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Chase Sapphire Most popular vs. Sapphire Reserve — The Factors Man

Editor’s be aware: This can be a recurring submit, frequently up to date with new data and presents.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Chase Sapphire Most popular Card are two of probably the most talked-about journey bank cards available on the market, due to the dear Final Rewards program, top-notch advantages and nice journey protections. However which one is the perfect match for you?

You may assume that the Chase Sapphire Reserve — with a better annual payment and extra luxurious advantages — is all the time the higher selection. It’s the higher-tier card, however that will not essentially imply it’s the perfect card for you. Relying in your spending habits, journey targets and present bank card lineup, the Sapphire Most popular might be the extra engaging choice on your pockets.

Presently, the Sapphire Reserve has a sign-up bonus of 60,000 bonus factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. The Sapphire Most popular, then again, at the moment has an elevated supply of 80,000 bonus factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.

We’ll evaluate the 2 playing cards beneath that will help you make the perfect choice.

Earlier than we get into the advantages of those two playing cards, be aware that you may’t maintain each the Sapphire Most popular and the Sapphire Reserve concurrently. You need to additionally wait a minimum of 48 months after incomes the sign-up bonus on one card earlier than incomes it on the opposite. That’s why making an knowledgeable choice from the beginning is so essential.

Additionally, make sure you don’t bump up in opposition to Chase’s notorious 5/24 rule to maximise your possibilities of approval.

Sapphire Most popular vs. Sapphire Reserve overview

Card

Chase Sapphire Most popular

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Annual payment $95. $550.
Incomes charges 5 factors per greenback on journey bought by way of the Final Rewards portal.

5 factors per greenback on Lyft.

5 factors per greenback on Peloton gear and accent purchases of $250 or extra with a max earn of 25,000 complete factors by way of March 2025.

3 factors per greenback on eating at eating places worldwide, on-line grocery purchases and choose streaming companies.

2 factors per greenback on all different journey.

1 level per greenback on every part else.

10 factors per greenback on inns, automotive leases and Chase Eating bought by way of the Final Rewards portal.

10 factors per greenback on Lyft.

10 factors per greenback on Peloton gear and accent purchases of $250 or extra with a max earn of fifty,000 complete factors by way of March 2025.

5 factors per greenback on flights bought by way of the Final Rewards portal.

3 factors per greenback on eating and all different journey.

1 level per greenback on every part else.

Signal-up bonus 80,000 bonus factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. 60,000 bonus factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Worth for Final Rewards journey redemptions 1.25 cents. 1.5 cents.
Constructed-in credit $50 annual final rewards lodge credit score.

10% anniversary factors increase.

$300 annual journey credit score.

International Entry/TSA PreCheck utility payment credit score (as much as $100).

Lounge entry None. Precedence Go Choose.
Licensed person payment $0. $75 for every person per 12 months.

Associated: Learn TPG’s opinions of the Chase Sapphire Most popular and Chase Sapphire Reserve

Journey protection and buy safety

It’s additionally price evaluating the protection these two playing cards supply for issues reminiscent of journey delays, journey cancellation and buy safety. Though they provide some similar advantages, there are just a few variations:

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Card

Chase Sapphire Most popular

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Rental automotive insurance coverage Main; covers as much as precise money worth of most leases (excluding “excessive worth” and “unique” vehicles). Main; covers as much as $75,000 for theft and collision.
Roadside help $79.95 per service name. As much as $50 per incident, as much as 4 occasions a 12 months.
Journey cancellation insurance coverage As much as $10,000 per coated journey. As much as $10,000 per coated journey.
Journey delay insurance coverage As much as $500 per ticket for delays of 12 or extra hours (or requiring an in a single day keep). As much as $500 per ticket for delays of six or extra hours (or requiring an in a single day keep).
Baggage delay insurance coverage As much as $100 per day for as much as 5 days. As much as $100 per day for as much as 5 days.
Misplaced baggage reimbursement As much as $3,000 per individual (as much as $500 per individual for jewellery, watches, cameras, video recorders and different digital gear). As much as $3,000 per individual (as much as $500 per individual for jewellery, watches, cameras, video recorders and different digital gear).
Emergency medical and dental
None. As much as $2,500 if you happen to get sick or injured on a coated journey (topic to a $50 deductible).
Journey accident insurance coverage $500,000 for widespread service lack of life profit. $1,000,000 for widespread service lack of life profit.
Buy safety As much as $500 per declare and as much as $50,000 per 12 months. As much as $10,000 per declare and as much as $50,000 per 12 months.

As you possibly can see, each playing cards supply intensive protection while you journey and store — although the Sapphire Reserve can supply barely higher advantages on choose insurance policies.

Learn extra: Your information to Chase’s journey insurance coverage protection

The argument for the Sapphire Reserve

The Chase Sapphire Reserve is the extra premium of the 2 playing cards. Should you’re a frequent traveler or large spender, the Reserve will probably provide you with extra worth over time.

WYATT SMITH/THE POINTS GUY

Listed below are some the explanation why the Sapphire Reserve is sensible over the Most popular:

Premium journey advantages

Should you’re in search of premium perks, the Reserve has them.

You’ll get a $300 journey credit score every year with the Sapphire Reserve, an as much as $100 credit score for the TSA PreCheck or International Entry utility payment each 4 years and a Precedence Go Choose membership that provides you entry into greater than 1,300 airport lounges all over the world.

Plus, whereas each playing cards supply complimentary DashPass with meals supply service DoorDash (legitimate by way of Dec. 31, 2024), Sapphire Reserve cardholders can entry $5 in month-to-month credit score for in-app orders by way of December 2024.

Should you can take full benefit of lots of these perks and credit, you’ll greater than offset the price of the Sapphire Reserve’s $550 annual payment.

Greater incomes charges

The Chase Sapphire Reserve has a better incomes fee than the Chase Sapphire Most popular in choose classes:

  • Inns and automotive leases by way of Final Rewards Journey: 10 factors per greenback (in comparison with 5 factors per greenback on the Sapphire Most popular).
  • Lyft rides (by way of March 2025): 10 factors per greenback (5 factors per greenback on the CSP).
  • Eating by way of Final Rewards: 10 factors per greenback (3 factors per greenback on CSP).
  • All different journey: 3 factors per greenback (2 factors per greenback on CSP).

The extra you propose to spend in these bonus classes, the larger the distinction in rewards.

Associated: The way to earn 10 factors per greenback on choose eating reservations and takeout with Chase Sapphire

50% redemption bonus

Along with a better incomes fee, the Sapphire Reserve additionally has a better redemption fee while you ebook journey by way of the Chase Final Rewards portal. The Chase Sapphire Reserve means that you can redeem every level at 1.5 cents every towards journey, in comparison with 1.25 cents every with the Most popular. Should you solely switch factors to lodge and airline companions, this distinction gained’t matter, however it performs into the equation if you happen to use factors by way of the Chase journey website.

We don’t usually counsel reserving inns by way of a third-party portal reminiscent of this one until you discover a terrific deal or wish to keep at a boutique place that doesn’t have a loyalty program, since you usually gained’t earn lodge factors, elite credit or have your elite standing acknowledged.

However if you’re frequently reserving airfare by way of the Chase portal, it might be price having the Reserve for the upper redemption fee.

For instance, a $600 aircraft ticket will value you 48,000 factors with the Sapphire Most popular however solely 40,000 factors with the Sapphire Reserve.

Purchases can be erased at a better fee by way of Chase’s Pay Your self Again characteristic. Proper now, this selection gives a worth of 1 cent per level on fuel and grocery purchases with the Sapphire Most popular however 1.25 cents per level on those self same purchases with the Sapphire Reserve (each by way of June 30, 2023).

Associated: How I scored a brand new Away bag for 16,000 Final Rewards factors

Higher journey insurance coverage protection

Many journey bank cards have minimize journey insurance coverage over the previous couple of years, so premium protection is more durable to come back by. Each the Sapphire Most popular and the Reserve supply a terrific number of journey insurance coverage advantages, however you get higher protection with the Sapphire Reserve. This takes just a few types:

  • Greater protection quantities (e.g., journey accident insurance coverage and buy safety).
  • Faster safety (e.g., journey delay protection, which requires only a six-hour delay on the Reserve however a 12-hour delay on the Most popular).
  • Extra advantages (e.g., emergency medical and dental protection is obtainable on the Reserve however not on the Most popular).

By itself, this enhanced safety is probably not a purpose to decide on the Sapphire Reserve over the Most popular. Nonetheless, when mixed with the opposite extra advantages the Reserve model presents, it might be a deciding issue.

Associated: The most effective bank cards for journey insurance coverage

The argument for the Sapphire Most popular

The Chase Sapphire Most popular can’t compete with the Reserve in terms of perks such because the annual journey credit score and lounge entry, however this card nonetheless may make extra sense to you with its (a lot) decrease annual payment.

THE POINTS GUY

Decrease annual payment

One key benefit to the Chase Sapphire Most popular is the considerably decrease annual payment. The Sapphire Reserve prices $550 yearly, whereas the Most popular prices solely $95. In fact, it’s price preserving in thoughts that the Sapphire Reserve presents a $300 annual journey credit score, which successfully lowers the associated fee to only $250 per 12 months — a $155 premium over the Sapphire Most popular.

Should you’ll spend a minimum of $300 on journey in a 12 months anyway and know you’ll use the perks supplied on the cardboard, it might be price paying extra for the Reserve. However the Sapphire Most popular Card is a worthwhile various if that payment doesn’t appear manageable based mostly in your journey and spending habits.

Similar entry to Final Rewards switch companions

Although it doesn’t supply all the identical premium advantages, the Sapphire Most popular presents similar switch advantages to the Sapphire Reserve card.

Irrespective of which card you select, you’ll be capable of transfer your Final Rewards factors (earned each by way of the sign-up bonus and thru spending) to this system’s 11 airline and three lodge companions at a 1:1 ratio. This consists of applications like United MileagePlus, World of Hyatt, Southwest Speedy Rewards and British Airways Govt Membership. Chase’s airline companions provide you with entry to all three prime alliances (Oneworld, Star Alliance and SkyTeam), so that you’ll have a powerful number of choices for placing your factors to make use of. And also you’ll sometimes see switch bonuses — and just like the companions, these are similar throughout the 2 playing cards.

The 2 playing cards do, nonetheless, differ in terms of redeeming factors by way of the Chase Final Rewards journey portal, as beforehand talked about. With the Sapphire Most popular, you’ll get 1.25 cents in worth per level, whereas with the Reserve you’ll get a better worth of 1.5 cents per level.

Associated: Maximizing Chase’s switch companions

You continue to get major rental automotive insurance coverage

Lengthy earlier than Chase launched the Sapphire Reserve, award vacationers sang the praises of the Sapphire Most popular card’s auto collision injury waiver (CDW) profit. This perk gives reimbursement for injury on account of collision or theft for leases of 31 days or much less while you decline the rental company’s CDW. Should you’re eligible, you’ll be reimbursed as much as the precise money worth of most rental autos.

The insurance policies differ barely between the playing cards, because the Chase Sapphire Reserve caps reimbursement at $75,000, and the Sapphire Most popular’s protection particularly excludes “excessive worth” and “unique” vehicles. Nonetheless, it’s extremely unlikely you’d come anyplace close to that greater protection quantity, and most leases aren’t categorized as “excessive worth” or “unique” autos. Consequently, there isn’t a lot of a sensible distinction between the 2.

Associated: The proper rental automotive? My expertise renting a Tesla Mannequin 3 from Hertz

If a highway journey is in your future, major rental automotive insurance coverage can hold you coated. THOMAS BARWICK/GETTY IMAGES

No licensed person payment

There are numerous causes to contemplate a licensed person in your bank cards. You would be seeking to assist somebody construct up a credit score historical past, you may wish to present staff with playing cards for a enterprise account or perhaps you’re seeking to earn bonus rewards for including extra customers.

With the Sapphire Most popular, there’s no value so as to add extra customers. With the Sapphire Reserve card, then again, it prices $75 per 12 months for every licensed person (although this consists of particular person Precedence Go Choose membership for airport lounge entry).

Simpler to get accredited

A remaining purpose to contemplate the Sapphire Most popular Card over the Sapphire Reserve Card is that it might be simpler to be accredited for the Most popular. As an ultra-premium card, the Reserve requires a top-notch credit score rating. You’ll nonetheless want a stable rating for the Sapphire Most popular (a minimum of within the excessive 600s), however you may need a better time getting accredited for that card in case your rating is on the decrease finish of the optimum vary.

Associated: What is an effective credit score rating?

Backside line

The Chase Sapphire Most popular has lengthy been a TPG favourite. When the Sapphire Reserve launched, nonetheless, it rapidly grew to become a go-to for luxurious perks reminiscent of a Precedence Go Choose membership and the annual $300 journey credit score. In the end, you actually can’t go incorrect with both card, as they each have quite a bit to supply each newcomers and veterans within the factors and miles sport.

Associated: The one bank card TPG staffers can’t dwell with out


Apply for the Chase Sapphire Most popular Card with an 80,000-point sign-up bonus or the Chase Sapphire Reserve with a 60,000-point sign-up bonus.


Extra reporting by Emily Thompson, Ryan Wilcox and Benét J. Wilson.

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