The Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card (see charges and costs) and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and costs) are two of essentially the most talked about journey rewards bank cards in the marketplace.
That is because of the precious Chase Final Rewards program, the playing cards’ top-notch advantages and every card’s nice journey protections. However which one is the very best match for you?
You may assume that the Chase Sapphire Reserve — with the next annual payment and extra luxurious advantages — is all the time the higher selection. It’s a higher-tier card, however that won’t essentially imply it is the best choice. Relying in your spending habits, journey objectives and present bank card lineup, the Sapphire Most popular may very well be the extra engaging possibility to your pockets.
Highest-ever supply: Earn 100,000 bonus factors with the Chase Sapphire Most popular Card after spending $5,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening.
So, let’s examine the 2 playing cards under that can assist you make the very best determination.
Chase Sapphire Most popular vs. Reserve comparability
|
Card |
Chase Sapphire Most popular Card |
Chase Sapphire Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Annual payment | $95 | $550 |
| Incomes charges |
|
|
| Welcome bonus | Earn 100,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. | Earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. |
| Worth of Final Rewards journey redemptions | 1.25 cents | 1.5 cents |
| Key advantages |
|
|
| Lounge entry | None |
|
| Approved person annual payment | $0 | $75 for every person |
*Excludes Wait & Save, bike, and scooter rides. Most assertion credit score is as much as $120 yearly.
Chase Sapphire Most popular vs. Reserve welcome bonus
Presently, the Sapphire Most popular is providing an elevated welcome bonus of 100,000 factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
The Sapphire Reserve presents 60,000 factors after spending $5,000 within the first three months from account opening.
Winner: Sapphire Most popular. It is providing 40% extra factors — however it’s good to spend an additional $1,000 to earn the bonus.
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Associated: One of the best time to use for these Chase playing cards primarily based on their supply historical past
Chase Sapphire Most popular vs. Reserve advantages
The distinction in advantages is the place the Sapphire Reserve shines. It presents:
Plus, it will get you entry to The Edit by Chase Journey, which incorporates advantages like complimentary day by day breakfast for 2 and a $100 on-property credit score for every reserving.
In the meantime, the Sapphire Most popular nonetheless presents a handful of perks:
- An annual $50 resort credit score when reserving by means of Chase Journey
- An annual 10% anniversary factors bonus
- A DoorDash DashPass subscription for no less than one yr (activate by Dec. 31, 2027) and one $10 nonrestaurant credit score every month
The Sapphire Reserve’s annual journey credit score is far more versatile than the Sapphire Most popular’s resort credit score. With the Sapphire Reserve’s credit score, you may obtain $300 in assertion credit every account anniversary yr for a broad listing of journey purchases. These are robotically utilized to your account; you needn’t undergo a portal. The Sapphire Most popular’s resort credit score have to be utilized to a keep booked by means of Chase Journey, which makes it extra restrictive.
Plus, the Sapphire Reserve offers entry to Chase lounges and comes with a Precedence Move Choose membership, which grants entry to greater than 1,700 lounges worldwide. You will not obtain any lounge entry with the Sapphire Most popular.
Whereas each playing cards have spectacular journey and buy protections, the Sapphire Reserve’s protections are extra substantial in some areas. The Sapphire Reserve offers emergency evacuation and transportation protection, roadside help and emergency medical and dental advantages that the Sapphire Most popular doesn’t supply.
And in case you maximize the DoorDash credit, you may get $15 extra worth every month (or $180 yearly) from the Reserve in comparison with the Most popular.
Winner: Sapphire Reserve. The journey credit score, airport lounge entry and superior journey protections are laborious to beat for frequent vacationers.
Associated: Is the Chase Sapphire Reserve definitely worth the annual payment?
Incomes factors with the Sapphire Most popular vs. Reserve
The playing cards’ incomes charges differ barely, with the Sapphire Reserve incomes factors at increased charges than the Sapphire Most popular throughout some notable classes.
This is what to anticipate with the Sapphire Reserve:
- 10 factors per greenback spent on lodges and automobile leases bought by means of Chase Journey and eligible Peloton purchases
- 5 factors per greenback spent on flights booked by means of Chase Journey and Lyft rides
- 3 factors per greenback spent on different journey and eating purchases
- 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases
And with the Sapphire Most popular, you may earn:
- 5 factors per greenback spent on all journey bought by means of Chase Journey, Lyft rides and eligible Peloton purchases
- 3 factors per greenback spent on eating, choose streaming companies and on-line grocery purchases (excluding Goal, Walmart and wholesale golf equipment)
- 2 factors per greenback spent on all different journey
- 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases
You may earn extra factors on most journey purchases by utilizing the Reserve as an alternative of the Most popular.
You may obtain the identical incomes charges because the Sapphire Most popular for flights booked by means of Chase Journey, Lyft rides, eating and on a regular basis purchases.
Nevertheless, the Sapphire Most popular presents bonus factors for choose streaming companies and on-line groceries, which the Sapphire Reserve doesn’t.
Winner: Sapphire Reserve. It earns greater than the Most popular in most bonus classes.
Redeeming factors with the Sapphire Most popular vs. Reserve
Each the Sapphire Most popular and the Sapphire Reserve earn Chase Final Rewards factors. Nevertheless, in case you use factors to e-book journey by means of Chase Journey or use Chase’s Pay Your self Again possibility, you may obtain higher worth with the Sapphire Reserve.
Redeeming factors by means of Chase Journey with the Sapphire Reserve will internet you a hard and fast worth of 1.5 cents per level; that worth drops to 1.25 cents per level with the Sapphire Most popular.
Nonetheless, your most useful redemption possibility is to switch them to any of Chase’s airline and resort companions for essentially the most worth.
Moreover, you possibly can redeem your factors for money again or present playing cards, however you may get a decrease worth out of your factors going this route, so we suggest utilizing your factors for journey when you possibly can.
Winner: Sapphire Reserve. The upper redemption worth by means of Chase Journey and Pay Your self Again provides the Reserve an edge.
Associated: The way to redeem Chase Final Rewards for optimum worth
Transferring factors with the Sapphire Most popular vs. Reserve
Each the Sapphire Most popular and the Sapphire Reserve will let you switch your factors to any of Chase’s 14 journey companions. A few of the most useful companions embody Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue and World of Hyatt.
Danyal Ahmed, a bank cards author at TPG, not too long ago transferred 70,000 Chase factors to Aeroplan to fly Lufthansa enterprise class from Frankfurt to Los Angeles.
Winner: Tie. You may get the identical switch choices with both card.
Associated: Who’re the Chase Final Rewards switch companions? All the things to know
Ought to I get the Chase Sapphire Most popular or the Sapphire Reserve?
If you happen to can benefit from the annual journey credit score and do not have one other card that features airport lounge entry, you may nearly actually get essentially the most worth from the Sapphire Reserve. Nevertheless, if you wish to hold your annual payment prices low or do not journey a lot, the Sapphire Most popular gives you good incomes charges and redemption choices for a a lot decrease annual payment.
Associated: Causes to decide on the Chase Sapphire Most popular over the fancier Chase Sapphire Reserve
The way to improve from the Sapphire Most popular to the Sapphire Reserve
If in case you have the Sapphire Most popular and need the Sapphire Reserve as an alternative, the very best technique is to first downgrade your Most popular to a no-annual-fee Chase card just like the Chase Freedom Limitless® (see charges and costs).
You possibly can request this by calling the quantity on the again of your card. Then, you possibly can apply for the Sapphire Reserve and earn the welcome bonus so long as you’re underneath Chase’s 5/24 rule and didn’t earn the bonus in your Sapphire Most popular lower than 48 months in the past.
Likewise, you possibly can downgrade your Reserve to the Most popular by calling the quantity on the again of your card. Nevertheless, you’ll miss out on the welcome bonus on the Most popular, so it is higher to downgrade your Reserve to a no-annual-fee card first after which submit a brand new utility for the Most popular to earn the welcome bonus. You are able to do so so long as you didn’t earn the welcome bonus on the Sapphire Reserve lower than 48 months prior.
It’s also possible to request a product change from both card to the opposite by calling the quantity on the again of your card. Nevertheless, by going this route, you may forfeit incomes a welcome bonus in your new card.
Associated: Causes to improve from Chase Sapphire Most popular to Chase Sapphire Reserve
Backside line
The Chase Sapphire Most popular and the Chase Sapphire Reserve are TPG favorites due to their robust incomes charges, intensive journey protections and priceless switch companions.
If you happen to’re a frequent traveler who will leverage the perks provided on the Sapphire Reserve, the premium possibility is greatest for you. Nevertheless, in case you aren’t into the excessive annual payment or journey much less typically, the Sapphire Most popular is the higher selection.
To be taught extra, see our full opinions of the Chase Sapphire Most popular and the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Most popular Card
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Reserve
