Two of Chase’s hottest bank cards — the mid-tier Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card (see charges and costs) and its premium sibling, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and costs) — are well-loved at TPG attributable to a number of elements together with the previous’s cheap $95 annual price, bonus-earning charges on journey and eating and helpful journey protections.
Whereas the Sapphire Reserve has a a lot larger annual price of $550, it additionally affords luxurious perks and most of the advantages we have come to count on from premium journey playing cards.
That mentioned, the Sapphire Most popular nonetheless packs an honest punch. What makes it much more interesting is that it is each an awesome starter journey card and splendid for frequent and seasoned vacationers, too.
Let’s check out why the Sapphire Most popular could be the following Chase card you need in your pockets (when you do not have already got it).
Higher welcome bonus
Each playing cards at present supply totally different welcome bonuses however an identical minimal spend thresholds:
- Sapphire Most popular: Earn 100,000 factors after spending $5,000 on purchases inside the first three months from account opening.
- Sapphire Reserve: Earn 60,000 factors after spending $5,000 on purchases inside the first three months from account opening.
Associated: Chase Sapphire Most popular Card overview: A high journey and eating card
Based on TPG’s April 2025 valuations, the Chase Sapphire Most popular’s 100,000-point bonus is value $2,050. When you select to redeem via Chase Journey℠, nonetheless, the identical quantity of factors are value as much as $1,250.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve’s 60,000-point bonus is value $1,230 in keeping with our valuations and might be value as much as $900 whenever you redeem the factors for journey via the Chase Journey or as a press release credit score with the Pay Your self Again characteristic since level redemptions are value 50% extra this manner.
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When you redeem factors for money again exterior of Pay Your self Again, 60,000 factors are value $600.
Associated: 10 greatest methods to make use of 100K Chase Final Rewards factors
Decrease annual price
The 2 Chase Sapphire playing cards have very totally different annual charges, so it is necessary to do the mathematics and see which card makes essentially the most monetary sense to your life-style. Those that aren’t frequent vacationers won’t really feel the necessity to pay extra for advantages that they’ll hardly ever use.
When you’ve by no means held a premium card earlier than or are averse to excessive annual charges, chances are you’ll be somewhat apprehensive concerning the $550 annual price for the Sapphire Reserve.
Nonetheless, it’s best to know {that a} excessive price is frequent amongst playing cards of this tier. You’ll be able to successfully recoup a lot of the price when you make the most of all of the added card advantages.
Simply by accounting for the Sapphire Reserve’s $300 annual journey credit score alone, the annual price is already diminished to a extra manageable $250 — but it is nonetheless a $155 premium over the Sapphire Most popular.
Whereas the Sapphire Reserve delivers extra credit and perks than the Sapphire Most popular, you do should make extra of an effort to maximise these extra perks, which may very well be a ache if you need a card with an easier reward incomes and redeeming construction.
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Bonus classes
The Sapphire Most popular earns on the following charges:
- 5 factors per greenback spent on journey booked via Chase Journey
- 3 factors per greenback spent on eating — consistent with the Sapphire Reserve
- 3 factors per greenback spent on choose streaming providers
- 3 factors per greenback spent on on-line groceries (excluding Goal, Walmart and wholesale golf equipment)
- 2 factors per greenback spent on journey purchases
- 1 level per greenback spent on different eligible purchases
For its half, the Chase Sapphire Reserve earns:
- 10 factors per greenback spent on Chase Eating booked via the Final Rewards portal
- 10 factors per greenback spent on resort and automotive rental purchases via Chase Journey
- 5 factors per greenback spent on airline journey booked via Chase Journey
- 3 factors per greenback spent on different journey
- 3 factors per greenback spent on eating
- 1 level per greenback spent on different eligible purchases
The extra you propose to spend in these bonus classes, the larger the distinction in rewards. For example you spend $500 on non-Chase eating and $500 on non-Chase journey (a complete of $1,000) monthly on these two bonus classes.
That will deliver your Sapphire Most popular earnings to 2,500 factors month-to-month (as much as $50 in worth) versus 3,000 factors with the Reserve (as much as $60).
Total, the extra 1 level earned on common journey purchases with the Sapphire Reserve could not warrant the a lot larger annual price for some. When you think about that $155 distinction in annual charges (after utilizing the $300 annual journey credit score from the Sapphire Reserve), the Sapphire Most popular could very effectively come out on high as the higher selection for some customers.
Journey protections
It is uncommon to discover a mid-tier card with robust journey protections. Most playing cards on this vary supply just a few protections, comparable to secondary auto insurance coverage or baggage insurance coverage.
With the Chase Sapphire Most popular, cardholders get the good thing about as much as $10,000 per lined traveler or $20,000 per journey in journey cancellation insurance coverage, as much as $500 a lined ticket in journey delay insurance coverage, as much as $3,000 in misplaced baggage insurance coverage, as much as $100 a day (as much as 5 days) in baggage delay insurance coverage and main rental automotive insurance coverage.
Secondary automotive rental insurance coverage is extra in style amongst mid-tier playing cards, including much more worth to an already spectacular protection-rich card.
As a mid-tier card, the Sapphire Most popular packs a punch with premium-level journey insurance coverage. The advantages right here make the Sapphire Most popular extraordinarily enticing, particularly when its annual price is a lot decrease than the Sapphire Reserve’s.
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Simpler approval
Many elements play into whether or not or not you will get accredited for any bank card, comparable to revenue, credit score historical past, credit score rating, age of your credit score accounts and you probably have a preexisting relationship with the credit score issuer.
When making use of to the extra premium Chase Sapphire Reserve, you will seemingly want a credit score rating of not less than 740. Nonetheless, it has been reported the typical individual accredited has a rating of round 750.
It is necessary to notice you could nonetheless be denied for both card even you probably have a wonderful credit score rating. Nonetheless, these estimates may give you a spot to begin. And keep in mind, Chase’s 5/24 rule nonetheless applies, so when you’ve opened 5 or extra private bank cards throughout all banks within the final 24 months, you will seemingly obtain a denial in your utility.
Associated: Chase’s 5/24 rule: All the things it’s worthwhile to know
Backside line
Plus, due to the Chase Sapphire Most popular Card’s present highest-ever welcome bonus of 100,000 factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening, it is simple to earn a large stash of Final Rewards factors proper now.
Associated: Chase Sapphire Most popular vs. Sapphire Reserve: Do you have to go mid-tier or premium?
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