American Express® Gold Card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Which Is Best for You?
The American Express® Gold Card and Chase Sapphire Preferred Card are solid options for consumers looking for valuable rewards for travel and dining purchases. MoneyGeek compared the offerings of these two cards to help you make an informed decision about which credit card is best suited to your lifestyle and spending habits.


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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
- Good–ExcellentRecommended Credit
- $250Annual Fee
- 1–4 Points per $1Rewards Rate
- 4xRewards Rate on Groceries
- 3xRewards Rate on Air Travel
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
- ExcellentRecommended Credit
- $95Annual Fee
- 1–2 Points per $1Rewards Rate
- 2xRewards Rate on Air Travel
- 2xRewards Rate on Dining
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 DetailComparison 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
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.
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.
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
American Express Cash Magnet® Card
American Express® Gold Card
Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card
Journey Student Rewards from Capital One
Capital One Platinum Credit Card
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Spark Cash Plus
Chase Freedom® Student Credit Card
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
World of Hyatt Credit Card
Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card
Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa®
Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa® for Rebuilding Credit
Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students
Mastercard® Black Card™
Mastercard® Titanium Card™
Simmons Rewards Visa Signature®
Simmons Visa®
U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card
U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card
American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
American Express® Business Gold Card
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
Assent Platinum 0% Intro Rate Mastercard® Secured Credit Card
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card
Capital One Spark Cash Select - $500 Cash Bonus
Capital One Spark Miles for Business
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
Aer Lingus Visa Signature®
British Airways Visa Signature® Card
Chase Freedom Flex℠
Iberia Visa Signature® Card
IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card
IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card
CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®
Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
Citi® Double Cash Card
United℠ Business Card
United Club℠ Infinite Card
United℠ Explorer Card
United Gateway℠ Card
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card
Citi Premier® Card
Citi Rewards+® Card
Citi® Secured Mastercard®
Credit One Bank® Platinum X5 Visa®
Destiny® Mastercard®
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
Hilton Honors American Express Card
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card
The Plum Card® from American Express
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Indigo® Platinum Mastercard®
Indigo Mastercard
Mastercard® Gold Card™
Merrick Bank Double Your Line® Secured Credit Card
Learn more about credit cards in general
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.
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