Card comparison

Amex Gold vs Chase Sapphire Preferred

Mid-Tier Travel Card Comparison

Verified July 2026

TL;DR — quick verdict

The Amex Gold wins for foodies with 4x on restaurants and groceries plus $424 in credits. The Chase Sapphire Preferred wins for budget-conscious travelers ($95 vs $325 annual fee) who want access to Hyatt transfers and DashPass. Both are excellent entry points to the points ecosystem.

At a Glance

American Express Gold Card

Annual Fee
$250
Signup Bonus
100,000 points
Network
Amex
Points Currency
Membership Rewards
Earning Rates
Us Flights 3x
Supermarkets 4x
Us Restaurants 4x
Other Purchases 1x

Chase Sapphire Preferred

Annual Fee
$95
Signup Bonus
100,000 points
Network
Visa
Points Currency
Ultimate Rewards
Earning Rates
Lyft 5x
Dining 3x
Vacation Homes 3x
Other Purchases 1x
Gas And Ev Charging 3x
Chase Travel Purchases 5x

Category Breakdown

How they compare across key categories

Annual Fee

Chase wins

CSP $95 vs Amex Gold $325 — significant difference

Dining Rewards

Amex wins

4x restaurants vs 3x dining — Amex wins with higher multiplier

Grocery Rewards

Amex wins

4x on groceries (up to $25k/yr) vs 3x online groceries on CSP

Transfer Partners

Amex wins

20 partners vs 13 — more airline options

Hotel Value

Chase wins

1:1 Hyatt transfer access (best hotel value in points)

Credits & Perks

Amex wins

$120 dining + $120 Uber + $84 Dunkin' + $100 Resy vs $50 hotel credit + DashPass ($120 value)

Effective Cost

Amex wins

Gold net -$99 after all credits vs CSP net -$75 after credits — both effectively free

Portal & Delivery

Chase wins

5x on Chase Travel purchases + free DashPass with $10/mo credits

Perks & Benefits

American Express Gold

  • Dining credit ($120)
  • Resy credit ($100)
  • Disney Streaming credit ($120)

Chase Sapphire Preferred

  • Chase Travel hotel credit ($100)
  • Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit ($120)
  • DoorDash DashPass ($120)
  • Apple TV subscription ($0)

Which Is Right for You?

Get the Amex Gold if...

  • You spend $500+/month on dining and groceries
  • You want the most transfer partner options (20 partners)
  • You'll use the dining, Uber, Dunkin', and Resy credits
  • You eat out frequently and want maximum rewards

Get the Chase Sapphire Preferred if...

  • You want the lowest annual fee entry to premium transfers
  • You value World of Hyatt access for hotel stays
  • You want free DashPass and $10/mo delivery credits
  • You're building a Chase trifecta (CSP + Freedom Flex + Freedom Unlimited)

Related Resources

Amex Points Value

What are Amex points worth?

Chase Points Value

What are Chase points worth?

Search Award Flights

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Amex Gold or Chase Sapphire Preferred better?

The Amex Gold is better for heavy restaurant and grocery spenders (4x on both categories) with $424 in annual credits. The Chase Sapphire Preferred is better for budget-conscious travelers who want access to World of Hyatt transfers and DashPass delivery perks. If you spend $500+/month on dining and groceries, the Amex Gold easily justifies its higher annual fee.

Which card is better for beginners?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred at $95/year is the best entry point. It gives you access to 13 transfer partners including World of Hyatt, earns 5x on Chase Travel purchases, and includes free DashPass with $10/month credits. The lower fee means less pressure to maximize credits.

Can I upgrade from the Sapphire Preferred to the Reserve later?

Yes — Chase allows product changes from CSP to CSR after holding the card for at least 1 year. This is a common strategy: start with CSP for the signup bonus, then upgrade to CSR for better earning rates and lounge access.

Is the Amex Gold worth $325/year?

If you use the $120 dining credit, $120 Uber credit, $84 Dunkin' credit, and $100 Resy credit, you get $424 in value — making the effective annual fee negative. Add the 4x earning on restaurants and groceries, and the card more than pays for itself for regular diners.

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Need More Points?

Earn bonus points with these credit card offers

Can't find availability at your current points balance? These credit cards offer generous welcome bonuses to help you book your dream flight.

The Business Platinum Card from American Express

Business · Annual fee $895

US only

200,000 points

after $20,000 in 3 months

  • Hotel credit ($600)
  • Dell credit ($1150)
  • Adobe credit ($250)
Learn more & apply

American Express Business Gold Card

Business · Annual fee $375

US only

200,000 points

after $15,000 in 3 months

  • ChatGPT Business Statement Credit ($300)
  • FedEx, Grubhub and Office Supply Statement Credit ($240)
  • Walmart+ Statement Credit ($155)
Learn more & apply

The Platinum Card from American Express

Personal · Annual fee $895

US only

175,000 points

after $12,000 in 6 months

  • Hotel credit ($600)
  • Digital entertainment credit ($300)
  • Uber Cash and One credit ($320)
Learn more & apply

American Express Gold Card

Personal · Annual fee $250

US only

100,000 points

after $8,000 in 6 months

  • Dining credit ($120)
  • Resy credit ($100)
  • Disney Streaming credit ($120)
Learn more & apply

Chase Sapphire Preferred

Personal · Annual fee $95

100,000 points

after $5,000 in 3 months

  • Chase Travel hotel credit ($100)
  • Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit ($120)
  • DoorDash DashPass ($120)
Learn more & apply

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Personal · Annual fee $795

100,000 points

after $6,000 in 3 months

  • Travel credit ($300)
  • The Edit hotel credit ($500)
  • Dining credit ($300)
Learn more & apply

Credit card approval subject to eligibility. Terms and conditions apply. American Express cards shown are available to US residents only.