Card Comparison

Amex Platinum vs Chase Sapphire Reserve

Premium Travel Card Showdown — Updated 2026

Quick Verdict

The Amex Platinum ($895/yr) wins for luxury perks, lounge access, and transfer partners (20 vs 13). The Chase Sapphire Reserve ($795/yr) wins for hotel value with 1:1 Hyatt transfer, The Edit credits, and Chase Sapphire Lounges. Both cards saw major fee increases in 2025 but gained substantial new perks. Choose Amex for lounges and airline partners; choose Chase for hotel redemptions.

At a Glance

The Platinum Card from American Express

Annual Fee: $695
Signup Bonus: 80,000 points
Network: Amex
Points Currency: Membership Rewards
Earning Rates: Dining 1x

Everything Else 1x

Flights Amex Travel 5x

Flights Booked Directly 5x

Prepaid Hotels Amex Travel 5x

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Annual Fee: $550
Signup Bonus: 60,000 points
Network: Visa
Points Currency: Ultimate Rewards
Earning Rates: Dining 3x

Travel 3x (after $300 credit)

Streaming 3x (with DashPass)

Everything Else 1x

Online Groceries 3x

Category Breakdown

How they compare across key categories

Annual Fee

Amex wins

CSR $795 vs Amex Platinum $895 — both offset with $1,000+ in annual credits

Lounge Access

Amex wins

Centurion Lounges + Delta Sky Club + Priority Pass vs Chase Sapphire Lounges + Priority Pass

Transfer Partners

Amex wins

20 partners vs 13 — Amex has more airline options

Dining Earning

Chase wins

CSR earns 3x dining (8x via Chase Travel); Platinum only 1x

Hotel Value

Chase wins

1:1 Hyatt transfer + $500 The Edit hotel credits + $250 Chase Travel hotel credit

Travel Credits

Amex wins

Amex offers $2,200+ in credits; CSR offers $1,050+ in credits annually

Travel Insurance

Chase wins

CSR includes trip delay, cancellation, and rental car coverage

Status Benefits

Amex wins

Hilton Gold + Marriott Gold vs no hotel status

Perks & Benefits

The Platinum

$200 airline fee credit
$200 hotel credit (FHR/THC)
$200 Uber credit
$189 CLEAR Plus credit
$155 Walmart+ credit
Centurion Lounge access
Priority Pass Select
Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit
Hilton Gold status
Marriott Gold status

Chase Sapphire Reserve

$300 annual travel credit
Priority Pass Select
Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit
1.5 cpp in Chase Travel portal
DoorDash DashPass
Instacart+ membership
Lyft Pink membership
No foreign transaction fees

Which Is Right for You?

Get the Amex Platinum if...

You value Centurion Lounge and Delta Sky Club access
You want the widest range of airline transfer partners (20)
You travel internationally and want hotel status perks
You can maximize $2,200+ in annual statement credits

Get the Chase Sapphire Reserve if...

You want 4x on direct hotel/flight bookings and 8x via Chase Travel
You want World of Hyatt transfers and $750 in hotel credits
You want Chase Sapphire Lounge access
You value comprehensive travel insurance

Related Resources

Amex Points Value

What are Amex points worth?

Chase Points Value

What are Chase points worth?

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Amex Platinum or Chase Sapphire Reserve better for travel?

It depends on your priorities. The Amex Platinum ($895/yr) offers superior lounge access (Centurion Lounges + Delta Sky Club), more transfer partners (20 vs 13), and hotel elite status. The Chase Sapphire Reserve ($795/yr) offers better earning rates (4x direct flights/hotels, 8x via Chase Travel), the 1:1 Hyatt transfer, $750 in hotel credits, and Chase Sapphire Lounge access. Many frequent travelers hold both.

Can you have both the Amex Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve?

Yes — there's no restriction on holding cards from different issuers. Many award travel enthusiasts hold both to access the full range of transfer partners from both Amex Membership Rewards (20 partners) and Chase Ultimate Rewards (13 partners).

Which card has better lounge access?

The Amex Platinum has the edge with Centurion Lounges (widely considered the best US airport lounges), 10 complimentary Delta Sky Club visits per year, Priority Pass Select, and Plaza Premium Lounges. The CSR now offers Chase Sapphire Lounges by The Club plus Priority Pass Select — a major upgrade from before.

Which card is better for earning points on everyday spending?

The Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 3x on dining and 4x on direct flights and hotels — better for everyday spending. The Amex Platinum earns 5x on flights booked directly or through Amex Travel, but only 1x on everything else. For daily spending, CSR wins. For booking through portals, CSR's 8x on Chase Travel is hard to beat.

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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 Card | Annual Fee: $895

US Only

200,000 Membership Rewards® points

after $20,000 in purchases in the first 3 months

Key Benefits:

5x points on flights & hotels via Amex Travel
1.5x points on purchases over $5,000
Airport lounge access

Learn More & Apply

American Express® Business Gold Card

Business Card | Annual Fee: $375

US Only

100,000 Membership Rewards® points

after $15,000 in purchases in the first 3 months

Key Benefits:

4x points on top 2 spending categories (up to $150K/yr)
Up to $240 in annual statement credits

Learn More & Apply

Chase Ink Business Preferred®

Business Card | Annual Fee: $95

100,000 Ultimate Rewards points

after $8,000 in purchases in the first 3 months

Key Benefits:

3x points on travel & shipping
3x points on advertising
3x points on internet/cable/phone

Learn More & Apply

The Platinum Card from American Express

Personal Card | Annual Fee: $695

US Only

80,000 points

after $8,000 in 6 months

Key Benefits:

$200 airline fee credit
$200 hotel credit (FHR/THC)
$200 Uber credit

Learn More & Apply

Capital One Venture Rewards

Personal Card | Annual Fee: $95

75,000 miles

after $4,000 in 3 months

Key Benefits:

Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit
No foreign transaction fees

Learn More & Apply

Capital One Venture X Rewards

Personal Card | Annual Fee: $395

75,000 miles

after $4,000 in 3 months

Key Benefits:

$300 annual travel credit (Capital One Travel)
10,000 bonus miles annually
Capital One Lounge access

Learn More & Apply

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