First-year winner
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$1,183 Year 1 edge
$1,863 vs $679
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
Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite credit card
Counted benefits
$0
Credits
None
Cash-like credits counted in the model
Perks
None
Optional user-valued benefits
Perk
Preferred Rewards Upside
Other · No listed cash value
Eligible Bank of America relationship customers can unlock higher effective earnings through the issuer’s relationship-based rewards boost programs.
Perk
Trusted Traveler Credit
Tsa Global Entry · No listed cash value
Premium Rewards cards are positioned as travel cards and commonly include Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application-fee value.
Perk
No Foreign Transaction Fees
Other · No listed cash value
Eligible international purchases do not incur an added foreign transaction surcharge.
Perk
Travel Rewards Ecosystem
Other · No listed cash value
The card is designed to fit into a broader travel-rewards setup through issuer redemptions, hotel stays, flights, or travel-portal bookings.
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
$683 ongoing edge
$613 vs $-71
Long-term breakeven: the higher-reward option needs roughly $0 per year in this spend mix to overcome the fee and benefit gap.
Bank of America
Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite credit card
Year One
$679
Welcome offer + annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
After Year 1
$-71
Annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
Annual Rewards
$479
1.64% effective return
Welcome Offer
$750
Current listed first-year bonus value
Credits + Perks
None
$0 credits + $0 perks
Bonus Spend
$5,000
3 mo window · $1,667/mo pace · Doable
Why it wins
- • Still delivers meaningful first-year upside from the welcome offer.
- • Stays usable for international purchases.
Watch for
- • The annual fee is harder to justify if you do not use the credits and perks consistently.
- • 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
2x
$5,400
Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite
$108
2.00%
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$162
3.00%
Groceries
1.5x
$7,800
Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite
$117
1.50%
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$78
1.00%
Travel
2x
$3,000
Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite
$60
2.00%
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$120
4.00%
Gas
1.5x
$1,920
Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite
$29
1.50%
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$19
1.00%
General
1.5x
$11,040
Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite
$166
1.50%
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$110
1.00%
Total annual spend
$29,160 across this mix
Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite$479
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 | Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite credit card | Chase Sapphire Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Costs | ||
| Annual fee | $550 | $795 |
| Foreign transaction fee | None | None |
| Rewards | ||
| Dining rewards | 2x | 3x 3X points on dining worldwide. |
| Travel rewards | 2x | 8x 8X points on all purchases through Chase Travel, including The Edit. |
| All rewards | 1.5x | 1x |
| Offer | ||
| Welcome offer | 75,000 online bonus points Spend $5,000 in 3 mo | 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 | 4 listed | ~$918/yr |
| Benefit highlights | Preferred Rewards Upside · Trusted Traveler Credit · No Foreign Transaction Fees · +1 more | Baggage Delay Insurance · $300 Annual Travel Credit · $500 Credit for Stays with The Edit · +15 more |
| Profile | ||
| Credit needed | Excellent | Excellent |
| Network | visa | visa |
| Reward type | Points | Points |
Costs
Annual fee
Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite credit card
$550
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$795
Foreign transaction fee
Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite credit card
None
Chase Sapphire Reserve
None
Rewards
Dining rewards
Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite credit card
2x
Chase Sapphire Reserve
3x
3X points on dining worldwide.
Travel rewards
Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite credit card
2x
Chase Sapphire Reserve
8x
8X points on all purchases through Chase Travel, including The Edit.
All rewards
Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite credit card
1.5x
Chase Sapphire Reserve
1x
Offer
Welcome offer
Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite credit card
75,000 online bonus points
Spend $5,000 in 3 mo
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
Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite credit card
4 listed
Chase Sapphire Reserve
~$918/yr
Benefit highlights
Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite credit card
Preferred Rewards Upside · Trusted Traveler Credit · No Foreign Transaction Fees · +1 more
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Baggage Delay Insurance · $300 Annual Travel Credit · $500 Credit for Stays with The Edit · +15 more
Profile
Credit needed
Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite credit card
Excellent
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Excellent
Network
Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite credit card
visa
Chase Sapphire Reserve
visa
Reward type
Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite credit card
Points
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Points