Chase Sapphire Most popular vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve

Metro Loud
18 Min Read


Every of Chase’s private Sapphire playing cards earns worthwhile Chase Final Rewards factors.

Whereas the mid-tier Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card (see charges and charges) and premium Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and charges) are in the identical household, the 2 playing cards diverge in advantages, incomes charges and annual charges.

The Sapphire Reserve presents many perks in trade for a excessive $795 annual price, whereas the Sapphire Most popular is an easier choice for $95 a yr.

Think about your journey fashion and total factors and miles technique earlier than selecting. Let’s examine.

Card

Sapphire Most popular

Sapphire Reserve

$95

$795

  • 5 factors per greenback spent on all journey booked by way of Chase Journey℠, eligible Lyft rides (by way of Sept. 30, 2027) and eligible Peloton purchases of at the very least $150 (by way of Dec. 30, 2027)
  • 3 factors per greenback spent on eating, on-line grocery purchases (excluding Goal, Walmart and wholesale golf equipment) and choose streaming providers
  • 2 factors per greenback spent on all different journey
  • 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases

  • 10 factors per greenback spent on eligible Peloton purchases of at the very least $150 (by way of Dec. 30, 2027)
  • 8 factors per greenback on all Chase Journey℠ purchases
  • 5 factors per greenback spent on Lyft rides (by way of Sept. 30, 2027)
  • 4 factors per greenback spent on flights and lodges booked instantly
  • 3 factors per greenback spent on eating purchases worldwide
  • 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases

(Purchases that qualify for the annual $300 journey credit score won’t earn factors.)

Earn 75,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.

Test your eligibility (with no influence in your credit score rating) to see in the event you’re focused for an elevated provide to earn as much as 175,000 factors after spending $6,000 within the first three months. (This provide is simply obtainable by way of this software.)
  • Anniversary factors increase
  • Annual resort credit score once you guide by way of Chase Journey
  • DoorDash DashPass subscription and month-to-month DoorDash credit on nonrestaurant purchases
  • Journey and buy protections

 

  • Annual journey credit score
  • Complimentary subscriptions for Apple TV+ and Apple Music
  • Complimentary IHG elite standing
  • DoorDash DashPass subscription
  • The Edit resort credit score
  • International Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus software price credit score
  • Lyft in-app credit (earned month-to-month)
  • OpenTable credit score
  • Peloton membership credit
  • Spending-incentivized credit, together with IHG, Hyatt and Southwest Airways standing, and credit with Southwest Airways and The Outlets at Chase
  • StubHub and Viagogo credit score
  • Journey and buy protections

None

  • Chase Sapphire Lounge entry
  • Precedence Go Choose membership

Licensed consumer annual price

$0

$195 for every consumer

New candidates for the Sapphire Reserve can examine their eligibility to see in the event that they’re focused for an elevated provide to earn as much as 175,000 factors after spending $6,000 within the first three months. (You have to examine to see in the event you’re eligible for the 175,000-point provide by way of the Chase prequalification widget. There is no such thing as a influence in your credit score rating. This provide is simply obtainable by way of this software.)

These factors are value as much as $3,588, in keeping with TPG’s December 2025 valuations. (The usual public provide is 125,000 factors for a similar spending requirement.)

In the meantime, you possibly can earn 75,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening with the Sapphire Most popular. That is value $1,538 when contemplating TPG’s December 2025 valuations.

THE POINTS GUY

You possibly can maintain each the Sapphire Reserve and Sapphire Most popular, however there are restrictions that will make some new candidates ineligible for bonus presents.

If you happen to’ve beforehand earned a bonus on the Sapphire Reserve, you virtually actually will not be eligible for a second bonus on the Sapphire Reserve. If you happen to beforehand earned a bonus on a Sapphire Most popular, you virtually undoubtedly might be ineligible for a second bonus on the Sapphire Most popular.

Reward your inbox with the TPG Each day publication

Be a part of over 700,000 readers for breaking information, in-depth guides and unique offers from TPG’s consultants

It is vital to recollect Chase’s 5/24 rule when making use of for one of many issuer’s playing cards.

Winner: Sapphire Reserve. You would be focused for a a lot greater provide than what the Sapphire Most popular gives.

The Sapphire Most popular and Sapphire Reserve are separated most distinctly by their advantages. Let’s break down what you possibly can count on.

With the $95 Sapphire Most popular, you may obtain:

  • Anniversary factors bonus: 10% every year
  • Annual resort credit score: $50 resort credit score once you guide by way of Chase Journey
  • DoorDash advantages: Complimentary DoorDash DashPass subscription for at the very least one yr (once you activate by Dec. 31, 2027) and $10 in month-to-month credit ($120 yearly) for nonrestaurant purchases
The Ivens Hotel
THE IVENS HOTEL/FACEBOOK

The $795 Sapphire Reserve gives:

  • Apple Music and Apple TV+: As much as $288 yearly for subscriptions (one-time activation for each providers is required; by way of June 22, 2027)
  • DoorDash: As much as $25 in month-to-month promos plus at the very least one complimentary yr of DashPass (activate by Dec. 31, 2027)
  • International Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus: As much as $120 in credit each 4 years
  • Lyft: As much as $120 yearly (as much as $10 every month; by way of Sept. 30, 2027; doesn’t apply to Wait & Save, bike or scooter rides)
  • OpenTable: As much as $300 yearly (cut up into two up-to-$150 biannual credit) for eating at Sapphire Reserve Unique Tables eating places (no prepayment, cost or reservation by way of OpenTable required)
  • Peloton subscriptions: As much as $120 yearly for Peloton subscriptions by way of Dec. 31, 2027
  • StubHub/Viagogo: As much as $300 yearly (cut up into two up-to-$150 biannual credit; by way of Dec. 31, 2027)
  • The Edit: As much as $500 yearly (cut up into two up-to-$250 biannual credit) for pay as you go The Edit bookings (of two nights or extra)
  • Journey: As much as $300 towards all journey purchases

You possibly can obtain additional advantages after spending $75,000 on the Sapphire Reserve in a calendar yr, together with:

A distinction for a lot of vacationers would be the Sapphire Reserve’s lounge entry. Chase has opened eight Sapphire Lounges and has plans to open at the very least three extra. Plus, the Precedence Go community consists of over 1,800 lounges worldwide.

Chase Sapphire Lounge JFK New York
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

The Sapphire Reserve’s beloved journey credit score broadly applies to journey purchases and is routinely utilized. Conversely, the Sapphire Most popular’s $50 resort credit score is restricted to bookings by way of Chase Journey.

Each playing cards include a collection of journey protections. Nonetheless, the extra premium Sapphire Reserve has broader protection with sure insurance policies.

Winner: Sapphire Reserve. The extra premium card comes with lounge entry, a extra versatile journey credit score and a laundry record of assertion credit to maximise.

Associated: Is the Sapphire Reserve definitely worth the annual price?

There are notable variations in how the Sapphire Most popular and Sapphire Reserve earn factors.

With the Sapphire Most popular, you may earn:

  • 5 factors per greenback spent on all journey bought by way of Chase Journey, eligible Lyft rides (by way of Sept. 30, 2027) and eligible Peloton purchases of at the very least $150 (by way of Dec. 30, 2027)
  • 3 factors per greenback spent on eating, on-line grocery purchases (excluding Goal, Walmart and wholesale golf equipment) and choose streaming providers
  • 2 factors per greenback spent on all different journey
  • 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases
a young woman pays with a credit card at an outdoor restaurant in a tropical location
CREAM_PH/GETTY IMAGES

The Sapphire Reserve earns:

  • 10 factors per greenback spent on eligible Peloton purchases of $150 or extra (by way of Dec. 30, 2027)
  • 8 factors per greenback spent on all Chase Journey purchases
  • 5 factors per greenback spent on eligible Lyft rides (by way of Sept. 30, 2027)
  • 4 factors per greenback spent on flights and lodges booked instantly
  • 3 factors per greenback spent on eating purchases worldwide
  • 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases

The 2 playing cards earn on the identical charge on Lyft rides and eating.

The Reserve outshines the Most popular on Chase Journey purchases and flights and lodges booked instantly, an vital consideration for frequent vacationers.

In distinction, the Sapphire Most popular earns extra on choose streaming providers and on-line groceries. Plus, it has a basic journey bonus class that the Sapphire Reserve doesn’t. If you happen to guide Airbnb stays, cruises or different basic journey (outdoors of flights or lodges booked instantly or by way of Chase Journey), you are higher off incomes 2 factors per greenback spent on the Most popular than 1 level per greenback spent on the Reserve.

Winner: Sapphire Reserve. In most classes, it earns greater than the Most popular, although the incomes distinction within the basic journey class is value contemplating.

Associated: Which purchases rely as eating with the Sapphire Most popular and Sapphire Reserve?

Chase’s Factors Enhance characteristic lets sure cardholders get extra worth per level when reserving eligible journey by way of Chase Journey (as much as 2 cents per level; the precise worth you get will depend on which card you could have and what you are reserving; examine your rewards program settlement for the total particulars).

  • Sapphire Reserve cardholders can stand up to 2 cents per level on choose resort and flight bookings made by way of Chase Journey.
  • Sapphire Most popular cardholders can stand up to 1.75 cents per level on choose flight bookings and 1.5 cents on choose resort bookings.
woman checking her online flight tickets at home
LECHATNOIR/GETTY IMAGES

The bottom redemption charge for each the Sapphire Most popular and Sapphire Reserve is 1 cent per level on Chase Journey redemptions not eligible for Factors Enhance.

Holding the Sapphire Reserve unlocks greater potential worth by way of Factors Enhance than the Sapphire Most popular. Nonetheless, you may must make a Factors Enhance-eligible reserving with choose lodges and flight itineraries to get greater than 1 cent per level in worth.

It’s also possible to redeem your factors for money again or reward playing cards, however these redemptions sometimes provide poor worth.

Winner: Sapphire Reserve. You would stand up to 2 cents per level in worth with choose Factors Enhance bookings, which is greater than the Sapphire Most popular’s charge of as much as 1.75 cents per level.

Associated: Why Chase’s Factors Enhance is an excellent (sort of shocking) new technique to guide lodges on factors

One of the simplest ways to get most worth out of your factors earned with the Sapphire Most popular or the Sapphire Reserve is to switch them to one in every of Chase’s 13 journey companions.

These companions embody worthwhile loyalty packages comparable to Air Canada Aeroplan, United Airways MileagePlus and World of Hyatt. If you switch factors, you can also make stellar redemptions.

United New Signature interior Economy First Boeing 737 MAX 9
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

Plus, Chase usually presents switch bonuses that present much more worth in your factors once you transfer them.

TPG bank cards author Danyal Ahmed not too long ago transferred 70,000 Final Rewards factors to Aeroplan to fly Lufthansa enterprise class from Frankfurt to Los Angeles.

Winner: Tie. Each playing cards include the identical switch choices.

Associated: Who’re the Chase Final Rewards switch companions? Every part to know

The Sapphire Reserve outperforms the Sapphire Most popular in key incomes charges, journey perks and redemption worth — however these benefits include a a lot greater $795 annual price. Earlier than selecting, consider carefully about how usually you journey and whether or not you may realistically use the Reserve’s many journey and way of life credit.

If you happen to worth airport lounge entry, need top-tier journey protections and may maximize the Reserve’s credit, the Sapphire Reserve will doubtless ship extra total worth.

If you happen to want simplicity, need robust incomes charges on on a regular basis spending and do not wish to handle a number of assertion credit, the Sapphire Most popular stays top-of-the-line mid-tier journey playing cards in the marketplace.

Associated: Causes to decide on the Sapphire Most popular over the Sapphire Reserve

You possibly can improve from the Sapphire Most popular to the Sapphire Reserve by calling the quantity on the again of your card. You are able to do the identical if you wish to downgrade your Sapphire Reserve to the Sapphire Most popular.

woman with credit card
DRAGANA991/GETTY IMAGES

You need to maintain your card for at the very least 12 months earlier than you possibly can downgrade. Nonetheless, you will not be eligible for a welcome provide in your new card in the event you select to improve or downgrade.

Associated: Causes to improve from Sapphire Most popular to Sapphire Reserve

Backside line

Each the Sapphire Most popular and the Sapphire Reserve have earned a powerful status amongst vacationers for his or her worthwhile rewards and versatile redemption choices.

If you happen to worth airport lounge entry, can maximize assertion credit and recognize excessive incomes charges, the Sapphire Reserve is the decide for you. If you happen to’re into simplicity and do not wish to pay a excessive annual price, apply for the Sapphire Most popular as a substitute.

To study extra, learn our full critiques of the Sapphire Most popular and Sapphire Reserve.


Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Most popular Card

Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Reserve


Share This Article