American express gold card vs chase sapphire preferred

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Savvy travelers know that having the right credit card can make a huge difference in their rewards earning and, in many cases, save them a significant amount of money. Two top travel rewards cards — the American Express® Gold Card <desc> <g id="asterisk" stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <path d="M29.37 0a5 5 0 014.975 4.805l.004.216-.074 17.076 16.857-9.732a5 5 0 015.196 8.542l-.196.119-16.316 9.42 16.316 9.42a5 5 0 01-4.799 8.77l-.2-.11-16.929-9.774-.07 16.27a5 5 0 01-9.996.175l-.003-.217.065-15.519-15.7 9.065a5 5 0 01-5.195-8.542l.196-.119 16.315-9.42-16.315-9.42a5 5 0 014.8-8.77l.2.11 15.776 9.11.072-16.496A5 5 0 0129.37 0z" fill="#111"> </path></g> </desc> and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card — are fixtures in the wallets of frequent flyers, and for good reason.

Compare the Sapphire Preferred and American Express Gold

• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

• American Express® Gold Card

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Earn 5x points on all travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Earn 3x points on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out. Earn 3x points on select streaming services. Earn 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs). Earn 2x points on other travel. Earn 1x point per dollar on everything else.

60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. 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. Earn 1X Membership Rewards® points on all other purchases.

60,000 points after you spend at least $4,000 in your first 6 months of card membership

Along with hefty welcome bonus offer, both cards offer handy statement credits and excellent travel and purchase protections that can be a lifesaver when things go awry. Both also come with excellent earning rates in popular categories that are easy to maximize whether you're at home or on the road.

The Amex Gold Card has a $250 annual fee, but it can be well worth it if you make the most of the card's earning categories and benefits. Meanwhile, the Chase Sapphire Preferred comes with a more moderate $95 annual fee, so it may be a better choice for those looking to minimize their upfront costs.

Read more: Guide to the best travel rewards credit cards

Either of these cards would be a good pick if you want to make the most of your travel rewards, but there are other significant differences to consider. Here's what to know if you're trying to decide between the Amex Gold Card and Chase Sapphire Preferred.  

Amex Gold vs Chase Sapphire Preferred: Comparison

*on up to $25,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets per calendar year, then 1x

***up to $10 in statement credits per month when you use the Amex Gold card at Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth's Chris Steak House (through August 1, 2022), Boxed (through August 1, 2022), and participating Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.

****up to $10 in Uber Cash per month (this is only applicable to U.S. Eats orders and Rides, and the Gold Card needs to be added to the Uber app to receive the Uber Cash benefit)

Comparing the Amex Gold and Chase Sapphire Preferred intro bonuses

American Express® Gold Card

Intro offer

60,000 points after you spend at least $4,000 in your first 6 months of card membership

Rewards

Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. 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. Earn 1X Membership Rewards® points on all other purchases.

American Express® Gold Card

Intro offer

60,000 points after you spend at least $4,000 in your first 6 months of card membership

Rewards

Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. 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. Earn 1X Membership Rewards® points on all other purchases.

On American Express's website

American Express® Gold Card

On American Express's website

Details

Rewards

Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. 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. Earn 1X Membership Rewards® points on all other purchases.

Annual Fee

$250

See Rates and Fees

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Intro offer

60,000 points after you spend at least $4,000 in your first 6 months of card membership

Recommended Credit

Good to Excellent

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

19.74% - 26.74% Variable

Pros & Cons

Check mark iconA check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction.

Great rewards for dining and for shopping at US supermarkets

Check mark iconA check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction.

Monthly statement credit for eligible dining purchases recoups some of the annual fee

Dash iconA dash. It often indicates an interaction to shrink a section.

Underwhelming welcome bonus

Highlights

• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 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.
• Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $250.
• Terms Apply.
• See Rates & Fees

Additional Reading

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is currently offering one of its highest welcome bonuses ever: 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's 20,000 more points than the standard offer, and potentially worth $1,080 in travel, based on Insider's valuation of 1.8 cents per Ultimate Rewards point.

The welcome offer on the American Express® Gold Card is slightly less valuable than the Sapphire Preferred. You can currently earn 60,000 points after you spend at least $4,000 in your first 6 months of card membership, worth around $1,080 in travel according to Insider's valuation of 1.8 cents per Membership Rewards point. 

Because of the elevated offer on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, it's a better choice if you're looking to open a card with the highest bonus possible — but there are many other factors you should also consider.

Chase and Amex offer different redemption options

The exact value you'll receive depends on how you redeem your points, but both cards offer numerous redemption opportunities, including transferring points to airline and hotel partners, using rewards to book travel through the bank's respective travel portals, and cashing in rewards for gift cards or statement credits.

The Amex Gold Card earns Amex Membership Rewards points, which you can transfer to 21 airline and hotel partners like Delta, Air Canada, and Hilton to book award travel. That's usually how you'll get the highest value for your points, but there are other options, including:

• Redeem points for flights (1 cent per point) or hotels and car rentals (0.7 cents per point) through Amex Travel
• Use points to buy gift cards (usually 1 cent per point)
• Cash in points for statement credits toward purchases made on your card (0.6 cents per point)
• Pay with points at checkout at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Saks Fifth Avenue, Boxed.com, Dell.com, Staples, and more (0.7 cents per point)
• Redeem points for food delivery with GrubHub and Seamless (0.7 cents per point)
• Use points to pay for New York City taxi fares in vehicles using enabled point-of-sale devices (1 cent per point)
• Shop with points for merchandise and gifts through Amex (usually 0.5 cents per point)

Read more: How to earn, redeem, and maximize Amex Membership Rewards points

With the Chase Sapphire Preferred, you earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which transfer to 14 airline and hotel partners including United, British Airways, Southwest, and Hyatt. Again, you'll typically get the most value by transferring to partners and booking award travel, but other redemption options include:

• Redeem points for flights, hotels, rental cars, and more through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal (1.25 cents per point)
• Use points to offset eligible purchases through Pay Yourself Back (1.25 cents per point)
• Cash in your points toward a statement credit or direct deposit to your bank account (1 cent per point)
• Use points for takeout and dining experiences with Chase Dining (1.25 cents per point)
• Buy gift cards with your points (1 cent per point)
• Use points directly for Apple (1 cent each), PayPal (0.8 cents each), or Amazon (0.8 cents each) purchases; the latter options aren't a good value — you're better off paying for your purchase with the card, then redeeming points at 1 cent apiece toward a statement credit

Read more: How to earn, redeem, and maximize Chase Ultimate Rewards points

Consider each card's ongoing rewards earning

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Intro offer

60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

Rewards

Earn 5x points on all travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Earn 3x points on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out. Earn 3x points on select streaming services. Earn 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs). Earn 2x points on other travel. Earn 1x point per dollar on everything else.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Intro offer

60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

Rewards

Earn 5x points on all travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Earn 3x points on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out. Earn 3x points on select streaming services. Earn 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs). Earn 2x points on other travel. Earn 1x point per dollar on everything else.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Details

Rewards

Earn 5x points on all travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Earn 3x points on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out. Earn 3x points on select streaming services. Earn 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs). Earn 2x points on other travel. Earn 1x point per dollar on everything else.

Intro offer

60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

Recommended Credit

Good to Excellent

Recommended credit score. Note that credit card lenders may use many different variations of credit score models when considering your application.

Show more

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

18.99% - 25.99% Variable

Editor's Rating

4.8/5

Our editor's ratings analyze fees, bonuses, rewards, and benefits to highlight the simplest and most valuable credit cards available.

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Pros & Cons

Check mark iconA check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction.

High intro bonus offer starts you off with lots of points

Check mark iconA check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction.

Strong travel coverage

Dash iconA dash. It often indicates an interaction to shrink a section.

Doesn't offer a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit

Highlights

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
• Enjoy benefits such as a $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• With Pay Yourself Back℠, your points are worth 25% more during the current offer when you redeem them for statement credits against existing purchases in select, rotating categories
• 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.

Additional Reading

It's important to look beyond a card's welcome offer and see if its bonus categories and earning rates are a good fit for your spending habits. Fortunately, both the Amex Gold Card and Chase Sapphire Preferred are heavy hitters in this regard, with excellent everyday spending categories that most consumers can easily use.

With the Amex Gold Card, you'll earn:

• 4 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide 
• 4 points per dollar at US supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year in spending, then 1x)
• 3 points per dollar on flights booked with the airline or Amex Travel
• 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases

These bonus categories are the reason the Amex Gold Card tops our lists of the best credit cards for buying groceries and the top restaurant credit cards. If you're a foodie, it's hard to beat the Amex Gold Card, even with the 4x cap on US supermarket purchases.

Read more: 3 reasons why the Amex Gold card is an easy choice for foodies, travelers, and even beginners

The Chase Sapphire Preferred is no slouch when it comes to earning, either. When the card got a makeover earlier this year, it added new bonus categories and improved earning rates in others. Cardholders earn:

• 5 points per dollar on Lyft rides through March 2025
• 5 points per dollar on all travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
• 3 points per dollar  on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out
• 3 points per dollar on select streaming services
• 3 points per dollar on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
• 2 points per dollar on other travel
• 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases

If travel is a priority for you, you could do better with the Chase Sapphire Preferred, especially if you book airfare, hotels, and rental cars through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal. Just keep in mind there are some pitfalls to purchasing travel through a third-party site like a bank portal, including the fact that you won't earn hotel points when you book this way.

Be sure to factor in statement credits and complimentary memberships

Statement credits can help offset a card's annual fee, and both of these cards offer the opportunity to make up for some or most of the yearly cost.

Amex Gold Card cardholders receive up to $10 per month in statement credits toward purchases made with the card at Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth's Chris Steak House (through August 1, 2022), Boxed (through August 1, 2022), and participating Shake Shack locations**.

Read more: 7 Chase Sapphire Preferred benefits that make it one of the most valuable credit cards — beyond a huge sign-up bonus and rewards

In addition, the Amex Gold card offers up to $10 per month in Uber Cash (applicable to U.S. Eats orders and Rides, and the Gold Card needs to be added to the Uber app to receive the Uber Cash benefit). Even if you don't use Uber for rides, you can take advantage of this perk to get up to $10 in free food per month with Uber Eats.

For its part, the Chase Sapphire Preferred also comes with valuable credits — including up to $50 per year toward hotels booked through Chase, $10 per month in Gopuff rapid delivery service credit, and a complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership through December 2024 (worth $9.99 a month, activation required).

Read more: How to use the new Chase Sapphire Preferred $50 annual hotel credit to save money on your stay

And, while not exactly a credit, Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholders receive a 10% anniversary points bonus each year, equal to 10% of all purchases made in the previous year. For example, if you spent $25,000 on the card in an anniversary year, you'd receive a bonus of 2,500 points.

One card offers better travel and purchase protection

Both cards offer various travel and purchase protections, but the Chase Sapphire Preferred comes out on top for offering primary car rental insurance (versus secondary on the Amex Gold Card). 

Read more: The Chase Sapphire Preferred card's travel insurance has saved me over $4,000 — here's why I'll never cancel it

It also offers some protections you won't find on the Amex Gold Card, including trip cancellation/interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance, travel accident insurance, and roadside dispatch. 

The purchase protection on the Amex Gold Card has a higher limit per claim, but keep in mind the protection timeframe is shorter (90 days versus 120 days on the Chase Sapphire Preferred).

Be sure to check the benefits guides for the Amex Gold and Chase Sapphire Preferred (PDF link) for important terms and exclusions.

Amex Gold and Chase Sapphire Preferred annual fees

The annual fee of $250 on the Amex Gold Card is more than double that of the Chase Sapphire Preferred, but you can easily offset most of it if you take full advantage of the card's dining credits (up to $120 a year) and Uber Cash benefits (also up to $120 annually). That's not even factoring in the value of the points you'll earn and the protections you'll get when you use the card.

Read more: Annual fees aren't always worth it, but with these 5 cards the benefits are worth more than what you'll pay each year

Your upfront out-of-pocket cost is lower with the Chase Sapphire Preferred and you can shave off more than half the $95 annual fee by using the $50 hotel credit each year. Otherwise, perks like DashPass membership and top-notch travel and purchase protection can more than make the cost worthwhile.

Bottom line

You can't go wrong with either the Amex Gold Card or Chase Sapphire Preferred if you're looking for an excellent travel rewards credit card. Both offer substantial welcome bonuses, top-notch benefits, and earning rates that can help you boost your points balances quickly.

If you're a beginner in the world of travel rewards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is probably a better pick. Its annual fee is lower, and Chase's travel partners are easy to use for most US-based travelers. You'll also get a higher value for your points if you want to keep it simple and just book travel through the Chase portal.

Read more: Why I'm convinced the Chase Sapphire Preferred is one of the best starter cards to earn points and miles

That said, if you're a fan of Amex's transfer partners, spend a lot on dining and US supermarkets, or prefer a card with generous credits, the Amex Gold Card is a terrific choice. Just keep in mind the $250 annual fee is due upfront, so it will take some time to offset the cost if you plan on doing so by maximizing perks like Uber Cash and dining credits.

Of course, there's no reason you can't have both cards — many folks do — and using both to take advantage of each card's bonus categories is a great way to supercharge your points earning.

Jasmin Baron is an editor at Insider, responsible for credit card coverage on Personal Finance Insider. She is also a Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF).Before joining the Insider team, she was a senior editor at The Points Guy and Million Mile Secrets, covering credit cards, points and miles, and loyalty programs. Her expertise in maximizing travel rewards grew from over two decades of experience in the aviation industry, including 18 years working as a pilot and flight instructor in her native Canada.You can reach Jasmin at . Learn more about how Personal Finance Insider chooses, rates, and covers financial products and services »

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Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards.

Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.

**Enrollment required.

Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Trip Delay Insurance, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance, and Cell Phone Protection Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. Global Assist Hotline Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. Extended Warranty, Purchase Protection, and Baggage Insurance Plan Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

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