Amex Platinum vs Chase Sapphire Reserve
Last updated July 2026
American Express Platinum
The premium travel card built on lounges and credits
Advantages
- Best lounge access in the industry: Centurion, Delta Sky Club (when flying Delta), Priority Pass, Plaza Premium, and more
- Over $1,500 in annual credits: $200 airline, $200 hotel, $300 Equinox, $240 digital entertainment, $200 Uber, and others
- 5x Membership Rewards points on flights booked through Amex Travel and prepaid hotels
- Free Global Entry / TSA PreCheck credit every 4 years
- Access to Fine Hotels + Resorts with premium hotel perks
Drawbacks
- $695 annual fee, the credits are only valuable if you'd spend the money anyway
- Only 1x base rate on non-bonus spending
- Credits are fragmented across many merchants (Uber, Saks, Equinox, etc.)
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Premium travel card with the strongest transfer partners
Advantages
- $300 annual travel credit auto-applies to any travel purchase (easiest premium credit to use)
- Priority Pass Select + access to newly-opened Chase Sapphire Lounges
- 3x on dining and general travel; 5x on flights and 10x on hotels/cars via Chase Travel
- Points transfer to Chase's 14 partners including United, Hyatt, and Southwest
- Points worth 1.5c each when redeemed through Chase Travel portal
Drawbacks
- $550 annual fee ($795 as of the 2025 refresh), still steep
- No Centurion lounge access
- Priority Pass restaurants no longer included (removed in 2019)
Amex Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve are the two most-discussed premium travel cards in the U.S. Both charge $695+ per year, both offer lounge access, and both are packed with credits and perks. The right pick depends on which airline you fly, whether you'll actually use the credits, and how much you value dining and travel points flexibility.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | American Express Platinum | Chase Sapphire Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $695 | $795 (2025 refresh) |
| Base Rewards Rate | 1x on most spending | 1x on most spending |
| Bonus Categories | 5x flights + prepaid hotels via Amex Travel | 3x dining + travel; 5x flights, 10x hotels/cars via Chase Travel |
| Transfer Partners | 20+ airline and hotel partners | 14 partners including United, Hyatt, Southwest |
| Annual Travel Credits | $200 airline + $200 hotel + $200 Uber + more | $300 easy annual travel credit + Chase Travel credits |
| Lounge Access | Centurion + Delta Sky Club + Priority Pass + Plaza Premium | Priority Pass Select + Chase Sapphire Lounges |
| Insurance Protections | Trip delay, cancellation, secondary rental car | Trip cancellation, primary rental car, delay |
| Sign-Up Bonus | Typically 80K-175K MR points after minimum spend | Typically 60K-100K UR points |
Too Close to Call
Choose Amex Platinum for lounge access and lifestyle credits; choose Sapphire Reserve for domestic transfer partners and easier travel credits.
Neither card wins outright. Amex Platinum is stronger for premium international travelers who value Centurion access and can use the airline/Uber/hotel credits. Sapphire Reserve is stronger for domestic travelers who want to transfer to United and Hyatt and prefer a single, easy $300 travel credit over fragmented ones. Do a credit audit before applying: if you'd use less than $500 of Amex's fragmented credits, Sapphire Reserve wins on effective value.
Related Comparisons
American Express Platinum vs Amex Gold
American Express Platinum's "The premium travel card built on lounges and credits" meets Amex Gold's "The best dining and grocery card in the U.S". Which one fits your situation?
American Express Platinum vs Bilt Mastercard
American Express Platinum's "The premium travel card built on lounges and credits" meets Bilt Mastercard's "The only credit card that earns points on rent". Which one fits your situation?
American Express Platinum vs Capital One Venture X
American Express Platinum's "The premium travel card built on lounges and credits" meets Capital One Venture X's "Premium travel card that returns its own annual fee". Which one fits your situation?