Bank card showdown: Chase Sapphire Reserve vs. Amex Gold

Editor’s word: This can be a recurring submit, repeatedly up to date with new data and provides.

In the case of journey rewards playing cards, you often get what you pay for by way of bonus classes and perks. That is why we often evaluate playing cards inside a single class, to attempt to discover the very best premium rewards card or the very best no-annual-fee playing cards.

The issue is, the American Specific® Gold Card doesn’t match cleanly into any class. It straddles the road between entry-level and premium, providing high-value foodie bonus classes at a manageable annual charge. In the present day we’re having a look at the way it stacks up towards the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, one of many all-around greatest playing cards for journey and eating.

Evaluating the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Amex Gold

Let’s begin with a fast overview of a number of the highlights of every card.

	Chase Sapphire Reserve	American Specific® Gold Card
Annual charge	$550.	$250 (see charges & charges).
Welcome provide	60,000 Final Rewards factors after spending $4,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.	Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® factors after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases together with your new card inside the first 6 months. (Word: You might be focused for the next provide via CardMatch) This provide is topic to alter at any time.
Bonus classes	3 factors per greenback on journey and eating. 10 factors per greenback on Lyft via March 2025. 1 level per greenback on all different purchases.	4 factors per greenback at eating places and at U.S. supermarkets (U.S. supermarkets capped at $25,000 per calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback). 3 factors per greenback on flights booked instantly from the airline or amextravel.com. 1 level per greenback on all different purchases.
Annual assertion credit	$300 annual journey credit score (that’s presently extra versatile than regular).	As much as $10 month-to-month eating credit score on the following companions: Grubhub, The Cheesecake Manufacturing facility, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and choose Shake Shack places (as much as $120 yearly). Enrollment required. As much as $10 month-to-month Uber credit score within the type of Uber Money that can be utilized on U.S. Uber rides and Uber Eats orders (as much as $120 yearly).
Different card advantages	Precedence Cross Choose membership. DoorDash DashPass membership and $5 month-to-month DoorDash assertion credit via December 2024. Lyft Pink membership. World Entry / TSA PreCheck software charge credit score. Journey cancellation/interruption insurance coverage. Baggage loss and delay insurance coverage (enrollment required for choose advantages).	Journey delay reimbursement. Baggage loss or harm reimbursement. As much as a $100 property credit score when reserving eligible stays of two nights or extra via the Amex Resort Assortment.

Welcome provide

Each playing cards provide precious welcome provides that may assist fund your subsequent large journey.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve presently provides new candidates 60,000 Final Rewards factors after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.

In the meantime, the Amex Gold Card provides 60,000 Membership Rewards® factors after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases inside the first six months of card membership. TPG worth Final Rewards and Membership Rewards factors equally at 2 cents apiece, making these bonuses value $1,200 every.

Nonetheless, you possibly can probably be focused for 75,000 bonus Membership Rewards bonus factors after spending $4,000 within the first three months for the Amex Gold via CardMatch (these provides are topic to alter at any time). In case you are focused for this provide, the Amex Gold’s bonus beats out the Chase Sapphire Reserve as a result of 75,000 factors are value a profitable $1,500.

In fact, the bonus worth is just one piece of the equation. You additionally have to be sure to’re eligible to use for both of those playing cards, as each Chase and Amex have totally different restrictions on welcome bonus eligibility.

Winner: The Amex Gold beats out the CSR with the next bonus valuation.

Associated: Strive TPG’s CardMatch device to see should you pre-qualify for the next welcome provide

Bonus classes

Right here’s how the 2 playing cards stack up with regards to incomes factors in your purchases:

	Chase Sapphire Reserve	American Specific Gold Card
Incomes charges	10 factors per greenback on Lyft via March 2025. 3 factors per greenback on journey and eating. 1 level per greenback on all different purchases.	4 factors per greenback at eating places and U.S. supermarkets (U.S. supermarkets capped at $25,000 per calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback). 3 factors per greenback on flights booked instantly from the airline or amextravel.com. 1 level per greenback on all different purchases.

When the Chase Sapphire Reserve initially launched, it had two nice issues going for it: broadly outlined bonus classes and a excessive factors multiplier in two of the preferred spending classes. Nonetheless, because the premium card panorama has continued to warmth up, it’s misplaced a few of its luster to playing cards such because the Amex Gold.

The Amex Gold is clearly designed to be a foodie-friendly card and that’s mirrored within the bonus classes.

That 4 factors per greenback on groceries (an 8% return based mostly on TPG’s valuations) is top-of-the-line incomes charges you’ll discover from any card. The Amex Gold additionally has an edge with regards to eating at eating places, as its 4 factors per greenback (8% return) once more edges out the three factors per greenback (6%) on the Sapphire Reserve.

For journey, the playing cards tie for airfare purchases made instantly with the airline, however the Sapphire Reserve is stronger for all different journey purchases. Journey bookings together with resorts, group excursions, rental vehicles, even parking meters and tolls all earn 3 factors per greenback on the Sapphire Reserve versus 1 level on the Amex Gold. Much like The Platinum Card® from American Specific, the Amex Gold’s airfare bonus is extremely restricted and solely applies to purchases made instantly with the airline or at amextravel.com.

Winner: These playing cards clearly goal barely totally different audiences, however even earlier than adjusting for the decrease annual charge, the Amex Gold provides the next incomes potential.

Associated: Which purchases depend as journey with the Chase Sapphire Reserve?

Redemption choices

TPG values Chase Final Rewards factors and Amex Membership Rewards factors equally at 2 cents apiece, however the packages every have strengths and weaknesses that might trigger you to choose one over the opposite.

The packages do have quite a lot of high-value switch companions in frequent, together with Virgin Atlantic, Singapore KrisFlyer, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Emirates and British Airways.

Amex factors will in all probability come out forward should you’re primarily seeking to fly long-haul premium cabin flights, because of 1:1 switch companions reminiscent of ANA and Air Canada Aeroplan.

Chase has fewer airline switch companions however is significantly better for these seeking to redeem factors for lodge stays, because of a 1:1 transfers to World of Hyatt. Hyatt factors are value greater than different lodge factors, so whereas each Chase and Amex associate with Marriott with 1:1 transfers, transfers to Hyatt may be extra profitable than most different lodge switch companions.

Free nights at top-tier Hyatt properties such because the Park Hyatt Sydney and Park Hyatt New York price simply 35,000 factors, whilst you’d have to make use of 70,000-100,000 factors to e-book a single evening at Marriott’s costliest resorts.

Switch companions are the easiest way to attain an outsized worth out of your factors, particularly should you’re seeking to keep at luxurious resorts or fly in fancy premium cabins. Nonetheless, should you worth simplicity and adaptability, the Chase Sapphire Reserve provides one other redemption choice which may curiosity you.

While you redeem factors for journey via the Chase portal you’ll get a 50% bonus, making your factors value 1.5 cents every.

You should utilize this selection to e-book nearly any airline seat that’s on the market with out worrying about searching down award area. As a result of these redemptions are technically money bookings, you’ll additionally earn redeemable and elite qualifying miles on flights booked this manner.

Winner: This class is finally a tie, as components reminiscent of your journey preferences and residential airport might simply push you to at least one program over the opposite.

Associated: Why all vacationers ought to earn transferable factors

Card advantages

That is the place we begin to see the largest variations come up, because the Chase Sapphire Reserve is a premium, luxurious journey card with the perks to match. Let’s begin with crucial profit that may assist offset the cardboard’s $550 annual charge: a $300 annual journey credit score. Much like the three factors per greenback journey bonus class, this credit score is robotically utilized to a variety of journey purchases together with airfare, resorts and lots of different choices.

The Sapphire Reserve additionally comes with a full-fledged Precedence Cross Choose membership, together with guesting privileges and entry to Precedence Cross eating places. Cardholders get entry to a premium concierge service, a World Entry / TSA PreCheck software charge credit score, quite a lot of helpful journey and baggage insurance coverage insurance policies and extra. You’ll additionally get pleasure from an included minimal of 1 yr of free meals supply with DoorDash DashPass (when activated by December 31, 2024) and a complimentary Lyft Pink membership via March 2025.

The Amex Gold rewards foodies with a $10 month-to-month eating credit score legitimate on the following retailers: Grubhub, The Cheesecake Manufacturing facility, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and choose Shake Shack places. Enrollment required. Cardholders additionally obtain as much as $120 in annual Uber Money issued in $10 month-to-month increments and legitimate on Uber rides or Uber Eats purchases. In case you max out each of those advantages, you’ll wind up with $240 in annual assertion credit, nearly fully erasing the cardboard’s $250 annual charge (see charges and costs). Enrollment is required for choose advantages.

The Amex Gold additionally provides insurance coverage in case your baggage is misplaced, broken or stolen* in addition to journey delay reimbursement** and as much as a $100 property credit score when reserving stays of two nights or extra via the Amex Resort Assortment.

*Eligibility and profit stage varies by card. Phrases, circumstances and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Firm.

**Eligibility and profit stage varies by card. Phrases, circumstances and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance coverage Firm, an AIG Firm.

Winner: It’s no shock that the Chase Sapphire Reserve provides extra perks in nearly each class than the cheaper Amex Gold. In the end although, you’ll have to see which card’s advantages you’ll have the ability to use simply.

Associated: The way to use the Amex Gold eating credit score

Which card do you have to get?

In case you’re eligible for each of those playing cards, they make an all-star pairing and there’s an actual case for having each in your pockets.

Diversifying your factors between Chase and Amex may also help you unlock increased worth redemptions and these two playing cards complement one another very effectively with regards to advantages and incomes and redeeming factors.

If it’s important to choose between one or the opposite, you’ll have to determine what you need out of your card. In case you’re in search of the absolute best incomes charges or the bottom annual charge, the Amex Gold is a simple alternative. In case you’re in search of luxurious journey advantages and also you’re prepared to pay extra for them, the Sapphire Reserve is the best way to go. You additionally want to consider the redemption aspect and spend a while deciding whether or not your journey objectives shall be higher served with Final Rewards or Membership Rewards factors.

Associated: Are premium bank cards definitely worth the annual charge?

Backside line

Regardless of not technically being a premium card, the Amex Gold offers the Chase Sapphire Reserve a run for its cash in a number of totally different classes. These two playing cards complement one another fairly effectively, however in addition they goal barely totally different audiences. The Amex Gold is a go-to card for all issues food-related, whereas the Sapphire Reserve is extra targeted on luxurious journey experiences.

For extra particulars, try our full opinions of the Amex Gold and the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

For charges and costs of the Amex Gold card, click on right here.

Further reporting by Emily Thompson and Madison Blancaflor.