Citi Strata Premier Card

The Citi Strata Premier card earns cardholders an annual $100 hotel credit, plus 3 points per dollar spent on travel, restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, and EV charging stations. That's in addition to 10 points per dollar spent on hotels, car rentals, and experiences booked through CitiTravel.com. Points can be transferred to partners like TrueBlue and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.

Photo courtesy of Discover

Discover it Cash Back

Discover it cardholders earn 5% cash back on rotating categories like gas stations, Amazon.com, restaurants, and grocery stores, plus 1% back on all other purchases. Discover matches the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year, and cash-back rewards never expire.

Quicksilver from Capital One

Quicksilver from Capital One offers unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases, a $200 sign-up bonus, no annual fees, and no foreign transaction fees. With rewards that don't expire, it's a great low-fee, low-maintenance option for cardholders who value simplicity.

Photo courtesy of pixelfit // Getty Images

Wells Fargo Autograph Card

The Wells Fargo Autograph Card offers several standout perks to keep their customers in motion. Cardholders enjoy three times the points in many purchasing categories including gas, travel, restaurants, and transit. That's in addition to access to 24/7 concierge services, assisting you with various requests such as event tickets, reservations, and special experiences.

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Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best .

The Experts

Cheryl maguire.

Cheryl Maguire holds a Master of Counseling...   Read More

Cheryl Maguire holds a Master of Counseling Psychology degree. She is married and the mother of twins and a daughter. She writes about travel, mental health, science, and parenting. Her writing has been published in The New York Times, AARP, NatGeo, The Washington Post, Success Magazine, Parents Magazine, and many other publications. She is a professional member of ASJA and an active member of SATW. You can find her on X at @CherylMaguire05.

Cindy Greenstein

Cindy Greenstein is a mother of three young adults...   Read More

Cindy Greenstein is a mother of three young adults and a credit-card points expert who loves to travel for free. During her more than 20 years of marriage, she has used credit card points to travel the world while rarely paying for airline flights and hotel rooms. Some of her five-figure travel savings include trips to Aspen ($26,000); Greece ($23,000) and London ($15,000). Her favorite credit cards for point accumulation include the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Capital One Venture X and American Express Gold. Cindy—an attorney and former certified public accountant—founded The Points Mom to share her credit card rewards-program expertise with family friends and small business owners who don’t have the time to learn how to maximize their points. Her services include one-on-one consultations, group consultations, speaking engagements, and reward-program tutorials. She provides the latest offers as well as tons of tips and tricks on Instagram at thepointsmom_ . When Cindy pays for travel or hotels, she is strategic about the credit cards that she uses. For example, on her trips she pays with the card that will earn her the most rewards, gets her the closest to elite status and offers her the most lucrative benefits.

Travel Mom Squad

Alex, Pam, and Jess are the women behind Travel...   Read More

Alex, Pam, and Jess are the women behind Travel Mom Squad. They are a trio of moms (and one is grandma) who love to travel the world for nearly free, thanks to credit card points and miles. Learning how to leverage credit card points and miles has allowed them to have incredible travel experiences they never imagined were possible. They've traveled to places like Hawaii, Greece, Africa, Italy, Mexico, Bora Bora, and more all for nearly free Using their knowledge of credit card points and miles, they teach others how to do the same so they can see the world for nearly free as well! Find them at  travelmomsquad.com , Instagram , or their podcast . 

10Best Editors

USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,...   Read More

USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.

Amex Gold vs Platinum: Which benefits work for you?

A merican Express has long had a reputation as a top-notch credit card for jet-setting travellers with a taste for the finer things in life. On top of providing a means for you to spend with all the protections that credit cards offer, Amex cards also offer a range of additional benefits including concierge services, spending rewards and even Deliveroo discounts.

Cardholders may also be able to get exclusive access to on-demand entertainment events and extra benefits when they travel.

American Express has a range of different credit cards available to individuals but two of the most popular are Amex Gold and Amex Platinum.

Here Telegraph Money explores the differences between the two cards, to help you work out whether Amex Gold or Amex Platinum is the right choice for you. 

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What is Amex Gold?

The American Express Preferred Rewards Gold credit card is all about the perks. For every £1 you spend, you get one membership reward point, rising to two points for every £1 spent on flight bookings and three points for spending with American Express Travel.

As an additional welcome bonus, new members can get 25,000 reward points when they sign up (up from 20,000), plus an extra 3,000 points if they spend £3,000 in three months. There’s a further 5,000 points up for grabs if they spend anything in month 15. However, this is part of a limited time offer which ends on 16 th July 2024. 

All Amex Gold card holders can also get four free Priority Pass airport lounge visits which can be used at airports across the world.

There’s also access to exclusive experiences, with previous events including a behind-the-scenes tour of the Tottenham Hotspur stadium and a cocktail-making masterclass.

Gold card holders don’t have to travel to make the most of benefits either, with two £5 credits a month when you order food with Deliveroo.

The annual fee for the Amex Gold is currently £195, but it is waived during the first year.

What is Amex Platinum?

The Amex Platinum card ramps the lifestyle benefits up a gear, with a variety of personal, lifestyle and travel perks.

New members get 40,000 membership reward points, plus an extra £5,000 points if they spend £6,000 in the first three months. 

Members earn one point for every pound they spend on the card or two for every pound spent at Amex Travel.

There is also complimentary access to airport lounges across the world and worldwide travel insurance for members and their families.

The Global Dining Credit gives up to £150 in discounts in partner restaurants in the UK plus a further £150 credit for dining overseas.

Luxury shoppers will also appreciate the Harvey Nichols shopping credit worth £50 twice a year.

Hotel benefits, meanwhile, include free room upgrades (when available) and late check-outs.

On top of that, if you sign up between now and 27 August 2024 you will be entered into a draw to win tickets to the 2025 Wimbledon tennis tournament. 

The catch is that the Amex Platinum comes with a hefty £650 annual fee.

How do I decide between Amex Gold and Amex Platinum?

The key to working out whether you should get Amex Gold or Amex Platinum is to look at the benefits and think about how much you will use each of them.

To make the most of rewards you will also need to spend large sums regularly. While it’s fine to put as much of your spending as you can on the card, you don’t want to then fall into the trap of spending just to get rewards.

For the majority of people a Gold card will provide a good introduction to the benefits of Amex – including some travel benefits such as 24/7 global assist (which can be helpful if you have an emergency overseas) and a limited number of airport lounge passes. 

For the Platinum option to stack up you will need to really unpick the details to justify the £650 annual fee. For example, look at the partner hotels and restaurants you’ll need to use to get maximum benefits from the perks and think about whether they are the sort of places you’d go. 

While it might look good in your wallet, it’s only likely to offer value for money if you’re a big spender, travel regularly and in style.

With either option, it’s essential you pay your outstanding balance off every month, otherwise interest charges will quickly erode the value of your perks. The interest rate on the Platinum card, at 704.6pc, is particularly high.

Is Amex Gold easier to get than Platinum?

There’s no published information to suggest that it’s harder to qualify for an Amex Platinum over Amex Gold. However, American Express does state that to get either, you need to be over 18, have a permanent UK address and have no record of bad debts – meaning you will need to have a good credit score.

Before you apply for either, it’s a good idea to use Amex’s online eligibility checker to find out if you will qualify before you make a formal application (as it won’t leave a mark on your credit record).

Why your credit score could cost you your mortgage (and how to boost it)

Is it worth upgrading from Amex Gold to Amex Platinum?

If you already have an Amex Gold card, you might be tempted to upgrade to Platinum. Amex will tempt you with the offer of extra member reward points when you do. Frequent flyers might also appreciate the value of unlimited lounge access at airports and enhanced travel rewards.

However, Platinum costs £455 more a year than Gold, so you’ll want to be confident that you will make the most of the benefits. It’s important not to get swayed by benefits you might not in reality use.

How can I use member reward points?

You can use member reward points to pay for shopping with a broad range of every day and luxury retailers from Boots to John Lewis via Homebase and Harvey Nichols. Alternatively you can spend your reward points on hotels or flights. 

You can even donate your points to charity if you wish through a partnership with JustGiving.

Do Amex Gold or Platinum pay cashback?

Amex does offer cashback rewards – but not on its Gold or Platinum cards.

If you would like a cashback benefit, it’s worth looking at its Cashback and Everyday Cashback credit cards.

Can I get air miles with American Express Gold or Platinum?

Neither Amex Gold or Platinum offer Avios points.

If you want to focus your rewards on flights, the British Airways American Express credit card pays one Avios point for every £1 spent on everyday purchases. There’s no annual fee and if you spend £12,000 over the year you can also earn a companion voucher.

'How I got a British Airways Gold Card for less than £3,000'

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Head-to-Head: Amex Business Platinum vs. Amex Aeroplan Business Reserve

American Express offers a handful of products for business owners who want to earn travel rewards. Two of the most popular cards in the lineup are the Business Platinum Card from American Express and the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card .

Both cards command higher-than-average annual fees, but offer a commensurate amount of perks to help justify the costs on an ongoing basis.

In this edition of Head-to-Head, we’ll compare and contrast these two cards to help guide your decision as to which one suits you best.

Card Basics

When deciding between two credit cards, the most important comparisons will always be made on a few key factors.

1. Welcome Bonus

As premium cards, both the Business Platinum Card from American Express and the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card are known to offer generous welcome bonuses.

As it stands, the welcome bonus on the Business Platinum Card is for up 120,000 Membership Rewards (MR) points , structured as follows:

• 80,000 MR points upon spending $15,000 (all figures in CAD) in the first three months
• 40,000 MR points upon making a purchase in months 14–17 as a cardholder

It’s worth noting that you’ll have to pay the annual fee twice before you receive the full allotment of points from the welcome bonus, and that the minimum spending requirement is quite high. However, 120,000 MR points is currently the most generous welcome bonus available in Canada, and is well worth the pursuit.

Meanwhile, the current welcome bonus on the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card is for up to 95,000 Aeroplan points, structured as follows:

• 70,000 Aeroplan points upon spending $10,500 in the first three months
• 25,000 Aeroplan points upon spending $3,500 in month 13

The total welcome bonus is less than what’s offered on the Business Platinum, and you’ll also have to keep track of and spend $3,500 in month 13 as a cardholder. On the other hand, the minimum spending requirement in year one is lower than the Business Platinum Card, while offering a comparable (albeit lower) amount of points.

Verdict:  Both cards offer generous welcome bonuses with similar structures that award points in each of the first two years. However, the total amount offered through the Business Platinum is greater than the Amex Aeroplan Business Reserve, and it comes without a minimum spending requirement in year two.

Therefore, we’ll side with the Business Platinum in this measure, keeping in mind that both offers are subject to change at any time.

2. Annual Fee

The Business Platinum Card comes with an annual fee of $799, while the Aeroplan Business Reserve comes with an annual fee of $599. However, the Business Platinum Card comes with a $200 annual travel credit, which could arguably offset the annual fee to be equal to the Amex Aeroplan Business Reserve.

Verdict: We’ll side with the Amex Aeroplan Business Reserve this time, since its annual fee is $200 lower than the Business Platinum’s.

3. Points Currencies

Another very important consideration to keep in mind is the type of points earned on both cards. 

With the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card, you’ll earn Aeroplan points that get deposited directly into your Aeroplan account after your statement posts each month. The most valuable way to redeem Aeroplan points is for flights, and you can also redeem them for hotel bookings and merchandise at a lower value.

Meanwhile, you’ll earn American Express Membership Rewards points with the Business Platinum Card from American Express, which accumulate in your account on an ongoing basis.

MR points can be transferred to Aeroplan at a 1:1 ratio, and they can also be transferred to a number of other popular airline and hotel loyalty programs, including British Airways Executive Club , Air France KLM Flying Blue , Marriott Bonvoy , and more.

Plus, you can also redeem MR points for a statement credit on any purchase, or you can redeem them through Amex Fixed Points Travel .

Verdict: Since Membership Rewards points can be transferred to Aeroplan and a number of other programs, in addition to being used for a statement credit or booking through Amex Fixed Points Travel, they’re more flexible than Aeroplan points. Therefore, we’ll once again side with the Business Platinum. 

4. Earning Rates

The Business Platinum Card has one of the most straightforward earning structures out there: 1.25 MR points per dollar spent on all purchases.

Meanwhile, the Aeroplan Business Reserve grants cardholders the following:

• 3 Aeroplan points per dollar spent on Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations purchases
• 2 Aeroplan points per dollar spent on hotels and car rentals
• 1.25 Aeroplan points per dollar spent on everything else

Both cards have the same baseline earning rate of 1.25 points per dollar spent. The extra 0.25 points per dollar spent can certainly add up over the course of a year if you spend in high volumes, and it’s a nice perk available on most premium credit cards.

However, only the Amex Aeroplan Business Reserve Card offers other category multipliers, which are notably geared towards travel-related purchases rather than other common business expenses.

Verdict:  If you’re a frequent flyer with Air Canada, the Amex Aeroplan Business Reserve Card offers an excellent earning rate for flights and vacations. The bonus points for hotels and car rentals is also competitive; however, it’d be great to see other common business spending categories added here as well.

If you have high volumes of spending in these categories, then the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card would offer a stronger return. Otherwise, consider the Business Platinum Card for the same baseline earning rate, and more flexible points.

5. Foreign Exchange Fees

Both products continue to levy the industry-standard 2.5% foreign transaction fee on purchases in a foreign currency. There certainly doesn’t seem to be much appetite among Canadian card issuers besides Scotiabank in removing this fee anytime soon; however, a change to the status quo would be great to see.

Verdict: A dull draw.

Perks & Benefits

At annual fees of $799 and $599, these products aim to justify their hefty price tags via bundles ongoing cardholder benefits.

1. Lounge Access

The Business Platinum’s lounge benefits are among the best in Canada. It provides unlimited access for the cardholder and one guest to thousands of lounges worldwide through the American Express Global Lounge Collection .

Meanwhile, the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card provides the cardholder and one guest unlimited access to Maple Leaf Lounges and Air Canada Cafés within North America. However, keep in mind that you need to be travelling on an Air Canada or Star Alliance flight (as opposed to any airline) to enjoy lounge access.

Verdict: On the whole, the Business Platinum Card’s lounge benefits will elevate your pre-flight experience on a broader basis than the Aeroplan Business Reserve.

2. Priority Airport Services

Like the other premium Aeroplan credit cards, the Aeroplan Business Reserve offers cardholders a considerable number of perks when flying with Air Canada: a free first checked bag, priority check-in, Zone 2 priority boarding, priority standby, and priority baggage handling, as well as a higher priority on the upgrade list.

The Business Platinum Card’s airport services are comparatively more limited, and only include valet services, parking discounts, and express security lane at Toronto Pearson – which are matched by the Aeroplan Business Reserve.

Verdict: The Amex Aeroplan Business Reserve is victorious in this category, since its priority airport services are much stronger, as long as you’re flying with Air Canada.

3. Elite Status Benefits

With the Business Platinum Card from American Express, you’ll enjoy Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status and Hilton Honors Gold status upon enrollment.

On the other hand, the Aeroplan Business Reserve makes the path of achieving and maintaining Aeroplan Elite Status easier, but doesn’t actually instantly earn you any status on its own.

Instead, you’ll earn 1,000 Status Qualifying Miles (SQM) or 1 Status Qualifying Segment (SQS) per $5,000 in eligible spending, and can rollover up to 200,000 SQM and up to 50 eUpgrades to the following year.

Keep in mind that the SQM you earn count towards Threshold Rewards , which can become very meaningful with high amounts of spending.

Verdict: The Business Platinum grants instant mid-tier status with Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors, while the Aeroplan Business Reserve opens more doors towards achieving a higher Aeroplan Elite Status level, although you’ll still have to meet the Status Qualifying Dollar (SQD) requirements.

It’s a pretty close comparison here, but there’s more to gain with the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card, especially for high-volume spenders.

4. Threshold Benefits

Like the personal side, the Aeroplan Business Reserve allows cardholders to earn an Annual Worldwide Companion Pass for travel on Air Canada, starting at $99 as the companion fare, with $25,000 in annual spending.

If used strategically, the pass can result in hundreds of dollars in savings, and sometimes even more. 

There are no threshold-based benefits on the Business Platinum Card from American Express.

Verdict: The singular benefit on the Amex Aeroplan Business Reserve is better than the absence of any published threshold benefit on the Business Platinum Card, where heavy spending will only earn you a chance of a nice retention offer at the end of the year, at best.

5. Other Benefits

Here, the comparison lies between the Business Platinum’s “Platinum family” benefits like the Amex Concierge,  access to the Fine Hotels & Resorts program and International Airlines Program , additional statement credits for Dell, Indeed, and wireless accounts, and the $200 annual travel credit .

Meanwhile, the Aeroplan Business Reserve offers preferred pricing on Air Canada flights under the dynamic pricing model, and no expiration of Aeroplan points for as long as you’re a cardholder.

Both cards have access to Amex Offers , and typically get the most attractive ones, since they’re both premium cards.

Verdict: While extra card benefits are only meaningful if you engage with them, those offered on the Business Platinum Card outweigh the extra benefits offered on the Aeroplan Business Reserve.

Other Factors

Finally, let’s take stock of the cards’ remaining benefits and any other considerations that might sway your choice in either of their favour.

1. Supplementary Cards

Adding supplementary cards on the Aeroplan Business Reserve Card costs $199, and cardholders will enjoy some of the same perks as the primary cardholder, including unlimited lounge access, priority airport services, and preferred pricing.

There’s also the option to add no-fee supplementary cards; however, those come without any additional perks for the cardholder.

On the other hand, adding a supplementary cardholder to your Business Platinum Card will cost $250 per person. They’ll also enjoy unlimited lounge access through the Amex Global Lounge Collection, access to Fine Hotels & Resorts, and priority services at Toronto Pearson.

You can also add additional Business Gold Cards for free, but the cardholders won’t enjoy any of the Business Platinum Card’s features.

Verdict: There’s no clear winner here, as both products are pretty generous about treating authorized users to many of the same key benefits, while the pricing is fairly evenly matched. Let’s call this one a draw, since the Aeroplan Business Reserve’s benefits are tied to Air Canada, while the Business Platinum Card’s benefits are universal.

2. Travel Insurance

Interestingly, the insurance benefits offered on the cards are exactly the same, right down to the very letter of the terms and conditions.

Among the key insurance provisions are emergency medical travel insurance covers the first 15 days of your out-of-province trip for anyone aged under 65 for up to $5,000,000 (although coverage for those aged 65+ is not provided), trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance for up to $1,500 per person, and aggregated flight and baggage delay insurance for up to $1,000 in essential purchases.

Verdict: With the same suite of insurance coverage, we have ourselves a clear draw. However, it’s worth noting that Aeroplan bookings charged to the Aeroplan Business Reserve Card will be covered, while those charged to the Business Platinum Card won’t.

3. Ease of Getting Approved

Neither card has a minimum income requirement, although traditionally charge cards (without a preset spending limit, but a requirement to pay off the balance in full every month) like the Business Platinum have been easier to get approved for than credit cards (with a preset credit limit) like the Aeroplan Business Reserve.

Verdict: American Express is generally quite lenient with approval criteria compared to the Big 5 banks, so in theory, neither is particularly difficult to get approved for. Nevertheless, since the Amex Aeroplan Business Reserve Card is a credit card rather than a charge card like the Business Platinum, the latter retains a slight edge in this category.

4. Visual Appearance

Both cards are made of metal, and carry the premium swagger that comes with the material.

The Business Platinum Card from American Express has a classic design for Platinum cards, with the Centurion prominently featured in the middle of the card. It’s largely similar to its personal counterpart, save for the word “business” displayed on the front.

Likewise, the Amex Aeroplan Business Reserve Card is a near identical copy of its personal counterpart, with Aeroplan’s logo emblazoned on a textured background. 

Verdict: It’ll be up to personal taste as to which card looks better; however, the Business Platinum Card’s classic design presents as more upscale than the Amex Aeroplan Business Reserve.

Plus, just like the personal cards, the Business Platinum’s 18 grams of precision-cut engraved metal will clang a bit louder than the 13 grams of the Aeroplan Business Reserve.

With the various points of comparison swaying from one card to the other, there’s no landslide victory here.

For business owners who are heavily entrenched in the Air Canada ecosystem, the Amex Aeroplan Business Reserve Card offers a slew of perks, such as an enhanced earning rate for Air Canada flights and vacations, priority services with Air Canada, strong rollover benefits, and the ability to earn an Annual Worldwide Companion Pass.

Meanwhile, the earning rate on the Business Platinum Card from American Express is locked at 1.25 points per dollar spent; however, you’ll get access to a greater number of lounges worldwide, and can find extra value through Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts, more flexible points, and the $200 annual travel credit.

Plus, with a more generous welcome bonus, there’s a strong argument to be made that the Business Platinum Card from American Express is your best choice for a business card in Canada, regardless of issuer and despite the high cost.

• Earn 80,000 MR points upon spending $15,000 in the first three months
• Plus, earn  40,000 MR points  upon making a purchase in months 14–17 as a cardholder
• And, earn 1.25x MR points on all purchases
• Also, receive a $200 annual travel credit
• Transfer MR points to Aeroplan and other frequent flyer programs for premium flights
• Unlimited airport lounge access for you and one guest at Priority Pass, Plaza Premium, Centurion, and other lounges
• Credits and rebates for business expenses throughout the year with Amex Offers
• Bonus MR points for referring family and friends
• Qualify for the card as a sole proprietor
• Annual fee: $799

Last year Amex Aeroplan Reserve has an incredible sign up offer that included 20,000 SQM and e upgrade credits plus 80k Aeroplan points if spend met. This incredible offer allow me to jettison up to 35k status this year and now perched to get 50k status next year. It is hard to achieve the 50k SQM for me and so this offer last summer did it. TJ helped advise me on a few of the points. And I quite like the card for the air Canada perks…

Have you done a comparison between the AMEX Platinum and the AMEX Business Platinum?

Yes sir: https://princeoftravel.com/blog/head-to-head-amex-platinum-vs-amex-business-platinum/

Thanks, Ricky!

Please do one with the Amex Aeroplan vs GoldRewards. Im waiting so much for that one !

That’ll be a good comparison vs. the new “core” cards for sure. Stay tuned!

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Business Platinum Card from American Express

120,000 MR points

American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card

85,000 Aeroplan points

American Express Platinum Card

100,000 MR points

TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card

Up to 75,000 Aeroplan points†

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New Amex Offer: Save $250 at Select Hilton Luxury Hotels

Chris Hassan

Social Media & Brand Manager

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Countries Visited: 24 U.S. States Visited: 26

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Amex offer details, how to maximize this offer, final thoughts.

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If you’re looking to book a luxurious Hilton stay, there’s a new Amex Offer available that could save you some serious cash.

Through September 30, 2024, you can receive a $250 statement credit after spending $1,250 or more at participating Waldorf Astoria, Conrad, and LXR hotels worldwide.

Let’s take a look at the details.

From now through September 30, 2024, you can earn a $250 statement credit after spending $1,250 or more in purchases at Waldorf Astoria, Conrad, and LXR hotels in the U.S. and select international destinations, including Mexico, China, Dubai, and more.

American Express has provided a list of participating properties .

The offer is only valid on room rates and room charges and is not valid on stays that are paid for before the promotion start date or after the promotion end date.

You must book directly with Hilton , either by calling, going online, or using the mobile app to trigger the offer.

Several Upgraded Points staffers saw the offer on cards like  The Platinum Card ® from American Express, so you’ll want to check across all of your Amex cards to see if you were targeted for the offer.

Just make sure to click Activate Offer  before your purchase; otherwise, you won’t get credit for the purchase.

It shouldn’t be difficult to meet the terms of this offer. Waldorf Astoria, Conrad, and LXR are among Hilton’s most esteemed brands, so stays at these properties can be pretty pricey.

However, if you were targeted on a Hilton co-branded card with a resort credit, like the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card *, you could stack this offer to lower your cost even further.

For example, you can book a 3-night stay at the Waldorf Astoria Orlando this summer for around $1,250. That would trigger both the $250 Amex Offer and the $200 semi-annual resort credit from the Amex Aprire card, bringing your total down to $800 — a 36% discount!

*The information regarding the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Check out the best current Amex Offers to see how you can save on travel, dining, entertainment, shopping, and more!

This is a great Amex Offer that can save you $250 at some of Hiltons most luxurious properties. If you have a Hilton co-branded card from American Express, you can likely save even more!

If you have a stay coming up, check across all of your Amex cards and add this offer as soon as possible.

The information regarding the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here .

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Chris holds a B.S. in Hospitality and Tourism Management and managed social media for all Marriott properties in South America, making him a perfect fit for UP and its social media channels. He has a passion for making content catered toward family travelers.

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Platinum price today: Platinum is up 1.49% this year

Coryanne Hicks

Farran Powell

“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.

Published 10:46 a.m. UTC July 3, 2024

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What is the price of platinum today?

The price of platinum opened at $1,002.51 per ounce, as of 9 a.m. That’s up 0.91% from the previous day and up 1.49% from the beginning of the year.

The lowest trading price within the last day: $992.90 per ounce. The highest platinum spot price in the last 24 hours: $1,008.90 per ounce.

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Current platinum price

Platinum chart.

The chart below shows how the spot price of platinum is trending over the year.

Year to date, platinum is up 1.49%, as of 9 a.m. The 52-week high reached $1,049.10 on June 7, 2023, and the 52-week low dropped to $843.15 on Nov. 10, 2023.

The precious, silvery-colored metal is priced in U.S. dollars. This means that the fluctuations in the value of the U.S. dollar can impact its price.

The price of XPT/USD reflects the value of one ounce of platinum in U.S. dollars, and it is traded like traditional currency pairs. Because platinum trades occur globally, investors can also track the spot price of platinum in other currencies, such as XPT/EUR for euros and XPT/GBP for British pounds.

Factors that can influence the price of platinum include changes in demand, geopolitical events and tensions in major platinum-producing countries. Of course, investor opinion and speculation can also affect prices.

Precious metals prices

Platinum is one of four main precious metals investors can trade via physical bullion, exchange-traded products or futures contracts. Gold , silver and palladium spot prices are also updated 24/7 in various currencies.

Platinum price vs. gold

Currently, platinum trades at $1,002.51 per ounce, as of 9 a.m., compared to gold, which trades at $2,350.39 per ounce. Year to date, platinum prices are up by 1.49% and gold prices are up by 13.75%.

“Historically, platinum has often been more expensive than gold due to its relative scarcity and unique properties. However, the price of platinum can fluctuate in response to changing market conditions,” said John Bergquist, president of Elysium Financial.

Political instability and supply disruptions in major platinum-producing regions like South Africa and Russia affect prices.

The silvery metal also tends to be a less reliable store of value than gold.

While historically, platinum has been pricier than gold, that flip-flopped briefly in August 2011. When looking at the gold-to-platinum price ratio, platinum was priced above gold from January 2013 until December 2014. Since then, gold has more than doubled its value compared to platinum prices.

History of platinum prices

Like any metal, the price of platinum can be volatile. Various factors affect it, the most significant being supply and demand dynamics. Other factors, such as economic conditions, geopolitical events, and changes in industrial and investment demand, can also impact the price of platinum.

At the start of the new millennium, the precious metal’s spot price was around $420. Fast-forward over 20 years, and the current price of platinum has more than doubled.

The spot price soared to new heights, trading in February 2008 at around $2,200 per troy ounce. In November of that year, the price returned to less than $1,000.

Platinum’s spot price has fluctuated between around $800 to $1,400 for the past decade, hovering around the $1,000 threshold on average.

Platinum prices today remain historically low. Prices dropped as low as $623.50 in March 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. While prices have recovered, platinum is nowhere near its all-time high of $2,213.20, set on March 3, 2008.

What are platinum futures?

Futures contracts let investors speculate on the future price movements of an underlying asset like platinum.

These financial contracts represent an agreement between two parties to trade a set amount of platinum at a specified price at a future date. They can be settled by exchanging the physical commodity or cash in place of the commodity.

Futures contracts differ from spot prices in that futures contracts establish a future price whereas spot prices are for immediate delivery. These contracts can be fulfilled by trading the physical commodity or exchanging cash in place of the underlying asset. They are usually traded through an exchange.

Investing in platinum

The automotive industry creates the highest demand for platinum. Platinum is a key component in manufacturing catalytic converters, which are responsible for reducing vehicle emissions.

In addition to the automotive industry, platinum is widely used in the industrial industry to create medical products, nitric acid and glass. As the demand for these products rises, so does the price of platinum.

It is anticipated that platinum will play an essential role in the development of hydrogen technology. Platinum is used to produce carbon-free hydrogen from renewable energy.

“If hydrogen-based power meets expectations in the coming decade, then one could expect a material demand tailwind in platinum,” said Stash Graham, managing director of Graham Capital Wealth Management.

Precious metals such as platinum, gold and silver have long been used to diversify an investment portfolio.

When choosing investments, it is crucial to consider potential drawbacks. While there may be an increase in the demand for platinum, other factors may throw a wrench in the investment benefits.

When considering an investment, it is essential to consider your current holdings and individual financial goals.

Platinum is rarer than both silver and gold, which could make it attractive to investors seeking a scarce metal. This practice helps protect other holdings, such as stocks , in an economic downturn. Investing in platinum can help balance inflation and economic uncertainties.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

The London Bullion Market Association is responsible for price auctions of platinum and other industrial metals.

Platinum pricing is set independently from gold and silver prices, yet there is a historical correlation between the prices of these metals. Although platinum is rarer than silver and gold, metals with industrial uses tend to fluctuate similarly.

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Coryanne is an investing and finance writer whose work appears in Forbes Advisor, U.S. News and World Report, Kiplinger, and Business Insider among other publications. She discovered her passion for personal finance as a fully-licensed financial professional at Fidelity Investments before she realized she could reach more people by writing.

Farran Powell is the lead editor of investing at USA TODAY Blueprint. She was previously the assistant managing editor of investing at U.S. News and World Report. Her work has appeared in numerous publications including TheStreet, Mansion Global, CNN, CNN Money, DNAInfo, Yahoo! Finance, MSN Money and the New York Daily News. She holds a BSc from the London School of Economics and an MA from the University of Texas at Austin. You can follow her on Twitter at @farranpowell.

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