Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs. American Express Gold Card

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Most people looking for a travel rewards card don’t need a premium card, or don’t want to pay the premium annual fees these cards command. However, there are a lot of great options that have handsome welcome offers and great ongoing rewards for a much more reasonable annual fee. Two such cards are the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the American Express® Gold Card. Which one is right for you?

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs. American Express® Gold Card: Side-By-Side Comparison

Welcome Offer Winner: Sapphire Preferred

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: 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 Travel℠.

American Express® Gold Card: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply. According to American Express, these points are worth somewhere between $300 and $600, depending on how you redeem them.

This is tough because while the American Express points aren’t worth as much as the Chase points, you have twice as long to earn the bonus. On the other hand, Chase points are pretty flexible. If you have other Chase cards that earn Ultimate Rewards, you can combine them with the Sapphire Preferred and get 25% more value when redeeming for travel through Chase. We give Chase the win.

Rewards Winner: It’s a Tie

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers a suite of travel rewards, as well as 3x points on grocery purchases, dining, and select streaming services. In addition, you also get a $50 hotel credit and a 10% anniversary points boost every year. So, if you put $5,000 in purchases on your card, you’ll get an extra 500 reward points.

Chase also offers 5x points on Lyft, plus you can get a DoorDash Dash Pass subscription, which gets you free delivery at qualifying restaurants for orders over $12.

American Express® Gold Card offers excellent travel rewards, too, but it also gets you points when you eat: 4x points at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery and 4x points at U.S. supermarkets.

American Express often features purchase credits at retailers, and this card is no exception. You can get $120 in Uber cash (also good for Uber Eats) and $120 dining credit when you use your card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar, and select Shake Shack locations. Both of these rewards are doled out in $10 monthly increments, and you have to remember to enroll in the dining credit reward.

The American Express® Gold Card card gives you better rewards on eating (dining and groceries) and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has better rewards for travel.

This is a toss up: one card might be better for you, but both offer excellent rewards.

Here are the details for each card.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card Rewards

American Express® Gold Card Rewards

Interest Rates Winner: Sapphire Preferred

Neither card is offering any 0% introductory rates, and neither charges foreign transaction fees. Interest rates on the Chase card top out about .75% lower than the American Express card (when you choose pay over time). Keep in mind that although American Express does have a Pay Over Time feature, you should expect to pay your bill in full every month. By the smallest of margins, we give Chase the win.

Fee Winner: Sapphire Preferred

The biggest difference here is between the annual fees. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has an annual fee of $95, and the American Express® Gold Card has an annual fee of $250.

Easy win for Chase.

Features and Benefits: Sapphire Preferred

Another close competition, but the Chase card has a few extra travel and other benefits, so we give it the nod.

Sapphire Preferred

Amex Gold

Who the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is Best For

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a powerhouse of a card, offered at a reasonable annual fee. It’s a great card for almost anyone who travels and wants a few extra added benefits. You can transfer your points and use them in the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal, or you can transfer them to Chase’s travel partners. Either way, these points are flexible and valuable.

You can only have one Sapphire card, but if you have other Chase cards such as the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, you can transfer those points to this card and then your points will be worth 25% more when you use them to purchase travel through Chase.

Who the American Express® Gold Card is Best For

American Express® Gold Card is a great card for earning rewards on dining, takeout, and grocery purchases. You also get excellent travel benefits, making this a good fit for people who travel often but don’t need airport lounge access. You will need to book your travel through American Express, and this card works best for those who will use the monthly $10 dining and Uber credits because of the annual fee. American Express also has excellent customer service, so it’s nice to know if you have a problem you can count on your credit card.

If you decide you really need airport lounge access, consider the The Platinum Card® from American Express. You’ll get access to more than 1300 airport lounges in 130 countries, including the coveted Centurion Lounges where available. You’ll also enjoy enhanced travel benefits, though the annual fee is much higher.

Does it Make Sense to Get Both Cards?

These cards are the subject of lively discussions on Reddit, and many people report having both cards. There are advantages to both. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a great card for travel benefits and the American Express® Gold Card is great for dining and groceries. If you travel internationally, American Express is not quite as universally accepted as Visa.

Approval Odds

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

American Express® Gold Card

Since American Express is…well, American Express, most people expect to pay their balance in full every month. Therefore, people don’t always report credit limits for American Express. Chase has the infamous 5/24 rule, which means Chase will not approve you if you’ve opened more than five cards in the last two years. If you’re considering both cards, apply for the Chase card first.

Bottom Line

Both the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the American Express® Gold Card are excellent cards. One is better for travel, and the other is better for groceries and eating out. Many people enjoy both traveling and eating, so perhaps you’ll want to apply for both.