The American Specific® Gold Card and the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked® Card (see charges and costs) are all the time in my pockets — each are favorites right here at TPG.
Apart from the advantages of those playing cards, each the Sapphire Most well-liked and the Amex Gold earn versatile factors, which I can switch to associate airways and resorts to maximise my redemptions.
Nonetheless, after utilizing each playing cards and their factors currencies, one program reigns supreme. Let us take a look at why I prioritize incomes Chase Final Rewards factors as a substitute of American Specific Membership Rewards factors.
Which is healthier for factors: Amex or Chase?
Chase factors can typically be extra helpful when redeemed by way of Chase Journey℠. As a Sapphire Most well-liked cardholder, my factors are value as much as 1.75 cents per level, relying on the precise redemption, with Factors Enhance.
Nonetheless, while you redeem Membership Rewards factors by way of the American Specific Journey portal, your factors are solely value as much as 1 cent apiece.
Apart from reserving by way of the respective portals, I have a tendency to maximise my factors by transferring them to airline and lodge companions. Whereas Amex has 20 switch companions in comparison with Chase’s 14 companions, every program gives helpful lodge and airline choices, permitting you to maximise your rewards with candy spot redemptions.
One other redemption possibility is to redeem factors for money again. Amex factors are solely value a meager 0.6 cents per level when redeemed this fashion, in comparison with Chase factors, that are value 1 cent per level.
Whereas each applications have positives and negatives, I prioritize incomes Chase factors over Amex factors.
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Associated: Amex Membership Rewards vs. Chase Final Rewards: Which is the perfect?
Why am I not prioritizing incomes Amex Factors?
Amex Membership Rewards factors are probably the most helpful versatile level currencies you possibly can earn.
A few of my favourite methods to make use of Amex factors are transferring them to Avianca LifeMiles and Air Canada Aeroplan for redemptions on Star Alliance flights or to Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership to fly throughout the pond.
Regardless of these helpful switch companions, I do not discover a lot worth in a lot of Amex’s different switch companions and barely use them.
The majority of my spending on my playing cards is eating, and that is why my Amex Gold all the time stays in my pockets. It earns 4 factors per greenback spent on worldwide eating at eating places (on as much as $50,000 every calendar 12 months, then 1 level per greenback spent).
Moreover, the Amex Gold earns 3 factors per greenback spent on flights booked with airways or Amex Journey, and it has been my principal card for reserving flights.
Nonetheless, I’m now prioritizing Chase factors over Amex as a result of I’ve a stockpile of Amex factors. At TPG, we advocate not hoarding factors, as airways and resorts incessantly devalue their applications. At any time when I’ve a big financial institution of 1 rewards forex, I look to earn extra in any forex I’m low on.
Moreover, nearly all of my flights for the remainder of the 12 months are already booked. So, I am specializing in lodge redemptions for the remainder of the 12 months; Chase has the perfect lodge switch companions, with Hyatt, IHG and Marriott.
Whereas my Chase Sapphire Most well-liked solely earns me 3 factors per greenback spent on eating and a pair of factors per greenback spent on journey purchases (i.e., reserving flights), I am opting to sacrifice incomes an additional level per greenback spent on these purchases so I can earn the forex I need.
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Why am I prioritizing incomes Chase factors?
Chase Final Rewards are my most beneficial versatile rewards forex. My go-to redemption with Final Rewards factors is transferring them to World of Hyatt to cowl my lodge stays when touring.
As I discussed, I’ve all my flights booked for the remainder of 2025, however I haven’t got all my lodge stays deliberate. I’ve far fewer Chase factors than Amex factors, however with Hyatt being a switch associate of Chase, I can get a terrific redemption worth.
I’ve typically scored room redemptions throughout peak season in in style European cities for between 6,500 and 9,500 factors. Hyatt nonetheless makes use of a hard and fast award chart, not like different applications that function utilizing dynamic pricing. Due to this fact, I usually discover excellent worth for award room charges, particularly throughout off-peak dates.
Only recently, I transferred 6,500 Chase factors to Hyatt for a short in a single day keep on the Hyatt Place Amsterdam Airport, which might have value me over $200.
With Chase Final Rewards, I also can switch my factors to Southwest Airways. The Southwest Fast Rewards program incessantly has award gross sales and gives nonstop flights on much less in style routes that many home airways often fly, however with a connection. In consequence, Southwest has develop into my go-to airline after I want a last-minute home award flight.
Moreover, there’s United Airways, one other helpful Chase switch associate. With United, I can unlock quite a few flight potentialities by redeeming miles to e-book award tickets on United planes or Star Alliance associate airways.
For instance, I only in the near past redeemed 8,000 United miles and paid $25 in taxes and costs for a flight on LOT Polish Airways from Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW) to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS). The money worth was over $300, which netted me a price of over 2.3 cents per mile.
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Different issues
I additionally recognize that my factors are value as much as 1.75 cents per level when reserving by way of Chase Journey (relying on the precise reserving).
I do not typically e-book flights or resorts by way of the portal as a result of I can get extra worth through the use of switch companions, however this can be a probably greater worth than I might get if I booked by way of Amex Journey, as journey booked by way of their portal is just value as much as 1 cent per level.
Realizing that I can nonetheless get greater than 1 cent per level by reserving by way of Chase Journey (relying on the reserving) if a switch associate redemption is unavailable makes Chase factors that rather more helpful to me.
Moreover, incomes Chase Final Rewards factors offers me extra flexibility if I ever resolve I need money again for my factors, as every Chase level is value 1 cent when redeemed for money again. This makes it attainable to get money again at a 1:1 ratio with Chase, even when my journey technique adjustments.
Lastly, I’ve many upcoming worldwide journeys deliberate. Having traveled overseas extensively, I discover it a lot simpler to make use of a Chase Visa bank card when abroad. Regardless of Amex’s large acceptance worldwide, I’ve encountered many locations overseas that do not settle for Amex, making it tougher to earn Amex factors after I’m overseas.
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Backside line
The Chase Sapphire Most well-liked and the Amex Gold are two playing cards with nice earnings charges. Due to this, they’re each key gamers in my overarching factors and miles incomes technique. Nonetheless, my present earnings technique emphasizes accruing Chase factors.
My technique may change if I run low on Amex factors or if a brand new profitable welcome provide presents itself, however total, Chase gives higher redemption companions that assist me maximize my travels.
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