Comparison brief

Chase Sapphire Reserve vs. Amex Platinum

Short answer: after the credits we count as usable, the two cost about the same, so the choice comes down to where you spend and which credits you already use. The Reserve costs about $465 a year ($795 minus its broad $300 travel credit and the Global Entry credit). The Platinum costs about $405 ($895 minus $100 of its airline incidental credit, $240 of its digital entertainment credit, $120 of its Uber Cash, and the Global Entry credit). Every other credit on either card needs a specific merchant, program, or membership. Choose the Reserve if you dine out a lot (3x) and book flights and hotels directly (4x). Choose the Platinum if you book many flights directly or through Amex Travel (5x, up to $500,000 a year) and prepaid Amex Travel hotels (5x), and you already use its streaming and Uber credits. The Reserve’s 8x applies only to Chase Travel bookings, and the Platinum’s 5x on hotels only to prepaid Amex Travel bookings. The head-to-head run below solves both cards against your own spending.

2/4 selected

Overview

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Chase

$795/yrChase Ultimate RewardsNo foreign feeVisaUsually needs 750+

View issuer offer

Amex Platinum

Amex

$895/yrAmex Membership RewardsNo foreign feeAmexUsually needs 750+

View issuer offer

Some links may become affiliate links; today none pay us. Commissions are not solver inputs or ranking criteria; issuer terms, eligibility, channel offers, and your assumptions control the modeled result. Read the affiliate disclosure

Which wins on my spending?

Runs the optimizer on these two cards alone, one card allowed, against your own monthly spending.

Earn rates

Everyday categories

Dining

Chase Sapphire Reserve: 3x
Amex Platinum: 1x

Flights outside issuer portals

Chase Sapphire Reserve: 4x
Amex Platinum: 5x

Hotels outside issuer portals

Chase Sapphire Reserve: 4x
Amex Platinum: 1x

Other travel outside issuer portals

Chase Sapphire Reserve: 1x
Amex Platinum: 1x

Travel - Car Rentals / Agencies / Cruises

Chase Sapphire Reserve: 1x
Amex Platinum: 1x

Everything else

Chase Sapphire Reserve: 1x
Amex Platinum: 1x

Everyday earn rate comparison table
Category	Chase Sapphire Reserve	Amex Platinum
Dining	3x	1x
Flights outside issuer portals	4x	5x
Hotels outside issuer portals	4x	1x
Other travel outside issuer portals	1x	1x
Travel - Car Rentals / Agencies / Cruises	1x	1x
Everything else	1x	1x

Issuer travel portals 5 categories — only earned when you book through that issuer’s portal

Amex Travel - Flights

Chase Sapphire Reserve: 1x
Amex Platinum: 5x

Amex Travel - Hotels

Chase Sapphire Reserve: 1x
Amex Platinum: 5x

Chase Travel - Flights

Chase Sapphire Reserve: 8x
Amex Platinum: —

Chase Travel - Hotels

Chase Sapphire Reserve: 8x
Amex Platinum: —

Chase Travel - Rental Cars / Activities

Chase Sapphire Reserve: 8x
Amex Platinum: —

Issuer travel portal earn rate comparison table
Category	Chase Sapphire Reserve	Amex Platinum
Amex Travel - Flights	1x	5x
Amex Travel - Hotels	1x	5x
Chase Travel - Flights	8x	—
Chase Travel - Hotels	8x	—
Chase Travel - Rental Cars / Activities	8x	—

These cards earn different reward currencies, so no highest rate is labeled; a larger multiplier does not necessarily mean more value. Listed rates can still be subject to portal, spending-cap, or category-selection rules; review each card's details before deciding.

Credits and benefits

Travel Credit

Chase Sapphire Reserve: $300/yr estimated usableEasy to use
Amex Platinum: —

Global Entry / TSA PreCheck

Chase Sapphire Reserve: $30/yr estimated usableEasy to use
Amex Platinum: —

DoorDash DashPass

Chase Sapphire Reserve: $0/yr estimated usableUp to $420/yrConditional
Amex Platinum: —

The Edit Hotel Credit

Chase Sapphire Reserve: $0/yr estimated usableUp to $500/yrConditional
Amex Platinum: —

Exclusive Tables Dining Credit

Chase Sapphire Reserve: $0/yr estimated usableUp to $300/yrConditional
Amex Platinum: —

StubHub Credit

Chase Sapphire Reserve: $0/yr estimated usableUp to $300/yrConditional
Amex Platinum: —

Lyft Credit

Chase Sapphire Reserve: $0/yr estimated usableUp to $120/yrConditional
Amex Platinum: —

Apple TV & Apple Music

Chase Sapphire Reserve: $0/yr estimated usableUp to $324/yrConditional
Amex Platinum: —

Peloton Membership Credit

Chase Sapphire Reserve: $0/yr estimated usableUp to $120/yrConditional
Amex Platinum: —

Airline Incidental Credit

Chase Sapphire Reserve: —
Amex Platinum: $100/yr estimated usableUp to $200/yrConditional

Hotel Credit

Chase Sapphire Reserve: —
Amex Platinum: $0/yr estimated usableUp to $600/yrConditional

Digital Entertainment Credit

Chase Sapphire Reserve: —
Amex Platinum: $240/yr estimated usableUp to $300/yrEasy to use

Uber Cash

Chase Sapphire Reserve: —
Amex Platinum: $120/yr estimated usableUp to $200/yrEasy to use

Uber One Credit

Chase Sapphire Reserve: —
Amex Platinum: $0/yr estimated usableUp to $120/yrConditional

lululemon Credit

Chase Sapphire Reserve: —
Amex Platinum: $0/yr estimated usableUp to $300/yrConditional

Resy Dining Credit

Chase Sapphire Reserve: —
Amex Platinum: $0/yr estimated usableUp to $400/yrConditional

Walmart+ Membership Credit

Chase Sapphire Reserve: —
Amex Platinum: $0/yr estimated usableUp to $155/yrConditional

Oura Ring Credit

Chase Sapphire Reserve: —
Amex Platinum: $0/yr estimated usableUp to $200/yrConditional

Equinox Credit

Chase Sapphire Reserve: —
Amex Platinum: $0/yr estimated usableUp to $300/yrConditional

CLEAR Plus Credit

Chase Sapphire Reserve: —
Amex Platinum: $0/yr estimated usableUp to $219/yrConditional

Global Entry/TSA PreCheck

Chase Sapphire Reserve: —
Amex Platinum: $30/yr estimated usableEasy to use

Estimated usable credit value

Chase Sapphire Reserve: $330/yr
Amex Platinum: $490/yr

Maximum face value

Chase Sapphire Reserve: $2,414/yr
Amex Platinum: $3,024/yr

Annual credits and benefits for the selected cards
Credit	Chase Sapphire Reserve	Amex Platinum
Travel Credit	$300/yr estimated usable Easy to use	—
Global Entry / TSA PreCheck	$30/yr estimated usable Easy to use	—
DoorDash DashPass	$0/yr estimated usable Up to $420/yr Conditional	—
The Edit Hotel Credit	$0/yr estimated usable Up to $500/yr Conditional	—
Exclusive Tables Dining Credit	$0/yr estimated usable Up to $300/yr Conditional	—
StubHub Credit	$0/yr estimated usable Up to $300/yr Conditional	—
Lyft Credit	$0/yr estimated usable Up to $120/yr Conditional	—
Apple TV & Apple Music	$0/yr estimated usable Up to $324/yr Conditional	—
Peloton Membership Credit	$0/yr estimated usable Up to $120/yr Conditional	—
Airline Incidental Credit	—	$100/yr estimated usable Up to $200/yr Conditional
Hotel Credit	—	$0/yr estimated usable Up to $600/yr Conditional
Digital Entertainment Credit	—	$240/yr estimated usable Up to $300/yr Easy to use
Uber Cash	—	$120/yr estimated usable Up to $200/yr Easy to use
Uber One Credit	—	$0/yr estimated usable Up to $120/yr Conditional
lululemon Credit	—	$0/yr estimated usable Up to $300/yr Conditional
Resy Dining Credit	—	$0/yr estimated usable Up to $400/yr Conditional
Walmart+ Membership Credit	—	$0/yr estimated usable Up to $155/yr Conditional
Oura Ring Credit	—	$0/yr estimated usable Up to $200/yr Conditional
Equinox Credit	—	$0/yr estimated usable Up to $300/yr Conditional
CLEAR Plus Credit	—	$0/yr estimated usable Up to $219/yr Conditional
Global Entry/TSA PreCheck	—	$30/yr estimated usable Easy to use
Estimated usable credit value	$330/yr	$490/yr
Maximum face value	$2,414/yr	$3,024/yr

Estimated usable value applies the same conservative assumptions used by the optimizer. Maximum face value assumes every listed credit is used in full.

Find your modeled setup

The optimizer searches eligible portfolios against your stated spending—not just two cards at a time—and reports whether the result was proven within the selected catalog and run inputs.

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