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The Chase Sapphire Preferred 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.

OUR COMPARISON AT A GLANCE

Comparison Overview: American Express Gold Card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred

  • American Express Gold Card
    Chase Sapphire Preferred
  • Has Annual Fee
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  • Has Balance Transfer Offer
  • Has APR Offer
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  • Cash Back Rewards
  • Travel Rewards
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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-ExcellentCredit Needed
    • $250Annual Fee
    • 1–4 Points per $1Rewards Rate
    • 4xRewards Rate on Groceries
    • 3xRewards Rate on Air Travel

    Terms, rates and fees apply

    Compare this credit card with other top-rated rewards cards.

Chase Sapphire Preferred 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

    A very good rewards card with no foreign transaction fees and comprehensive travel cover

    • ExcellentCredit Needed
    • $95Annual Fee
    • 1–2 Points per $1Rewards Rate
    • 2xRewards Rate on Air Travel
    • 2xRewards Rate on Dining

    Terms, rates and fees apply

    Compare this credit card with other cards with lower interest rates.

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 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 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.

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    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.

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    Travelers earn 3X points when booking flights through either amextravel.com or directly with the airline, and 1X points on all other eligible purchases.

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    ≫ More: Read Our Full Review

Who Should Consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred 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.

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    Frequent travelers who want to save money can benefit from the modest $95 annual fee.

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    If you dine out regularly, this card can also be beneficial as it earns 3x points per dollar on dining.

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    ≫ More: Read Our Full Review
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EXPERT OPINION

The Amex Gold card is a favorite card of mine for dining out. However, the Chase Sapphire Preferred 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. 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.

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*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.
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