Sapphire Reserve vs. Amex Gold: Which One Is Right For You?
-
Written by
Aja McClanahan
-
Edited by
Jasmin Baron
Not sure how to decide between the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card and the American Express® Gold Card (a CardCritics™ advertiser)? It depends on how you spend your money and time. Both cards offer rewards on different spending categories, travel perks and exclusive member advantages.
Each card caters to different spending habits and lifestyle preferences.
What Makes the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card Worth It?
The Sapphire Reserve card is a premium-level travel credit card. It offers rewards in two main categories: travel and dining. As we’ll reveal below, the card boasts benefits designed for frequent travelers and food enthusiasts.
New Card Member Bonus
The Sapphire Reserve card provides an incredible welcome bocnus. New card members can earn 125,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Rewards Structure
The reward structure is tailored to maximize points on travel and dining purchases:
- 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠
- 5x points on Lyft purchases (through Sept. 30, 2027)
- 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly
- 3x points on dining
- 1x points on all other purchases.
Points in travel categories are only awarded after the first $300 is spent on travel each year.
You can also earn up to 100,000 bonus points per year by referring friends for the Sapphire Reserve credit card. That’s 10,000 bonus points for each friend who gets approved (up to 10).
Redeeming Rewards
You can redeem your Sapphire Reserve points in a few different ways:
- Cash in the form of a statement credit or direct deposit
- Shop with points on Amazon
- Gift cards
- Travel with Chase Travel
- Transfer to Chase travel partners
Introductory APR
Unlike some other credit card offerings, the Sapphire Reserve card doesn’t have an introductory APR for purchases or balance transfers. This lack of promotional APR is pretty common for premium cards. The idea is that these cards are more for entertainment and leisure rather than reducing debt or reaching certain financial goals.
Annual Fees and Other Costs
There’s no foreign transaction fee. The Sapphire Reserve card does have a $795 annual fee. However, this fee can be offset by various statement credit opportunities and other card perks, which we’ll cover below.
Additional Card Perks and Credits
Taking advantage of some of these benefits can help justify the steep annual fee:
- $300 annual travel credit
- Statement credit of up to $120 every four years as reimbursement for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
- Access to elite hotel collections like Edit by Chase Travel, Relais & Châteaux luxury properties and Ennismore hotel benefits
- Access to 1,300+ Priority Pass airport lounges in 600+ cities around the world.
- Access to DoorDash, Caviar and Lyft memberships (exclusions and terms apply)
Additional Card Benefits and Protections
The card offers a broad range of additional benefits, including access to:
- Travel Insurance
- Trip cancellation/interruption insurance,
- Primary auto rental collision damage waiver.
- Extended warranty protection
- Roadside assistance
What Makes the American Express® Gold Card Worth It?
Like the Sapphire Reserve card, the Amex Gold card offers rewards mainly for dining and flights booked through the Amex Travel website. Plus, there are bonus rewards you can earn on U.S. Supermarket purchases. This card would be ideal for those with a large food budget and who travel moderately.
New Cardmember Offer Opportunity
The Amex Gold card offers a lucrative welcome offer opportunity to new cardholders. You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
Like most earned reward points, they can be leveraged for travel, statement credits or transferred to airline and hotel partners.
Reward Structure
Like the Sapphire Reserve card, you’ll have plenty of ways to earn points with your Amex Gold.
- 1x points on eligible purchases
- 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide on up to $50,000 per year in purchases
- 4x points at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x per dollar spent)
- 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com
- 2x points on prepaid hotels and other eligible travel purchases booked through amextravel.com
Redeeming Rewards
You can redeem Membership Rewards points in several ways, including:
- Flight and hotel accommodations
- Car rentals
- Gift cards
You can also transfer points to numerous travel partners, adding flexibility and value to your rewards.
Introductory APR
The Amex Gold does not offer an introductory APR for purchases or balance transfers.
Annual Fees and Other Costs
The Amex Gold has a $325 annual fee, easily justified by various annual credits. However, there are no foreign transaction fees, an advantageous feature for international purchases.
The Amex Gold card includes valuable perks and statement credit opportunities such as:
Additional Credits
- $84 Dunkin’ Credit: With the $84 Dunkin’ Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
Additional Perks
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made at restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
Additional Benefits:
- Baggage insurance plan
- Car rental loss and damage insurance
- Extended warranty protection
- Purchase protection (for damaged, lost or stolen items)
Side By Side Comparison
Annual Fee
Purchase and Balance Transfer APR
Welcome Offer
Ongoing Rewards
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
Pros & Cons
- Luxury Perks
- 1:1 Transfer Partners
- Premium Travel Protections
PROS
- High annual fee
- No intro APR for purchases or balance transfers
- Might not make sense for people who aren’t frequent travelers
CONS
- Generous Welcome Offer Opportunity
- Elevated rewards on popular categories
- Choose between a Rose Gold or Gold Card
PROS
- Steep Annual Fee
- Light on Travel Perks
CONS
Learn More
How to Choose
The Sapphire Reserve card is aimed at frequent travelers who can maximize benefits from travel credits, lounge access and higher point valuation through Ultimate Rewards. With just a few trips planned each year, you could use enough credits and rewards to justify the annual fee.
Conversely, the Amex Gold card is more suited for those who spend heavily on dining and groceries, benefiting from these elevated rewards and annual credits. Remember that these 4x points are earned at U.S.-based grocery stores and at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1x points). So, if you frequently travel and spend lots of time overseas, your rewards for this category with the Amex Gold could be limited.
Ultimately, choosing the best card will depend on your priorities, whether they revolve more around travel and dining perks or modest travel, dining and supermarket purchases.
For the Baggage insurance plan on the American Express® Gold Card, 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.
For the Car rental loss and damage insurance on the American Express® Gold Card, 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.
For the Extended warranty protection on the American Express® Gold Card, Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
For the Purchase protection on the American Express® Gold Card, 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.
The information related to the Chase Sapphire Reserve® was collected by CardCritics™ and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this product/card. Product details may vary. Please see issuer website for current information. CardCritics™ does not receive a commission for this product.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, the Sapphire Reserve or the Amex Gold?
The best card depends on your spending habits. If you travel frequently, choose the Sapphire Reserve card for travel perks. If dining and supermarket rewards are your primary expenses, go with the Amex Gold.
Should I get the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card if I have the Amex Gold card?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers moderate rewards on dining and travel, so it could complement your Amex Gold card if you want a lower annual fee and still earn points on travel-related.
Is an Amex Gold card prestigious?
Yes, an Amex Gold card is considered to be prestigious due to its benefits, strong rewards on dining and groceries and valuable credits. It’s ideal for consumers who spend on the spectrum between luxury and practicality.
Why is the Amex Gold worth it?
If you take advantage of the card perks, credits and rewards structure, you may get enough value from the $325 annual fee.
