Find Your Best
American Express® Gold Card
vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
Updated: June 13, 2024
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Both the American Express® Gold Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card offer similar benefits such as no foreign transaction fees, valuable travel rewards programs, and large welcome offers.
The primary difference between the two travel rewards credit cards is their annual fee: the American Express® Gold Card has a $250 annual fee, while the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card has a $550 annual fee. So before determining which card is best for you, consider what is affordable for you.
Comparison Overview: American Express® Gold Card vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
- American Express® Gold CardChase Sapphire Reserve Card
- Has Annual Fee
- Has Balance Transfer Offer
- Has APR Offer
- Cash Back Rewards
- Travel Rewards
American Express® Gold Card At a Glance
If you spend more money on dining out and grocery shopping than anything else, then a card that earns rewards points for these categories would likely be a good fit. The American Express® Gold Card offers 4X Membership Rewards points at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 in purchases per year and 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
When you add your Gold Card to your Uber account, you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month, for a total of up to $120 every year and up to $120 in annual dining credit to cover restaurant charges ($10 per month) at Seamless, Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory and other participating restaurants.
- 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 spending $6,000 on eligible purchases within the first six months of card membership.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at U.S. restaurants (including takeout and delivery) and at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year. After reaching the cap, earn 1X point per dollar spent.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with the airline or on amextravel.com.
- Receive $10 in Uber cash each month when you add your Amex Gold to your Uber account, totaling up to $120 per year. This can be used for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. To receive this benefit you must have downloaded the latest version of the Uber App and your eligible American Express Gold Card must be a method of payment on your Uber account. The Amex Benefit may only be used in the United States.
- Get up to $10 in monthly statement credits when you use the Amex Gold at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar, and select Shake Shack locations, totaling up to $120 per year. Enrollment required.
- Earn a $100 experience credit (with a two-night minimum stay) when booking The Hotel Collection using American Express Travel. The experience credit varies by property.
- Choose between a Gold or a Rose Gold card to match your style.
- No foreign transaction fees. See rates and fees.
- The annual fee is $250. See rates and fees.
- Terms apply.
Moneygeek.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.
Chase Sapphire Reserve Card At a Glance
If you spend a lot of money on travel and want a credit card rewards program that gets you the most value for your money, the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card is a solid choice. If you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months, you will get 60,000 bonus points (worth $750 toward travel when redeemed via Chase Travel℠).
Each account anniversary year, you will automatically get up to $300 in travel credits.
- Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
Best for premium travel with flexible redemption points
- 1–10 Points per $1Rewards Rate
- 22.49% - 29.49% VariableAPR
- $550Annual Fee
- ExcellentRecommended Credit
Pros
- Exceptional point rewards for dining and travel through Chase Travel℠
- Boosted redemption value for travel
- Substantial signup bonus
- Exclusive luxury perks for travelers
- Travel and purchase protection
- Annual travel credit
Cons
- High annual fee
- No introductory APR period
- High variable APR
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Member FDIC
Comparison Summary
If you’re looking to choose between these two popular credit cards, take a look at our comparison summary below.
Card Detail | Comparison Summary |
|---|---|
Membership Rewards Points vs. Bonus Points | Every dollar spent on either of the highlighted cards is rewarded with points, and each offers a bonus earning category that awards extra points per dollar. The Chase Sapphire Reserve Card earns bonus points, while the Amex Gold Card earns Membership Rewards. The Chase Sapphire Reserve Card offers 10x points on hotels, car rentals, and Chase dining booked through Chase Travel℠, 5x points on airfare booked through Chase Travel℠, 3x points on travel worldwide after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually, 3x points at restaurants including delivery and takeout and 1x points on all other eligible purchases. The Amex Gold offers 4x points per dollar spent at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets with a limit of $25,000 in purchases calendar year at supermarkets, 3x points on airfare purchased directly from the airline or on AmexTravel.com and 1x points on all other eligible purchases. Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve Card |
Welcome Bonus | The American Express® Gold Card welcome offer is 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in six months. The Chase Sapphire Reserve Card welcome offer is 60,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in your first three months; those points are worth $750 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠. Winner: American Express® Gold Card |
Annual Fee | The Chase Sapphire Reserve Card has a $550 annual fee, while the American Express® Gold Card has a $250 annual fee. Winner: American Express® Gold Card |
Points Redemption | The rewards on both cards can be redeemed for travel, gift cards, and shopping. In addition, each issuer has specific hotel and airline partners that you can transfer your earned rewards to. Also, each issuer has their own travel booking platform. Winner: Tie |
Which Card Should You Get?
Before you choose between the American Express® Gold Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card, make sure to consider what’s important to you as a credit card user, including rewards and benefits.
Who Should Consider the American Express® Gold Card?
The American Express® Gold Card is ideal for individuals who spend regularly on dining or grocery shopping.
If you spend regularly on dining out and grocery shopping, the American Express® Gold Card earns 4X points per dollar spent on those two categories—and 1X point per dollar on all other purchases.
When you use the Gold Card to pay at Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth's Chris Steak House, Boxed, and certain Shake Shack locations, you may earn up to $10 in monthly statement credits. This might result in an annual savings of up to $120.
≫ More: Read Our Full Review
Who Should Consider the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card?
The Chase Sapphire Reserve Card is best for anyone who wants extra points in travel rewards, or who values an annual travel credit and luxurious perks like airport lounge access.
Each account anniversary year, you will automatically get up to $300 in travel credits.
You can take advantage of the card's added value of 50% for points redeemed for travel via Chase Travel℠.
≫ More: Read Our Full Review
EXPERT OPINION
These cards are quite different, but if you travel a few times per year, the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card definitely makes sense as you can make the $550 annual fee essentially $250 with the $300 travel credit. However, if you’re more of a ‘foodie’ than a traveler, the American Express® Gold Card is a solid choice for its rewards at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets.
Other Helpful Decision-Making FAQs
It's not always easy to decide on a travel credit card. To help you better grasp the differences between the American Express® Gold Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card, MoneyGeek has answered some frequently asked questions.
Is the American Express® Gold Card better than the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card?
The American Express® Gold Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card both provide solid value to their customers. However, the card that is best for you is determined by your needs and where you spend your money. If you regularly spend on dining out or grocery shopping, the Amex Gold Card is for you. However, if you travel frequently, the Chase Sapphire card is a better choice for you.
Can you get the American Express® Gold Card if you have Chase Sapphire Reserve Card?
Yes, even if you already have the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card, you may apply for the Amex Gold card.
Can you transfer points from the American Express® Gold Card to the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card?
No. However, both issuers have some crossover of transfer partners.
Can you switch from the American Express® Gold Card to the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card?
Yes, you can. However, to be approved for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, you must be under the 5/24 rule, which means you have been approved for five or more credit cards in the last 24 months.
What’s harder to get, the American Express® Gold Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card?
Both cards require good to excellent credit.
How much do you have to spend for the American Express® Gold Card vs the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card to get the welcome bonus?
For the American Express Gold card, you must spend $4,000 in your first six months to earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points. While for Chase, you need to spend $4,000 in three months to receive 50,000 bonus points worth up to $750 when redeemed through Chase’s portal for travel.
Still Not Sure About These Cards? Consider These Options
Individuals who are travel-savvy, value rewards, and want to earn points on their spending might consider the American Express® Gold Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card. However, if you want to receive cash back, consider getting a cash back reward credit card.
Learn more about credit cards in general
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About Doug Milnes, CFA
Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.
Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.
sources
- Chase Bank. "Chase Sapphire Reserve Card." 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.
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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.