Find Your Best
American Express® Gold Card
vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
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DC
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Updated: March 29, 2024
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The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and the American Express® Gold Card are two popular travel reward credit cards with similar benefits. Both of these cards offer generous sign-up bonuses, with each card providing 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in your first three months and six months respectively from account opening. In addition, they both have no foreign transaction fee and you earn points redeemable for airline tickets and hotel stays. But there are important differences to consider before picking one over another.
Comparison Overview: American Express® Gold Card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- American Express® Gold CardChase Sapphire Preferred Card
- Has Annual Fee
- Has Balance Transfer Offer
- Has APR Offer
- Cash Back Rewards
- Travel Rewards
American Express® Gold Card At a Glance
The American Express® Gold Card has a $250 annual fee and requires good to excellent credit score to be approved. It comes with a variety of perks, including $10 in Uber Cash and dining credit respectively each month, for a total of up to $240 in credits per year.
- American Express® Gold Card
Best rewards card for frequent fliers and diners
- 1–4 Points per $1Rewards Rate
- See Pay Over Time APR*APR
- $250Annual Fee
- Good–ExcellentRecommended Credit
Pros
- Top-tier rewards on dining and groceries
- Great annual bonus credits
- Transfer points to multiple airline partners
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- High annual fee
- Limited premium travel perks
- No rewards on hotel stays or car rentals
- Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new card within the first six months of card Membership.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com. $120 Uber cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
- $120 dining credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
- Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property. Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Annual fee is $250.
- Terms apply.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card At a Glance
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is one of the best rewards credit cards on the market today. With a bonus of 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points (worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards), it also earns 3x points per dollar on dining at restaurants, 5x total points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3x points per dollar on online grocery purchases and streaming services. However, to get approved for the Sapphire Preferred, you’ll need to have excellent credit; otherwise, you may not be approved.
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
A very good rewards card with no foreign transaction fees and comprehensive travel cover
- 1–5 Points per $1Rewards Rate
- 21.49%–28.49% VariableAPR
- $95Annual Fee
- ExcellentRecommended Credit
Pros
- Generous new cardholder bonus
- High rewards on travel and dining
- No foreign transaction fees
- With travel insurance and benefits
- Flexible rewards redemption options
Cons
- With annual fee applies
- High credit requirement
- Rewards program can be complex
- Potentially high APR
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase TravelSM.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5X on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3X on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2X on all other travel purchases, 1X on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
- Member FDIC.
Comparison Summary
MoneyGeek compares both travel reward credit cards. This comparison highlights how these two travel reward credit cards compare in many categories to help you figure out which card is best for your specific needs.
Card Detail | Comparison Summary |
|---|---|
Travel Coverage and Purchase Protection | When you travel more than 100 miles from home, Amex gives 24/7 emergency support and secures every transaction with SafeKey technology, Purchase Protection and Return Protection, and cardholders also get 24/7 fraud monitoring. Chase provides real-time security monitoring with instant fraud notifications through text, email, or phone. The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card credit card also features chip protection to further secure your identity. Winner: American Express® Gold Card |
Welcome Bonus | The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers 60,000 extra points after spending $4,000 in the first three months, while the American Express® Gold Card offers 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first six months. Winner: Tie |
Rewards | You earn 5x points on Chase Ultimate Rewards travel, 3x points on dining and 2x points on all other travel purchases. All Lyft trips will earn you 5X points from now until March 2022. The American Express® Gold Card offers 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets, 3x points when booking flights directly with the airline or through amextravel.com and 1x points on all other eligible purchases through the American Express Membership Rewards Program. Winner: American Express® Gold Card |
Annual Fee | The annual cost for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is $95 per year. The annual fee for the American Express® Gold Card is $250. Winner: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card |
Redemption | There are 13 transfer partners to select from with Chase Ultimate Rewards, and American Express Membership Rewards has its own set of valued partners as well. By redeeming points via the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal, Chase Sapphire Preferred Cardholders earn a 25% bonus. Winner: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card |
Which Card Should You Get?
Both cards provide value that fulfill the needs of different consumers. Your travel reward credit card should be chosen based on your spending habits and requirements.
Who Should Consider the American Express® Gold Card?
The American Express® Gold Card is ideal for frequent travelers and those who dine out regularly.
The Amex Gold Card offers 4X Membership Rewards points at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets on the first $25,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets each year, followed by 1X points afterward.
Travelers earn 3X points when booking flights through either amextravel.com or directly with the airline, and 1X points on all other eligible purchases.
≫ More: Read Our Full Review
Who Should Consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is suitable for regular travelers who wish to take advantage of excellent travel benefits and earn rewards that can be transferred to airline and hotel partners.
Frequent travelers who want to save money can benefit from the modest $95 annual fee.
If you dine out regularly, this card can also be beneficial as it earns 3x points per dollar on dining.
≫ More: Read Our Full Review
EXPERT OPINION
The Amex Gold card is a favorite card of mine for dining out. However, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card delivers much more value for the annual fee you pay. The Amex Gold Card is still a solid option, but some may find it difficult to use the $10 monthly Uber and dining credit. So if you want a card with great benefits for dining and travel with a low annual fee, you can’t go wrong with the Sapphire Preferred.
Other Helpful Decision-Making FAQs
Choosing a travel credit card isn't always a simple decision. MoneyGeek has answered some frequently asked questions about the American Express® Gold Card vs. the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.
Both cards offer excellent value to customers. Your requirements, use cases, and where you spend the most money decide which credit card is best for you. The Amex Gold Card is a great option if you often dine out or shop for groceries. The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is a great option if you travel regularly.
Yes, You can apply for the Amex Gold card even if you hold the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.
No, you can’t. Each card is from a different servicer.
Yes you can. However, be sure you’re under Chase’s 5/24 rule, which means you have been approved for more than five credit cards in the last 24 months.
Both cards require good to excellent credit scores. However, the American Express® Gold Card may be a bit more difficult as it’s a charge card with no predetermined limit.
Both carss require $4,000 in spending. However, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card gives cardholders three months while the Amex Gold Card gives six months to hit the spending requirement.
Still Not Sure About These Cards? Consider These Options
Anyone that enjoys traveling and wants to earn rewards should think about getting the American Express® Gold Card or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. If a travel card isn’t a great fit, cash-back reward credit cards are a good option if you want to get money back on purchases.
Learn more about credit cards in general
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About Doug Milnes, CFA
sources
- Chase Bank. "Chase Sapphire Preferred Card." Accessed January 5, 2022.
- Chase Bank. "Security and Protection." Accessed January 5, 2022.
- American Express. "American Express Fraud Protection." Accessed January 5, 2022.
- American Express. "American Express® Gold Card." Accessed January 5, 2022.
*Rates, fees or bonuses may vary or include specific stipulations. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting/last updated date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. We recommend visiting the card issuer’s website for the most up-to-date information available.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses and recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. Learn more about our editorial policies and expert editorial team.
Advertiser Disclosure: MoneyGeek has partnered with CardRatings.com and CreditCards.com for our coverage of credit card products. MoneyGeek, CardRatings and CreditCards.com may receive a commission from card issuers. To ensure thorough comparisons and reviews, MoneyGeek features products from both paid partners and unaffiliated card issuers that are not paid partners.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses and recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. Learn more about our editorial policies and expert editorial team.
Advertiser Disclosure: MoneyGeek has partnered with CardRatings.com and CreditCards.com for our coverage of credit card products. MoneyGeek, CardRatings and CreditCards.com may receive a commission from card issuers. To ensure thorough comparisons and reviews, MoneyGeek features products from both paid partners and unaffiliated card issuers that are not paid partners.