Key takeaways
- The American Express® Gold Card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card are two of the top flexible rewards cards available.
- Both cards are part of premier rewards programs, offering excellent earning potential on travel and dining expenses.
- The right card for you depends on your spending habits, which type of rewards currency you prefer to earn and the amount you’re willing to pay for an annual fee.
When it comes to the best travel credit cards, the American Express® Gold Card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card frequently make the cut. Both cards feature flexible ways to redeem rewards, plus they come with much lower annual fees than top-tier premium travel cards. They also offer boosted rewards in everyday categories, like dining and travel, so they can fit in well to many people’s wallets.
But which of these flexible rewards cards is best for you? That really depends on which categories you spend the most in, as well as which transfer partners you want access to. Read on to learn our take on how these two cards stack up.
Main Details
| Cards | American Express® Gold Card | Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points when you spend $6,000 on purchases within 6 months of account opening; for a limited time, you can also get 20% back in statement credits on eligible restaurant purchases for the first 6 months you have the card (up to $100 back, offer ends Nov. 6, 2024) | Earn 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points when you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months of account opening; enjoy up to $300 in statement credits toward Chase TravelSM purchases during the first year after account opening |
| Rewards rate |
|
|
| Intro APR | N/A | N/A |
| Annual fee | $325 | $95 |
| Foreign transaction fees | None | None |
Amex Gold Card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred highlights
Comparing the Amex Gold Card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred can be tricky since these cards both earn points in top rewards programs. However, depending on the bonus category, one card may offer more value than the other.
Welcome bonus winner
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Chase Sapphire Preferred lets cardholders earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases within three months of account opening, and the Amex Gold Card offers 60,000 points after new cardholders spend $6,000 within six months of account opening. That means you’ll need to spend an average of $1,000 per month for six months to earn the bonus for the Gold card, but Chase Sapphire Preferred requires an average monthly spend of at least $1,334 for three months.
For us, though, Sapphire Preferred still comes out ahead in this category because of the rewards’ value when it comes time to redeem your welcome bonus. According to Bankrate valuations, both Ultimate Rewards and Membership Rewards are worth an average of 2.0 cents each when transferred to a high-value travel partner. But if you aren’t ready to jump into the somewhat complex world of transferring points to travel partners, you can just redeem your Ultimate Rewards points for travel through Chase Travel and they’ll be worth 1.25 cents each, making the welcome bonus worth $750. Plus, right now, new cardholders can also get up to $300 travel credit in the Chase Travel portal.
Membership Rewards points, on the other hand, are only worth 1 cent each when redeemed for flights or booking stays in the Fine Hotels & Resorts program through American Express Travel and only .7 cents each when redeemed through the portal for other travel purchases. That means your Amex Gold bonus is worth $600 in flights or specific hotel stays through the portal and just $420 for other travel purchases.
Rewards rate winner
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The Amex Gold Card boasts lucrative rewards rates, especially for foodies, but everyone has to eat, right? This card is our winner since it offers high rates in categories that everyone uses. Maxing out the spending caps in the U.S. supermarket (earn 4X points on $25,000 spent annually) and restaurant (4X points on $50,000 spent annually) categories would mean earning 300,000 Membership Rewards points each year on those purchases alone.
For comparison, spending that amount in those categories with the Sapphire Preferred card would only net you 175,000 points (200,000 if all your grocery shopping qualifies for the 2X earning on online grocery purchases).
Still, if travel purchases are a significant part of your budget, Sapphire Preferred may come out ahead. Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholders earn 5X points on any travel booked through Chase Travel (excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the $50 annual hotel credit) plus 5X points on Lyft rides (2X points for general travel and 3X bonus points) through March 2025 and 2X points on other travel.
Annual fee winner
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The Amex Gold Card includes an annual fee of $325, whereas the Chase Sapphire Preferred will set you back just $95 per year. The Chase Sapphire Preferred scores an easy win in this category.
Foreign transaction fee winner
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Neither one of these cards charges foreign transaction fees on purchases made outside of the U.S. or in foreign currency. This is an important consideration for frequent travelers or those who shop online in foreign currencies, and both cards are winners here.
Introductory APR winner
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Likewise, neither of these cards offers an introductory APR on purchases or balance transfers. Thus, neither card has an advantage here.
Which card earns the most?
So, which travel credit card choice will leave you with more rewards in the end? Your own points haul will depend on how much you spend and which categories you spend the most in. Consider the spending example below and how it might look the same (or different) based on your spending habits.
Why should you get the Amex Gold Card?
The Amex Gold Card’s earning potential may make it seem like a marginal winner, but there are more reasons to consider this card over the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
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The Amex Gold Card comes with up to $120 in Uber Cash each year ($10 per month), which makes it among the best credit cards for Uber and ridesharing. Cardholders also receive a dining credit worth up to $120 per year, which is also extended in increments of $10 per month. This credit applies when you use your Amex Gold Card to pay for eligible purchases with GrubHub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com and Five Guys (enrollment required).
This card also comes with a hotel experience credit worth up to $100 when you book an eligible stay with The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. This credit is good for stays of at least two consecutive nights, and it can be applied to a variety of items — including eligible dining, spa and resort activities purchases.
Other Amex Gold benefits include purchase protection against damage or theft, extended warranty coverage, car rental loss and damage insurance, access to a Global Assist hotline, baggage insurance and a complimentary ShopRunner membership (enrollment required).
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One of the more important reasons to consider the Amex Gold card is if you want to earn points in the American Express Membership Rewards program. You can use these points for merchandise, gift cards, statement credits and travel through the Amex travel portal. Membership Rewards points can also be transferred to Amex airline and hotel partners like Delta SkyMiles, JetBlue TrueBlue, Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy, among others.
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The Amex Gold Card requires applicants to have a good credit score to excellent credit score (670 to 850) to qualify for the card. However, you may have a better chance of approval if you have a FICO score of 700 or higher.
Why should you get the Chase Sapphire Preferred?
If you’re intrigued by the Chase Sapphire Preferred’s rewards rates and earning potential, you should know there are even more reasons to sign up.
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The Chase Sapphire Preferred comes with several unique perks. Cardholders will get up to $50 in annual statement credits for hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel, a 10 percent anniversary points bonus (terms apply) and 25 percent more points value for travel redemptions through Chase.
Other benefits include a DoorDash DashPass membership for one year (offer expires Dec. 31, 2027), trip cancellation and interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance, trip delay reimbursement, travel and emergency assistance services, an auto rental collision damage waiver, purchase protection and extended warranty coverage on eligible items.
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Chase Ultimate Rewards points are notoriously easy to redeem, even for those who rarely travel. Redemption options include cash back, statement credits, gift cards, merchandise, Chase Experience events and travel. You can also pay with points on eligible Amazon.com orders or when you check out with Paypal. And remember, cardholders also get 25 percent more value when redeeming points for travel through Chase.
The Chase Ultimate Rewards program also has its own unique list of airline and hotel transfer partners, which include Southwest Rapid Rewards, United MileagePlus, Marriott Bonvoy, World of Hyatt and more.
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The Chase Sapphire Preferred requires applicants to have a good to excellent credit score (670 to 850) to qualify for the card. However, you may have a better chance of approval if you have a FICO score of 700 or higher.
The bottom line
Both the Amex Gold Card and Chase Sapphire Preferred are worth considering if you spend a lot on travel and dining, with both cards offering flexible redemption options on the points you earn. However, the right card for you depends on which categories you spend the most in and how you plan to redeem your rewards.
That said, it never hurts to compare these cards with other top rewards cards, including other cards from Chase and American Express. With some research and comparison shopping, you may be able to find a card that can boost your rewards even more.
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