First-year winner
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$535 Year 1 edge
$1,863 vs $1,328
Compare Cards
Stack up the better credit card
Compare two cards side by side with your real spend, credits, fees, and rewards.
Card A
Card B
Monthly spend
Start with spending categories
Monthly Total
$2,430/mo
Reward assumptions
Credits & benefits
Count the credits and perks you actually expect to use. Credit rows start with conservative default values; edit them for your own merchant, timing, or travel friction.
Card A
The Platinum Card from American Express
Counted benefits
$1,132
Credits
$1,132
Cash-like credits counted in the model
Perks
None
Optional user-valued benefits
Perk
American Express Global Lounge Collection
Lounge Access · No listed cash value
Access to Centurion Lounges, select Delta Sky Club visits when flying Delta, Priority Pass Select enrollment, and other partner lounges.
Credit
$200 Uber Cash
Other · Listed $200/yr
Get $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a $20 bonus in December for eligible Uber rides and orders in the U.S.
Perk
$120 Uber One Credit
Other · No listed cash value
Up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year after purchase of an eligible auto-renewing Uber One membership in the U.S.
Credit
$300 Digital Entertainment Credit
Streaming Credits · Listed $300/yr
Up to $25 per month in statement credits for eligible purchases with select digital entertainment partners.
Credit
$400 Resy Credit
Dining Credits · Listed $400/yr
Up to $100 in statement credits each quarter for eligible Resy purchases, including dining at eligible U.S. Resy restaurants.
Perk
$600 Hotel Credit
Travel Credits · No listed cash value
Up to $300 back semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings through Amex Travel.
Perk
Premium Hotel Status
Other · No listed cash value
Complimentary hotel status and on-property benefits are available with participating programs.
Credit
$200 Airline Fee Credit
Travel Credits · Listed $200/yr
Up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year for incidental fees with one selected qualifying airline.
Credit
$209 CLEAR Plus Credit
Other · Listed $209/yr
Up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year for an eligible CLEAR Plus membership.
Perk
$200 Oura Ring Credit
Other · No listed cash value
Up to $200 back in statement credits each calendar year on eligible Oura Ring purchases through ouraring.com.
Perk
Platinum Nights by Resy
Other · No listed cash value
Special access to exclusive reservations on select nights at participating Resy restaurants in select markets.
Credit
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Application Credit
Tsa Global Entry · Listed $30/yr
Receive either a statement credit for Global Entry every 4 years or TSA PreCheck every 4.5 years when the application fee is charged to the card.
Credit
$100 Saks Fifth Avenue Credit
Other · Listed $100/yr
Up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com.
Perk
$300 Equinox Credit
Other · No listed cash value
Up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year on an eligible Equinox club membership or Equinox+ digital subscription.
Credit
Walmart+ Monthly Membership Credit
Other · Listed $155/yr
Monthly statement credit for one eligible Walmart+ membership paid with the Platinum Card.
Perk
$300 lululemon Credit
Other · No listed cash value
Up to $75 in statement credits each quarter for eligible U.S. lululemon store purchases.
Card B
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Counted benefits
$918
Credits
$918
Cash-like credits counted in the model
Perks
None
Optional user-valued benefits
Perk
Baggage Delay Insurance
Travel Insurance · No listed cash value
Can reimburse essential purchases when baggage is delayed on a covered trip.
Credit
$300 Annual Travel Credit
Travel Credits · Listed $300/yr
Up to $300 in statement credits each account anniversary year for eligible travel purchases.
Perk
$500 Credit for Stays with The Edit
Travel Credits · No listed cash value
Up to $250 per prepaid booking, up to $500 annually, for eligible stays booked through The Edit by Chase Travel.
Perk
$250 Credit for Select Chase Travel Hotels
Travel Credits · No listed cash value
Up to $250 in statement credits through December 31, 2026 on eligible prepaid Chase Travel hotel bookings at select hotel groups.
Perk
Chase Sapphire Reserve Lounge Network
Lounge Access · No listed cash value
Access to Chase Sapphire Lounges by The Club and Priority Pass airport lounges with permitted guests.
Credit
Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS Fee Credit
Tsa Global Entry · Listed $30/yr
Receive one statement credit of up to the listed amount every four years for a qualifying application fee.
Credit
$300 Dining Credit
Dining Credits · Listed $300/yr
Up to $150 in statement credits from January through June and again from July through December at eligible Sapphire Exclusive Tables restaurants on OpenTable.
Credit
$288 in Apple TV and Apple Music Subscriptions
Streaming Credits · Listed $288/yr
Statement credits for Apple TV+ and Apple Music subscriptions up to the issuer's stated annual limit.
Perk
$120 DashPass Membership
Other · No listed cash value
Cardholders can receive a complimentary DashPass membership window with DoorDash benefits.
Perk
$300 in DoorDash Promos
Other · No listed cash value
Eligible cardholders can receive a DoorDash promotional benefit during the active program window.
Perk
$300 in StubHub Credits
Other · No listed cash value
Eligible StubHub purchases can qualify for statement credits during the active program window.
Perk
$120 in Lyft Credits
Other · No listed cash value
Eligible Lyft purchases can receive statement credits during the active program window.
Perk
IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite Status
Other · No listed cash value
Eligible cardholders can enroll in hotel elite status benefits with IHG One Rewards.
Perk
Reserve Travel Designers
Other · No listed cash value
Cardholders can access travel planning assistance through the issuer's travel advisor program.
Perk
Primary Auto Rental Coverage
Rental Car · No listed cash value
Can provide primary coverage for theft and collision damage on eligible rental cars.
Perk
Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance
Travel Insurance · No listed cash value
Can reimburse covered prepaid travel expenses when a qualifying trip is canceled or interrupted for a covered reason.
Perk
Trip Delay Reimbursement
Travel Insurance · No listed cash value
Can reimburse eligible out-of-pocket expenses when a covered trip is delayed beyond the issuer's threshold.
Perk
Lost Luggage Reimbursement
Travel Insurance · No listed cash value
Can reimburse eligible losses when baggage is lost or damaged on a covered trip.
Verdict
Chase Sapphire Reserve wins year 1 and long term.
Winner after year 1
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$85 ongoing edge
$613 vs $528
Long-term breakeven: the higher-reward option needs roughly $16,715 per year in this spend mix to overcome the fee and benefit gap.
American Express
The Platinum Card from American Express
Year One
$1,328
Welcome offer + annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
After Year 1
$528
Annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
Annual Rewards
$292
1.00% effective return
Welcome Offer
$800
Current listed first-year bonus value
Credits + Perks
$1,132
$1,132 credits + $0 perks
Bonus Spend
$8,000
6 mo window · $1,333/mo pace · Comfortable
Why it wins
- • Still delivers meaningful first-year upside from the welcome offer.
- • Your expected credit usage offsets most of the annual fee.
- • Stays usable for international purchases.
Watch for
- • The points value case is thinner without transfer-partner flexibility.
Chase
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Year One
$1,863
Welcome offer + annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
After Year 1
$613
Annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
Annual Rewards
$490
1.68% effective return
Welcome Offer
$1,250
Current listed first-year bonus value
Credits + Perks
$918
$918 credits + $0 perks
Bonus Spend
$6,000
3 mo window · $2,000/mo pace · Doable
Why it wins
- • Comes with a particularly strong welcome offer.
- • Your expected credit usage offsets most of the annual fee.
- • Stays usable for international purchases.
Watch for
- • The points value case is thinner without transfer-partner flexibility.
Spend Mix Math
Where the value actually comes from
Category returns are based on the spend mix you entered, your point-value assumption, and the benefits you chose to count.
Dining
1x
$5,400
The Platinum Card from American Express
$54
1.00%
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$162
3.00%
Groceries
1x
$7,800
The Platinum Card from American Express
$78
1.00%
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$78
1.00%
Travel
1x
$3,000
The Platinum Card from American Express
$30
1.00%
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$120
4.00%
Gas
1x
$1,920
The Platinum Card from American Express
$19
1.00%
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$19
1.00%
General
1x
$11,040
The Platinum Card from American Express
$110
1.00%
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$110
1.00%
Total annual spend
$29,160 across this mix
The Platinum Card from American Express$292
Chase Sapphire Reserve$490
Raw Breakdown
Full side-by-side details
Use the spec table below when you want the literal field-by-field differences in rewards, benefits, transfer partners, fees, and approval profile.
| Metric | The Platinum Card from American Express | Chase Sapphire Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Costs | ||
| Annual fee | $895 | $795 |
| Foreign transaction fee | None | None |
| Rewards | ||
| Dining rewards | — | 3x 3X points on dining worldwide. |
| Travel rewards | 5x 5X Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel, up to $500,000 per calendar year, and on prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel. | 8x 8X points on all purchases through Chase Travel, including The Edit. |
| All rewards | 1x | 1x |
| Offer | ||
| Welcome offer | 80,000 Membership Rewards points Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. | 125,000 points Earn 125,000 points after you spend $6,000 in purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. |
| Benefits | ||
| Estimated benefits | ~$1,594/yr | ~$918/yr |
| Benefit highlights | American Express Global Lounge Collection · $200 Uber Cash · $120 Uber One Credit · +13 more | Baggage Delay Insurance · $300 Annual Travel Credit · $500 Credit for Stays with The Edit · +15 more |
| Profile | ||
| Credit needed | Excellent | Excellent |
| Network | amex | visa |
| Reward type | Points | Points |
Costs
Annual fee
The Platinum Card from American Express
$895
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$795
Foreign transaction fee
The Platinum Card from American Express
None
Chase Sapphire Reserve
None
Rewards
Dining rewards
The Platinum Card from American Express
—
Chase Sapphire Reserve
3x
3X points on dining worldwide.
Travel rewards
The Platinum Card from American Express
5x
5X Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel, up to $500,000 per calendar year, and on prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel.
Chase Sapphire Reserve
8x
8X points on all purchases through Chase Travel, including The Edit.
All rewards
The Platinum Card from American Express
1x
Chase Sapphire Reserve
1x
Offer
Welcome offer
The Platinum Card from American Express
80,000 Membership Rewards points
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Chase Sapphire Reserve
125,000 points
Earn 125,000 points after you spend $6,000 in purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Benefits
Estimated benefits
The Platinum Card from American Express
~$1,594/yr
Chase Sapphire Reserve
~$918/yr
Benefit highlights
The Platinum Card from American Express
American Express Global Lounge Collection · $200 Uber Cash · $120 Uber One Credit · +13 more
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Baggage Delay Insurance · $300 Annual Travel Credit · $500 Credit for Stays with The Edit · +15 more
Profile
Credit needed
The Platinum Card from American Express
Excellent
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Excellent
Network
The Platinum Card from American Express
amex
Chase Sapphire Reserve
visa
Reward type
The Platinum Card from American Express
Points
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Points